---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The pit bull is not a breed but a…"
description: "\"The pit bull is not a breed but a conglomeration of traits, and those traits are reshaping what we think of as the American dog, which is to say the Am..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aab/tom-junod-5058_american_the-pit-bull-is-not-a-breed-but-a-conglo_773561.jpg"
---

#  The pit bull is not a breed but a conglomeration of…

![“The pit bull is not a breed but a conglomeration of traits, and those traits are reshaping what we think of as the American dog, which is to say the American mutt.” quote by Tom Junod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aab/tom-junod-5058_american_the-pit-bull-is-not-a-breed-but-a-conglo_773561.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aab/tom-junod-5058_american_the-pit-bull-is-not-a-breed-but-a-conglo_773561.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aab/tom-junod-5058_american_the-pit-bull-is-not-a-breed-but-a-conglo_773561.jpg)

> “The pit bull is not a breed but a conglomeration of traits, and those traits are reshaping what we think of as the American dog, which is to say the American mutt.”

[Tom Junod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-junod/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The pit bull’s varied traits blur breed lines, redefining the American dog as a mixed, adaptable companion.

**In simple terms:** Pit bulls blur breed lines, reshaping the American dog.

Key Takeaway

Embrace the diversity of canine traits.

Themes

breed perception identity diversity adaptation

Mood

reflective analytical

Type

observational commentary

When to use this quote

- dog shows
- adoption decisions
- urban pet ownership
- breed legislation

Key Concepts

genetics social perception animal welfare

Questions to Reflect On

- How do we balance tradition with evolving breed definitions?
- What impact does this have on dog legislation?

A Different Perspective

Breed stereotypes can persist despite scientific evidence.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[American](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american/) [American Dog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-dog-504227/) [American Mutt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-mutt-5891566/) [Animal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animal/) [Breed Conglomeration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breed-conglomeration-5973387/) [Bull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bull/) [Dog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dog/) [Mutt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mutt-785978/) [Pit bull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pit-bull/) [Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think/) [Those](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/those/)

## Related quotes

> [I have Czech, I have Russian, I have English, I have Italian. Uh, what am I missing? A little bit of Irish. The Russian…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-lhota/i-have-czech-i-have-russian-i-have-english-i-have-italian-uh-what-am/)

[Joe Lhota](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-lhota/)

> [You learn a lot about America when you own a pit bull. You learn not just who likes your dog; you learn what kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-junod/you-learn-a-lot-about-america-when-you-own-a-pit-bull-you-learn-not/)

[Tom Junod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-junod/)

> [When a cocker spaniel bites, it does so as a member of its species; it is never anything but a dog. When a pit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-junod/when-a-cocker-spaniel-bites-it-does-so-as-a-member-of-its-species-it/)

[Tom Junod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-junod/)

> [I can't speak American dog very well. There was a lot of improvisation with Uggie - like when I put the dog on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-dujardin/i-can-t-speak-american-dog-very-well-there-was-a-lot-of-improvisation/)

[Jean Dujardin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-dujardin/)

> [I got a pit bull from a shelter, so my whole life is centered on this dog, and I've been writing a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-mande/i-got-a-pit-bull-from-a-shelter-so-my-whole-life-is-centered-on-this/)

[Joe Mande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-mande/)

> [“Dex isn't a big guy by any means. He's on the short side and toned but still thin. But he has unpredictable pit-bull tactics…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karina-halle/dex-isn-t-a-big-guy-by-any-means-he-s-on-the-short-side-and-toned-but/)

[Karina Halle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karina-halle/)

> [You never hear about a pit bull doing anything good in the media. And they have a stigma to them... and, in many ways,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-coogler/you-never-hear-about-a-pit-bull-doing-anything-good-in-the-media-and/)

[Ryan Coogler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-coogler/)

> [The difference between a hockey mom and a pit bull: At some point, a pit bull does stop whining.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/the-difference-between-a-hockey-mom-and-a-pit-bull-at-some-point-a/)

[Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/)

> [A pit bull is like a fighter. Every so often it needs to taste blood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-mcguigan/a-pit-bull-is-like-a-fighter-every-so-often-it-needs-to-taste-blood/)

[Barry McGuigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-mcguigan/)

> [I don't need a huge pit bull to tell me I'm tough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zak-bagans/i-don-t-need-a-huge-pit-bull-to-tell-me-i-m-tough/)

[Zak Bagans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zak-bagans/)

> [I have a pit bull. He's a rescue. He's adorable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ira-glass/i-have-a-pit-bull-he-s-a-rescue-he-s-adorable/)

[Ira Glass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ira-glass/)

> [By adopting a wonderful mutt, you'll save a life and help reduce animal homelessness while also boosting your chances of a more robust new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ingrid-newkirk/by-adopting-a-wonderful-mutt-you-ll-save-a-life-and-help-reduce/)

[Ingrid Newkirk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ingrid-newkirk/)

> [I have a tendency to think of myself as the mutt of the litter. I'm not purebred.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-field/i-have-a-tendency-to-think-of-myself-as-the-mutt-of-the-litter-i-m/)

[Sally Field](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-field/)

> [Where did mutt become a insult...from mudblood in harry potter since all it means is mix breed so you should walk up to a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mrawesome/where-did-mutt-become-a-insult-from-mudblood-in-harry-potter-since/)

[MrAwesome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mrawesome/)

> [I'm a typical mutt American. I have an Italian last name. Half-Mexican, half-Jewish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-garcetti/i-m-a-typical-mutt-american-i-have-an-italian-last-name-half-mexican/)

[Eric Garcetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-garcetti/)

## More by Tom Junod

> [Every artist can make art only from the materials at hand, and many of the child stars who try to mature into artists can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-junod/every-artist-can-make-art-only-from-the-materials-at-hand-and-many-of/)

[Tom Junod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-junod/)

> [I wasn't learning to sing because I thought I could; I was learning to sing because I knew I couldn't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-junod/i-wasn-t-learning-to-sing-because-i-thought-i-could-i-was-learning-to/)

[Tom Junod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-junod/)

> [We might accept pit bulls personally, but America still doesn't accept them institutionally, where it counts; indeed, apartment complexes and insurance companies are arrayed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-junod/we-might-accept-pit-bulls-personally-but-america-still-doesn-t-accept/)

[Tom Junod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-junod/)

> [I collect songs because I want to control what I - what everybody within earshot - listens to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-junod/i-collect-songs-because-i-want-to-control-what-i-what-everybody/)

[Tom Junod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-junod/)

> [Any child can tell you what Google does - Google gives you the answers. But Google doesn't, not really.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-junod/any-child-can-tell-you-what-google-does-google-gives-you-the-answers/)

[Tom Junod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-junod/)

> [My mother was not a country girl. She was a Brooklyn girl, born and raised in Flatbush, and then a Long Island girl, who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-junod/my-mother-was-not-a-country-girl-she-was-a-brooklyn-girl-born-and/)

[Tom Junod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-junod/)

> [That there is as yet no drug for immortality - or, for that matter, for muscle growth in the infirm - does not mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-junod/that-there-is-as-yet-no-drug-for-immortality-or-for-that-matter-for/)

[Tom Junod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-junod/)

> [I am not running for president, but I've always known if I ever did run for president - or local dogcatcher, for that matter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-junod/i-am-not-running-for-president-but-i-ve-always-known-if-i-ever-did/)

[Tom Junod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-junod/)

> [Josh Ozersky was a meat man. He knew meat, revered it, studied it, sang it, evangelized it, wrote about it, and, of course, ate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-junod/josh-ozersky-was-a-meat-man-he-knew-meat-revered-it-studied-it-sang/)

[Tom Junod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-junod/)

> [I was a bully in fifth and sixth grade. I wasn't one of the bullies - I wasn't strong or dominant enough to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-junod/i-was-a-bully-in-fifth-and-sixth-grade-i-wasn-t-one-of-the-bullies-i/)

[Tom Junod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-junod/)

> [I have about 25,000 songs on my computer and play them mostly on shuffle, which means that the songs I've played the most are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-junod/i-have-about-25-000-songs-on-my-computer-and-play-them-mostly-on/)

[Tom Junod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-junod/)

> [Before the Beatles could give us 'The White Album', they had to achieve disorienting success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-junod/before-the-beatles-could-give-us-the-white-album-they-had-to-achieve/)

[Tom Junod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-junod/)

> [Ask people who know him for a description of Bob Dylan outside the prerogatives of fame and the obligations of art, and they have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-junod/ask-people-who-know-him-for-a-description-of-bob-dylan-outside-the/)

[Tom Junod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-junod/)

> [I had heard a lot of stories about my father and celebrities, most of them from his own mouth. In his stories, famous women…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-junod/i-had-heard-a-lot-of-stories-about-my-father-and-celebrities-most-of/)

[Tom Junod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-junod/)

> [You learn a lot about America when you own a pit bull. You learn not just who likes your dog; you learn what kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-junod/you-learn-a-lot-about-america-when-you-own-a-pit-bull-you-learn-not/)

[Tom Junod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-junod/)

[Explore all 103 Tom Junod quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-junod/)

## More American quotes

> [I wasn't attracted to American cinema, but I fell in love with Los Angeles the minute I arrived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-varda/i-wasn-t-attracted-to-american-cinema-but-i-fell-in-love-with-los/)

[Agnes Varda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-varda/)

> [William Maxwell's my favorite North American writer, I think. And an Irish writer who used to write for 'The New Yorker' called Maeve Brennan,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-munro/william-maxwell-s-my-favorite-north-american-writer-i-think-and-an/)

[Alice Munro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-munro/)

> [I have fallen in love with American names, the sharp names that never get fat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-vincent-benet/i-have-fallen-in-love-with-american-names-the-sharp-names-that-never/)

[Stephen Vincent Benet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-vincent-benet/)

> [I really like a lot of American country stuff, so my music has that influence, but I don't like to be set within a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jade-bird/i-really-like-a-lot-of-american-country-stuff-so-my-music-has-that/)

[Jade Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jade-bird/)

> [I certainly don't think that the heirs of the American Revolution were a particularly noble class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-w-brands/i-certainly-don-t-think-that-the-heirs-of-the-american-revolution/)

[H. W. Brands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-w-brands/)

> [Congress passed the American Rescue Plan Act in a tremendous investment to support millions of workers without a paycheck and behind on bills.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-auchincloss/congress-passed-the-american-rescue-plan-act-in-a-tremendous/)

[Jake Auchincloss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-auchincloss/)

> [Small businesses are the backbone of the American economy and employ almost half of the working population. Yet because of their size, they rarely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-lipinski/small-businesses-are-the-backbone-of-the-american-economy-and-employ/)

[Dan Lipinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-lipinski/)

> [Although I write in English, and despite the fact that I'm from America, I consider myself an Armenian writer. The words I use are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-saroyan/although-i-write-in-english-and-despite-the-fact-that-i-m-from/)

[William Saroyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-saroyan/)

> [When we first sold the Wallace and Gromit shorts to America, people suggested we get rid of the strange British accents and put clear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-park/when-we-first-sold-the-wallace-and-gromit-shorts-to-america-people/)

[Nick Park](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-park/)

> [Firefighters and rescue workers are American superheroes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-kennedy/firefighters-and-rescue-workers-are-american-superheroes/)

[Kerry Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-kennedy/)

> [France has not only built a bureaucratic barrier against American culture, it has constructed a notorious intellectual case against it as well. The French…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-cowen/france-has-not-only-built-a-bureaucratic-barrier-against-american/)

[Tyler Cowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-cowen/)

> [New York and San Francisco are distinctly different. San Francisco is driving the American media, not New York. You have young, microwaved millionaires and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-whitlock/new-york-and-san-francisco-are-distinctly-different-san-francisco-is/)

[Jason Whitlock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-whitlock/)

> [Well look, CIA is an agency that has to collect intelligence, do operations. We have to take risks and it's important that we take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-panetta/well-look-cia-is-an-agency-that-has-to-collect-intelligence-do/)

[Leon Panetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-panetta/)

> [Food as a hobby used to be an elite pastime, and it has become something that is totally ordinary for people of every background.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-goodyear/food-as-a-hobby-used-to-be-an-elite-pastime-and-it-has-become/)

[Dana Goodyear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-goodyear/)

> [It's important for American soldiers to be culturally sensitive when deployed in foreign countries. But it's just as important for the U.S. never to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-bauer/it-s-important-for-american-soldiers-to-be-culturally-sensitive-when/)

[Gary Bauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-bauer/)

[Browse all 7,717 American quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "The pit bull is not a breed but a conglomeration of traits, and those traits are reshaping what we think of as the American dog, which is to say the American mutt.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Tom Junod"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-junod/the-pit-bull-is-not-a-breed-but-a-conglomeration-of-traits-and-those/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "American"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-junod/the-pit-bull-is-not-a-breed-but-a-conglomeration-of-traits-and-those/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aab/tom-junod-5058_american_the-pit-bull-is-not-a-breed-but-a-conglo_773561.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aab/tom-junod-5058_american_the-pit-bull-is-not-a-breed-but-a-conglo_773561.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aab/tom-junod-5058_american_the-pit-bull-is-not-a-breed-but-a-conglo_773561.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“The pit bull is not a breed but a conglomeration of traits, and those traits are reshaping what we think of…” — Tom Junod",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Tom Junod",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-junod/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "The pit bull is not a...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-junod/the-pit-bull-is-not-a-breed-but-a-conglomeration-of-traits-and-those/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-junod/the-pit-bull-is-not-a-breed-but-a-conglomeration-of-traits-and-those/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
