Breed Bias

7297 Views 79 Replies 29 Participants Last post by JohnnyBandit, Jul 4, 2012

CandJHarris

Discussion Starter · Jul 1, 2012

Part of my family is absolutely freaking out that we are keeping one of the pit bull puppies that we rescued a couple of weeks ago. My parents are the absolute worst. They buy into every myth they hear, and I couldn't help but laugh the other day when my mama kept going on and on about how "they all turn and when they bite you their jaws lock, blah, blah, blah..." We live next door to my parents, so I've made a point to take Scarlett with me pretty much every time I've been over there in the last week. I've made it my mission to change their minds. When I told my mom what my plan was, she kind of jokingly said that the first time she "growls or snaps" at someone she'd be reaching for her gun. When I asked her why she hadn't brought out the gun for my sister's little yappy mutt that bark, growl, and snaps at EVERYBODY, she shut it down.

We stopped by my sister's house today too (she lives on the other side of mom and dad) and was talking to my brother-in-law about Scarlett when he asked if she was a pit. When I said yes he kind of winced and said "Ooooh." I asked him why he responded that way he just said, "I just don't like them." So I asked him, "Have you ever met a real, live pit bull in person?" Of course his answer was no, but that he was afraid of them. It was the first honest answer I've heard out of anyone. So I assured him there would be no reason for him to be afraid of her, now or ever and asked that he at least give her a chance.

When we decided to keep Scarlett I knew there was going to be some challenges because of her breed, but it really bugs me that my family is so ignorant about the breed. I ask myself all the time how I ended up such an open minded person when the rest of my family is so prejudice.

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sharky

· #8 · Jul 1, 2012 (Edited)

My dog Sharky acts as a Pit ambassador! He's a big ol' sweetie who's second favorite thing to do is meet new people(his first favorite being to meet new dogs!). I have yet to come across someone who is actually afraid of him. Actually, sometimes he wears his big black spiked collar to ward off people because everyone loves approaching him, and one time a VERY creepy man put his hands IN the crack in my car window to pet him. Sharky just licked the man's face, and man... You think dogs can tell when something isn't right about someone, but he sure couldn't, and I could! So now he wears a collar to (as my boyfriend's mom would say) 'give him the testosterone he is completely void of'. Haha. He's a sweetheart and just an 80 pound lap dog. Everyone loves him, and actually I have a similar story to the pictures from a previous post! My mom loves my dog, when before she wouldn't allow me to bring any of my pets into her house.

People surprisingly love pits in public, and if your dog seems approachable- people will approach! When I take him with me to Tractor Supply, everyone I see wants to pet him and give him treats! OH! And he would NEVER bite someone! EVER! I haven't tried training him to be a protection dog, because I want him to be the Pit ambassador that he is. Pits really need as many ambassadors as they can get. Plus his collar seems to do the trick for now of averting creepers away, surprisingly enough(he actually loves his collar, its thick and keeps him warm and whenever I get it out, he gets excited). So, whether or not the people you know are positive or negative, you just kind of have to take the good with the bad. But if you have an affectionate Pittie (which I'm sure you do, because most are) you'll most likely get more good than bad. And take your dog in public! The more people that encounter your pup, and have a good experience, the more people will walk away with a (hopefully) new perspective on Pits.

Screw breed specific hate!

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sharky

· #10 · Jul 1, 2012

^I just have to say to what's said above... Sadly, I know someone who euthanized three of their own dogs for killing their own cats. All on the property, out in the country where they let their (at the time) six dogs run around freely. So sad... Since this person continues to own both cats and dogs, when it clearly wasn't the dogs fault and none of them had human aggression(apparently one of them was 'questionable' but that's besides the point. and it's not like the dog did any serious damage to anyone). I'm also RELATED to someone who had their black lab escape from his outdoor kennel and kill their cat in the garage. They euthanized the dog for that, too. I hate stories like this. They make me sick.

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sharky

· #12 · Jul 1, 2012

CptJack said:
I don't understand putting a dog down for preydrive.

I will say, though, that I'd have a hard time keeping a dog in my house after it had killed MY cat, though. Especially if I was doing the appropriate things to manage and one of those freak accidents just happened to make it fail.

The problem is, is that they weren't doing appropriate things to avoid this. The dogs were free-ranging outside and killed their indoor-outdoor cats. And I, also, would have a hard time keeping my dog if he killed my cat. But I would just send him to a home where there were no cats, not end his life. All the dogs I was talking about, had no idea what they did was wrong. And now they're dead for their mistake.

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sharky

· #14 · Jul 1, 2012

Yep. Oh, and the worst part is... This person considers themselves to be a 'dog and cat rescuer.'

Boo.

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sharky

· #34 · Jul 1, 2012

Hopefully you people shut that ignorant person up. Why even BE on a dog forum if you hate dogs you know nothing about? I've never heard of a dog (that wasn't really old or injured or ill in some way) that attacked someone, and never had a problem with aggression beforehand(unless it was PROTECTING someone that desperately needed protection). That just doesn't happen. It's made up, total bullshit. My pit would NEVER bite someone, and I can GUARANTEE YOU THAT. Even if you made it obvious he scared you, he would only push up against you and LICK you to death... I am at a loss of words for that person's stupidity.

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sharky

· #35 · Jul 1, 2012

http://www.godvine.com/Rescued-Pitbull-Saves-a-War-Veteran-From-Suicide-1109.html

Watch the video. Yeah, that first dog really looks like it's about to rip his face off.

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sharky

· #37 · Jul 1, 2012

I truly can guarantee my dog wouldn't bite a person under conditions that the person WASN'T doing any harm to him. My dog does exceptionally well with strangers, and the only thing that needs to be watched with him, is that he tends to jump and THAT can scare people, but it's not aggressive and it probably wouldn't seriously injure anyone. Although it might really upset a young child, but even then they still probably wouldn't be left majorly scarred or anything. I truly believe my dog would never, ever bite someone (like I said, as long as that someone wasn't attacking him or obviously hurting him in some way) and I'll stand by that. If I need to post a youtube video of "Sharky and a million strangers" to prove my point, I will.

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sharky

· #39 · Jul 1, 2012

Which reminds me...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pUV1oTciznE

(Yes, another pit named Sharky. Not my pit)

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sharky

· #40 · Jul 1, 2012

Trust me, I AM a responsible owner. Don't assume that I'm not. I'd never leave my dog alone with a small child, and he's already had encounters with unusually creepy people doing strange things like one man putting his hands in the crack of the window of my car (I walked up on him doing this) and Sharky was doing nothing but licking this guys face. As much as YOU believe that my dog could bite someone (without being seriously provoked) I stand my ground and will continue to argue this point. It's not because I'm stupid or irresponsible, I've worked with dogs my entire life-particularly guard and protection dogs(and seriously aggressive dogs). I know them, and I know them well. But the dog I have now, would shatter any belief of 'EVERY dog can and will bite a stranger under special circumstances' (NOT including him being harmed)

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sharky

· #42 · Jul 1, 2012

I think you and I are arguing two completely different things. You're saying if my dog was harmed or in pain he may bite. I'm saying that if he's neither harmed or in pain that he WILL NOT bite someone.

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sharky

· #43 · Jul 1, 2012

And I could say the same about me thinking you're the one who is deluded. So please don't say I am.

It really pisses me off to be called an irresponsible dog owner, let alone deluded.

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sharky

· #45 · Jul 1, 2012

I don't call everyone stupid or ignorant for having a different opinion than me. But you, my friend, are both stupid and ignorant for the statements you made before. And I don't care if this somehow gets me 'banned from the forum' you deserve to hear that.

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