Pit's

[Guest Anonymous]

Hey does anyone know why more than 80% white on a pit is considerd a fault by the A.K.C. Another thing is if they have blue eyes they will be disqualifed.Someone please tell me why because I am just curious. :agrue:

[Guest roo]

Hi,
I think and i will check later :lol:
That it is to do with the breed standard.
All registered breed have a standard that is the law in what the correct dog should look like, conformation, colour, bite, eyes, movement etc.
Breeder who show breed etc breed to the standard.
so if the dog is not the correct colour etc then it is deemed a mismark,
unshowable etc.
I am sure some of our APBT lovers and owners will be able to clarify this for you.
Hey and welcome to the forum :P
Roo

[gooeydog]

Here's the explanation I've heard/read as to why blue eyes or too much white are faults. Blue eyes are a fault in both AmStaffs (AKC) and APBTs (UKC), over 80% white isn't really a fault, but is not preferred. The reason for blue eyes being a fault is that many (not all) blue eyed pit bulls also have hearing problems, and there appears to be a connection between the blue eyes and the deafness in those dogs. It is the same with dogs that are mostly white in color, especially those with white around their heads/ears. I've read that the lack of pigment around the ears affects the dogs hearing (not sure how exactly it works). Also, white/light colored dogs are more susceptible to sunburn, and skin cancer is fairly common in pit bulls. I've also heard that allergies are more common in the white dogs, although I don't know how true that is.

[Hobbit]

In reference to deafness:

Congenital deafness in dogs (or other animals) can be acquired [caused by intrauterine infections, ototoxic drugs like gentamicin, liver disorders, or other toxic exposures before or soon after birth] or inherited. Inherited deafness can be caused by a gene defect that is autosomal dominant, recessive, sex-linked, or may involve multiple genes. It is usually impossible to determine the cause of congenital deafness unless a clear problem has been observed in the breed or carefully planned breedings are performed.

The deafness, which usually develops in the first few weeks after birth while the ear canal is still closed, usually results from the degeneration of part of the blood supply to the cochlea (the stria vascularis). The nerve cells of the cochlea subsequently die and permanent deafness results. The cause of the vascular degeneration is not known, but appears to be associated with the absence of pigment producing cells (melanocytes) in the blood vessels, related to the merle and piebald gene. The function of these cells is not known but appears to be critical for survival of the stria.