East European Shepherd vs American Pit Bull Terrier - Breed Comparison

The history of the American Pit Bull Terrier might be a confusing one to some dog lovers and certainly to the general public that tends to lump all the “bully” breeds into a category called “pit bull”. This is because of the negative reputation this group of breeds has acquired over the past 30-50 years due to misuse and mis-breeding by the dog fighting industry. This categorization includes the American Pit Bull Terrier, The American Staffordshire Terrier, the Bull Terrier and the Staffordshire Bull Terrier.

There is major confusion and disagreement on the difference between the American Pit Bull Terrier and the American Staffordshire Terrier. The AKC does not recognize the American Pit Bull Terrier as a separate breed, but its founder and the UKC, ADBA do so. In the 1930’s the American Pit Bull Terrier was a recognized breed and in response to the negativity of pit-fighting, they renamed it as the American Staffordshire Terrier.

The American Pit Bull Terrier was developed to be a little larger in size than the Staffordshire in both height and weight. This breed comes from crossing various Bull and Terrier breed to get a working dog. The Amstaff for the most part is bred to be a show dog and is not usually a “street dog” used in dog fighting rings. The direct ancestors of the APBT are the Old English Bulldogs and the Old English Terriers. These dogs are great family dogs, gentle beyond comparison unless raised to fight. They make great therapy dogs as well as police dogs. They are not by nature cruel, aggressive or attack dogs.

Both professional confirmation breeders and street fight breeds have developed new strains of the American Pit Bull Terrier. A few are worth mentioning here.

Old Family Red Nose

One of the oldest strains of the American Pit Bull Terrier they are red in color and that red is a very unique tone. They have a copper colored coat and nose with red nails, red lips and amber or red eyes. These dogs were originally from Ireland and when they came to America they had the red nose. Originally bred for gameness, it is the red color that is sought after now.

Colby Pit Bulls

These are another old breed, but they have black noses and were initially bred by John P. Colby in the late 1800s. These dogs were known to be indominable fighting dogs and were bred into almost every line of American Pit Bull Terriers that exist today. The line is still maintained by the Colby family.

The East European Shepherd is a dog which hails from Russia. The dog was developed in the 1930-1950s as there was a need for a bigger, more robust, weather-resistant type of dog who would perform all kinds of guard duties in the Soviet Union.

This is a rare dog breed, created by mixing Russian breeds such as the Laika, Central Asian Shepherd and Caucasian Shepherd to create a strong working dog that could cope well with the sub-freezing conditions.

The standard breed type was established in 1964. The only major kennel club to grant full recognition to the East-European Shepherd is the Russian Kennel Club. In the United States, the dog is recognized by a number of rare breed registries.

True to their reputation as fighters, the American Pit Bull Terrier looks like one – powerful, strong and well built. This belies their gentle disposition but too often they are judged by their looks. With a broad, brick shaped head, thick neck and deep chest, they are stocky, muscular and agile. They usually have cropped ears, but the tails are not docked. Their legs are strong and hindquarters especially muscular. These dogs are much stronger than they look. Round soulful eyes are one of the traits that people who keep these dogs as companion animals love about them. They have a scissor bite and one of the strongest jaws of all domesticated canines.

The East European Shepherd is larger than a German Shepherd. He is described as a large dog with males and females standing roughly at 66-76 centimeters at the withers and weighing anything between 30–50kg.

The coat with undercoat is medium in length with the standard color being black-and-tan or black-and-red. The dog is solid colored or is light fawn or tan in color with black saddle.

The face of the dog is black and he looks a lot like a wolf in appearance. The ears of the East European Shepherd are medium sized and always erect.The tail is long and hangs low.

Temperament:

The East European Shepherd is an intelligent and confident dog and can be aggressive when aggravated. He is a working dog and to get along with other pets in the home as well as children, the East European Shepherd will need to be trained and socialized, becoming obedient and loyal with his owner.

He is an intelligent dog and training him poses no problem. Loyal and devoted, this dog mostly becomes particularly attached to one member of the family.

There are a number of dog experts who don’t recommend the dog as a family pet as it is a dog reluctant to form a close bond with a child, being irritated by them, especially ill disciplined children.

It is a strong-willed dog too and shouldn’t be the first dog choice for a novice dog owner. They make excellent guard dogs and take their role as protector of the family seriously.

For those who live with the American Pit Bull Terrier there is no better dog. The APBT loves people and loves children. They think they are lap dogs, and they certainly are watch dogs. They love their people but their barks at strangers at home are not because they are protecting their people but rather they are greeting the strangers into their home. Unfortunately, they will not greet another dog in the same way. However, when their people are seriously threatened they will give their lives to defend them.

These are strong, confident dogs who want to please their people. They love children and make great family dogs but require a strong owner and a strong pack leader. The need to be under control around other dogs and because of their strength, need a strong owner. It is their aggression towards other animals that must be controlled.

The East-European Shepherd dogs are balanced, confident, intelligent, loving and playful while also being tough and protective of their owners.

They make fantastic guard dogs, becoming aggressive around strangers whom they don’t trust. When you bring a dog like this into the home, it is essential to have him trained and socialized and to also have a firm owner who can deal with such a strong-willed animal.

He is an active, alert dog who will require regular exercise and will slot into life in the city or in the country so long as his exercise needs are met.

When you look after your East European Shepherd you’ll find in him a devoted, loyal friend who will protect you with his life.

Though the American Pit Bull Terrier is healthier than most large dogs, they do have an issue with hip dysplasia. Breeders have been working to breed this out of the APBT and their work in this area has helped with the other issues with the patella, heart and thyroid. The APBT can have skin allergies and Demodex Mange. This condition can be either deadly or just a localized skin issue. Immunizations and testing is essential for this breed. When not immunized, American Pit Bull Terrier puppies have a greater incidence of parvovirus than other breeds. They also might have cataracts and congenital heart disease.

Regarded as a tough dog who can reach 10 – 12 years of age, the East European Shepherd is prone to hip or elbow dysplasia. This is a a disease that is more prevalent with German Shepherd type dogs.

Dysplasia is a genetic condition which can lead to inflammation and arthritis and even lameness. Unfortunately it can happen with young dogs too, and the vet will suggest different types of treatment which can include surgery.

Degenerative myelopathy is another degenerative disease which can be found with the East European Shepherd. It is a fatal, progressive degenerative disease of the spinal cord. Unfortunately there isn’t treatment for the disease, leading to paralysis of the limbs.

Feeding

How you feed your American Pit Bull Terrier puppy is important to her health as an adult and long life. The adult dog should be fed one and a half to two and a half cups of high quality food twice a day. Puppies should be fed more often as they grow. DO not feed your APBT soft or canned dog food. Their food should be dry. Be careful not to feed too much as you do not want an obese American Pit Bull Terrier.

Health issues

As previously mentioned this is a healthy breed with problems with:

Cataracts

These are usually inherited, and the pup may show signs early, or they could be developed later in life. They can be removed.

Hip dysplasia

Hip dysplasia as in many larger, stronger breeds this can be a major problem. Breeds should test for it and APBT breeders are attempting to breed it out of the APBT.

Congenital Heart Failure

This is a congenital issue that breeders are also breeding against and if they have it your American Bit Bull Terrier was likely born with it.

Allergies

Many APBT are allergic to grasses or out outside allergens. Shots or medication can deal with these.

Exercise and games

This is an athletic, joyful breed that loves to play, love sports and loves any activity that bonds it with its family. Some of the many sports the American Pit Bull Terrier likes to participate in include: agility, obedience competition, weight pulling, lure coursing and fly ball. He also needs backyard exercise and daily walks.

When walking your American Pit Bull Terrier, make sure she is on a leash as the breed has a tendency to be aggressive with other dogs coming into their space. The APBT loves to work. They are good therapy dogs, search and rescue dogs, even service dogs.

Grooming:

The coat of the East European Shepherd is thick, and while he won’t require any professional grooming, he will require being brushed at least twice a week. This is because he sheds heavily at certain times.

His nails will need to be clipped if they don’t wear down naturally, and his teeth will require regular brushing at least 2 or 3 times a week. Fortunately, because his ears are large and open, he doesn’t easily get an ear infection.

Exercise:

The East European Shepherd is a dog which has always been worked. It is a highly energetic dog and its role as a guard- and herding dog has made it that the dog will require a good dose of exercise.

A long walk may not be enough for this active dog, and he will require intense ball throwing with a tennis racquet to get the ball far away so that he can run far to fetch the ball. Without enough exercise, the East-European Shepherd will develop behavioral problems which will include aggression.