The Softer Side Of Pit Bulls

By Nan Talleno

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Here are some interesting facts about Pit Bulls that you may not know. Pit Bulls are commonly used as therapy dogs, providing therapeutic visits to hospitals, schools and nursing homes. They are also very effective and highly successful in the field of Search and Rescue missions as well as in other types of service work, such as sniffing out bombs and narcotics.

One Pit Bull in particular, named Popsicle, in Texas, holds the largest recorded drug find in the state's history.

For years, they have been widely nicknamed "nanny's" dogs due to their loyalty to children. Several days ago, a ten year old Pit Bull named Baby saved her family from a burning home in Oklahoma. And there have been numerous accounts similar to this over the years. In 2012, the breed scored between an 83 and a 90 percent overall rating with American Temperament Testing Society along with many other breeds.

Pit Bulls were the country's mascot in both World War I and II. They were also the only breed to have graced the cover of Life Magazine three times.

Petey, the lovable canine mascot on Little Rascals was a Pit Bull. He was the son of the original dog on the show before he passed, named Pal the Wonder Dog. The RCA dog, Nipper, a mixed breed, was reported to have most likely been part Pit Bull and part Terrier mix.

For more info, go to AmbassadorPitBulls.org, PBRC.net and OurPack.org.