Customer Reviews

Working Pit Bull

5 star:		(30)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

As an owner of several ADBA pit bulls, I am thrilled that at last there is a book out that we can use to help fight breed specific laws in our area. Many of the other books (Like Stratton's and Carl Semencic's) are not the kind of book you would want to take to a town meeting and try and convince them that these dogs can be great pets in responsible hands. Semencic's newest book (Gladiator Dogs) features page after page of snarling, lunging pit bulls. Great! Just what we need! And more dogs on heavy chains like some kind of maniacs! Sure pit bulls must be housed and handled with a little more care around other dogs, but thank you! Diane, for a fresh, intelligent look at our dogs. I for one am donating one to my local library, and sending one to the city council.

What a breath of fresh air in a subject filled with nonsense by those who should know better. I really liked this book, and think every person interested in this breed should read it. It is not like any of the others, and will not make dog fighters happy. Diane tells it like it is, and that is going to hurt for some, but it needed to be said for a long time. Great pictures of bulldogs doing all manner of things, from herding to search and rescue. The pictures are really nice. Next time someone tells you pit bulls are only good for fighting, hand them this book! Enjoy.

A book about our great breed that shows them how they should be,
Great obedient, loving Pets & Working Dogs.
Ms.Jessup provides a view of the breed that has unfortunately
been overlooked by many other writers, the incredible potential
of this breed to be a Loving Pet,Conformation Show dog,Obedience Dog, Agility Dog Etc. and the consequences to this breed & society from the actions of people who misuse,abuse & fight these dogs.
Excellent care & training section including A VERY Important

part to every potential owner, Selection of your dog.
All breeders should strive to produce dogs like Diane's Dread,
with low aggression,high trainability,excellent conformation & health.
Think Well before you get an APBT,if you do look long & hard
for an ethical & caring breeder and you will be rewarded with the best dog you ever had.
I have been Showing,Training & Breeding UKC Champions for 10 Years,and have not seen any books that highlight the breed so well.

As many other new pit owners do, I started with the Stratton books... I thought to myself "I must be missing something", then I stumbled onto D.Jessup's book. Nothing in Stratton or Semencic(this is NOT a jibe against Carl Semencic, the man has written some GREAT books that are proudly in my library and I DO recommend "Pit Bulls and Tenacious Guard Dogs") prepared me for Jessup's frank and honest discussions of the breed, its tendacies, and its capabilites. I have had a happy, healthy girl that would do ANYTHING for me for over 7 years now and of my library (it IS extensive) this is the best book I have found on the subject of my breed. 'Nuff said. From a proud APBT owner

I am the owner of 2 Pit Bulls and this is definitely the best book I have every gotten my hands on. I am a collector of Pit Bull items and have a large collection of books pertaining to this wonderful breed. Diane Jessup's book by far is the best book on the market for Pit Bull owners. This book is the most informative book available on Pit Bulls. It includes everything from the past, like their days as herding dogs and pit fighters, to present day. This book focuses on every aspect of the breed (good and bad). If your looking for some great pictures, this is the book for you. It is full of pictures of very old dogs and also tons of recent photos. I would recommend this book to any Pit Bull owner or dog lover.

I got this book because I loved "The Dog Who Spoke With Gods" by the same author. While I did appreciate Jessup's positive support of the breed in her words, I was disappointed by a several aspects of this book:
1) Most of the photos show Pit Bulldogs with cropped ears--many badly cropped. Some dogs (like the author's Bandog Dread) simply look mutilated. Leaving natural ears softens the appearance of the ABPT, and avoids needless pain for the dogs. The photo on the back cover shows a side-by-side comparison of cropped and uncropped dogs; the cropped dog has a demon-like appearance that does nothing to further good PR for the breed.
2) The author devotes almost 70 pages to a chapter titled "The Bulldog at Play". The whole chapter is actually about sanctioned dogsports events and titles, not play. I found most of this chapter to be a waste.
3) The chapters "The Working Pit Bull" and "Today's Pit Bull" were somewhat repetitive.
4) Why, in a book reported to be a positive support of the breed, is there an entire chapter devoted to "Dog Fighting Today"? This chapter even includes a glossary of dog fighting terminology. It has the wrong tone, more of a tutorial than a condemnation. This turned my stomach and I felt it was unnecessary and inappropriate. I would rather have seen a chapter devoted to how to analyze, avoid, and defuse household aggression among dogs.
5) May of the photos were obviously snapshots by amateur photographers, and quite a few were blurred. Many (at least half) of the dogs depicted are representative of negative breed sterotypes, with many badly cropped ears, thick collars and heavy chains, and names that focus on the fighting heritage of the breed. Those of use who cherish the dedication and intelligence of this breed owe it to them to overcome this kind of image, not perpetuate it.
6) The author gives lip service to the pet overpopulation issue, but goes on to provide detail about choosing and showing a conformation dog, even after she slams breeders for sacrificing function for form and introducing genetic malformities into breeds. Was she trying to stay on AKC's good side here? Very weak.
The chapters on breed history and family tree were worthwhile, so I'm glad I got this book, and there are some lovely photos mixed in here and there. I feel it does not promote a positive breed image when many photos are in opposition to the content of the text. Overall I was *very disappointed* in the final product and feel Jessup could have done so much more to build a more positive image of these beloved and multi-faceted dogs. APBT lovers may enjoy some portions of this book but I would not recommend it to others. I had hoped it would be a Pit Bulldog Bible, but instead it comes off as a poorly produced, incongruent commercial with conflicting messages.

Diane Jessup has done an extraordinary job in bringing the reality of the Pit Bull to light, sparing no fact; good or bad. She does an excellent job speaking as an authority of the subject from the voice of experience. I commend her in making the point that although this breed is highly trainable (for both good and bad character traits), loveable, compassionate, and loyal; in the hands of an inexperienced owner this breed can be a dangerous combonation likely to appear on the evening news in a less tham favorable light. "The Working Pit Bull" is possibly the most well balanced book I have yet to read on the subject, and I am a better Pit Bull owner as the result.

Just to let you know, I actually wrote the Colby book with Louis Colby, so I HAVE read it. I have eight Sarona/Hemphill dogs, game-bred, and yes, they do like to scrap. However, I am able to focus and use that energy and drive in intelligent and useful ways that do not involve them harming other animals. The sad problem with our breed is that some people are unable or unwilling to help these dogs survive by doing the same.

I first met Diane Jessup when she was invited by the British Dog Wardens Association to the UK to be a guest speaker .She was fabulous and she ended up staying with me , my dear mum , and my Bull Terriers . She invited me to stay with her at her Canine Aggression Research Centre, where I met her fantastic dogs and learnt about her work as an Animal Control Officer and her research into aggressive dogs and dog attacks . What a wonderfull person she is .I was employed at the time as the Animal Welfare Officer for a London Borough and I found the experience to be unforgetable and highly informative ..she is probably the most knowlegeable person I have ever met on all aspects of dogs ....all breeds of dogs , not just Pit Bulls .Her Pit Bull book is the most prized book in my collection and is an absolute MUST for anybody interested in learning about bull breeds .Its such a shame that our UK government didnt take advice from her when they were first bringing in the Dangerous Dogs Act with regard to banning certain breeds or "Pit Bull Types"!!!! ........to learn more about her work look up her webb site , its facinating .......

Excellent book Diane! Thank you so much for your obvious hard work and dedication! The entire pitbull and bulldog community can be thankful that people such as yourself are willing to take the time to research and work with these wonderful dogs!

I found this book to be very informative and entertaining. As a Pitbull and American Bulldog owner and lover, I thoroughly enjoyed the quality of the photographs and the information presented. Especially the frisbee photo! (since that's my pup making the catch. :-)

This book is an excellent update for the bulldog community, and should be read an owned by anyone who owns and loves bulldogs or who is thinking about bringing them into their homes. These dogs are some of the most sensitive, loyal, and loving companions, and you have illustrated them beautifully with your book. Thank you!