**crossposted** AN APOLOGY TO BREED BAN ENTHUSIASTS I'm sorry you are frightened of my dogs and are trying to have them killed because they are pitbulls. I'm sorry you lack the understanding of this breed's true history, gentleness with people, wonderful temperament, intelligence and behavioral conformation. I'm sorry you won't read the ATTS stats regarding our breed's true temperament, putting it in the top four for temperament, scoring better than breeds like Golden Retrievers, and cocker spaniels. I'm sorry that you side with and protect animal abusers by marking the breed of dog, and not the irresponsibility of the owner. I'm sorry that by your logic I could steal a car, run some people over with it, and then you can blame the make of car for the accident, as I walk free. I'm sorry you generalize one breed of dog with one group of people. I'm sorry you can't see the love and determination that many often highly educated, non-criminal and "normal" types of people show towards this breed and the great personal sacrifices that they make to take care of their dog responsibly. I'm sorry you cannot go into the shelters and see the hundreds of abandoned and abused pitbulls, dying only for the inane "crime" of being born the breed they are. I'm sorry you cannot see the look of disappointment in their eyes as someone walks by their kennel, and refuses to consider adopting them based on an ill-educated, fear-mongering reporter. I'm sorry that you cannot be there when the animal looks at a human for the last time, and in spite of betrayed by all humans they have met, their tail still wags as someone approaches with the syringe of Euthinol. I'm sorry cannot be there when law enforcement shoots one of your dogs dead inside it's own home in front of the children it mutually loves for simply getting off the dog bed and walking over to say hello with it's tail wagging. I'm sorry you cannot be there to rescue pitbull puppies from a plastic bag in a dumpster, dumped there by someone switching their illegal and inhumane activities to another, more lucrative breed. I'm sorry you cannot understand the difference between canine and human aggression, in the way that this breed can. Yes, I'm saying my pitbull is smarter then you. I'm sorry that the medieval witchhunting genetics of intolerance, generalization, and racism make you feel the need to vilify a breed of dog. I'm sorry that justice, equality, tolerance, common sense are all things you hold dear as a fellow Canadian, and expect from others, but do not yourself offer them towards a pitbull or its caregiver. I'm sorry that you don't take the constructive time to petition changes in the animal cruelty act, and in the criminal code that would deal out serious punishment to the real animal abusers. I'm sorry you cannot see the disappointed look on a puppy's face when the people petting it quickly frown and walk away when you tell them it is a pitbull. I'm sorry you feel the need to terrorize my family and my dogs for crimes we never have and never will commit. I'm sorry you don't have to live in fear of your dog's safety from hysterical and mentally unstable people trying to inflict all manner of evil upon your dogs. I'm sorry that you cannot see my breed working in some of the best Search and Rescue groups in the world, saving countless lives each year. I'm sorry our media censors and refuses to print the breed name "pitbull' when in connection with a positive act such as saving a person or child from a burning house, drowning, wild attacking animals, etc. I'm sorry you cannot see the many pitbulls registered as therapy dogs and bringing so much joy to another misunderstood, neglected demographic in our society, the senior citizen. I am sorry you can't see a pitbull kiss a child, step carefully over a kitten, or play in a sunbeam. I'm sorry you cannot wake in the morning to feel a warm pitbull cuddled next to you in bed, and know that you are their total world, and even if the house caught fire and trapped you, they would stay with you to the end. But, now that I really think about it, I'm not at all sorry you don't own a pitbull--you do not deserve one. Rob MacBean The Mongrel Hordes Lake Cowichan BC (Permission granted by me the author to crosspost as long as it stays intact, and with my name on it.)
I love pitbulls, they really are gorgeous animals. They get such a bad rap, which is really depressing. My dog looks just like a pit bull at first glance (she's a rare breed of bulldog though), so many people are afraid of her when in reality, she's much more afraid of them. Any dog can be vicious if not raised correctly. I've known some particularly deadly poodles and chiuajuas that I swear would go straight for the jugular if they only could get that high.
Poodles are an especially nasty breed, actually - they used to be french hunting dogs, flushing and retreiving duck. Almost all breeds of dog have been bred over millenia to kill things one way or another, so it's hardly surprising that some dogs that get dry bloody food twice a day and a walk on wednesdays turn out a bit violent. I think you would too if you had your natural instincts surpressed in such a way. Too many people think of dogs as 'pets' these days, imho.
got tears in my eyes reading this...yes, it is true, pitbulls have been unfairlly discriminated against...I am sorry to see this happen. I love all dogs...any dog can be aggressive, and any dog can be someone's best friend, and a joy to own and be around. Thanks for sharing this.
I'm so sorry that pit bulls have killed three people in Colorado since I moved here. I'm sorry their SFB owners didn't get longer sentences for neglecting these animals and contributing to their dogs' demise as well. I'm sorry that part wolf dogs are treated the same way, but BREEDERS are not stopped. I'm sorry a pack of rope-headed puppy pullers cannot read enough to know that a festival does not want pits because the county will put them to death. I'm sorry those same damn RHPP leave the animals inches away from water and shade while they are up on the festival lawn. I'm sorry that I heard +25 dogfights in the campground, almost all with a pit involved. animals bred to defend/fight will do so. We cannot change them in a few generations. Maybe purebreds need to go away. Dilute with other dogs? Don't know the answer to this, but pit bulls are a product of human stupidity like the turkeys that can no longer breed on their own because humans want more breast meat on the birds. Its all tampering. We need to rectify past mistakes.
Georgia has been trying to pass a law for awhile now that would ban pit bulls from the state....WRONG in my opinion!! I think I heard (although I'm not entirely sure) that the law would prevent out of staters just driving through from having pits with them...it just disgusts me. There are a lot of pit bull incidents in this area too, and they all seem to be from pits being tied up too much, and not properly trained or exercised, or from pit puppies that were obtained from dogs who were bred to fight (which is illegal, but happens anyway). Breeders need to be responsible, and dog owners need to research behavorial characteristics of the dogs they buy, or adopt, and be sure they can handle the responsibility of owning a dog that needs regular exercise, and training and socializing with people and other animals. All dogs need lots of love, attention, and exercise, and if a person can't give that they need to find another type of animal (or none at all) to adopt. There...deep breath.....AHHH...off my soapbox!
You always see the headline "Pitbull attacks" You Dont ever see the headline "Golden retriever attacks". Because it is true that Goldens and Labs are more likely to bite a child then a pittie. BUT, people Chose to tell the tabloids about the pitties, because people have such a bad understanding of them already..