Table of Contents
1 The APBT-A New View 1
An APBT Scenario 1
Hype About APBTs 1
The APBT as a Family Pet and Companion 2
Appearance 3
What Your APBT Needs 4
Traits 5
The APBT Versus the "Pit Bull" Terror 6
Rediscovering This Breed 9
Legal Lightning Rod 11
The APBT by Any Other Name 13
2 History and Heritage of the APBT 15
Mastiffs and Bulldogs 15
Terriers (Theoretically) 21
British Attitudes of the Time 23
Early Bulldogs 25
Other Bull-and-Terrier Breeds 25
3 The APBT: Coming to America 27
Legacies from England 27
The APBT in Early America 27
The "Everydog" 29
The Quest for the Best 30
"Made in America" 33
The Ultimate Canine Fighting Machine 35
4 Dogfighting and Dogfighters 37
Why Even Discuss Dogfighting? 37
The Ultimate Selection Process 38
A Sometimes Illegal Activity 40
Some Myths About Why Dogs Fight 41
Rules and Regulations 44
The Dogfighters 45
5 The APBT and the Dog Registries 49
Dog Registries Affecting the APBT 50
C. Z. Bennett and the United Kennel Club 51
The United Kennel Club Standard for the APBT 53
The American Dog Breeders Association 54
The American Staffordshire Terrier 55
The Staffordshire Bull Terrier 56
The Bull Terrier (AKC) 56
6 Understanding the APBT 59
Gameness 59
Power and Strength 60
Aggressiveness Toward Other Dogs 60
Positive Attributes 62
7 Owning an APBT 65
Know Thyself 65
Know Thy Situation 65
Know the APBT 66
Is the APBT Right for You? 69
Are You Right for the APBT? 70
Special Concerns for APBT Owners 72
8 Living with an APBT 77
The Right Attitude 77
The Right Environment 78
Setting the Stage for Success 80
Setting the Stage for Failure 81
Dealing with Negative Public Perceptions 81
Commonsense Precautions 83
