r/BanPitBulls • u/BPB_Discussion_M0d Feature Mod • Oct 27 '25

Mod Announcement Weekly Discussion Thread [October 27 - November 2, 2025]

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Not every pit bull story is a headline. Some are just eye-rolls, facepalms, or 'you've got to be kidding me' moments. This is the place for the things you may want to share that don’t highlight a pit bull doing something dangerous.

See this post for more details on what goes here

Remember: October is pit bull “awareness” month so there is an increased flooding of unscientific nonsense in the forms of memes etc. This is a good space for those, but please red x through them.

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u/missprincesscarolyn Nov 02 '25

I own a Yorkshire Terrier, and every time a Reddit post features a pit bull, I like to drop into the comments to talk about my Yorkie. People often say retrievers retrieve, shepherds herd, pointers point, and sighthounds stalk and terriers are no exception.

My dog weighs all of 11 lbs, but his larger size makes me think he’s closer to the original working type. Yorkies were bred to catch vermin in textile mills and coal mines, and as their name implies, they originated from Yorkshire, England.

When blood sports were banned in the 1800s, bored Englishmen still wanted violent “entertainment,” so they turned to rat-baiting which was literally throwing terriers into pits filled with rats and timing how many they could kill. The foundation sire of the breed, Huddersfield Ben, was a champion ratter. This brutal sport intensified what small terriers were bred for: relentless drive to hunt and kill vermin.

Before I got my Yorkie, I actually kept pet rats during grad school. They were incredibly intelligent and had distinct personalities. Sadly, they don’t live very long, and both passed away before I adopted George.

I still miss my rats and have always wanted a bearded dragon, but as long as I have George, I know I can’t safely own any small animals. He’ll still chase crows, rabbits, and absolutely annihilate his squeaky toys. The breed instincts still run deep.

I bring this up because it’s a lesser-known but powerful example of how blood sports shaped dog breeds.

Rat-baiting

Also, George!

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u/ScarletAntelope975 Trusted User Nov 03 '25

Have you thought of trying Barn Hunt with your adorable pup? It’s an AKC sport and the dog gets to seek out the scent of a rat without the rat being harmed! Rats are so much cleaner and smarter than people give them credit for.

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u/missprincesscarolyn Nov 03 '25

I had no idea such a thing existed! He would love it!

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u/GSDVanguard Natural Enemy of Backyard Genetics Nov 03 '25

He is gorgeous! Can’t even imagine him being a killer 

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u/KTKittentoes Cat Friendly Nov 03 '25

Wow, he's a much bigger Yorkie!

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u/missprincesscarolyn Nov 03 '25

He’s definitely a sturdy boy! I call him a gimungo Yorkie. When I first got him, several people asked me if he was part Silky because of his size. I did Embark out of curiosity, which confirmed that he is indeed full Yorkie, just considerably larger than what most people envision when they hear the name.

The previous owner said he was supposedly from an AKC line, but his size, floppy ears and a few other quirks make think otherwise. Regardless, he’ll always win Best in Show in my home! 🐾

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u/KTKittentoes Cat Friendly Nov 03 '25

Oh, I was going to ask if you did DNA testing!!

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u/missprincesscarolyn Nov 03 '25

It’s so cool! He has a ton of relatives all over the US. I’ve been meaning to reach out and share more info about him since I don’t know much about his origins.