If we told you the story of a woman who was so violently mauled by a dog that she had to undergo the world's first face transplant. Which breed would first come to mind? If you said a Pit Bull, you would be in the majority, but you would be wrong. He was a Labrador retriever, which is currently the most popular dog breed in the United States and among the top ten in several other countries according to the UKC (Dorsey 4). Why do you think so many people would assume it was a Pit Bull? In the 1900s, the American Pit Bull Terrier was commonly depicted on American war propaganda posters to represent the country's strength, determination, and dignity. This loyal and loving breed has accompanied people such as Helen Keller, President Theodore Roosevelt, President Woodrow Wilson, Thomas Edison and General George Patton. Today, the American Pit Bull Terrier is commonly considered a violent, aggressive and unpredictable dog breed. What is the truth about the American Pit Bull Terrier? Are these really the monsters described by Oklahoma State Representative Paul Wesselhoft as "a gargoyle-like animal with tiger-sized claws and fangs" (Bellamy 10A) or are they simply misunderstood? How has the image of this breed gone from one extreme to the other in recent years? The origin of the American Pit Bull Terrier dates back to England in the 19th century, where the breed was initially created to combine the playfulness, speed and agility of a Terrier. with the strength and athleticism of a Bulldog (Bolhafner 39). According to Stahlkuppe, "playfulness is a dog's willingness to continue to fight, chase, pull a cart, or defend its owner, despite severe stress, severe pain, and even to death" ( 61). Sta...... middle of paper ...... she must be a loving pet, a protector of the home, a competitor or a fighter. It is up to the owner to properly train and socialize his dog, to show him what he wants and the Pitt Bull will be sure to respond to all the requests that we submit to him. Works Cited “American Pit Bull Terrier” ukcdogs.com. Revised November 1, 2008: Web. May 22, 2012. Bellamy, Louise. “Pitbulls are loyal and loving dogs” The Oaklahoman July 18. 2005: page 10A. Print Bolhanfner, Stephen. “Meet the American Staffordshire/pit bull terrier” Posted from the St. Louis Post on May 7. 2005: p. 39. Printed. Devlin, Mike. “Top 10 Banned Dog Breeds” Listverse.com. August 24, 2011. The web. May 23, 2012. Dorsey, Jannie. “Pit bull wins top dog bite ranking” Tampa Tribune July 28. 2009: p. 4. Print. Stahlkuppe, Joe. The American Pitt Bull Terrier Handbook. Hauppauge, New York: Barron's, 2000. Print.