Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #527923 in Books
• Published on: 1991-10
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 320 pages

Customer Reviews

Same old Stratton
Although I have respect for Stratton as a pit bulldog expert, I disagree with many of his claims and beliefs. He is too supportive of dog fighting. He encourages the use of the pit bull as a protection dog. He talks mostly about the macho uses of pit bulls - hog hunting, weight pull, bulking the dog up for big muscles and stamina, etc. He seems to love pit bulls in the same way a man loves to watch football or jack up a pickup. He sure knows a lot about them. But he has no real meaningful connection to them. It's very hard to read a book written by an author with such a detachment. I recommend this book only as a resource when doing research on pit bulls. But I don't think it is a quality book for people who are interested in getting a pet pit bull, or for people who want to learn about the many wonderful things that pit bulls can do.

A lot more than you might have bargained for.
First the good. This is without doubt the largest and most photo comprehensive Pit Bull book I have ever laid eyes on. Definitely not your standard 3/4 inch thick series guide book churned out by some publishing company that only seems to include one or two chapters specific to your dog. No no no. This book is written by someone seemingly intensely knowledgable about this particular type of dog, it's history, it's uses, and it's pedigree. Wow. And sooooo many photos.

Now the bad. I agree very much with other reviewers who state that this man seems to have no particular love for this kind of dog in terms of including it as part of a family. He approaches the subject from a "dogs are property and have uses, and if they aren't useful they shouldn't exist" perspective. He reminds me very much of my grandpa, who learned growing up to appreciate dogs, to use them, to repect them for what they could do, but never loved them. His dogs were always outside, he only talked about what they were good for never about his particular feelings for a particular dog. Stratton reminds me sooo much of that way of thinking. He does seem to look at dogs with the same appreciation of nice pick-up or some other piece of property. Stratton attempts to debunk any arguement against dogfighting. It seems obvious from the beginning of his description of the subject that he does or has participated in it in the past. He won't even call it dogfighting as he describes it. I'm well aware that many descriptions of dogfighting are grossly uninformed and sensationalistic, but he spends the chapter justifying it and defending it as a worthwhile activity. He reminds me of people trying to justify hunting with assault rifles. Pretentious. I am a gun owner and a pit bull owner and I don't appreciate people trying to make completely non-rational justifications just so they can keep doing what they want to do. Dogfighting is not a bloodless contest of strength and prowess, Stratton approaches it like most people would approach a track meet or a football game. And seems to incinuate that anyone who might not like dogfighting must automatically be some ultra-liberal hippie from San Francisco. Stratton is full of it.

Overall, if you're a pit bull owner, I would say this is some important material for you to be aware of. Because this is part of the world that shapes the perception of your dog. I would have easily given this book a much higher rating, as it is one of the most comprehensive breed books I've ever seen, but his attitude and seemingly basic lack of empathy for a dog and it's welfare and happy existance disgusts me. He acts as if every pit bull of value automatically wants to crawl into a ring and slug it out. That it's natural. If you've ever owned or known a pit bull, the truer statement is that most pit bulls want to do anything you want them to do. Because they want to be with you and be praised and loved by you. Too bad this man doesn't seem to understand that.

The truth and nothing but the truth.....
Well...This is the book every journalist should read before he opens his mouth. This is, lets say, a fair book. RFS doesn't say that the PB is the most friendliest breed on earth because som attacks that have happened a typical for the breed. He aswell tells the truth that a PB that is well breed and socialized have a much longer tolerance than any other breed existing today. I found this book very funny and very interesting as I have read almost all books on the subject. This is the best book with nice pictures of some of the best. He points out that owners of PB should be the ones that is open for discussion and the ones with the little extra care for the dogs. To waste a PB by treating it bad its the same thing as destroying the source of courage, loyalty and spirit. I am afraid to say that this breed is more than a dog, it somehow feels like if it is a bit closer to us than we think it is.