the lower when the mouth is closed. Fangs should be wide at the gumline, taper to the end, and be sound and healthy (with none of them missing). The dog’s eyes should be small and deep-set — elliptical when viewed from the front and triangular when viewed from the side. In general, the ideal head is wedge-shaped when viewed from the top or from the side, and round when viewed from the front. The stop is the transition point (when viewed in profile) between the muzzle and the back of the skull. The zygomatic arch is the flare of bone that runs just below the lower margin of the eyes, essentially the widest bony part of the face. The coronoid process is the rear part of the lower jaw (the mandible) that extends upward under the zygomatic arch and has a broad area for muscle attachment. The angular process is the very rearmost part of the lower jaw that you can feel. Lippy means that the dog has loose or pendulous lips.JAWSA popular myth is that Pit Bulls have locking jaws with 1,600 pounds per square inch biting pressure. The anatomy of the Pit Bull’s jaw and skull is no different than that of any other breed. Yes, the skull is wide and the muscles well developed, but no mechanism exists that would allow the jaws to lock in place. Besides, how would the dogs eat? As for their strength, Pit Bulls do have strong jaws, but accurately measuring biting pressure in dogs is difficult. With any strong dog, it’s not so much the strength of the bite as it is the intentions and the determination of the dog that decide how serious a bite is.5 Look at your dog’s appearance.The coat can be any color or any combination of colors. It should be short and bristled. The gloss of the coat usually reflects the health of the dog and is important to an athletic American Pit Bull Terrier.The skin should be thick and loose, but it should not fall in folds. It should appear to fit the dog tightly everywhere except around the neck and chest. Here, the skin should be loose enough to show vertical folds — even in a well-conditioned dog.The set of the tail is also very important. It should be low, and the length should come just above the point of the hock. The tail should be thick at its base and taper to a point at the end, hanging down like a pump handle when relaxed.The feet should be small and set high on the pasterns. The dog’s gait should be light and springy.
6 Finally, look at your dog’s musculature.When you look at muscles from a breeder’s standpoint, it is much more important to look at the genetic features of musculature than at those features that result from conditioning. A genetically powerful dog can be a winner in the hands of even an inept owner, but a genetically weak dog needs a good matchmaker to win — conditioning alone won’t do much for him.Imagine the bones as levers with the joints as the fulcrum and the muscles as the power source. The power being applied to the lever is more effective the farther away it is from the fulcrum. In the same way, muscles should be long, with attachments deep down on the bone and well past the joint. Short-muscled dogs are impressive looking, but they are not athletic. A muscle’s power value lies in its ability to contract. The greater the difference between a muscle’s relaxed state and its contracted state, the greater its power.Above all, the American Pit Bull Terrier is an all-around athlete. His body is called on for speed, power, agility, and stamina. He must be balanced in all directions: Too much of one thing robs him of another. He is not an entity formed according to human specialists. In his winning form, he is a fighting machine — a thing of beauty.
The United Kennel Club standard
The UKC breed standard for the APBT was revised in 2017. It’s extremely detailed. To read the entire standard, go to www.ukcdogs.com/docs/breeds/american-pit-bull-terrier.pdf. The standard encapsulates the essence of the breed under its General Appearance:
The American Pit Bull Terrier is a medium-sized, solidly built, short-coated dog with smooth, well-defined musculature. This breed is both powerful and athletic. The body is just slightly longer than tall, but bitches may be somewhat longer in body than male dogs. The length of the front leg (measured from point of elbow to the ground) is approximately equal to one-half of the dog’s height at the withers. The head is of medium length, with a broad, flat skull, and a wide, deep muzzle. Ears are small to medium in size, high set, and may be natural or cropped. The relatively short tail is set low, thick at the base and tapers to a point. The American Pit Bull Terrier comes in all colors and color patterns except merle. This breed combines strength and athleticism with grace and agility and should never appear bulky or muscle-bound or fine-boned and rangy. Above all else, the APBT must have the functional capability to be a catch dog that can hold, wrestle (push and pull), and breathe easily while doing its job. Balance and harmony of all parts are critical components of breed type. Eliminating Faults: Any disproportionate overdone characteristic (such as short legs, excessive bone or massive head or body) that would interfere with physical activity or working ability.
Its most severe faults, termed disqualifications, include a missing testicle, viciousness or extreme shyness, albinism, merle color pattern, deafness in either ear, long coat, dwarfism, and screw tail.
A NOSE OF A DIFFERENT COLOR …
Some people put great stock in what nose color their Pit Bull has. The color of the nose (red versus black) is determined by a gene that has nothing to do with the quality of the dog. A red nose occurs when a dog has two copies of the recessive b gene; such dogs are unable to produce black pigmentation in their skin or hair. Breeders can fairly easily introduce the gene into or purge the gene from a bloodline without affecting other characteristics. Some very good bloodlines are known for their red-nosed dogs, but some just-as-good bloodlines have black-nosed dogs. It’s all a matter of personal preference.
The American Kennel Club standard for the American Staffordshire Terrier
General Impression.
Should give the impression of great strength for his size. The dog should be well put-together — muscular, but agile and graceful — and keenly alive to his surroundings. He should be stocky — not long-legged or racy in outline. His courage is proverbial.
Head.
Should be of medium length, deep through. The dog should have a broad skull, with very pronounced cheek muscles and a distinct stop.
Ears. Should be set high on the head. May be cropped or uncropped; the latter is preferred. Uncropped ears should be short and held rose or half prick. A full drop is penalized.
Eyes. Should be dark and round, low down in the skull, and set far apart. They should not have pink eyelids.
Muzzle. Should be of medium length and rounded on the upper side to fall away abruptly below the eyes. The jaws should be well-defined. The underjaw should be strong and have biting power. The lips should be close and even, showing no looseness. The upper teeth should meet tightly outside the lower teeth in front. The nose should be black.
Neck.
Should be heavy and slightly arched, tapering from the shoulders to the back of the skull. The skin should not be loose, and the neck should be of medium length.
Shoulders.
Should be strong and muscular, with wide and sloping blades.
Back.
Should
