Venting

No more stories about pit bulls.
A pit bull is not a breed.
"Pit bull" is an umbrella term that describes several breeds with similar traits.

Don't ban all pit bulls because a child was attacked!
Unless, of course, you also want to ban step-fathers or...how about any male?

I love my "pit bull".  I don't love all pit bulls because I don't know all pit bulls.
I also try not to make blanket statements about an entire breed of dog.
Stupid people seem to make generalizations because they want something to be either "all good" or "all bad".  French Bulldogs?  Good!  Pit bulls?  Evil!!!!!

Tips on avoiding the total fear of pit bulls:

1. Don't watch the local news.  It's terrifying!  In Los Angeles, they make rainy weather seem like the apocalypse.
2. Spay or neuter your dog.  Just imagine  all the dumb-asses whose dogs will somehow churn out a litter anyway.  We'll never have a shortage of dogs (or backyard breeders).
3. "Pit bull" qualities are not unique to pit bulls.  Aggression and attacks are common in any breed dog that isn't well-socialized, trained, or cared for.
4. Meet my pit bull, Sunny Coco Bubbles.  She is an American Staffordshire Terrier and she sleeps in my bed every night.  If they banned her, my life wouldn't have nearly as much joy or meaning.  She is my little goose-poops and for her I am thankful.

Comments

[kathy]

What a beautiful smile she has!

I agree with what you said about the news media. If there is a slight sprinkle of rain, you can bet that a "Storm Watch 2006" will be in effect.

[CBM]

What??? Scooby is part pit-bull and she is the most loving, sweet, gentle, kind dog I have ever met and it's not just because she is mine that I am saying this....and she was not always as fortunate as she is now, meaning she did not start out in a warm house full of love being well fed and cared for. Regardless...in general it seems pit-bulls get a bad rap and as someone whose life has been enhanced by one I think it's a real shame!

[lex-be]

Yeah I agree. What is scary is not the dogs, but the people reactions and behavior. It's just stupid, why don't they use their brain and try to understand why? I've known a rottweiler once, across my street. She was so sweet.
But, once in a while, I come across a dog in the neighberhood, weird guy that he is. I try to be nice and make him smell my hand, but it's like my presence is annoying him (ok, I admit, I am a bit sticky :p), and he barks. He's not a bad dog, but really, seems to be a loner, but he's not a from a bad reputation breed. He's got the size of a australian shepherd. And, also, I've come across a woman with her two dogs. A doberman and humm, another dog of approximatively the same size. What was scary was not the dogs, but the owner who would step aside to let me go through, like I should be careful or something. Dunno, not a sympathic lady to me. Hope the next time I see her I'll have the guts to ask her why she does that. I love dogs, but I don't like people with a "cut-off from nature" behavior who acts scared from dogs, and try to make you feel like you should be scared because they are.

Ho, and I agree too for the media thing. Even here in Belgium they're trying to make us scared for a little thing, wich is stupid, and so selfish because they do that only to attract people on their programs. It's so deceiving. They should think of the consequences it has and the imprints it will leave in the future.

[Vivian]

Jon:
Well said. Look at that face. Sunny is a sweetheart. Thanks for teaching me so much about the breed. These days when I come across anyone walking a "pitbull" I don't recoile in fear, but take a moment to look at his/her sweet face and hope that thier owner is bringing them up right.

[Michelle]

Thanks for posting this. As a dog lover I stess the same facts that you have brought up in this post. Here in the DC/VA/MD area there are always horrible stories that highlight bad pit bulls but they never bring up the fact that the dogs are raised wrong - only that it was a "pit bull" that made the attack.

[Melissa]

I work at a no-kill dog shelter in Virginia. I've come across well over 100 dogs, many of which were pit bulls. I'm always amazed at their, and all the dogs abilities, to be so caring and loving despite being abandoned, neglected, or abused. Some of my fondest memories of dogs I've worked with are of pit bulls and pit bull type dogs. I've never met a pit bull who would cause harm against a person. Pit bulls don't deserve this bad rap.

[melisa]

THAT JUST MAKES ME MAD ITS NOT NOT THE PITS FUALT!!!! MY CUSIN BREEDS PITBULLS AND NOT ONCE DID THEY BIT US!! WE OWN ABOUT 6 PITS AND ALL THEM ARE VERY SWEET!!!FOR EVERY BAD PIT AT THERE I BLAM THE OWNER!!!!!!!!!!