ADBA Conformation Standard Breakdown

I. Introduction

A. To truly understand any breed standard, one must know the history behind a breeds existence .

B. The purpose of a judge is the unbiased selection of quality breeding stock with true breed type .

C. The responsibility of judging is to put up the dogs that conform most to the conformation standard leaving personal bias aside.

II. Overall Appearance 20 points

A . Conforming to breed type

1. Should look like an American Pit Bull Terrier from across the ring

2. Sturdy, three dimensional. Giving the impression of strength, not slight or frail.

3. Appears square, with heavy boned, solid front end with a light and springy back end.

4. Should look athletic, not bulky. Musculature should be smooth but defined.

5. Presentation of an adult dog should be of a lean, exercised animal showing a hint of rib and backbone (without hipbones showing) with muscles firm and defined. Clean, glossy coat with short trimmed nails. Presentation of dogs in the puppy classes should be of a well nourished puppy, showing no ribs, backbone or hips. Coat should be glossy with short, trimed nails.

B. Balance

1. Equal angulation of front and rear assembly - judged best at the trot.

2. Height to weight ratio - the tallest dog at a given weight

3. Head size in proportion to the body, with a neck long enough to have the head appear above the top of the back when head is in a normal upright position.

C. Presentation

1. Dog is socialized , showing interest in things around him.

2. Although some degree of dog aggressiveness is characteristic of the breed, unruly behavior will detract from the judges ability to accurately judge an individual dogs conformation.

D. Health

1. The vitality of the dogs spirit, the gloss of the dogs coat and the sharpness of the dogs eye, will exude the healthfulness of the individual animal.

2. Colors or color patterns known to be genetically linked to health problems will be considered a serious fault . Major faults: merle color pattern, albinism(white dog with blue or pink eyes, pink nose, lips, no pigment present on pads, rims of eyes etc.)

III. Attitude 10 points

A. Confident and alert

B. Interested in things around them, in control of their space, not threatened by anything in their surroundings .

C. Gentle with loved ones Faults: shy or timid

IV. Back end 30 points

A. Loin

1. Broad and long enough to square the dog. Too short can interfere with a dogs flexibility. Too long a loin causes the dog to carry excessive weight and affect a dogs agility and quickness..

B. Hip

1. Long and sloping with adequate width. This can be judged by the set of the tail, which should be low.

2. Ideal slope of hip should be 30 degrees to the ground .

C. Proportions of the back leg .

1. The femur should be of a length so that the stifle joint is proportioned in the upper 1/3 of the rear assembly.

2. The tibia-fibula is the longer bone of the rear assembly

3. The length of the metatarsal is moderate, with muscles that attach equally on each side of the bone so that the hocks move parallel to each other, deviating neither in or out. The metatarsals bones, hock and lower part of the tibia will be light, fine and springy.

4. Rear angulation - ratio between the lengths of the bones and the muscles which attach on these bones, causes a bent stifle which leads to a well bent hock. This contributes to the natural springiness that is desired in the rear assembly.

5. The muscle attachment is long and deep, well past the joint , which causes the muscles to appear smooth, but defined. (Not bunchy).

Faults: short or flat hip, straight stifle, double jointed or slipped hock, cow hocked, bunchy muscles.

V. Front end 20 points

A. Ribcage

1. Deep and elliptical with a prominent breastbone or prosternum. From the side, the bottom of the ribcage should at least be even with the elbow joint.

2. Well sprung at the top, tapering to the bottom, extending well back into the loin.

B. Shoulders

1. Wider than the ribcage at the 8 th rib. Scapula well laid back, 45 degree or less angle to the ground, and broad and flat allowing for adequate muscular attachment for a heavy and sturdy front end.

2. The humerus is angled at an opposite 45 degree angle and is long enough that the elbow comes to the bottom of the ribcage, elbows lying flat against the body.

3. Forearms are slightly longer than the humerus and solid, twice the thickness of the metatarsal at the hock.

C. Feet

1. Small and tight, set high on pasterns.

2. Pads thick, and well built up

3. Dew claws are natural on front feet, and do not naturally occur on back legs.

Faults: barrel chest, narrow chest, fine bones, out at elbows, down in pasterns, splay feet, thin pads, back dew claws.

VI. Head and Neck 15 points

A. Neck

1. Heavily muscled to the base of the skull

2. Long in length

B. Head

1. Head size balanced in relationship to the rest of the body

2. 2/3 the width of the shoulders

3. Wedge shaped when viewed from the top or side, round when viewed from the front.

4. Cheeks 25% wider than the neck at the base of the skull

5. The length from the nose to the stop should equal the length from the stop to the back of the head.

6. The bridge of the muzzle is well developed. The fill in under the eyes should be wider than the head at the base of the ears.

7. The head should be deep from the top of the head to the bottom of the jaw.

8. Straight box like muzzle

9. Lips tight

10. Teeth, incisors should meet in the front in a scissor bite. Canines should be wide at the base and taper to the end, top canines fitting tightly together behind the bottom canines. They should be sound and healthy with none missing.

11. Eyes, small and deep set. Elliptical when viewed from the front, triangular when viewed from the side.

12. Ears- no preference should be given to cropped or uncropped ears, except to enhance the overall attractiveness of the individual dog.

Faults: short neck, cheeky, underdeveloped muzzle, lippy, missing canines, overshot or undershot to the extent that the canines do not fit tightly together.

VII. Tail and Coat 5 points

A. Coat

1. Skin thick and loose around neck and chest, tight fitting elsewhere, showing vertical folds around the neck and chest even in a well exercised animal.

2. Short and bristled, the gloss showing overall health of the animal.

3. Color or any combination of colors, except for colors or color patterns known to be genetically linked to health problems.

B. Tail

1. Thick at the base, tapering to the point. It's length should have the tail extending to the point of the hock.

2. Hang down like a pump handle when relaxed.

Major faults: Merle color pattern or albinism. (White dog, blue or pink eyes, lacks pigment )

Faults: Longer coat, fringed hair on tail or elsewhere, bobbed tail or any tail other than straight.

Disqualifications: Man aggression, one sided or both sided cryptorchid, spayed or neutered dogs

Above all, the American Pit Bull Terrier should appear to be an all around athlete. His body is called upon for speed, power, agility and stamina. He must be balanced in all directions. Too much of one thing, robs him of another. In his ideal form, he is a thing of beauty.

Merle Pattern and the APBT

The APBT standard and the recent emergence of the Merle pattern in the breed.

By Scot E. Dowd Ph.D.

The recent appearance of merle patterned APBTs and a couple breeders specializing in the "new" and "rare" color pattern has stirred up a controversy in the APBT community. The general thought among those that have been around the breed for the greatest number of years is that, these new color patterns were brought about by unscrupulous outcrossing to a separate breed such as Catahoula Leopard dogs. Several breeds are known to carry merle as a color pattern but the APBT is not one known to have ever carried this "infected" allele. What is known is that Catahoula Leopard dogs along with pit bulls are often used in the sport of hog catching and it is known that crosses of these breeds have been made in attempts to produce more competitive catch dogs.

The following c omments from the APBT standard committee provide prelude to a brief essay on the merle locus in relation to the APBT

Walt Pasko "I feel the emergence of the merle color pattern in our breed has raised the questions of how it was introduced into our breed and what health problems the merle gene could cause. From all information I've read, I have to recommend that the merle color be made a disqualification in the APBT Breed Standard."

Carol Gaines Stephens "I strongly oppose the color pattern 'merle' in the APBT since it has never been there in the past and has just recently risen it's ugly head with the popularity of the catch dogs in the south. I have spoken to several people from the south that say that they know and do so themselves, cross the APBT with the Louisiana Catahoula Leopard Dog to make a better catch dog. If the gene has never been present in all these decades/centuries then how did it finally come about just recently? I am a firm believer in leaving the standard the way it was originally, but when something surfaces that has no rhyme nor reason, then I think we have to address the matter."

Cheryl Larum "I am in agreement with the other committee members on the merle issue"

Scot E. Dowd " First it should be noted that there are ways that the merle can remain hidden such as within a complete phaeomelanic coat where the merle would not be evident, also there are cryptic merles, however this absolutely would fail to explain the relatively recent appearance of this color pattern in the APBT. I feel that another allele with defined health problems associated with this locus, is not a positive thing for our breed"

The following information is submitted on behalf of the NAPBTA standard committee - Scot E. Dowd

There are two issues of concern with the merle as a color pattern. The first, as mentioned, is that merle pattern in the APBT may have come about through unethical outcrossing to another breed of dog. This practice would then have been followed by falsely registering such a outbred animal either with the ADBA or UKC as a purebred APBT. Such false registration would be termed hanging papers. The other issue is related to the health aspects of the Merle allele. Here I will try to answer the predominant questions that arise regarding the merle allele and the APBT without making a judgment of my own other than that expressed above.

Why is a color or color pattern so important to the stewards of the breed?

The entire process of coloration and color patterns in dogs starts with embryonic development. The specific cells that become melanocytes (pigment producing cells) are derived entirely from the neuronal crest of the embryo. This essentially means that pigment cells are directly produced along with the same cells that give rise to the nervous system. Though not entirely true, it can be assumed that if you have defects in genes associated with color genetics you might also have nervous system defects because both types of cells are derived from the neuronal crest. This provides a logical genetic indicator and explains why it is likely that certain dilute or patterned dogs, such as extreme piebalds, or other types of homozygous dilutes common in the APBT, as well as those that may be carrying the Merle pattern are prone to psychological, neurological and/or immunological problems found in other breeds that carry these alleles.

What is merle?

Merle like other dilution alleles acts to lighten whatever color would otherwise have been expressed. However, with merle the lightening effect is not spread evenly over the coat, but produces patches of undiluted color (dappled pattern) scattered over the dog's body. The merle gene when heterozygous Mm (only one copy of the gene) on an otherwise black dog produces a blue merle which is phenotypically a bluish gray dog that is dappled with full color black spots. A homozygous or MM dog (carrying two copies of the merle gene), often called a double merle or a homozygous merle, will be a mostly white dog (similar to an extreme Piebald). The normal state of the merle locus is dual recessive mm and completely lacks the offending transposon resulting in normal color.

Maybe merle has been in the breed throughout its history and only now is it being noticed?

The response to this question is also genetic in nature. The genetic and phenotypic nature of the Merle locus and the merle allele (M) is such that it would not remain unnoticed in a breed and suddenly appear. It would take crossing to another breed that carries the merle allele for it to be transferred into the breed. The reason it could not remain invisible or hidden is because the Merle allele is expressed with incomplete dominance. This means, if it is within the genome at all, even in a heterozygote (one copy of the gene) state, it is still expressed and evident. The M allele is not found in all breeds; in fact most breeds do not carry it. Finally, this specific transposon cannot arise spontaneously or through mutation as some have claimed.

What are the health problems associated with the merle allele?

The merle allele like a couple other dilution factors when expressed in a homozygous state is correlated to psychological, neurological, and usually immunological issues. Here I will mention a few of the issues. The first are eye development problems that are superficial in nature affecting appearance such as heterochromia iridis (A difference of color between the iris of one eye and the other), thus a dog with one brown and one blue eye has heterochromia iridis. Note that this defect is not necessarily or always indicative of having the merle gene because it can also be found in dogs with extreme piebald or double blue dilution for example. In addition to superficial indicators there are also major effects such as absence of tapetum lucidum. Tapetum lucidum is a reflective substance that lines the back of the dogs eyes. This reflective structure acts like a mirror and reflects light back through the retina, like a satellite dish giving the retina two chances to catch the light. Dogs that lack tapetum licidum have night blindness or reduced ability to see in low light. Another defect is lack of retinal pigment and microphthalmia. Microopthalmia (smaller than normal eye) is described as dogs having prominent third eyelids and seemingly small eyes which appear recessed in the eye socket (enophthalmos). Another problem known as coloboma is actually a physical cleft in a portion of the eye, particularly the iris . In addition to the eyes which are a key indicator of neurological defects, there is also evidence for effects on the ears that result in reduction in auditory sensitivity or complete deafness because the merle color locus exerts epistatic effects on ear development. Excessive white or dilution in a dog of any color can be a warning sign of potential hearing problems. If there is no pigment in the inner ear the dog will be deaf; white ears are more likely to lack inner ear pigment.

More technically, what is the genetic explanation of the merle pattern?

The merle allele is considered to be caused by a transposon or transposable element. A transposon is a piece of DNA that has the potential to actually jump out of, or excise from the gene it has infected (disrupted), during cellular division and genetic DNA replication. This means that while melanocytes are migrating from the neuronal crest during embryonic development the merle transposon can remove itself from the gene in some of the melanocytes when they are derived and produce normal coloration on those parts of the coat to which they migrate. Thus, the merle allele acts to cause eumelanic areas in the coat, to become diluted, but other areas to be fully and intensely pigmented. Such fully colored areas occur in scattered patches throughout the body. The merle locus is autosomal (not carried on one of the sex chromosomes) acting as a dominant mutation (it is expressed in all dogs that carry this gene). It should also be noted that genetically such transposons do not arise spontaneously but must be passed from sire and/or dam to offspring. This means that if the APBT did not carry this allele to begin with, then only through outcrossing to another breed, that does carry this transposon, could it be integrated into the APBT genome.

The ADBA Standard

The Official ADBA Standard

ADBA Conformation Standard Breakdown

Merle Pattern and the APBT