Part Five: Pit Bits
Complete text copyright ©Marji Beach.
Physical Appearance
General Appearance - the APBT is a medium sized breed with a solid build, sleek and short coat and with appropriate muscling.
Color - any color and pattern is acceptable.
Weight: Bitches - 30-50lbs Dogs - 35-60lbs. Larger and smaller dogs are accepted as long as they are not disproportionately large or small (so those 100lb brutes would definitely be disproportionate and inadmissible to a UKC show ring).
Height: 17-23 inches (for both dogs and bitches).
Ears: both cropped and uncropped are accepted by the UKC and ADBA.
The following people have all had Pit Bulls in their lives: Linda Blair, Rosie Perez, Alicia Silverstone, Sinbad, Kelli Williams, Usher, Jon Stewart, Helen Keller loved the breed and had one, as did Fred Astaire, and James Thurber.
Some famous Pit Bulls
Petey - the famous “black” eyed pooch from The Little Rascals
Stubby - a famous WWI canine hero who also became Georgetown’s first mascot
RCA - Alaska’s first certified hearing dog
Cheyenne and Dakota - true ambassadors of the breed, became two of the first search and rescue dogs as well as some of the first therapy dogs.
Favourite Pit Bull Links
http://www.pbrc.net/home.html - Pit Bull Rescue Central (PBRC) offers an online venue for available Pit Bulls from a variety of sources: owners who no longer can care for their dogs to Pit Bull rescues to shelters and SPCA’s. There is plenty of breed information, happy and sad stories as well as rescue information. There is also a resource for basic training ideas. Just an overall wonderful site promoting this wonderful breed!
http://www.vrcpitbull.com/index2.htm - Villalobos Rescue Center is a wonderful rescue facility with some beautiful Pit Bulls.
http://www.pitbullpress.com/ - Positive Pit Bull Press provides wonderful stories and articles about the wonderful and positive influence Pit Bulls have had on many people’s lives.
http://www.forpitssake.org/frame.html - For Pits Sake is an organization set up to not only dispel the myths surrounding the APBT but also provide valuable services via therapy and search and rescue as well as community programs.
http://www.ukcdogs.com/ - The United Kennel Club’s site, although devoted to all recognized breeds, was founded for the registration of American Pit Bull Terriers and has the standard for the APBT.
http://members.aol.com/bstofshw/ - This is the website for the American Dog Breeders Association, another registry founded specifically for American Pit Bull Terriers. This is a great resource for weight pulling information and for finding local clubs.
http://www.angelfire.com/biz6/dogholocaust/ - This is the site for an organization known as Dog Holocaust which works to provide information for possible BSL (Breed Specific Legislation) across the world. American Pit Bull Terriers are always on the “hit list” for proposed banning in many countries (not to mention the several countries that currently ban the breed). This is not a site devoted to the APBT but devoted to preventing the ill-advised, inappropriate and ineffective BSL that is becoming as common as bread and butter - all dog lovers should be painfully aware that their chosen breed could be next, no breed is truly safe.
http://www.dominodogs.org/ - Domino Dogs is another organization geared towards preventing BSL.
http://www.adoa.org/ - This is the American Dog Owners Association, they work to promote responsible dog ownership as well as condemn unnecessary breed bans.
American Pit Bull Terrier Continued:
- Part 1: History
- Part 2: Yesterday and Today
- Part 3: Frequently Asked Questions
- Part 4: What About Other Dogs?
- Part 5: Pit Bits
- Part 6: What is BSL?
Recommended Reading
- How to Train Your American Pit Bull Terrier
- The American Pit Bull Terrier Handbook
- The Working Pit Bull
- The Essential Pit Bull
- Culture Clash
- Dogs are from Neptune
- How to Speak Dog
- The Ultimate American Pit Bull Terrier
