This includes the American Pit Bull Terrier , American Staffordshire Terrier , and Staffordshire Bull Terrier , and dogs with a mix of these breeds . In some places also call the modern American Bulldog and Bull Terrier as a `` pit bull-type dog '' . These dogs began to find their way into America as early as 1870 where they became known as pit dog , pit bull terrier , later American bull terrier , and still later as Yankee terrier .