If you love pit bulls, you may have already heard about the red-nose pit bull, but if you haven’t, not to worry because not every dog lover is familiar with this type of dog. Red-nose pit bulls aren’t a separate breed of pit bull, just like the blue-nose pit bull isn’t. Instead, the red or blue nose is just a different pigmentation type that happened along the way.
Introduction
Currently, the AKC and UKC only recognize certain breeds as being authentic pit bulls, with the AKC recognizing the American Staffordshire Terrier and the UKC recognizing the American Pit Bull Terrier as “official” pit bull breeds. Another breed, known as the American Bully, was added to the list in 2013.
If you’re interested in learning more about the red-nose pit bull bloodline, hold on to your hats because you’ll soon learn everything you need to know to appreciate these dogs even more.
History: How Did it Begin?
The history of the red-nose pit bull doesn’t go back that far. In fact, their history started less than two centuries ago. In Ireland, dog fighting was extremely popular and in fact, dogs that fought were considered very valuable and, therefore, there was a lot of money to be made in stud fees.
When it came to breeding these dogs, very small gene pools were used to get just the type of dog considered to be good fighting dogs. There was a strain of dogs known as “old family dogs,” and they were specifically bred to fight. Because of the repetitive breeding taking place, these dogs maintained a fairly red color and came to be known as “old family red nose” dogs, or OFRNs.
The selective breeding utilized resulted in this red color, and most of the time even their toenails ended up being red!
Eventually, the bloodline of the red-nose pit bull was essentially eradicated. This is because the American Kennel Club banned this type of pit bull and would not allow it to be officially registered as an American Staffordshire Terrier. Why did they not allow this? One simple reason – they did not approve of dog fighting and, therefore, would not officially recognize the red-nose pit bull.
Just a Side Effect
So, to recap, the original breeders of the red-nose pit bull had one goal in mind, and that was to produce the ultimate fighting dog. It was not to produce a dog that had a red nose or toenails! But because of the way the dogs were bred, the red was just a side effect, and this is why the red-nose pit bull is not a specific breed of pit bull.
Today, the bloodline is a little different than it was before because it is actually very rare to find a red-nose pit bull that is a descendent of the original “old family dog” line. Many breeders claim this is the type of dog they’re working with, but in reality that is rarely the case.
Today, the gene pool of the red-nose pit bull has widened, but in many ways this is a good thing. For example, the selective breeding process used in the past to get the best fighting dog used to result in certain genetic deformities, including temperament issues and even skin problems. For the most part, that is not a problem today.
Temperament Issues: Why This Is Important
When this selective breeding was taking place, the red-nose pit bull had a fairly aggressive temperament, which is what the breeders wanted because it was a fighting dog. Today, most pit bulls are so far removed from the original fighting line that they are not very aggressive at all. In fact, most pit bulls today can be considered a “docile” animal.
Regarding other characteristics of this dog, keep in mind that the red-nose pit bull is just a type of pit bull that just happens to have red pigmentation. Therefore, when it comes to things such as lifespan, characteristics, and even training the dog, the dog is just like all other types of pit bull and doesn’t need to be considered differently.
Characteristics of the Red-Nose Pit Bull
The red-nose pit bull has a reddish nose, red pigmentation throughout his coat and paws, and a coat color that can vary with each dog. Today’s red-nose pit bulls are playful and energetic, only experience moderate shedding, and are, in fact, great with children and for families – completely the opposite of what many people assume when they think of a pit bull!
Red-nose pit bulls are also generally healthy, although they can be susceptible to allergies and can suffer from certain hip and joint diseases. Their lifespan is similar to that of other pit bulls, which is roughly 12 to 14 years. Once again, because the red pigmentation doesn’t affect its temperament or other characteristics, it also doesn’t affect how long it will live.
If you decide you want to train your red-nose pit bull, you can train them just like you would another pit bull, and you’ll be able to do this in numerous ways, including in-person and even online training classes.
Conclusion
So, what is the one main fact for you to take away from this article? That the red-nose pit bull is a type of pit bull, not a specific breed. This means that when it comes to your red-nose pit bull’s temperament, characteristics, and recommended training methods, all you have to do is treat it like you would any other pit bull. There are no special recommendations required, in other words.
Studying the red-nose pit bull bloodline shows you the history of the dog and why it is like it is today. Besides, it’s good to remember that pit bulls are mixed breeds to begin with, so whether you’re talking about a blue-nose or red-nose pit bull, or any other type of pit bull, you’re still talking about a breed that comes from a varied bloodline.