A head study of a dog with cropped ears.
The upper teeth should meet outside and in front of the lower teeth, in what is known as a scissors bite. Strong teeth and jaws are hallmarks of the breed.
THE UNITED KENNEL CLUB STANDARD FOR THE AMERICAN PIT BULL TERRIER
Head: Medium length. Bricklike in shape. Skull flat and widest at the ears, with prominent cheeks free from wrinkles.
PHYSICAL STRUCTURE OF THE AMERICAN PIT BULL TERRIER
This dog exhibits attractive brindle coloration and a head of desirable shape. You can see how wide and flat the head is between the ears.
Muzzle: Square, wide and deep. Well-pronounced jaws, displaying strength. Upper teeth should meet tightly over lower teeth, outside in front.
Ears: Cropped or uncropped (not important). Should be set high on head, and be free from wrinkles.
Eyes: Round. Should be set far apart, low down on the skull. Any color acceptable.
Nose: Wide-open nostrils. Any color acceptable.
Neck: Muscular. Slightly arched. Tapering from shoulder to head. Free from loose skin.
Shoulders: Strong and muscular, with wide sloping shoulder blades.
Back: Short and strong. Slightly sloping from withers to rump. Slightly arched at loins, which should be slightly tucked.
Chest: Deep, but not too broad, with wide sprung ribs.
BREEDING CONSIDERATIONS
The decision to breed your dog is one that must be considered carefully and researched thoroughly before moving into action. Some people believe that breeding will make their bitches happier or that it is an easy way to make money. Unfortunately, indiscriminate breeding only worsens the rampant problem of pet overpopulation, as well as putting a considerable dent in your pocketbook. As for the bitch, the entire process from mating through whelping is not an easy one and puts your pet under considerable stress. Last, but not least, consider whether or not you have the means to care for an entire litter of pups. Without a reputation in the field, your attempts to sell the pups may be unsuccessful.
Ribs: Close. Well sprung, with deep back ribs.
Tail: Short in comparison to size. Set low and tapering to a fine point. Not carried over back. Bobbed tail not acceptable.
Legs: Large, round boned, with straight, upright pasterns, reasonably strong. Feet to be of medium size. Gait should be light and springy. No rolling or pacing.
Thigh: Long with muscles developed. Hocks down and straight.
Coat: Glossy. Short and stiff to the touch.
Color: Any color or markings are permissible.
Weight: Not important. Females preferred from 30 to 50 pounds. Males from 35 to 60 pounds.
Scale of Points
General appearance, personality and obedience: 20
Head, muzzle, eyes and ears: 25 Neck, shoulders and chest: 15 Body: 15
Legs and feet: 15
Tail, coat and color: 10
Total: 100
The Pit Bull’s body should convey an overall impression of strength, power and athleticism.
Any color or marking is acceptable according to the standard. This dog’s glistening jet-black coat color is an attractive variety.
Selecting an American Pit Bull puppy is a serious task. You must choose a properly bred pup from a responsible breeder who concentrates on sound temperament.
Your Puppy American Pit Bull Terrier
CHOOSING YOUR BREEDER AND PUPPY
Choosing a Pit Bull pup for a family pet will involve an even more serious approach than in the case of many other breeds. It is necessary to find a pup that will mature to be the kind of dog that will be appropriate for your family. We must keep in mind that at this especially sensitive time in the existence of the Pit Bull breed, the reputation of the breed is really in question in the minds of many who will meet your dog. A poorly bred dog or a poorly socialized puppy will make a negative impression upon those who will meet your dog, and the last thing this breed needs is for people to get further negative impressions.
Avoid buying a puppy from any breeder who appears to have no goal in his breeding program. If a breeder’s goal is to breed “highly protective” (man-aggressive) Pit Bulls, avoid that breeder. A well-chosen Pit Bull will become devoted to you. A devoted dog will protect you, should the need to do so arise. You don’t need a Pit Bull from outwardly aggressive stock. You don’t need a dog that displays aggression unnecessarily. Such a dog will only scare your neighbors, becoming a serious liability for you and adding fuel to the fire begun by those who would outlaw this breed worldwide.
INHERIT THE MIND
In order to know whether or not a puppy will fit into your lifestyle, you need to assess his personality. A good way to do this is to interact with his parents. Your pup inherits not only his appearance but also his personality and temperament from the sire and dam. If the parents are fearful or overly aggressive, these same traits may likely show up in your puppy.
A pup from steady show stock can be a good choice. Outward aggression is often discouraged among show breeders, as there is no place for such aggression in the show ring. I do feel I need to warn you that winning conformation shows is not what this breed is all about, however. When the characteristics for which a breed was originally produced are totally ignored in a breeding program, a breed changes. Just as there are some undesirable qualities in the “backyard-bred dog,” many of the truly positive and most definitive qualities of the game-bred dog can also be lost in a genetic line. Nonetheless, for most prospective