For those who think it’s only the retrievers and labs of the world that are the sweetest and cutest, National Pit Bull Awareness Day on October 26 is for you. For those who believe American pit bull terriers are menacing, dangerous animals, this day is for you. For anyone who hasn’t taken the time to learn that pit bulls are in fact loving, caring pets, National Pit Bull Awareness Day is for you; a day in which we celebrate how loving, kind, and compassionate these dogs truly are and finally put to bed those terrible misconceptions.
History of National Pit Bull Awareness Day
In 2007, National Pit Bull Awareness Day was created to help raise awareness on the truth about Pit Bulls. For nearly 100 years, these four-legged friends were considered “Nanny Dogs,” because they were so loyal, docile, and loving that parents would often leave their babies or toddlers with their pit bulls while they ran to the store.
Over the decades, pitties have unfortunately garnered a reputation as being ferocious, malicious, and dangerous beasts. An image far from the truth and based on the actions of maligned humans, not the animals themselves.
Pit bulls were born out of a mixture of a bulldog and a terrier in England in the 18th century, partly to help with much-needed rodent and vermin regulation from the Industrial Revolution, but also because dog fighting was, unfortunately, popular at the time. That being said, as the now-extinct Bull and Terrier breed evolved into the American Staffordshire Pit Bull we now know and love, these pups were always considered affectionate, loyal, and great family dogs by breeders and owners alike.