The head is well chiseled, blending strength, elegance, and character. Supraorbital arches over the eyes are well defined but not pronounced. When viewed from the side, the skull and muzzle are parallel to one another and joined by a well defined, moderately deep stop.
Viewed from the front, the head is shaped like a broad, blunt wedge. It is large and broad, giving the impression of great power, but it is not disproportionate to the size of the body. The APBT head is unique and a key element of breed type. This breed does very well in performance events because of its high level of intelligence and its willingness to work. Aggressive behavior toward humans is uncharacteristic of the breed and highly undesirable. The APBT is not the best choice for a guard dog since they are extremely friendly, even with strangers. The breed’s natural agility makes it one of the most capable canine climbers so good fencing is a must for this breed. Because most APBTs exhibit some level of dog aggression and because of its powerful physique, the APBT requires an owner who will carefully socialize and obedience train the dog. APBTs make excellent family companions and have always been noted for their love of children. This breed is eager to please and brimming over with enthusiasm. The essential characteristics of the American Pit Bull Terrier are strength, confidence, and zest for life. This breed combines strength and athleticism with grace and agility and should never appear bulky or muscle-bound or fine-boned and rangy. The American Pit Bull Terrier comes in all colors and color patterns. The relatively short tail is set low, thick at the base and tapers to a point. Ears are small to medium in size, high set, and may be natural or cropped. The head is of medium length, with a broad, flat skull, and a wide, deep muzzle. 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 body is just slightly longer than tall, but bitches may be somewhat longer in body than dogs. This breed is both powerful and athletic. The American Pit Bull Terrier is a medium-sized, solidly built, short-coated dog with smooth, well-defined musculature.
registration number 1 to his own APBT, Bennett’s Ring in 1898. The United Kennel Club was the first registry to recognize the American Pit Bull Terrier. Today, the American Pit Bull Terrier continues to demonstrate its versatility, competing successfully in Obedience, Tracking, Agility, Protection, and Weight Pulls, as well as Conformation. The American Pit Bull Terrier’s many talents did not go unnoticed by farmers and ranchers who used their APBTs for protection, as catch dogs for semi-wild cattle and hogs, to hunt, to drive livestock, and as family companions. Immigrants brought these bull and terrier crosses to the United States. The result was a dog that embodied all of the virtues attributed to great warriors: strength, indomitable courage, and gentleness with loved ones. Sometime during the nineteenth century, dog fanciers in England, Ireland, and Scotland began to experiment with crosses between Bulldogs and Terriers, looking for a dog that combined the gameness of the terrier with the strength and athleticism of the Bulldog.