But what is the standard? A dog who is broad, well-muscled and with a blocky head could be any number of breeds. Pitbull? Lab? Mastiff? Change one little thing here, and one little thing there, the breed suddenly changes. Where do we draw the line at how many changes it takes to preserve the AB as it was meant? A big concern of mine is not so much what the dog looks like but what has became of the temperament of the breed. Temperament is, imo, far more important than the looks of the dog. The direction the AB is headed, in part due to popularity and bragging rights of having the biggest, baddest, pitbull on the block has pretty ruined the way these dogs are wired. The AB, by standard, has a specific temperament. To breed for pet quality is an attempt to soften the breed, to "dumb down" an AB is not only an insult but a liability as well. To try and soften temperament is like playing with a loaded gun. It creates weak nerve. The AB is a working dog. AB's aint for everyone. Those that change characteristics to make it "for everyone," are not breeding for AB's. There's enough "for everyone" kinda breeds out there without having to ruin yet another one.
