<b>Appearance</b>
Staffordshire Bull Terrier physique
Weight: 29-48 pounds (13–22 kg)
Height: 14-16 inches (35–40 cm)
Coat: Smooth, short and close to the skin
Litter size: 4
Life span: 10-15 years

The Staffordshire Bull Terrier is a stocky, muscular dog with great strength and athletic ability.

They have a broad head, defined occipital muscles, a relatively short foreface, half prick ears, dark round eyes and a wide mouth with a clean scissor-like bite. The ears are small and either rose or half-prick. The cheek muscles are usually pronounced. Their lips show no looseness, and they rarely drool.

The head tapers down to a strong well muscled neck and shoulders placed on squarely spaced forelimbs. Their rib cage is well sprung and is topped by a level top line. They are tucked up in their loins and the last rib of their cage should be visible. Their tail is carried like an old fashioned pump handle and should be neither too long nor too short. Their hind quarters are well muscled and are the drive in the Staffordshire's gait, being well let down in the hock.

They may be coloured black, brindle, red, blue, white, or any blending of these colours with white. White with any colour over an eye is known as piebald or pied. Skewbald is white with red patches. Liver-coloured and black and tan dogs sometimes occur but these are considered an unacceptable colour for the show ring or any reputable breeding program. The coat is smooth and short.

The dogs stand 35–40 cm (14–16 in) at the withers and weigh 13–22 kg (29–48 lb) with male dogs heavier. The jaw type has about 220 to 255 pounds of force (0.98 to 1.13 kN).

As with many breeds with show determined characteristics, the 'Staffordshire' can suffer from several health problems including cataracts and breathing problems.


<b>Temperament</b>
Terrier breeds are generally bold, inquisitive and fearless. The Staffie is renowned for its reliability as a family dog, with special emphasis on their reliability with children. The breed thrives in the family environment, being a suitably compact size for close family living. They can be protective of their family, especially those with small children, and it is for this reason that they make an excellent family guardian and watch dog.[1]

As a result of their dog fighting heritage, one of the problems noticed in this breed is a tendency of aggression towards other dogs. It must be understood that even a Staffordshire Bull Terrier with "good" temperament may fight when challenged by another dog and should therefore be adequately controlled in public places. Staffordshire Bull Terrier owners have a certain obligation to society (as could be said of all dog owners), and should always ensure that their dogs are correctly and adequately housed and not allowed to roam freely in public and in the vicinity of unfamiliar dogs. It is always good advice to avoid allowing your Staffordshire to make eye to eye contact with strange dogs, as this is normally seen as a challenge.

It is important that any breeder can satisfy you that the puppy you are interested in, and its parents, have a stable temperament.

Avoiding aggression can also be aided by proper socialisation and training of the puppy. Puppies should be regularly exposed to the full gamut of situations that they are likely to encounter as older dogs. Regular, supervised contact with other dogs, children and any other family pet, along with early obedience training will help ensure that the dog grows into a well-socialised animal.

Obedience training is imperative to ensure that the owner feels they will have control over their dog in any situation.

<b>Appearance</b>
American Staffordshire Terriers overview
Weight: 45-70 pounds (25-30 kg)
Height: 17-19 inches (43-48cm)
Coat: Thick, shiny hair,short
Litter size: 5-15 puppies
Life span: 9-18 years

The American Staffordshire Terrier is a medium sized dog that ranges from 40 to 50 cm (16 to 19 inches) at the withers, and weighs from 26 to 30 kg (57 to 67 pounds).

The dog is of square build, and gives the impression of great strength, agility, and grace for their size. They should be stocky, not long-legged or racy in outline. The chest is deep and broad, but should not be too wide. The neck should be strong, and well arched.

The coat is short and glossy. Any color, solid, parti, or patched is permissible, but all white, more than 80 per cent white, black and tan, and liver are not to be encouraged.


<b>Temperament</b>
These dogs should be courageous, tenacious, friendly, extremely attentive, and extraordinarily devoted.


An Amstaff with cropped earsBred to be extremely friendly towards humans, American Staffordshire Terriers are natural guard dogs. An overly protective and/or aggressive behavior, accompanied by fearlessness, is generally a bad sign. This dog should be protective of its family and home, knowing when to protect and knowing when to relax. These dogs are good with children and owners, can get along with dogs, cats and any other animal if raised properly and introduced through puppy years.

These dogs learn quickly from the subtlest of our behaviors. They are thus not only highly responsive during training, but also pick up good habits for example, being house-trained. This can become a problem when an owner unknowingly allows the dog to pick up bad behaviors.

The American Staffordshire Terrier is a loyal companion dog.

<b>Appearance</b>
American Pit Bull Terrier overview
Build: Medium sized, solid and muscular
Weight: 35-65 pounds
Height: 15-20 inches
Coat: Thick, short, shiny hair
Litter size: 5-10 puppies
Life span: ~12 years

The American Pit Bull Terrier is a medium-sized dog, solidly built, with a short coat and smooth, well-defined musculature. The dog's appearance is powerful and athletic without being bulky or muscle bound. The length of the front leg is approximately half of the dog's height at the highest part of the back. The American Pit Bull Terrier's weight is roughly 35 to 65 pounds. The dogs head is in proportion to the rest of it's body with a triangular shape, a broad, flat skull and a wide, deep muzzle. The eyes are set well apart, sit low on the skull and are round to almond shaped. The ears are small to medium in length and may be natural or cropped. The nose may be any color. The neck is muscular and moderate in length. Dogs forequarters have long, wide shoulder blades, are muscular, and well laid back. The hindquarters are strong and muscular, moderately broad and in balance with the forequarters. The tail is thick and tapers to a point. The coat is glossy, smooth, short, and slightly coarse and can be any color.


<b>Temperament</b>
The APBT is a strong-willed, sturdy companion. It is a breed that is loyal to friends and family, and friendly to strangers. Under a firm hand, APBTs are obediant and show a high desire to please. However, when left without direction they can be become stubborn and they're a breed well-known for dog aggression. This fact, combined with the APBT's remarkable strength and ability, means that they are not the best choice of dog for someone who is not well informed about the breed and committed to dealing with a dog of this nature. While human aggression and animal aggression are not the same thing,[3] dog aggression should never be encouraged.

A well bred APBT should have a stable and dependable temperament. The American Temperament Testing Society shows a pass percentage of 84.1% for American Pit Bull Terrier.[4] However, a firm, even hand and early obedience training are strongly recommended for this breed. They generally have a lot of energy and high predator drive; they need exercise and stimulation in order to channel their energy properly and not become frustrated, bored, and destructive.

APBTs often display dog aggression, especially towards unfamiliar dogs of the same sex or level of assertiveness. Early socialization and good training can mean that many individuals of the breed never display this trait however there is no guarantee and extra precautions should be taken with this type of dog to prevent any incidents. While and APBT may not start a fight, even the best socialized APBTs don't generally tolerate as much from other dogs as other breeds might. As dogs bred never to back down from a fight, it is sometimes more responsible to avoid certain situations of interaction if the owner feels that he or she cannot handle the dog. A responsible owner should not let their dog interact with strange dogs unsupervised and should know how to avoid a dog fight.

When selecting an APBT puppy, it is paramount to find a breeder who selective breeds for sound temperament and good health. A quality breeder will know the breed standard as set by a reputable breed registry such as the UKC or the ADBA (the AKC does not recognize the American Pit Bull Terrier) and should both health and temperament test their breeding stock. A breeder who boasts about their dogs' "guard dog" skills or "protective" behavior is an indicator that their dogs may be inappropriately bred for human aggression. It is a good idea for prospective APBT owners to research the breeder, ask for references and ask to see their facilities and the parents of the prospective puppy.

Adult pit bulls are frequently also available from animal shelters. Reputable shelters will temperament test their dogs before adoption, so that only dogs with stable temperaments are available for adoption. The advantage of obtaining an adult dog from a shelter is that the dog's temperament is already known, and a dog with low dog aggression or low prey drive can be selected if desired.

<b>#14. Jun. 2008# Yes! APBT became my first legend ever! Next goal is reaching top 10 of best active chaos blockers!</b>

<b># 7. Aug. 2008# Yes, APBT did it! He reached top ten of active chaos blockers with 80 cas. so far. At the moment he is no. 9 of top 10!</b>

<b>Appearance</b>
American Bulldog physique
Weight: 27-60 kg (75-125 lb)
Height: 50-71 cm (20-28 in)
Coat: Short, harsh
Color: Combinations of solid or degrees of white; all shades of brindle, brown, red, or tan
Litter size: 6-12 puppies
Life span: 8-15 years

The American Bulldog is a stocky, strong-looking dog. Its coat is short and either white, white with patches, black and white brindle, fawn and white, fawn and white brindle or a combination of all of these. The color comformation is quite varied, but white must be somewhere in the coat for the dog to be confirmed in most ABD clubs. The Johnson type is a larger dog with a shorter muzzle than the Scott type. However, many modern American Bulldogs are a combination of the two types. In general, American Bulldogs weigh between 27 to 57 kg (60 to 125 lb) and are 52 to 70 cm (20 to 28 in) at the withers.

<b>Temperament</b>
American bulldogs can make great family dogs.An American Bulldog is typically a happy, friendly, and assertive dog that is at ease with its family and fine with strangers as they get to know the stranger in question. They are quite fond of children but sometimes do not know their own strength. Thus, as with all dogs, they should be supervised with small children. They bond strongly with their master and family but, because of strong guarding instincts and a somewhat dominant attitude, they need a firm but fair hand; they should be socialized and obedience trained early to expose them to other dogs and people and to ensure that they can be controlled around company as they get older and larger, they can be stubborn/strong willed and mischievous if not exercised enough. It should be noted that an American Bulldog is not a dog that should be purchased by people who are not experienced dog owners. It's a powerful and strong headed dog who needs an owner with determination and knowledge about training.

They are working dogs with high energy drives. They need room to expend their energy, and so American Bulldogs do best in a home with a backyard and preferably a "job" to do. A tired well worked bulldog is a happy bulldog. They are not always well behaved towards cats and smaller pets, but correct socialization at an early age can greatly increase the chances of them accepting these animals. This behavior is a reflection of a breed trait called prey drive. High prey drive is a desirable trait in an American Bulldog. A well bred American Bulldog is a catch dog of large herbivores. They can be stubborn with training though once they are trained they tend to obey their masters faithfully. American bulldog puppies can be relatively difficult to housebreak, thus it is important to be persistent.

<b>Appearance</b>
A white bull terrier with an exemplary 'egg shaped' headBull Terrier physique
Weight: 45-60 pounds (20-36 kg.)
Height: 20-24 inches (51-61 cm.)
Coat: Short, dense
Litter size: ~5
Life span: 10-12 years

Bull Terriers are thick-set and muscular with a short, dense coat. Acceptable colours for show dogs are white, (skin pigmentation and markings on the head are not penalised in the UK show ring), any colour other than white, or any colour with white markings (although blue and liver are highly undesirable).

The Bull Terrier's most recognizable feature is its head, described as 'egg shaped' when viewed from the front, almost flat at the top, with a Roman muzzle sloping evenly down to the end of the nose with no stop. The unique triangle-shaped eyes are small, dark, and closely set. The body is full and round, while the shoulders are robust and muscular and the tail is carried horizontally. It walks with a jaunty gait, and is popularly known as the 'gladiator of the canine race'.[1]

There is no designated height or weight for the breed but the average is, Height: 51-61 cm (20-24 inches), Weight: 15-36 kg (35-60 pounds) The Bull Terrier is the only recognised breed that has triangle-shaped eyes.


<b>Temperament</b>
A Bull Terrier doing dog agilityBull Terriers are known as friendly and outgoing dogs, even having a "clownish" attitude about them, though they are usually not considered ideal for a first-time dog owner. Their physical strength is matched by their intelligence, and both body and mind need to be kept active. They can be fun and playful. As a breed they are generally placid and will not normally make the first move. They are very affectionate dogs that love human company. Bull Terriers are particularly good with children, and usually have a high pain threshold, which reduces the risk of injury from a defensive bite. Younger dogs, however, may regard children as playmates and because of their strength could cause inadvertent injury. They are protective of children in their charge. Bull Terriers do not make as good a guard dog as people think due to their fondness for people, but will defend his "pack" if needed.

The American Temperament Test Society, Inc. (ATTS), a not-for-profit organization that promotes uniform temperament testing for dog breeds, gives the Bull Terrier a pass rate of 91.5%. The average for all breeds is 81.5%.

<b>Appearance</b>
Tosa Inu appearance
Weight: 83 - 200 lbs (37-91 kg)
Height: 22-30 inches (55-75 cm)
Coat: Short hair
Activity level: Low
Learning rate: High
Temperament: Brave, fearless, sensitive, bold, consistent, aggressive, suspicious, intelligent.
Guard dog ability: Moderate
Watch-dog ability: Moderate
Fighting Ability: Very High
Litter size: 4-8 puppies
Life span: 10 - 12 years

The Tosa varies considerably in size, with the Japanese-bred dogs tending to be about half the size of those bred outside the country. The Japanese breed generally weighs between 80 and 120 lb, while the non-Japanese breeders have focused on dogs that weigh from 130 to 200 lb (89.5 to 100 kg) and stand 24.5 to 32 inches (62 to 82 cm) at the withers. (Citation needed, as many heavyweight Japanese fighting dogs are recorded around 200lb) The coat is characterized by its short and smooth appearance and is often red, brindle, or fawn. Occasionally it can be a dull black, but this is somewhat rare. Maintenance of the coat is usually minimal.


<b>Temperament</b>
The Tosa is loyal to his master and very good with children and of people it knows, is known to attack if there is a threat, and is very protective of other family pets.The breed has a personality marked by direct, fearless willingness to protect what it considers its "den" (i.e. house, car, and property in a home situation) and "pack" (i.e. human family in a home situation). It is poised, but when the occasion demands, eager and alert; both fit and willing to serve in its capacity as a companion, watchdog, guide dog for people who are blind, herding dog, or guardian, whichever the circumstances may demand.

Proper socialization as a puppy is one of the two key factors which determines what a dog's temperament will be as an adult. Genetics is the other. They go hand-in-hand; there is no guarantee that a dog with poor genetics can be trained to be stable and friendly, and by the same token the best genetics are meaningless if the dog is not well-socialized as a puppy. Ideally, a Tosa should be alert and fearless in defense of its den and pack, but loving and non-aggressive within the home environment.The Tosa is very affectionate.

<b>Appearance</b>
Male bullmastiffs grow to be 25 to 27 inches tall (63.5 to 68.5 cm) at the withers and 110 to 140 pounds (50 to 60 kg). Females typically reach 24 to 26 inches (61 to 66 cm) at the withers, and 100 to 120 pounds (45 to 55 kg).


<b>Temperament</b>
The Bullmastiff is courageous, loyal, calm, and loving with those it knows. It has a very strong protective instinct and will defend its owners against anything it perceives as a threat. However, it does not normally attack to protect. Instead, it knocks the intruder over with its massive size and pins them to the ground, or, will simply stand in front of the stranger/intruder and refuse to let them pass. Bullmastiffs become intensely attached to their families and do best when they can live inside with them. Their protective instinct combined with their great size and natural wariness of strangers means that early socialization is a must. The Bullmastiff may or may not get along well with other dogs. Occasionally, females in heat will also not get along with other females. The Bullmastiff gets along well with children and is very loving towards them. Parental supervision should be maintained when they are with children because these dogs are so big that they may accidentally knock smaller children down.

<b>Appearance</b>
Argentine Dogo appearance
Weight: 80-100 pounds (36-45kg)
Height: 24-27 inches (61-69cm)
Coat: Short, sleek, glossy, thick and always white
Litter size: 4-6 but can get as large as 8
Life span: 10-12 years

The Dogo Argentino is a large, white, short-coated dog with a smooth, muscular body, displaying both power and athletic ability. The minimum height for the male is 62 cm (24.3 inches) at the withers, for the female 60 cm (23.5 inches). Maximum height is 68.5 cm (27 inches). The length of 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 powerful with a broad, slightly domed skull and a powerful muzzle that is slightly higher at the nose than the stop, when viewed in profile. Ears may be cropped, or hang naturally, close to the skull. The relatively short tail is set low, thick at the base and tapers to a point. The Dogo Argentino should be evaluated as a hunting dog, and exaggerations or faults should be penalized in proportion to how much they interfere with the dog's ability to work. Generally a dogo with spots, deaf, or with signs of hip dysplasia is considered a worthless animal only suitable for pet quality functions.


<b>Temperament</b>
Dogos are very athleticDogos are known for being extremely loyal and affectionate with their families and crave attention from their owners. They are excessively tolerant of children due to their high pain tolerance, derived from selective breeding to be a big game hunter. They are protective of what they perceive as their territory and will guard it without fear against any intruder. They get along with other dogs as long as they have been properly socialized, but will usually not tolerate another dog trying to assert dominance over them and might not coexist peacefully with another dominant breed of dog. However, dog aggression is not desirable in the Dogo Argentino, as it is at odds with its intended purpose as a pack hunter.

Dogo Argentinos are accomplished big game hunters, and are still widely used today for boar hunting, mostly in Argentina and Texas. They are also used for a variety of other tasks, such as tracking, search and rescue, Schutzhund training, general police work including narcotics detection, military, and family dog. They are even occasionally used as guide dogs.

<b>Appearance</b>
The Fila Brasileiro is a Molosser breed with large bones and loose skin. The breed standard requires males to be between 65 and 75 cm (27 - 29.5 in) high at the shoulder and weigh at least 50 kg (110 lb). Females are slightly smaller and expected to be 60 to 70 cm (24 - 27.5 in) tall, and weigh at least 40 kg (90 lb).


<b>Temperament</b>
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The Fila Brasileiro is an excellent estate guardian and cattle dog. It does not hide its aversion to strangers, consequently these dogs are not disqualified from the show ring for showing aggression to the judge. Their faithfulness to family and friends is legendary, but this breed is not for everyone. The Fila needs a confident, experienced owner who can properly curb the breed's natural aggression towards strangers. Because of its aggression, it is not well suited to busy households which have many guests. Such aggression is instinctive in Filas, so much so that the Brazilian breed standard advises show judges not to touch the dog. However, the FCI standard allows for disqualification of very aggressive dogs. Few Filas will attack for no reason, but none will be friendly with strangers.

Filas love and bond strongly with their immediate families with an extreme loyalty and protectiveness. They live to protect their loved ones, including children and other pets. They do not readily accept strangers and need an extended introduction period to warm up to others they do not know. Some will never warm up to any stranger. Some bloodlines have less temperament than others and might accept a stranger if introduced properly by the owner, but it should never be assumed that every Fila can be trained to accept strangers. They are known to play very well with children and take a great deal of "abuse" from them, as long as they are family.

<b>Appearance</b>
The Spanish Mastiff is a very large and powerful dog, similar in appearance to the other Mastiff breeds. They have a large powerful head, with loose folds of skin and a double dewlap on the neck.

Males in this breed are at least 77 cm (30 in) tall at the withers, and range from 50–65 kg (110-140 lbs). Females are at least 72 cm (28 in), and weigh 50–60 kg (110-130 lbs).

This dog has a long muzzle compared to many other mastiffs. It has small eyes and drop ears resembling triangles. This dog's coat is most often reddish or fawn-colored, but can also be brindle, black or 'wolf' colored.

<b>Appearance</b>
The term Bandog (also known as Bandogge) originated around 1250-1300 in Middle England, referring to a mastiff type dog that was bound by a chain during the daytime and was released at night to guard against intruders. In 1576 Johannes Caius published a book called Of English Dogs in which he described Bandog as vast, stubborn, ugly, eager dog of heavy body.