Are American Bulldogs the same as Pitt Bulls?

No.
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nope two differ breeds however people mistake bullys for pits often
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nooo

what did they mean by it may as well be a pitbull? Like that's a bad thing? Either way just be responsible and do the proper training and socializing and your dog will be great!
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No, they are not the same. They have one ancestor in common, The Olde English Bulldogge, from past centuries. They are not, nor have they been, bred/used as dog-fighting dogs, but were versatile all-around farm dogs.
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btdt

nope
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No, sorry. They are two completely different breeds, even if they are often associated with each other. Helpful sites:

http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/americanpitbull.htm

http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/americanbulldog.htm
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not at all….
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I hear that comment a lot about my dogs. My white pup is often mistaken for a pit and my brindle is often mistaken for a boxer. It just shows that people are willing to make snap judgements without knowing accurate information about the dog breeds.

American Bulldogs are not Pits and as was stated before, with the exception of the one common relative, have very little in common. In some areas, however they are listed on the Vicious Dog list due to the ignorance of those who classify them as Pits. If you're considering getting a ABD you'll want to check your area for insurance requirements.

You're going to love your ABD as much as I love both of mine, although they do tend to be a little temperamental and have the stubborn side of the bulldog. lol
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Some people will lump them all together, for banned breeds and what not….anything that looks like a pittie is banned. They are not the same thing though. And as for your friend who said it may as well be a pit bull, either way you have an awesome loving dog.
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Well that person was wrong, that person probably says that about every bully breed. American Bulldogs are not even in the Terrier group like Pittys are. There very different. A lot of people have told me in the past that Eddie was so close to a pitbull but hes a Dogue De Bordeaux, a Mastiff, no where near a Pitty. The hole being a pitbull thing is just based on looks, not even the history of the breed.
so a
Cane Corso, Argentine Dogo, Dogue De Bordeaux and an American bulldog might as well be pitbulls but if you acutely know the history of the breed, none of these dogs are even from the terrier group. That's how easily mistaken people get with dogs.
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No, they are not the same. A large all white pit looks very very similair to a mostly white AB. Pits are much more animal aggressive then a AB in general. Be careful though, some strains of AB's have come into question in the past because some of the Painter strain AB's were supposedly exposed to the pit blood to increase the animal aggression in the AB's…and yes some of the Painters were bred for pit fighting according to what I have read. PS: I have a 98% white AB and most people do assume she is a pit. You can see her pic on my yahoo group upstateamericanbulldoggers. Join us!
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The Working American Bulldog by Dave Putnam