alfi

I guess that's for breeders?? What are you looking for in your dog breed?

Zim

oooo thats a loaded question!

im studying to become a breeder of working quality American Pit Bull Terriers. so my answer is in respect to APBT.

With dogfighting gone and the media and legal storms, and the breeders breeding severely substandard dogs..its time to take this breed in a new direction or it will die out.

While they have been used in unethical venues(dogfighting), Apbt have been historically a very versatile breed. the new goal is to emphasize this. Work towards a stable, sound dog that is a useful dog inALL working venues...herding, tracking and detection, pulling, sport and service dogs. it can be done.

here a few things you can google if you doubt it..

Bandog Dread
Lawdogs USA
Kris Crawford and Dakota

alfi

I like your answer...! So improving for you (about APBT) is breeding an all-around working dog...correct?

So how will you choose which dog to breed? What will be the main feature that you will be looking for breeding an all-around APBT? Don't you think that people may choose other dog-breeds like Malinois or GSD, Belgian Sheepdog, Rottie, Border Collie for works like herding, tracking and detection, pulling, sport and service dogs? I don't doubt that APBT can do the job but what will this breed's advantage will be?

Zim

because the direction is not going towards specialization...its versatility. a bc is a good herder and is predisposed to be that due to how they have been bred...to be herders. im looking for a dog that is specialized in EVERYTHING.

and pits are unmatched at weight oulls btw.. they also have a people friendly temperment that makes them very suitable for people oriented work...for example..i will quote a a police detection dog handler i know as to why he chose a pit bull this time around over his typical Malinois..

"Mals can have a very short fuse when it comes to reactive snapping. being the quintessential police attack dog for so long has given them a tendancy to be iffy around people. i needed a dog i could trust to NOT be that way. so i looked for a breed that worked to elimate that in the standard. and so i got a pit bull. and he's perfect."

the only thing i wont be working towards is serious bitework. it runs directly against the pit bull standard.

and its more than just breeding a working dog. i am in college studying biology, genetics and behavior..solely for the purpose of becoming a breeder. i want to advance EVERY aspect of these dogs. health, temperment, function, sound bodies and sound minds and then work to educate other breeders of APBT. so they can raise developmentally sound, healthy, friendly and functional APBT. gotta put people in the equation too.

Zim

addendum on the weight pull thing..

an example would be a dog named Rebel..whose personal record is 118 times his body weight of 56 pounds.( 6613 pounds)

and that would be merely a personal record.

molliefan09

people have actually asked me if my apbt was mixed with a hearding breed because he does tend to herd. if he wants something or wants somone to pay attention he will run behind and, though he doesnt nip (he knows better), he will push you or the other animals towards what ever it is that he wants or wants themto do. APBT are very good all around dogs. At my clinic we work with the local police dogs and we have a variety of BM, GSD, Rott, and dobermans but we also have 2 apbt that have recently been accepted by the poilice academy for training. we also have 4 different families that use apbt as service dogs. one is for seizures, one is for a heart/blood pressure condtion, and the other 2 are for kids in wheel chairs...

Zim

Pet Pitbull - Positive Press

this is the story of Weela the Pit Bull. her story is a prime example of not only what a pit bull should be...but also explains EXACTLY what makes pits such a versatile breed.

fawkese1

that is a cool story.... i love those types of stories...

stumpy

This isn't just a question for breeders. As prospective buyers, we can educate ourselves with regards to the breed that interests us. Then choose NOT to purchase dogs whose breeders are not applying sound breeding precatices.

Some examples of sound breeding practices include

Reputable Breeders show/trial their dogs. Their dogs have won titles, won in breed-specific contests.

They belong and active with breed-specific organizations.

Their dogs have been screened for breed specific genetic disorders, as have prevous generations of the blood lines.

They ask you questions

They provide a safety net for their puppies

puppies are vet checked and up to date on innoculations

They require a signed contractual agreement that includes a spay/nueter clause if the puppy is not show quality

they are happy to provide references.

Their dogs are not bred every year.

Just to mention a few things to look for....

alfi

Well Stumpy you say that "Reputable Breeders show/trial their dogs. Their dogs have won titles, won in breed-specific contests." but I think that the "show dog" has gone far away from what we call a "working dog".
Here is an example of how GSDs have became for the show ring... : YouTube - German Shepherd half dog half frog (that's not how I want my dog to be. And the judge said it clearly that working dogs will not win in the show ring)

I personally separate the show dogs from the working dogs. And I have seen that in many breeders I have visited the last 6 years. I want my dog to be more close to his original purpose and be capable for work! I was a fan of the GSD but as a farmer - family we need working dogs and in this breed it became much harder to find a working dog. For me the Malinois still has his original working purpose.


*I know that's a whole new story