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The American Pit Bull Terrier
The American Pit Bull Terrier is a descendent of the original working bulldog. Developed to catch and hold cattle, the bulldog needed to be strong, courageous and tenacious. These dogs were later selectively bred for fighting ability and "gameness". Gameness can be described as having a desire to win at all costs and never quit. Dogs that turned away from a fight or quit during a fight were eliminated from the breeding stock. 
Although the pit bull is a determined fighter it is also a loyal, affectionate companion dog. Pit bulls were popular family pets in the early 1900s and their good nature was exemplified by Pete the Pup of the "Our Gang" films. Pit bulls are high drive working dogs that can be trained to perform a variety of tasks. A well trained American Pit Bull Terrier will strive to accomplish whatever its owner asks of it. They are extremely people oriented and like nothing more than to curl up beside their person. Above photos from Pit Bulls have been successfully trained to compete in obedience, agility, tracking, Schutzhund and herding. They have been used as therapy dogs, search and rescue dogs and drug detection dogs. As is true of any breed, proper early socialization and training are essential to the development of a good companion dog. Dogs kept isolated can become fearful of people or new situations. Dogs are social animals and when left alone for long periods of time can develop problem behaviors such as barking, destructive chewing and digging. Dogs that are tethered or fenced in near a place where people pass by can develop frustration aggression. (This is the way attack dogs are trained). A Pit Bull can be as good or as bad a dog as its owners make it. It is unfair to the breed to blame the dog for the actions of irresponsible owners. For more information on the history and good qualities of the American Pit Bull Terrier read Back to top of page.
About Jackie Easter Jackie Easter has been involved in the world of dogs since 1974 when she purchased her first show dog, an Akita, which she trained for conformation. She purchased her first pit bull in 1985 at the height of the pit bull horror stories and fell in love with the breed. She has trained pit bulls in obedience and agility and has shown three of her own dogs to their championships in conformation. Jackie has also done some tracking and Schutzhund training with her dogs. Jackie decided to start her dog training business in 1996 after witnessing a distraught owner at the veterinarian's office who was having her dog put down because it had bitten someone. Believing that there had to be a better answer, Jackie began to study dog behavior by attending seminars and reading books on the subject. She also does foster care for the FACES dog rescue group which provides an opportunity to work with many different types of dogs. If you have any training questions email Jackie at compatk9@berkshire.net or visit her web site at http://www.berkshire.net/~compatk9/compatk9.htm. Back to top of page. 
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