Where to get your Pitbull.

There are several places where you can get the perfect new dog, be it an American Pitbull Terrier or some other breed. The most popular places to get you dog are at a Rescue Organization, a Breeder, or a Pet Store.

Before getting your new companion be sure that you know What Breed Is Right For You. There is an intimidating number of dog breeds with very different needs, energy levels, and lifestyles. Make sure you don't get stuck with the wrong pet which would be a bad situation for both you and the dog.

Acquiring Your Dog At A Pet Store:

Please don't buy a dog at a pet store. The vast majority of pet stores that sell dogs get their supply from puppy mills or puppy farms. These are commercial dog breeding facilities concerned only with profits rather than the welfare of the dogs. They almost always keep the animals in very substandard conditions and sometimes in devastating conditions. Do your part to help ensure these types of operations can't make a business for themselves by not buying from them.

Getting Your Pitbull Or Other Dog At A Breeder:

If it is important to you that you get your dog with papers dictating its lineage and authenticity that meets a certain level of breeding standards you should see a reputable breeder.

A good way to find a reputable dog breeder is through the American Kennel Club. Any breeder found through the AKC would be a reliable one. If a local breeder is important try asking your local veterinarian for a well known and trusted breeder. Be careful hunting out a breeder on the internet as many could be dishonest and even falsify papers and are sometimes hardly better than a puppy mill.

Pitbull Rescue Organization - The Best Way To Go:

The American Pitbull Terrier is one of the most abused and abandoned dog breeds there are. Thousands are put down by pounds and rescue organizations every year despite tremendous rescue efforts. If paper work is not particularly important to you as it never has been to me a rescue organization is by far the best and most humane route to take.

Here is a list of places to look for a puppy or adult dog in need of a home.

Dog Saver - A short directory of some rescue organizations located in many cities.
Love Of Breeds - A site with lots of breed information as well as an extensive list of rescue organizations all over the country.
The Missouri Humane Society - Is the local humane society here where I live in Saint Louis, Google the Humane Society along with your city to find a good place near your home.
Adopt A Pet -             1-800-SAVE-A-PET       directory of pets in need and rescue organizations by zip code and distance.

Biography of Pitbull

Pronunciation
Pit Bull Terrier

Description

The Pit Bull immediately strikes one as being a dog of power, passion, and undying willingness. The brick-like head, which is especially broad between the cheeks (to house the powerful jaws), is carried upon a thickly muscled, well-defined neck. The neck runs into a deep, thick, well-sprung chest. The American Pit Bull is a very muscular, stocky, yet agile dog which is extremely strong for his size. The ears are generally cropped, though this is optional. Docked tails are not accepted by the UKC or the ADBA. The eyes are round. Both the ADBA and the UKC do not accept blue eyes or the coat color mearl. The American Pitbull Registry does accept a mearl coat. The teeth should form a scissors bite. Its coat is made up of thick, short, shiny hair. All colors are admissible. The tail tapers to a point.

Temperament

The American Pit Bull Terrier has a strong pleasure to please. The APBT has evoked more human emotional, rational, and irrational response than any other breed that exists today.  By no means are these dogs people-haters or people-eaters. Their natural aggressive tendencies are toward other dogs and animals, not people. However if they are properly socialized with a firm, but calm, confident, consistent pack leader, they will not even be aggressive with them. The American Pit Bull Terrier is a good-natured, amusing, extremely loyal and affectionate family pet, which is good with children and adults. Almost always obedient, it is always eager to please its master. It is an extremely courageous and intelligent guard dog that is very full of vitality. Highly protective of his owners and the owner's property, it will fight an enemy to the death. It is usually very friendly, but has an uncanny ability to know when it needs to protect and when everything is okay. The American Pit Bull Terrier can be willful with meek owners and needs a firm hand. They are generally okay with other pets if they are raised with them from puppy hood.  They are very friendly, but not recommended for most people, because most people do not understand how to properly raise and treat a dog. Problems arise when one does not understands dog psychology, seeing the dog as having human emotions, and ends up with a dog who thinks he is the boss of the house. For a smaller, not as powerful dog, people can sometimes get away with this, however, for a powerful breed, one really needs to understand and follow this concept of keeping a dog. An excellent guide to learning how to properly treat a dog is the Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millan (recommended to all dog owners regardless of the breed they own). Excellent with children in the family, they have a high pain tolerance and will happily put up with rough child play. As with any breed, they should not be left alone with unfamiliar children. used as all around working farm dogs, they were referred to as "the poor mans horse". Later they were used as fighting dogs, the powerful American Pit Bull may go for the throat of strange dogs. A minimum of training, along with the proper amount of exercise and a firm pack leader, will produce a tranquil, obedient dog. Socialize very thoroughly when young to combat aggressive tendencies and be sure to keep the dog under control when other dogs are present. Teach this dog respect for humans by not allowing it to jump up and not allowing it to enter doorways first. The humans must make the dog heel beside or behind them when walking. It has given outstanding results as a guardian of property, but is at the same time esteemed as a companion dog. The objective in training this dog is to achieve a pack leader status. It is a natural instinct for a dog to have an order in their pack. When we humans live with dogs, we become their pack.The entire pack cooperates under a single leader. Lines are clearly defined and rules are set. You and all other humans MUST be higher up in the order than the dog. That is the only way your relationship can be a success.When properly trained and socialized, this is a very good dog and a great family companion. Unfortunately, some choose to promote the fighting instinct in the breed, giving it a bad name. If you would like to witness what a well-balanced Pitbull is like, tune into the Dog Whisperer and check out Daddy and Junior along with the rest of Cesar's pack of Pits. Daddy has since passed on, however there are still many episodes that air with him. R.I.P. Daddy.

Height, weight

Height: 18-22 inches (46-56 cm)
Weight: 22 -110 pounds (10-50 kg)Please Note: The APBT ranges in size from 22 pounds to 110 pounds (rare), with the most common being between 35 - 55 pounds (16-25 kg.), in fact the original APBT's were between 20 - 40 pounds (9-18 kg.) and were bred small for their main purpose, fighting, These dogs are varying from small to extra large.  A very common misconception is that APBT's are muscle bound (viscous) hulks that weigh in around 85 pounds (39 kg.) and this is generally not the majority, Most of the APBT's that Are that large have been crossed with another breeds.

Health Problems

A generally healthy breed, although some are prone to hip dysplasia, hereditary cataracts, allergies to grass and congenital heart disease.

Living Conditions

Pits will do okay in an apartment if it is sufficiently exercised. They are very active indoors and will do alright without a yard provided they get enough exercise. Prefers warm climates.

Exercise

American Pit Bull Terriers must have plenty of regular exercise and need to be taken on long daily walks.

Life Expectancy
About 12 years.

Litter Size
Average of 5 - 10 puppies

Grooming
The smooth, short-haired coat is easy to groom. Brush regularly with a firm bristle brush, and bathe or dry shampoo as necessary. A rub with a piece of toweling or chamois will make the coat gleam. This breed is an average shedder.

Origin
Developed from the Bull and Terrier types of yesteryear, the American Pit Bull Terrier was bred as an all around farm dog, working the farms as a cattle/hog dog. Some chose to turn their talents into the sport of pit-fighting. The breed's tenacity and accompanying strength are unmatched in the canine world. As rich and captivating as the breed's history is, the Pit Bull's future is more worthy of commentary. Some proponents of the breed argue that this breed is the original bulldog of the past. Old prints and woodcarvings show reason to believe this. They show dogs that look exactly like the breed today, doing things the dog is still capable of doing.  For more information on this theory you can read books by Richard F Stratton. The APBT, as registered by the UKC, is an individual breed of dog and does not refer to just any ill-bred, mindless warrior-type mongrel. At one time, the Pit Bull was a much loved, trustworthy companion. People who chose to train these dogs to fight are chiefly responsible for the banning and witch-hunting that has been sweeping the U.S. The media, however, should not go unmentioned, for it is also responsible for escalating isolated incidences in a relentless and attention-getting way. In a lot of cases when the media is reporting about a Pit Bull attacking, it is indeed not even a Pit Bull at all, but a mixed breed of some sort, or another bull breed all together. An example, there was a report on KYW news in Philadelphia about two Pit Bulls attacking a person. The dogs did not look like Pit Bulls, but rather Boxer mix looking dogs. The news station was called and asked if they knew the dogs were in fact purebred American Pit Bull Terriers, or another bull breed of some sort, or a mutt for that matter. They stated they did not know, and to call the police station to verify that information. They were asked how they could report something that they were not sure of. They had no answer and they were not sure of the dog's breed. Even after admitting on the phone that they did not in fact know the breed of the dogs in question, they kept calling the dogs Pit Bulls in their reports. Why? Because the name Pit Bull will drawl out the most attention from the public. The Pit Bull's future has been perhaps irreparably undone and everyone is to blame except the dog itself. This very loyal dog is too set on pleasing his owner, and ironically this is the root of his own undoing. Accompanying this need to please are remarkable abilities of all kinds. Jack Dempsy, Teddy Roosevelt and Jack Johnson are just a few people who have owned Pit Bulls. Pit Bulls excel in practically every canine task including herding, guarding, hunting, policing, cart pulling and ratting. A Pit Bull, named Banddog Dread, holds more canine working titles than ANY other breed. The owner's name is Diane Jessup and you can reference her book, "The Working Pit Bull." It tells you all of Dread's accomplishments. These dogs are truly capable of many tasks. The difference between Pits and American Staffordshire Terriers is a difficult one. Even breeders can't agree. The main difference is the bloodline. Amstaffs are show dogs and dog fighters won't use dogs with Amstaff blood. As time progresses there will be more of a difference. Many are duel registered as Amstaffs with the AKC and Pits with the UKC.

Group
Terrier
Recognition
NAPDR, UKC, NKC, ADBA, CKC, APBR, APRI, ACR, PBFSA, DRA, BBC, NAPR


Source : http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/americanpitbull.htm