A Word About Pit Bull Breeders (read this carefully…)

July 15th, 2008

I am not a fan of many “pit bull” breeders these days but there are a few folks out there still doing it right and to them I say, keep doing what your doing. However, the alarming state the American Pit Bull Terrier (the real Pit Bull) is in right now has me concerned. I won’t go into all the reasons but breeding is at the top of my “rut ro!” list of things to pay attention to.

Read the following quote carefully…

“My main “warning-cry” concerns itself with the direction of the breed, which many breeders – many novices – still subscribe to, a direction that would lead us off the beaten path, far off of our breed goal; toward breed ruin.


In all my articles, lectures, and judges reports of the last few years, I have desperately tried to point out that we must cling to the breed standard of the working dog, and I gave reasons why we must do so – as it was once laid down, as a model of the breed’s design. I have emphasized over and over again that we should not get overly engrossed in details of outward characteristics, even if they are ever so attractive, when, for the breeding value of the dog, he must be based entirely and decisively upon the totality of hard constitution, good health, endurance, authentic working structure and stable temperament.


The vision, the understanding of this standard, is thus sometimes lost. Many young fanciers have unfortunately hardly ever seen correct conformation in respect to these dogs. They become intoxicated with appearance which so often has so little in common with the working dog as he is supposed to be. In this case, the only thing that helps is trusted faith in the system, until one’s pondering leads to eventual understanding. The belief in what is well meant – the thoughtful suggestions and guiding principles – are for the welfare of the breed’s future.”

Diane Jessup, author of the Working Pit Bull said of this quote, “These are words which any serious student of our breed should study, and hang on the refrigerator door! They are that important.”

I agree. But here is the kicker, this quote is not about Pit Bull Terriers. This quote is from the “father” of the German Shepherd dog and was written in 1929 by Max Von Stephanitz.

Stephanitz also wrote:

“As with so many breeds, sport and fad breeding led to more severe evidence of natural traits, and therefore to bad breeding situations that had nothing more in common with working ability. This may seem nice to the faddist, however, for the true lover of Nature, who doesn’t engage in matters based on eye appeal, it appears as a strange caricature.

Over-sized, massiveness, height, racing ability, straight front or tucked up racing dog body would be for the shepherd an adverse perception leading to the death of the breed. And actually, some of our dogs and especially those who receive applause among the novices resemble the racing dog type in his over-sized, narrowness, tucked up appearance and effemination. The Borzoi, who hunts the wolf on the Russian prairies does not look like this; he is still a correct, rugged fellow. He who looks around at dog shows, pages through dog magazines, will find often enough that there are still a few other breed’s destinies which are threatened, that is, they are about to step out of their breed type because they are not bred upon a breed goal, but rather upon an imaginary “beauty concept.”

Again, I have to agree with Diane Jessup and say, what a statement from the year 1929. How true are these statements for our breed today? I’d say, dead on the money, ding, ding, here is your cookie for hitting the proverbial nail square on the head.

We have breed standards for a reason. Unfortunately some “basement” registries and some of the more popular registries are not taking a stand against ill bred, over blown, freaks of nature, that are not in anyway correct for the American Pit Bull Terrier. I am of course referring to “bully style pit bulls.”

If the dog is over 70 lbs soaking wet, it is not of correct size. American Pit Bull Terriers are supposed to be medium dogs, females weighing not more than 60 lbs and males not more than 70 lbs. The actual standard says females should not weigh more than 55 lbs and males not weigh over 65 lbs. Yet dogs that weight over 90 lbs are easily registered as “American Pit Bull Terriers.”

Breeders who are breeding for “real American Pit Bull Terriers” will not have dogs that weigh 75lbs+ or even 70 lbs+ They will not have “hippo’s” in their breeding program. They will have medium sized dogs with high drive and a balanced athletic build.

Most responsible breeders are not breeding for the public either. They are breeding for themselves or people “in the dogs” that understand the dogs and understand the situation we are in.

Fad, or hippo dog, breeders don’t care. They want your $5,000 for the over blown, walking health problem and that is all they care about.

I pray one day we will see a division of these dogs from the real American Pit Bull Terrier and the dogs will have a different name and class. Much like the American Staffordshire Terrier divided from the American Pit Bull Terrier in the early 20th century.

Again, I am not against all breeding of the dogs I am simply not a fan of anyone breeding for “looks and fat heads or short barrel legs” or whatever it is. Temperament then conformation according to the breed standard is the first place to start. If you are not breeding for those two things first and foremost then you should ask yourself why you are breeding in the first place.

Until Next time,
Jason, Angel, Honey and Patch
PitBullLovers.com

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