American Pit Bull Terrier Handbook. Joe Stahlkuppe

Traits

       The APBT Versus the “Pit Bull” Terror

       Rediscovering This Breed

       Legal Lightning Rod

       The APBT by Any Other Name

       2. History and Heritage of the APBT

       Mastiffs and Bulldogs

       Terriers (Theoretically)

       British Attitudes of the Time

       Early Bulldogs

       Other Bull-and-Terrier Breeds

       3. The APBT: Coming to America

       Legacies from England

       The APBT in Early America

       The “Everydog”

       The Quest for the Best

       “Made in America”

       The Ultimate Canine Fighting Machine

       4. Dogfighting and Dogfighters

       Why Even Discuss Dogfighting?

       The Ultimate Selection Process

       A Sometimes Illegal Activity

       Some Myths About Why Dogs Fight

       Rules and Regulations

       The Dogfighters

       5. The APBT and the Dog Registries

       Dog Registries Affecting the APBT

       C. Z. Bennett and the United Kennel Club

       The United Kennel Club Standard for the APBT

       The American Dog Breeders Association

       The American Staffordshire Terrier

       The Staffordshire Bull Terrier

       The Bull Terrier (AKC)

       6. Understanding the APBT

       Gameness

       Power and Strength

       Aggressiveness Toward Other Dogs

       Positive Attributes

       7. Owning an APBT

       Know Thyself

       Know Thy Situation

       Know the APBT

       Is the APBT Right for You?

       Are You Right for the APBT?

       Special Concerns for APBT Owners

       8. Living with an APBT

       The Right Attitude

       The Right Environment

       Setting the Stage for Success

       Setting the Stage for Failure

       Dealing with Negative Public Perceptions

       Commonsense Precautions

       9. The APBT as a Pet and Companion

       Socialization

       Children and the APBT

       Other Pets and the APBT

       Other Dogs and the APBT