AMERICAN PIT BULL TERRIER (REVISED NOVEMBER 1,
2008)
Terrier Group
Official U.K.C. Breed Standard
Revised November 1, 2008
Terrier Group
©Copyright 1978, United Kennel Club, Inc.
HISTORY
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. The result was a dog that embodied all
of the virtues attributed to great warriors:
strength, indomitable courage, and gentleness
with loved ones. Immigrants brought these bull
and terrier crosses to the
United States.
The American Pit Bull Terrier’s many talents did
not go unnoticed by farmers and ranchers who
used their APBTs as catch dogs for semi-wild
cattle and hogs, to hunt, to drive livestock,
and as family companions. Today, the American
Pit Bull Terrier continues to demonstrate its
versatility, competing successfully in
Obedience, Tracking, Agility and Weight Pulls,
as well as Conformation.
The United Kennel Club was the first registry to recognize the
American Pit Bull Terrier. UKC founder C. Z.
Bennett assigned UKC registration number 1 to
his own APBT, Bennett’s Ring, in 1898.
GENERAL APPEARANCE
The American Pit Bull Terrier is a medium-sized, solidly built,
short-coated dog with smooth, well-defined
musculature. This breed is both powerful and
athletic. The body is just slightly longer than
tall, but bitches may be somewhat longer in body
than dogs. 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 head is of medium
length, with a broad, flat skull, and a wide,
deep muzzle. Ears are small to medium in size,
high set, and may be natural or cropped. The
relatively short tail is set low, thick at the
base and tapers to a point. The American Pit
Bull Terrier comes in all colors and color
patterns except merle. This breed combines
strength and athleticism with grace and agility
and should never appear bulky or muscle-bound or
fine-boned and rangy.
Above all else, the APBT must have the functional capability to be a
catch dog that can hold, wrestle (push and pull)
and breathe easily while doing its job. Balance
and harmony of all parts are critical components
of breed type.
Very Serious Fault:
Any
disproportionate overdone characteristic (such
as short legs, excessive bone or massive head or
body) that would interfere with working ability.
CHARACTERISTICS
The essential characteristics of the American
Pit Bull Terrier are strength, confidence, and
zest for life. This breed is eager to please and
brimming over with enthusiasm. APBTs make
excellent family companions and have always been
noted for their love of children. 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. The breed’s natural
agility makes it one of the most capable canine
climbers so good fencing is a must for this
breed. The APBT is not the best choice for a
guard dog since they are extremely friendly,
even with strangers. Aggressive behavior toward
humans is uncharacteristic of the breed and
highly undesirable. This breed does very well in
performance events because of its high level of
intelligence and its willingness to work.
HEAD
The APBT head is unique and a key element of breed type. It is
large and broad, giving the impression of great
power, but it is not disproportionate to the
size of the body. Viewed from the front, the
head is shaped like a broad, blunt wedge. When
viewed from the side, the skull and muzzle are
parallel to one another and joined by a well
defined, moderately deep stop. Supraorbital
arches over the eyes are well defined but not
pronounced. The head is well chiseled, blending
strength, elegance, and character.
Very Serious Fault:
Overly large,
heavy heads.
SKULL - The skull is large, flat or slightly rounded, deep, and
broad between the ears. Viewed from the top, the
skull tapers just slightly toward the stop.
There is a deep median furrow that diminishes in
depth from the stop to the occiput. Cheek
muscles are prominent but free of wrinkles. When
the dog is concentrating, wrinkles form on the
forehead, which give the APBT his unique
expression.
MUZZLE - The muzzle is broad and deep with a very slight taper from
the stop to the nose, and a slight falling away
under the eyes. The length of muzzle is shorter
than the length of skull, with a ratio of
approximately 2:3. The topline of the muzzle is
straight. The lower jaw is well developed, wide
and deep. Lips are clean and tight.
Faults: Snipey muzzle; flews; weak lower jaw.
Very Serious Fault:
Muzzle too
short, which impairs breathing capability.
TEETH - The American Pit Bull Terrier has a complete set of evenly
spaced, white teeth meeting in a scissors bite.
Fault: Level bite.
Serious Faults:
Undershot, or
overshot bite; wry mouth; missing teeth (this
does not apply to teeth that have been lost or
removed by a veterinarian).
NOSE - The nose is large with wide, open nostrils. The nose may be
any color.
EYES - Eyes are medium size, round and set well apart and low on
the skull. All colors are equally acceptable
except blue, which is a serious fault. Haw
should not be visible.
Serious Faults:
Bulging eyes;
both eyes not matched in color; blue eyes.
EARS - Ears are high set and may be natural or cropped without
preference. Prick or flat, wide ears are not
desired.
NECK
The neck is of moderate length and muscular. There is a slight arch
at the crest. The neck widens gradually from
where it joins the skull to where it blends into
well laid-back shoulders. The skin on the neck
is tight and without dewlap.
Faults: Neck too thin or weak; ewe neck; dewlap.
Very Serious Fault:
A short, thick
neck that would interfere with functional
ability.
FOREQUARTERS
The shoulder blades are long, wide, muscular, and well laid back.
The upper arm is roughly equal in length to the
shoulder blade and joins it at an apparent right
angle.
The forelegs are strong and muscular. The elbows are set close to
the body. Viewed from the front, the forelegs
are set moderately wide apart and perpendicular
to the ground. The pasterns are short, powerful,
straight, and flexible. When viewed in profile,
the pasterns are nearly erect.
Faults: Upright or loaded shoulders; elbows turned outward or tied-in; down
at the pasterns; front legs bowed; wrists
knuckled over; toeing in or out.
Very Serious Fault:
Legs shorter
than half the total height at the withers.
BODY
The chest is deep, well filled in, and moderately wide with ample
room for heart and lungs, but the chest should
never be wider than it is deep. The forechest
does not extend much beyond the point of
shoulder. The ribs extend well back and
are well sprung from the spine, then flattening
to form a deep body extending to the elbows. The
back is strong and firm. The topline inclines
very slightly downward from the withers to a
broad, muscular, level back. The loin is short,
muscular and slightly arched to the top of the
croup, but narrower than the rib cage and with a
moderate tuck-up. The croup is slightly sloping
downward.
Very Serious Fault:
Overly massive
body style that impedes working ability.
HINDQUARTERS
The hindquarters are strong, muscular, and moderately broad. The
rump is well filled in on each side of the tail
and deep from the pelvis to the crotch. The
bone, angulation, and musculature of the
hindquarters are in balance with the
forequarters. The thighs are well developed with
thick, easily discerned muscles. Viewed from the
side, the hock joint is well bent and the rear
pasterns are well let down and perpendicular to
the ground. Viewed from the rear, the rear
pasterns are straight and parallel to one
another.
Faults: Narrow hindquarters; hindquarters shallow from pelvis to crotch;
lack of muscle; straight or over angulated
stifle joint; cow hocks; sickle hocks; bowed
legs.
FEET
The feet are round, proportionate to the size of the dog, well
arched, and tight. Pads are hard, tough, and
well cushioned. Dewclaws may be removed.
Fault: Splayed feet.
TAIL
The tail is set on as a natural extension of the topline, and
tapers to a point. When the dog is relaxed, the
tail is carried low and extends approximately to
the hock. When the dog is moving, the tail is
carried level with the backline. When the dog is
excited, the tail may be carried in a raised,
upright position (challenge tail), but never
curled over the back (gay tail).
Fault: Long tail (tail tip passes beyond point of hock).
Serious faults: Gay tail (not to be
confused with challenge tail); kinked tail.
Disqualification:
Bobbed tail.
COAT
The coat is glossy and smooth, close, and moderately stiff to the
touch.
Faults: Curly, wavy, or sparse coat.
Disqualification: Long coat.
COLOR
Any color, color pattern, or combination of colors is acceptable,
except for merle.
Disqualification: Merle
HEIGHT AND WEIGHT
The American Pit Bull Terrier must be both powerful and agile so
actual weight and height are less important than
the correct proportion of weight to height.
Desirable weight for a mature male in good
condition is between 35 and 60 pounds. Desirable
weight for a mature female in good condition is
between 30 and 50 pounds. Dogs over these
weights are not to be penalized unless they are
disproportionately massive or rangy.
Very Serious Fault:
Excessively
large or overly massive dogs.
GAIT
The American Pit Bull Terrier moves with a jaunty, confident
attitude, conveying the impression that he
expects any minute to see something new and
exciting. When trotting, the gait is effortless,
smooth, powerful, and well coordinated, showing
good reach in front and drive behind. When
moving, the backline remains level with only a
slight flexing to indicate suppleness. Viewed
from any position, legs turn neither in nor out,
nor do feet cross or interfere with each other.
As speed increases, feet tend to converge toward
center line of balance.
Faults: Legs not moving on the same plane; legs over reaching; legs
crossing over in front or rear; rear legs moving
too close or touching; rolling; pacing;
paddling; sidewinding; hackney action; pounding.
DISQUALIFICATIONS
Unilateral or bilateral cryptorchid. Viciousness or extreme
shyness. Unilateral or bilateral deafness. Long
coat. Bobbed tail. Albinism. Merle.
Note: Although some level of dog aggression is characteristic of
this breed, handlers will be expected to comply
with UKC policy regarding dog temperament at UKC
events.
Note: The above statement is also the
policy of the American Rare Breed Association.
