Fighting Dog

This is a very controversial group do dogs for several reasons. First in most western cultures dog fighting is illegal and is considered immoral. secondly many of these dogs end up in the ownership of people who are hoping to make a personal statement about themselves, yet lack the skill and experience to train these dogs to be safe members of society. As a result dogs of the fighting breeds are sometimes involved in very well publicized incidents where people or other pets are seriously injured or killed.
Fighting dogs are a specialized class selected for willingness to engage in battle with another dog. The fighting breeds generally have certain physical characteristics in common. Loose skin, small ears, small tight lidded eyes, massive jaws and heavy muscling. They do not have the exaggerated short heads of the bull breeds as this would lead to overheating and loss of endurance. They tend to be quite resistant to pain and to have a sort of bipolar personality in which they are either relaxed and outgoing or are in focused fighting mode. In most countries in which this essay will be read dog fighting is illegal because it is considered inhumane. It is still pursued as a sport even when banned.

Fighting dog breeds have an appeal as guard dogs. In addition the individuals who have the overall breed personality of being outgoing and confident but lack the breed specific fighting frenzy make excellent pets. The association of images of human power and worth with the ownership of a dog from a fighting dog breed has lead to an unfortunate popularity of these dogs and a tendency for novices to obtain them. Thus dogs of the fighting dog breeds, principally "pit bulls", are among the commonest large dogs in urban animal shelters in the United States and are frequently the focus of 'dangerous dog laws'. Fighting dog breeds seem to have originated from other breeds and breed crosses by selecting for exaggerated pluck and courage, the ability to focus on the task at hand, especially fighting, massive muscling and reduced sensitivity to physical pain. They blend in with the terriers on the one hand and the mastiff/bull breeds on the other.