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I recently checked out the San Diego Doggie Street Festival Buy Micardis no prescription, , a really cool new annual event in town, and was in doggie-lover heaven the entire time. There were tons of rescue groups on site with all kinds of dogs for adoption, canada, mexico, india, Comprar en línea Micardis, comprar Micardis baratos, from puppies to older dogs and specific breeds to totally mixed up mutts. I even caught a performance by the very talented frisbee-chasing Disc Dogs in Southern California.
[caption id="attachment_789" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="German Shepherd puppy"]
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[caption id="attachment_794" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Me and "Callie""]
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But when I called my dad later to tell him about the event, I was a little disheartened by his reaction to my excitement over the pit puppies.
My dad is a dog-lover just like me, San Diego, California. Dallas, Texas. San Antonio, Texas. Micardis for sale, I've never seen him meet one he didn't love immediately. But one of the first things he said was, Micardis samples, Where can i find Micardis online, "Lisa, don't you dare come home with a Pit Bull."
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In talking about it more over the weekend, order Micardis online c.o.d, Acheter en ligne Micardis, acheter Micardis bon marché, my step-mom said she probably wouldn't come to my home if I had a Pit Bull and certainly wouldn't let my two-year-old niece (her granddaughter) around one either.
Since working at PETCO, I've learned a little bit about these so-called "bully breeds" and the extraordinary numbers of them that wind up unwanted and homeless every year. Clearly, Micardis from canadian pharmacy, Order Micardis from mexican pharmacy, Callie and her sisters are a perfect example.
I understand they're strong animals and could be dangerous if they turn aggressive, but isn't that true of most larger dogs, where can i buy Micardis online. Rx free Micardis, And can't proper training, socializatoin, 1000mg, 2000mg, Where can i buy cheapest Micardis online, love and care by responsible pet parents make that a less likely thing to worry about. Are the reactions of my parents based on reality, order Micardis no prescription, Boston, Massachusetts. Charlotte, Carolina, or on misconceptions perpetuated by the media and horror stories like Michael Vick's?
[caption id="attachment_791" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Pit Bull puppy"]
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As a future responsible pet parent, I'd like to know the truth:
Why do Pit Bulls get such a bad rap?
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Because they maul people.
They get a bad rap as a result of years and years of irresponsible and unethical humans breeding them to be fighters and killers. Like most of my opinions, there is no scientific fact to back me up, but I think the “killer” instinct is so deeply breed into Pit Bulls that they are now hard-wired to be vicious. It’s a shame, because I think they could be great dogs and loving companions. However, I am hopeful that programs such as “Its the Pitts” and PETCO can bring more awareness to the issue and change the breed’s behavior. BOW-WOW-WOW-YIPPE YO-YIPPE YEH
Like some dogs over the years, they have gotten their rep by ending up in the hands of people who don’t care for them as they should! The breed is getting blamed for the deeds of the irresponsible owners. Any dog can hurt people! A favorite quote of mine since I work with reptiles is “Anything with a mouth can bite you, but you know have to know how to respect the animal in order to make sure it doesn’t happen”. Newfoundlands, a dog most people think to be innocent and would never hurt anyone, was one of the main dogs responsible for dog attacks from 1864 to 1899. Now you hear nothing having to do with these breeds and attacks. Why? Popularity. Cool dog means more are bred and more dogs end up in the hands of the people who don’t care to train their dogs. You train your dog; socialize, train, and don’t put your dog in ANY situation where another dog make incite him to do something out of his character. Be a Breed Ambassador and show how wonderful these dogs are.
I wouldn’t trust a pitbull around my daughter either. But then again, I probably wouldn’t let just any dog around her either before making sure that the animal was “kid-friendly.” YOu can’t chance it — they are after all, animals and therefore unpredictable.
Hey John, all breeds that maul people should get a bad rap?? Did you hear about the 3 year old that got mauled a few years ago??
http://www.citynews.ca/news/news_8720.aspx
It’s not the dog, it’s the way it’s raised. Or sometimes it’s just a dog that has something happen to him/her. No breed should be subject to such a bad rap that the “bully breeds” get.
“Because they maul people.”
This is a typical answer from someone who knows very little about this breed. Pit Bulls are not inherently aggressive towards humans. It’s just the opposite in fact.
Pit Bulls were bred to fight in a ring with another dog while the 2 dogs handlers and a judge stood closely by. People could not risk being in the same ring with a dog who could potentially bite them, therefore any pit who ever showed signs of aggression toward a person was immediately put down. For generations of pits, this trait to be friendly to humans has been bred into them.
Pit Bulls are actually one of the most level-headed, people friendly dogs around. According to the American Temperment Test Society, Pit Bulls ranked HIGHER than Beagles, Border Collies, and Americas “favorite” the Golden Retriever. A number of other common breeds were beat out by the pit bulls sound temperment. The breed that accounts for the most bites per year was recently the Dachsund.
The Pit Bulls downfall is due to irresponsible owners and media sensationalism. Many of the “Pit Bull” attacks we hear about on TV are later to be discovered it wasn’t a pit bull at all. But it makes headlines. No one would be interested if they saw “Pug Attack”.
Do your homework before you bash this breed. Read a book about them, and please stop promoting this negative image.
I’d like to add one more comment. I have 2 pit bulls. They do fight with each other. I have issues with one dog getting older and one thinking he needs to move of the chain of command. I’m getting help and doing research about how to prevent things from happening.
I also have guest over to my house that bring their children. And the only problem I’ve ever had is when the dogs walk past the toddlers and knock them on their butts, or when the dog licks the kids face and makes them cry. My dogs get their tails, ears, cheeks, and legs pulled in every direction, yet we’ve never had ANY problem with even a growl or snap at the children (well, the parents do, but the dogs never have).
You should never let your children be around dogs they don’t know or unattended, no matter what type of dog it is.
I work with one of the sweetest, largest pit bulls at the office every single day. He is the best dog! I truly believe that this is a direct result of his owner. Responsible pet ownership is key; any breed can be “vicious” if the owner allows it to happen.
Matt, thank you for providing these FACTS about pit bulls.
It is apparent that John is an uneducated person who believes everything he sees and hears from the media. John most likely believes that a woman gave birth to an alien because he saw it on the cover of the National Enquirer.
John,
Please do some research on the topics you choose to comment on…then you won’t have to worry about looking so ignorant.
Check out Red, one of the dogs rescued from Michael Vick: http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/local&id=6382605 (video on slide 2 of 3 in slideshow at top).
You’re all bringing up things that are exactly my point, and why I asked the question. I think this is a topic people tend to talk about based on pure feelings and perceptions, rather than real knowledge and facts. And while I understand that instinct, I definitely think Pit Bull attacks get more media play because of their history as fighting dogs and it gives people an opportunity to point and say, “See, bad dogs!” – which of course only perpetuates the problem. But you hardly hear the stories about other attacks, like the one Jeff shared about a usually sweet Golden. Or my friend, who was bitten right in the eye by a Lhasa Apso. I think it’s really a tough “nature vs. nurture” question.
Does anyone know of some good resources for factual statistics and information about this topic?
Me again. Like I said, the American Temperment Test Association is all based on fact.
http://www.atts.org/index.html
or
http://www.pbrsd.com/learn/
I am a 1.5 year old chihuahua. One of my closest and sweetest friend is a 2 year old pitbull. When he eats his meals, he makes room for me to share his dish with him. He always lets me pick the chew toy I want to play with first. I am often left alone for 2-4 hours at a time. When a dog behaves badly, it is the owner that does not take any responsibility in properly training their dog. Owners should also do research about the breed before getting a dog.
Hey, Lisa (great post BTW)! Well, technically, all bully breeds were bred to fight — even my little French bulldog, Rocky (who is great with our friends’ toddlers). But, it doesn’t mean those dogs are necessarily dangerous. It’s all about love, socialization and training that one provides for their dog.
Even some of the Michael Vick dogs have been rehabbed and live with families with young children, despite even PETA’s opinion that they should be euthanized.
Ah, the old Pit Bull debate. Why are pits getting such a bad rep? For one thing, the media makes them out to be monsters. Any dog can bite. However, the public doesn’t hear about your average collie bite. Who can hate Lassie?
I’ve worked with and trained many a pit bull. I love the breed and think they are simply amazing. I don’t fully trust a pit with other dogs. Sadly, years and years of breeding these dogs to attack other dogs sometimes is just impossible to get rid of. However, I would fully trust a pittie with my children and any human, really. They were also bred to NOT bite humans.
BSL does not work. In Italy, many dog breeds are banned, including my beloved Collies. If this country continues to ban Pits, it WILL start going to other breeds. The army just banned Pits, Rotties and Dobies. All wonderful dogs in the right home. A dogs likelihood to bite is dependent on it’s raising and training. Aggression is a learned behavior. It’s taught by lack of socialization, lack of proper training and the owners inability to deal with the problem.
As for the PETA comment. PETA would like to end all animal ownership. Pit bans are just the start for them.
John
Your comment is a prime example of people needing to be educated and the true ignorance of some people.
Try searching dogs that maul and you may be surprised that a baby in Los Angeles was mauled and killed by a Pomeranian. Yes, a Pomeranian NOT a pit bull.
It is not the breed that is the killer it is the humans that raise them & how they are raised. This goes for any breed.
As a devoted/loving pit bull/rescuer & advocate my 2 have brought a lot of awareness to people that not all pit bulls are bad–in fact last week I was told by 2 people at different times that mine have changed their ideas of pit bulls because of their sweet disposition & nature.
Lisa–congrats on your new puppy. I think it’s great you rescued the little one. It’s the Pits is a fantastic organization. There is also a Pit Bull Social/Play Group here in San Diego with about 30 members. A great way to socialize and play with your pup with other people and dogs.
So if Pomeranians and Golden Retrievers maul people, it’s OK for Pit Bulls to do so as well?
My pits are both a favorite at the dog park and the vet. I constantly get comments on how sweet and misunderstood the bread is. If you took the time to hang around a healthy, well trained pit you’d fall in love with them. All they want to do is snuggle and be near people. It’s frustrating when uneducated people fear such sweet animals and pull their children out of my path. Yes they’re big and muscular, but all the pits I know would NEVER maul a person. Please get your facts straight John. We’re simply trying to tell you they don’t deserve the bad rap they’ve received.
John, it’s not acceptable for any dog to maul anyone. However, people don’t put the time into training and socializing a dog that they should. Or they make stupid mistakes like leaving a baby and a dog alone unsupervised. A well balanced, well socialized and well trained dog is not going to maul anyone. If someone is bitten by a dog, it’s the dogs OWNERS fault. If your dog is given the option of biting, you, as an owner have failed at your job. The dog is not naturally a mean dog, it’s just never been taught otherwise and has been given the option to bite.
As an owner it is your job to control and contain your dogs. Not having a fenced in yard can cause a bite. Tie-outs are known to agitate dogs enough for them to bite. So, mis-use of a tie-out can lead to bites. A dog should never be left on a tie out for extended periods or unsupervised for extended periods. They feel threatened and can’t escape.
Never approach a dog without asking the owner. I won’t allow strangers to touch my dog if they don’t ask. I simply walk away. My four dogs are all very friendly and love people. They won’t turn and bite the person. However, if I make an impression on that person, they may learn their lesson and ask next time. Also, don’t approach and pet the top of their head. Reach down and stroke the side of their neck. It’s a lot less threatening. Don’t make eye contact. It’s a challenge in some dogs eyes.
ANY dog can bite. NO dog has to bite. If the owners sets the dog up to succeed, then the dog won’t. If they set them up for failure, then the just might. Education is the key, not banning dogs.
Thanks for all the great comments, everyone. Keep ‘em comin. I’m really intrigued by the breed and would love to keep learning more.
And just to clarify, I didn’t actually rescue the adorable “pittie” (as I’ve learned they’re called) in the picture above. But I did sign up as a volunteer to foster for Pit Bull Rescue San Diego and take in rescues temporarily to keep them out of the local shelters until they’re adopted into permanent homes – and I just picked up my first foster pup, Chevy, last night! He’s been great and super sweet so far. He’s already made more friends at work than I did on my first day! Stay tuned and I’ll post some stories about him and how it’s going soon.
I can’t stand pit bulls. If I ever see one come near me I will be sure to kill it and I don’t care if that sounds cruel. There were a few in my neighborhood and almost all of them have been euthinized by the city for one reason or another. My sister and I have been attacked by them randomly. One jumped over the fence and bit my sister’s arm. She now has a scar that won’t go away. Another pulled so hard on its owners leash it took off and attacked Maya (one of my dogs). She suffered a hernia, and had one kidney destoryed. Me dad rushed her to the hospital where she stayed for a very expensive surgery. Another time My sister and I were walking to an ice cream store and a pit bull jumped out from someone’s yard and bit at our ankles. We called the police. Apparently it had bit people before and they lived right next to a jr. high. The lady said it attacked two kids from the school. There is only one time Ihave seen a truely friendly pit bull. She lived on the edge of my street and the only reason she would never do anything to you is because her owners beat her behind closed doors (it was reported and the dog was taken away from them thank god, but still). I just have lost any trust in such destructive killers.
In some countries Pit Bulls are against the law to own.
If anyone is looking for a good read, see if you can find a copy of The Pit Bull Placebo: The Media, Myths, and Politics of Canine Aggression by Karen Delise. It took me awhile to find unfortunately…but I have it now! It goes over the history of dogs and dog attacks WITH the statistics of dog popularity. Karen Delise goes over EVERYTHING, even debunks every bit of evidence used to ban them in Denver, Colorado. What you find in this book will surprise you to no end. The author is the founder of the Canine Research Council and the nation’s leading expert on fatal dog attacks. Even if you don’t like “Pit Bulls” you should still read it purely to see every side and what the media has done to blow it all out of proportion. There is one quote in there that I love simply because it puts the blame where it should be:
“It is doubtful the human ego will even allow for the full acknowledgement that the terrible acts exhibited by these dogs were a direct result of the evil in us – be it the Cuban Bloodhound incited to attack a fleeing slave, a Doberman incited to attack a prisoner of war, or a Pit bull incited to attack another Pit bull. These -human- perversions of the human/dog bond have resulted in a public condemnation, prejudice, and accepted cruelty against certain breeds because placing the blame on the dogs allows us to distance ourselves from the abominations found in our own nature.”
Pg.85
In the town I live (Kalispell, MT) and work (Petco store 1211) it seems to be young guys (17-26ish) who get Pitts. These guys get these dogs to look cool and have a “badass” dog. They do not socialize, train, care for or treat these puppies right. These are the dogs that grow up to be dangerous. Any dog can snap and attack someone if they are not raised right. They are still animals with animal instincts. My beagles could be mean if they were not raised right. My older sister has a pitt and three small children. If you knew my sister you would understand that she is the best mother and would NEVER do anything to put her kids in danger. Her dog is the sweetest, most well behaved dog. It is very sad that Pitts get this reputation b/c us humans do not make sure they are good dogs.
Yeah Lisa!! Congrats on volunteering to rescue/foster pitties!!
They certainly need a lot more rescues/fosters for my favorite breed!!
Wow Chloe, that’s quite a statement. I’m sad to hear you’ve had such a terrible experience with this breed. I just ask that you try to keep an open mind and know that the vast majority of these dogs are truly amazing animals and devoted pets, and not the aggressive beasts you’ve dealt with in the past.
If you’re ever in San Diego, I’d love for you to contact me so I can introduce you to the dogs I work with. I think it could go a long way to help you “see the other side” of a pit bull.
I agree Matt. Chloe–if you are ever in San Diego let me know too because you can see first hand how friendly, loving and affectionate my bullies are.
I actually live in Riverside (not exactly close to san diego), but currently am attending college in Alabama. I wouldn’t mind meeting nice pit bulls, I really do love animals. I actually want to be a vet. My statement above was a little over the top. After I posted it I felt I needed to clarify. I wouldn’t kill any pit bull that came near me… just the ones who have shown the signs of aggression I have seen before. I have seen other people take their pitts to dog parks but I usually keep an eye on them for the fear of my dogs being attacked. It isn’t that nice ones don’t exist… I just don’t trust them and I feel very uncomfortable around them. I remember before I had been attacked and after the first attack, I still liked pitt bulls. The problem with trusting them was when I kept getting attacked in different places around my neighborhood. I just don’t feel safe around them. And the stories I would get from their owners didn’t help. The one that jumped the fence and left a scar on my sister’s arm; well her owner said she had never been viscious until she had puppies. It makes me feel like pitt bulls are walking time bombs. They may be friendly at first, but they are unpredictable. If I have time I wouldn’t mind meeting your dogs but I can’t promise a revelation or anything big. I try to stay open minded but it can be hard sometimes.
Chloe–at least you are willing to listen and be open minded…I get up to Riverside quite often so when you come back from Alabama..
I was attacked by two dogs in my life…One a standard poodle that bit a good chunk right above my eye…and another mixed breed that chased me down and bit me in the stomache…
It doesnt stop me from loving dogs or any/all breeds..I do firmly believe it is in how they are raised…
Well then I will defintely give it a try to meet some of your dogs and see just how sweet some pit bulls can be.
Thats a good attitude!!
Am I correct in my understanding that “pit bull” is sort of a catch all term used for several specific breeds of dogs as well as other dogs similar in appearance to dogs of those breeds?
I believe pit bulls have a bad reputation because some people who get these dogs don’t put the required energy into training and supervising them. And from people intentionally training them to be aggressive. Pit bulls aren’t for everyone and people who are going to be responsible owners need to understand the breed before getting one.
I think pit bulls are awesome dogs. The ones I have known have been intelligent, loyal dogs with silly senses of humour. They have also all had stubborn streaks a mile wide. The ones I have lived with have been very protective of me, sometimes so much that it was a problem.
We got our first dog, a rottweiler/ pit bull mix, when my children (twins) were five. (He died in 2003. I still miss him.) We never had any problems between the dog and our children. I never left them unattended when the children were young. But, that has been the case with all the dogs we have had or been around.
As responsible pit bull owners, we have to take precautions with our dogs that might not have been neccesary if we had a different kind. For example, we have keep our dogs separated during meal times and haven’t taken them to places such as the dog park where we were likely to encounter unleashed dogs.
People who get pit bulls and want to be good owners need to understand the breed and be prepared for the challenges they will face. They aren’t the dog for everyone, that’s for sure!
Elaina brings up an interesting point. More often than not, “pit bull” is used to make a news story about a dog attack more juicy. What most don’t realize however, is a lot of these dogs aren’t even pits, just similar looking. Check out the website I’ve attached, it has a fun game to see if you can identify the real Pit Bull. Enjoy!
http://www.understand-a-bull.com/Findthebull/findpitbull_v3.html
Pit Bulls are one of the most loyal dogs there is. I have owned 8 of them and I wouldn’t have any other dog. They are very smart and very loving. They get a bad rep because of a few bad experiences with them. All dogs act depending on how they are raised. If you raise a dog to be aggressive then it will be aggressive regardless of breed. The reason hear about thier bad reps is because of the news. They only broadcast what attracts attention. Nobody wants to hear about all the great sweet loving pit bulls. I promise you there are more good pits than bad. Raise your dog right and it will act right.
A note to one of the commenters above. Owning “Pit Bull” type dogs is illegal in many places in the US as well. I ran into this and actually had to move, because my town enacted “BSL” (Breed-Specific Legislation) outlawing “Pit Bull” dogs and dogs that “appeared to be pit bulls”. See the problem with that is, there is no TEST that can tell you if a dog is a “pit bull”. So what we are saying when we enact these laws, is that any large, short haired, dog, is inherently dangerous. Which is, of course, ridiculous.
There was a period of time (1920s I believe) when Pits where the most popular family dog. The little Rascals dog, Petey, was a Pit Bull! Many (like my girl) are GREAT with kids. Full of energy, and loving, they happily take a great deal of rough housing and accidental tail or ear pulls don’t really phase them.
My girl (Buffy) was my 3 year-olds best friend. They would cuddle and play all day. She loved ALL little kids, but, as parents didn’t really like my Pit Bull bounding towards their toddler, we taught her to lay on her belly and crawl to approach them. Making her head just the right level for pats and reassuring parents with how well behaved she was.
I will say, they are not a breed for the faint of heart though. They are STUBORN. And you should be prepared to hear LOTS of comments and get many rude looks from strangers and friends a like. Also, I encourage ALL responsible pet owners to speak out against BSL. Because it won’t end with just the “bully” breeds.
they get mad really fast.
Did u know that pits were named “Nanny Dogs” and that people would actually leave their children with them. I own a pit my self that I rescued from the SPCA and I have 2 kids a 5yr old and a 4yr old they play with her all day and the worst she dose is give them a bath from licking them. There is a 3 pitts that live down the street from me and one of them got out and came to my house now the average person would have been scared of him because he is huge all muscle and croped ears but he is the most gentle dog I have ever met the owners have a toddler who climbs all over this dog and he just lays there and licks him. PEOPLE need to wake up and read about this breed before they bring them down I would choose this breed over any dog!
I own an APBT (American Pit Bull Terrier). She is an absolutely wonderful and sweet dog and wouldn’t hurt a fly. I found her after having been abused by her previous owners who were undoubtedly trying to turn her into some vicious fighter. She had a broken leg. We took her in and unfortunately that abusive person never came forward to receive their impending punishment for abusing our baby. She is now 5/6 years old and has since had two little baby brother dogs added into the mix. Both of them have challenged her for dominance a few times and she will walk away, I have showed her that I am the pack leader and she will NOT attack them. She has also been around during the time that I was babysitting and has even had her tail pulled by a child, never reacted poorly to it, rather she kissed that little girl. She loves children and all people. She has a fear of men wearing hats, people who yell, and lawn mowers but these are things we are working on.
I have owned 2. One did have some genetic defects. He did turn on me. I put him to sleep the next day. He had never before done it, but for some reason at the age of 2 and half he snapped. Now I own a 7 year old pitt. He isn’t a dog. He thinks he is people. I was very wary taking in another one. But I grew up with rotties, german shepherd, and standard poodles. I also am a groomer, and to be honest I have been bite by more schnauzers, chi’s, and dauchaunds. I have honestly never had a pitt bite me at work. I have been bite by almost EVERY other breed. I have never even had to muzzle any of the pitts that come into my salon. Odd how that works isn’t it. I love the dog I have now more than any other dog I’ve ever owned. He’s like my little doggie soul mate. Well… a 73lb doggie soul mate.
I won’t argue they are not dangerous because they are. But if you are EXPERIENCED in dog handling techniques and you did all the research a new pet owner should do before getting a puppy then you will be fine.
Also, an interesting fact. To avoid the ban of pittbulls some police forces have teamed with shelters and are using rescued and rehabilitated pitts to works as police dogs and giving them great homes!!
My daughter has a female pitt – now 10 years old – who is a total sweetie. I was pretty nervous when she first got it as a puppy. However, this dog is always so happy to see ANYONE and is a total attention hound – “love me please”! I have a 2 year old Cavachon (cavalier + bichon) who is a lover boy to the max. I honestly never gave it a thought when we leave them alone together because of their dispositions. After reading some of these posts, I’m wondering if I should be more careful. The pitt is older and likes to sleep more these days – mine is still a puppy and always wants to play – always poking/nosing the pitt to make her join in. Should we separate them when we go out?
Pit Bulls AS HERO’s
http://www.wkbw.com/news/local/19117029.html
The woman in this next clip was suppose to rescue/give Angel a forever home—she showed her gratitude by taking him to a shelter after the media died down–I tried to adopt him myself but a rescue came in and got him..
http://www.zootoo.com/petnews/straydogsaveswomanchildheldatk-993
http://onlovinganimals.blogspot.com/2007/11/pitbull-saves-family-from-cobra-killed.html
And these are ONLY a few stories we hear about how they will risk their own lives to save those of humans.
I have a pitbull german shephard mix and I have to admit I was not exactly fond of pitts, my brothers girlfriend had one and it tried atacking every dog in sight and even people who were jogging or riding thier bikes by. But I picked up my puppy in front of a store where she and her sibs were being givin away. she is the most amazing smart loyal adorable dog I have ever met and super protective.
I live on a huge ranch so “Dozer” has not been around many kids and the ones she has been around acted very scared of her so I think they frighten her whenever there are kids around she growls and gets in their face ‘I think to sniff them and check them out’ but it makes the parents nervous so we never let her around them.
My husband and I are trying to have a baby and we hope Dozer will love our baby as much as she loves us if she does I will never have to worry about our child as long as she is around.
This is not helpfull to anyone but if anyone with more knowledge can give me some advice I would love it
All these breed-specific generalizations really trouble me. Every animal deserves a chance to succeed and if trained properly they can live a happy life. There are many resources available for pet parents to ensure their animals can be trained properly. Most of these generalizations especially the ones about Pits are because the owners are negligent. I am thinking about volunteering for a Pit Rescue Group.
Hey Mick Lovin a.k.a “Sexy Cheeseburger”, not sure where you live, but in San Diego you can help out with Pit Bull Rescue San Diego.
http://www.pbrsd.com/help/volunteer.htm
I owned a Doberman growing up in the 80s and that was the pit bull of its day. People were terrified of it and the norm when my dog would come at them was “she doesnt bite”. Not for my sake but for the sake of them so they could relax a little. My dog slept under my bed, she was the mother to all of my friends and would rather lick you to death then ever bite.
I have owned a brindle pit/great dane mix. He was 120 pounds of cat loving, tail wagging, dancing in the living room with his dad dog. People were automatically scared of him but after a few minutes they LOVED him. everyone always wanted to take him home.
The generalizations and initial fears are understandable. We have all seen the fights, heard about Mike Vick and the things tha thave happened but it is what you do after that initial shock that counts. There is no such thing as a bad dog but there is such a thing as a dog raised wrong.
The only problem I have is that in San Diego most landlords dont want you living there if you own a pit bull so it has made it hard for me to adopt another one.
One bad thing happens to one person and then other people start spreading un-true rumors. Soon everybody believes them.
Unfortunately, where I’m from, our animal control has what is called a ‘pit bull season’. It’s when the months of abuse come to a head and the fighting season begins. When a pit is killed during a fight it is simply thrown along a busy highway in the middle of town. This is why pits get a bad name. However I’ve been attacked by more chihuahuas than pitbulls.
I do not belive that a pit bull is a bad name. I’m a trainer in the store in my area and I’ve worked and seen countless pits. They are a bully breed and are therefore more likely to snap, however watching what to look for can help. If you are a first time pit bull owner and a little cautious of getting one, do your research. Meet the dam and sire if possible, start with a puppy, sign up for as many training classes as you can, socialize the puppy with a variety of people and dogs (especially from 7-15 weeks). Petco training classes give out graduation diplomas which can often sway landlords to allowing them.
Pit bulls need love and training. oh and a chance.
I was dead set against owning a pit bull when my husband and I began looking to add a dog to pur family with a 2 year old son. Obviously we needed to find a dog that was well behaved with small children. We searched high and low and I finally found a dog actually recommened for small children, we went to meet her at the SPCA in Dublin, CA. She was a pit bull. I reluctantly agreed to meet her with my son in a another location, and found her to be amazingly gentle. We introduced our son after we felt comfortable with her. After our meeting with “Tulip” we went home and thought about it overnight. The next morning we decided she was the right dog for our family and adopted her. Tulip was with us for only 4 years (she was 7 when we adopted her wil many battle scars from dog fights on her body). She was with us when our daughter was born and was equally amazing with her as she was with our son. They tugged on her ears, tail, mouth, etc. without any reaction but a wet lick on the face. Tulip developed bone cancer and was put to sleep to stop her suffering. Owning Tulip has changed my opinion of pit bulls. I sounded just like the ignorant people out there, but Tulip changed all of that. It took me back that an organization such as the SPCA would actually put themselves out there and recommend a dog for small children, that meant a lot to me and helped me agree to meet Tulip. I do not own a pit bull right now, but would not hesitate to add one to our family again in the future.
Check out http://www.badrap.org (Bay Area Dog lovers Responsible About Pit Bulls) they have a ton of great information!
As a dog lover without the time or living area to own a dog of my own I started volunteering at a local shelter. While going through training I had to work on using a dog harness and the teacher chose one of the more rambunctious, hyper dogs so that we could see what we would be dealing with. This yellow lab/pit bull mix, Goldie, had me quite intimidated, as I too (I’m sorry to say) had been completely swayed by the media. I wasn’t even sure why. I had never had, or even heard of a friend or relative of having, a bad experience with a pit bull.
However, I sucked it up, went into the kennel and was attacked with LOVE the minute I walked in! Goldie had never met me before but immediately started licking me and wanting my attention and affection. I was hooked. Pit bulls are awesome.
And, as luck would have it, my bond with Goldie grew stronger and stronger (as happens to most shelter volunteers
) and she has been my companion for the past 10 months. She has never, ever shown any type of aggression towards people and actually does the opposite. The most common reaction or comments I receive are “If someone would have told me I’d be rolling around on the ground, playing with a pit bull I would have laughed in their face”. I also get many “Can I have your dog if something happens to you?” requests:)
As for the Pit Bull Placebo book mentioned above, here is a link for a free download. It’s really great, and offers a lot of factual information on the breed.
http://nationalcanineresearchcouncil.com/ncrc-publications/
I think that Pit Bulls get there bad name because of how they are raised. My dad has a pitt bull and he is as sweet as can be but he can be aggresive sometimes and my dad takes responsibility because he abused him 95% of the time and he has attacked people before but it was only because they came barging in his territory and he didnt know them. He felt bad immedietly afterward and it wasnt major attack just alittle bite that barely left a mark. Any dog could do that or worse. I love pitt bulls and i used to have a pit bull pup and he was my world but i had to get rid of him cause we already had 7 other dogs where i was staying and we had to get rid of 2. I never had a problem with him ever but i did have problems with my black lab no matter how hard i tried to train and my dad and grandma even helped and we couldnt do anything. Im only 14 and i cant stand it when people talk bad on pitts and they can be the best pets ever if you just treat them right and the same goes for any animal. My dad neglected his dog and now he snaps at my dad every once in awhile but does that make him a horrible dog? He only snaps when someone is hitting him or kicking him cause he has delt with it since he was a pup and my whole family agrees that if it wasnt for the mistreatment he would be the sweetest dog in the family. He still loves my dad. I dont see anything wrong with pitt bulls at all and people really do need to do alittle research before they go and say that they should be banned from everywhere. Half the time when i see stories about pitt bulls attacking on the news you can see where they were locked in a cage or tied to a chain all alone. We’ve had alot of pittbulls in our family and we have never had a problem.