The Truth about Pit Bulls

Wednesday, October 17, 2012 - 4:00pm
Happy Pit Bull

“Pit Bull.” There is no other breed of dog—or arguably, any other animal at all—whose mere mention can elicit such strong opinions. Try a word-associate game with your friends: Ask them what they think of when you say “Pit Bull.” Chances are that by the numbers, their responses will be more negative than positive. And it’s no wonder: No other type of dog is as widely banned from housing, legislated against, or incorrectly vilified by the media.

How did we get here?
Pit Bulls were once widely considered ideal family pets—affectionate, loyal and gentle with children. But in recent years, these dogs have suffered tremendously from a combination of overbreeding, bad publicity and irresponsible owners. In reality, the overwhelming majority of Pits and Pit mixes are sweet goofballs who have gotten a very bad rap.

Learn the truth.
National Pit Bull Awareness Day, on October 27, is a day of appreciation and education designed to change perceptions and stereotypes about Pit Bulls and their responsible owners. Please take a moment to learn the truth about these wonderful dogs and consider rescuing one of them from a shelter.

Are you a proud Pit Bull parent? Please participate in National Pit Bull Awareness Day, and help us dispel the myths about these dogs by leaving a comment below about your wonderful pooch.

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Comments

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 10:39 — Carolyn (Visitor)
I pity those of you who are too narrow minded and ignorant to realize that dogs are not born bad. We make them that way by starving, abusing, and fighting them. I don't own a Pit Bull but I would. Right now I have five dogs that I have rescued because someone got them and then decided they didn't really like dogs. Three of them have AKC papers, not that it really matters. They all sleep with me. I have about a foot of the bed and I don't mind at all. I have known a few people with Pit Bulls and not one of them were vicious. ANY dog has the capability to be mean if we make them that way. And even then, when they are treated horrible and starved, I have seen dogs that only wanted to be loved and fed. The same people who believe Pit Bulls are dangerous just because they are Pit Bulls, think Obama is the Anti-Christ. Right.... Stop being so narrow minded and don't talk about things you know nothing about.

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 13:29 — Megan (Visitor)
Don't worry, they won't miss you, I'll send them extra money to make sure of it.

Wed, 10/24/2012 - 15:30 — Jay V (Visitor)
I will send extra money too. I just increased my donations amount.

Sun, 10/21/2012 - 15:23 — Kim Lowhorn (Visitor)
Clearly there are still many who have a prejudice opinion about Pitts. This is a sad situation and, I'm guessing, the reason ASPCA is promoting this! People, your are stereotyping and being prejudiced against a breed that deserves a fair chance in life just like every living being. Please take the time to read the stories here about how happy these dogs have made families...Heres Mine!!.. Driving home during rush hour I witnessed a dog running free in traffic. I pulled over and chased it into a subdivision to its home. As it stood in the front yard barking at me an older women came out and opened the gate to the back yard and the dog went in. She told me her grandson dumped his two dogs on her when he went to jail and she couldn't take care of them so she was going to call the County to come get them. Like any dog lover this frightened me...here in AZ they kill so many dogs I knew I had to do something to save their lives! I gave her my business card and asked her to call me before she gave them up and I would start looking for a home for them. Of course these dogs had the deck stacked against them because of the negative rap they have plus one was Black and the other Dark Brown(looks black). I was told black dogs are hard to find homes for! I contacted a rescue and they were willing to help but at that time they were fill up to capacity. A week went by and she called me to come get the dogs. I had three dogs at the time and was unsure what I was going to do but knew I needed to go get them. I called my husband, who knew the situation already, and he suggested we pick them up right before he got home so we could introduce them together. All went well with the new arrivals. One of the dogs, Coco, was a full breed Pitt. She was muscular and bouncy and full of love. My Mother, who had the beginning stages of Alzheimer's came over and Coco was drawn to her. The two bonded immediately and for the past two years that my Mom has lived with us Coco showers her with love and kisses every chance she gets! The other dog, Baby, was the one who almost got hit by a car. She is a star athlete and has a wonderful personality. She is our snuggle bug, swimmer, Frisbee girl and has more love and kisses to give anyone that comes thru our door. These dogs are not dangerous and I resent anyone that would say they must be destroyed! We have had a couple occasions to adopt them out but when it came to the final decision neither myself nor my husband could let our girls go! They have stolen our hearts and are part of our family! Having five dogs while caring for my Mother w/ Alzheimer's is a big plate full but these girls give us all so much unconditional love we would never give them up! So Please remember when your speaking out about Pitts and condemning them please think about the families who they are part of and the shared love you know nothing about! And hey what if a group of kids didn't liked your kid does that justify offin your kid?

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 10:02 — Cynthia Buczkowske (Visitor)
Humans are the cause. They have the potential to be dangerous, too. Should they be banned? Some should.

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 10:08 — Ginny Alden (Visitor)
Any animal and ANY human has the potential to be bad. They aren't born bad. If any dog, not just PitBulls, get the unfortunate luck of being adopted or owned by a bad person, then yes, there is that potential. The irresponsible part is the bad humans that train them to fight or be aggressive. I am sorry that you have fallen victim to the stereotyping that has given these beautiful, sweet dogs a bad name. How irresponsible of you to believe everything you hear and not research it yourself.

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 10:13 — Sarah (Visitor)
You are ignorant.....all dogs can be dangerous....my sister got her check bit off by a beagle....should beagles be banned too....NO!!!! Pitties are the best family dogs out there!!!! ALL DOGS CAN BITE!!!! look at actual stats....Labs bite 60 times more then pitties...and chihuahua's or Daschaunds.....95%.....read facts not media!!!!

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 10:22 — traci (Visitor)
Dumb Ass, Humans have a worse potential to be dangerous, in fact have commited horrendous acts against each other and animals,with your reasoning, you as a human should be banned

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 11:10 — MischelleM (Visitor)
ANY animal can be dangerous but the bigger problem is that our society puts labels on certain ones and not others. Sadly, it is ignorant people like you who are part of the problem. Education is the cure. Get some.

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 20:22 — Kay (Visitor)
Another uneducated human.....

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 09:53 — Sherri Broughton (Visitor)
My husband and I adpoted Cecil, an AmStaff mix three and one-half years ago from our local shelter. We quickly came to realize Cecil needed an outlet for his energy and intelligence! Three years later, Cecil is competing in agility trials and changing minds about the breed. I am so proud of him for all he has learned and accomplished. He is by far the smartest and most engaging dog we have ever had the pleasure to share our lives with.

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 09:53 — debbie (Visitor)
i have 2 wonderful pit...China and Lenox...they were raised with my grandchildren from the time the dogs and kids were babies, and they are inseperable! they are loving, playful and great watch dogs...i also have 3 other dogs, and we all live here safely in the house , and for the most part, they all get along fine. Pits have been given a bad rep by bad owners, and it is a shame, because they are wonderful pets!

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 09:54 — Lynn Sayad (Visitor)
She was running oround our neighborhood actively looking for a hom. As we were out walking one day she ran up to us, tail wagging and greeted us with a big smile. She had been playing with the neighbors kids but then decided to follow us home where our kids discovered her joyful appeal. At first we told our kids we could not keep her since we had already adopted an Austrailian Shepard and Chihuhua/Rat Terrior mix. The children and the dog would not take no for an answer and she found her home. She was kept outside in the dog run until she drove the neighbors crazy with her barking and was finally allowed to move inside with the other dogs. Initially due to negative media stories about the breed, we feared she might hurt the smallest dog but at this point they all cohabitate nicely with no injuries or mishaps with the exception of the Austrailian shepard occasionally pulling rank on her. She is very quiet as long as she has her companions so we guess the barking was a call for companionship. To date the pecking order remains 1. The Chihuhua mix 2.The pit pull and 3.The Austrailian shepard. She is a joy to have and so very gentle. The Chihuhu mix is the one we have to be careful with around strangers. She is very fierce. The pit bull has by far the most loving and gentle personality of the 3 breeds. They are all female. They were all homeless dogs when we got them but have made our home a warmer place.

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 09:54 — Leigh Ann Raab (Visitor)
Our pit bull Gidget was kept prisoner in a puppy mill for several years and forced to be a breeder. The vet estimates she had anywhere from 6-9 litters before she was abandoned as she was no longer good for making puppies:( Despite this treatment, she is the most gentle soul, LOVES all people, lets the grandkids pull on her, put beads around her neck, try to catch her tail-all w/out complaint. And when they finally wind down and fall asleep on the floor, she is right there next to them snoozing away, but keeping alert to make sure they are safe.

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 09:54 — David Harder (Visitor)
I owned a pitbull for 14 wonderful years. My mother purchased him from a breeder in Califorina. It turned out that my mother was not aware of the issues when purchasing a pitbull and as it turned out about a year after owning spooker we found out that the breeder was arrested for pit fighting. I was very fortunate to have gotten spooker as a puppy and raised him correctly with love, excercise and socialazation. Spooker was extremely careful around small childeren, cats and elderly. The only time I had to be careful was when being with other dogs as I believe Spookers parents were raised to fight and he was not good with other male dogs. knowing this was half the battle as I was able to have him without incident throughtout his entire life. They are the most misunderstood breed and because of bad owners and breeders they really do not deserve the negative attention that they receive. If you were to ever adopt one make sure you get as much history and any possible bad habits brought to light prior to accepting responsibilty for one. They are truly one of the greatest breeds but because of a long history of bad owners you need to research and understand the breed before owning one. But then again you should do this with any animal you decide to take responsibility for!

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 09:54 — carrie (Visitor)
My roommate fosters pitbull and pit mixes. One brindle pit mix, named Toaster, was with us for 6 months, and I became her main caretaker. I was afraid of them at first, but as a dog-lover, came to see that they are just like other dogs. In fact, I got very attached to Toaster, and she to me. She is very sweet, and has lots of personality. She would follow me to every room I was in, and slept with me. She liked to sleep on my pillow with me sometimes. She was so excited when I came home, after only gone an hour! She became protective of me, as well, barking at a man who came out of the woods in the park in front of me, etc. Toaster is a gentle dog, but scary when she is protecting you from harm. She looked kind of scary as she is dark and muscular, but she is a lovely dog. She is also smart - I was blown away when, one day in the park, she was standing there watching water go down into a hole like a whirlpool, wondering what it was. I picked up a stick and started scraping around it because it looked like a grate covered in mud. I uncovered a couple more holes. So Toaster picks up a stick in her mouth, looked like she was going to scrape like I just did, and realizing she couldn't, started scraping with her paws and uncovered another hole in the grate! She imitated me, and I was amazed at her intelligence. I took Toaster everywhere with me - we went all over that park, and the dog run, as well as Central Park, where I would feel safe with her in the woods, to the pet supply store, to the restaurant to pick up food, to the bank, to pick up a check, to walk other dogs.. She got along so well with other dogs; puppies in the dog run would be so excited to see her when she would come in. One dog that I walk doesn't socialize with other dogs too much, but she got along fine with Toaster, playing with her and chasing each other. Toaster's owner was in jail, and is out now, and took her back kind of suddenly, and I was the saddest person when this happened. I still miss her alot.

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 09:55 — Lori (Visitor)
Last year, the area around Chattanooga, Tennessee was hit with tornadoes. I lived in Ringgold, GA at the time and thankfully, had no damage. I fostered two dogs after, a pitty and a blue heeler. I currently had a Pomeranian and was a little iffy at first. The very first time I met Jazz, her home had been destroyed and she was chained to a tree, outside in the rubble with food thrown on the ground for her. Poor baby still has the scars around her neck. Clean up crews were everywhere and the noise was overwhelming. As I walked up the driveway, she went down to her belly and crawled to me as far as she could. I sat down and her head was in my lap, eyes closed and let me pet her for 30 minutes. I knew right then, she was coming with me. The first few weeks were a rough adjustment for her but with some true affection and play, she fit right in. The blue heeler found a home but no one wanted Jasmine because of her breed. I proceeded to bring her into the house with Boo (my Pommy) and they are now inseparable brother and sister! She was house broken in 2 weeks, sleeps in the bed with me, learned commands and tricks and came when I whistled. She would, and still does anything to please. I couldn't imagine my life without her now and our "family" is complete. I didn't rescue her, she rescued me.

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 09:55 — Dana (Visitor)
I rescued a pit puppy who was tied up with a chain that could probably haul a semi tractor. It's my understanding this is done to the poor thing to strengthen their upper body. She loves everyone and if she is guilty of anything, it's not understanding why not everyone wants a kiss from her. She is a hero at the vets office and I've been told numerous times she should be a Pit Ambassador and /or a therapy dog. I also foster dogs and she is currently a big sister to 2 small chi's. When will people realize, it's not the 4 legged breed that's the problem, it's the 2 legged breed that is.

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 09:55 — Debbie Saide (Visitor)
I have owned pit bulls for the last 25 years. They are so misunderstood. They are the sweetest, most loyal, and happy dogs you can own. I'm getting older so I haven't adopted any pit bulls in years. I have an AST that is 9 years old and an American pit bull terrier that is 5 years old. They are so spoiled. If I leave for a little while, they are at the door waiting to welcome me home. It is some owners that make pit bulls mean. They should be the ones punished for their behavior, not the dog. I can't even imagine how anyone could teach a sweet animal like a pit bull to fight. Some people are under the impression that a pit bull feels no pain. That is a falsehood. They hurt just like any other dog.

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 09:56 — STEPHANIE (Visitor)
Three years ago i rescued an abandoned pit bull a few months old. She only weighed in at a whopping 11 pounds. It was unfathomanable how emaciated she was. As i nursed her back to health and decided to keep her, i am grateful everyday for that decision. She is named Angel and truly is just that. Her personality makes me smile when i feel i don't have anything else to smile about; her loyalty squeezes my heart every day. I would not take anything for this wonderful animal. Every chance i get i tell anyone who will listen just how wonderful a breed this breed is.

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 09:56 — Ginny Csider (Visitor)
As a shelter operations manager, I was privileged to work with these beautiful, misunderstood dogs. I was initially leery, but came to see them for the affectionate, sweet, loyal animals that they are. We adopted out many to carefully screened, loving homes and continuously received positive updates and inspiring photos. My favorite was of a pit named Trudie carefully cradling a newborn. Clearly, she had taken on the roll of baby sitter. I hope to own a pit bull as soon as the ban is lifted in my area!

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 09:56 — stacy (Visitor)
We have a 4 year old pitty. He probably fits the stereotype people have made out of them. He absolutely loves his family but doesnt like strangers he tends to bite. As far as we are concerned he is a big baby he weights like 75 lbs and he's scared of storms and thinks hes a lap dog.

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 09:57 — Vicki (Visitor)
Belle showed up on my doorstep 7+ weeks pregnant, I ran an ad for 2 weeks with no response except the delivery of 11 puppies. After the adventure of a lifetime I rehomed all of the puppies and kept Belle. Spayed, licensed and chipped she's settled in with my household of 3 other dogs and numerous cats. She sleeps on the floor next to my bed and lets out a serious growl if she hears anyone outside. She's done nothing but lick and happytail everyone she's met. She likes the cats and other dogs...all of my neighbors have commented on what a good dog she is. She even got to meet a burro nose to nose the other night - she was sooo excited. Never a harsh sound from either of them. She is the epitomy of what pit bulls really are - sweet, loyal, fun-loving and happy dogs. She'll never leave my care.

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 09:57 — Leslie Clark (Visitor)
In the mid-eighties my husband at the time found a puppy and brought it home. He told me it was a pit bull and I had never heard of the breed before. Over the next few years this pit and I became very close, not dog/owner close, but one being. She was and still is my soulmate! When people found out I had a pitbull they told me the normal stories and I did not believe this dog would ever or could ever hurt me. She slept with me, she was a lap dog and I miss her every day. When I would spend the night at my parents house she would see me packing and she would sit by the front door, because she was not letting me leave without her, not that I would. She was my first pitbull and she was not my last, but she will live in my heart forever. I had her for about 9 years before I lost her to mast-cell cancer. When I finally put her down, the vet said that she held on longer than she should have to be with me... I will always stand up for this breed! If raised correctly they are as sweet as any other dog, they just need responible mommas and pappas. I have a few boxers now and they are very similar, both very loving, loyal, lap dogs. As I write this my eyes fill with tears thinking of my soulmate and how I wish I could have had her longer, but she touched my life and soul more than any person or animal since! RIP Kaliga you are not forgotten!

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 09:58 — Jan Baker (Visitor)
we don't have pit bulls in Australia...only a mixture of english staffies, amstaffs, mastiffs....but to the idiots who don't know what a pit bull looks like they they are the ones who will yell pit bull after a labrador bights another dog as they haven't got a clue....they are lovely dogs in the right hands....just like any other dog....

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 09:59 — Mary (Visitor)
On Sept. 1st., I lost the most precious dog that I have ever had. My pit bull red nose JAG. He was so loveable and friendly, he loved everyone..I will miss him till the day I die. Jag was with me for 11 1/2 years. I wish that he was still here..My heart is broken and I have a void in my life that will never heal. Some day when I think I'm ready another Jag will find me or I will find him..May my most bestest friend and love of my life rest in peace..

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 10:10 — Ginny Alden (Visitor)
I am so sorry for your loss. I am going through cancer with my dog right now. They are precious and love to the end. Please, when you can, rescue another. Dogs need people like you.

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 09:59 — Jacqui (Visitor)
I took Sadie from a friend who could not keep her, she is now 5 months old. There's so much we love about her: Beautiful green eyes, her mahogany and white coat which shines like pennies, the way she snuffles, her eagerness to please. Sadie is smart as they come, quick learner. I love it that she almost never barks, except when someone comes to the door, which I want. Sadie is a happy, sweet little girl, and we look forward to socializing her, and watching her grow into a role model for the breed.

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 09:59 — Mary (Visitor)
On Sept. 1st., I lost the most precious dog that I have ever had. My pit bull red nose JAG. He was so loveable and friendly, he loved everyone..I will miss him till the day I die. Jag was with me for 11 1/2 years. I wish that he was still here..My heart is broken and I have a void in my life that will never heal. Some day when I think I'm ready another Jag will find me or I will find him..May my most bestest friend and love of my life rest in peace..

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 10:00 — Stephani (Visitor)
Our pitt is Dexter he is almost 2 years old and is and american terrior pit. He is like having a third child in the house. He is fun, loving, caring playful obnoxious(when hyper) and the best dog ever. He is a gaurd dog, but he just stands there barking at you. He would never bite or hurt anyone. He loves to play have treats and loves to snuggle up and cuddle with you. He weighs in at about 100lbs and is very tone. We couldnt have asked for a better member to join our family! He's great with the kids and we wouldnt trade him for the world!

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 10:00 — Philip Denison (Visitor)
We have a pitbull/boxer mix, Beethoven, white with one brown ear. He is so sweet, loves to give kisses, when we are home he loves to sit & watch TV with us, and has the greatest goofy personality. If he were a person he would be the 'Red Skelton' of dogs. We have a full blooded Beagle and our pit just loves and adores our Beagle as does our Beagle loves Beethoven--they are the best of buds. We want to get another pit/pitbull mix. Our home is truly enriched having Beethoven in our lives. Thanks for letting us share our stories about pitbull dogs.

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 10:00 — Erica (Visitor)
I have two mixed-breeds but it is obvious they have more than a little pit bull in them. they are brother and sister and I can say they are "goof balls" like this article states. the 100 pound brother sits on your lap every chance he gets. The sister follows you everywhere you go and is the "ears" of the family, noticing everything. They lick our faces and give us more love than we could hope for. I hope they are with us for a very long time.

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 10:01 — Kay Bedingfield (Visitor)
I stopped at a gas station in Ga the day after Thanksgiving eleven years ago and found a scrawney, black dog sniffing around the garbage. I wanted to take him, but I had cats and had never had a dog of my own. I did know rescuers in Atlanta who would take him, so I decided to rescue him. I just couldn't leave him at the intersection of the Interstate and a major highway. He'd surely be killed or starve! I whistled and he came running. It never occurred to me that this might not be the smartest thing I ever did. I felt so much for this dog. I picked him up without any problem and put him in the back seat. He had a Pitt Bull face and chest and was very strong. The Vet called him a mixed breed I think to make it easier for me and him due to the stigma Pitts have to bare. He had a long scar on his back, and if I had to guess, I would think he may have been used as bait for fighting or that fighting was just not in him to do. so he was dropped off I started on my way back to Atlanta and looked for fast food places. When I found one, I stopped and got their scraps and fed him through the opening between the two front seats. Once home I made arrangements with the rescuer, but I just couldn't leave that face behind me and became a dog owner. . He was the sweetest animal I ever knew. His name was Hobo, and he was my best friend for the past 12 years! He knew me better than I knew myself, I think. I am grateful for having stopped that day because I feel we found each other. He made a huge difference in my life. He was such a gift and one I found at the right time for both of us! I hope we open our eyes to the gentle side of American Staffordshire terriers because the one I loved was like a soul mate.

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 10:01 — Jane (Visitor)
My Luca is probably the smartest and most intuitive dog I will ever have. She is a pit- cane corso mix, and looks it. People often cross the street when they see us coming, but they don't know that they are missing out on the happiest greeting in their lives! When she sees someone who is ready to pet her, her ears go back, she starts doing the happy dance, and her tail goes wild! What a sight to see! She is a snuggle bug, a lap dog and a smarty pants. She loves attention, and a good nap. She was a breeze to train and is still learning new tricks (at 5!)- the latest being "high five". Pits are the best dogs in the world. I am so glad to have one in my life!

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 10:01 — Pam Ferrell (Visitor)
I am the asst director at Wetzel County Animal Shelter. Eddy is a beautiful brown and white pit, sweet as can be............but the breed is going to get him killed. I love this dog; if anywone is interested in helping him. contact me, asap. 304-455-5348. look at him on petfinder.com

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 10:12 — Googenheim (Visitor)
One less we have to worry about.

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 10:40 — lily (Visitor)
you fucking disgust me.

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 10:50 — Carolyn (Visitor)
Or maybe you should be put down for being ignorant.

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 10:51 — Lisa Shaffmaster (Visitor)
Another Troll with no life. The admins need to do some housekeeping.

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 10:57 — Brenda (Visitor)
Its such a shame that low-life scum such as yourself cannot be euthanized. The world would be a MUCH better place to live! So sad that your life is so empty that you're spending your time reading & responding to posts about something that you apparently know nothing about. Get yourself a hobby LOSER!!!!

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 20:26 — Kay (Visitor)
You are a disgusting pig!!! I bet you tortured animals when you were young. I would rather have my pit bull around me than someone like you any day!! Get a life and do something of use to society

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 10:01 — Sky Mom (Visitor)
We have what we call a spitty kitty better known as a blue brindle Am Staff who is the biggest baby in the world coming in at close to 100 lbs. She loves people though other pets she has issues with even though she has two other breed sisters. She only like her family sisters. This is a learned behavior from other people beating and yelling at her because she was trying to be friendly with another dog when the owner took exception. (He and his friends started kicking and hitting her.) I have seen her pick up a scumsucker that jumbed out of our fish tank and bring it gently to us. Such as a dog. They are a breed that just wants to please their humans. It is sad that there are too many bad human parents to these lovable animals.

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 10:01 — Tara Lane (Visitor)
Our little mutt mutt, CJ, came to us at barely 4 weeks and was full of worms longer than his tail. We're not sure what he's mixed with besides the Pit/Staffordshire, but probably a wire pointer. He's got a rudder tail, webbed paws and a weatherproof rough coat. He has a very sweet nature and is such a natural dog. He is especially good with aggressive dogs, laying down and letting them chew on him until he's comfortable. Our 15 yr old half-blind, half-deaf Westie beats him up even though he's a good 30lbs heavier. We also will not hesitate to adopt a dog just because they are a pitty puppy.

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 10:02 — Tomi Ortiz (Visitor)
I was one of those people who was scared to death of pitbulls...thanks to all the horror stories I had been told as a child. One day my husbands brother found a 3wk old pit who was full of mange & worms. When I looked in his eyes I immediately fell in love! He is now 3 1/2yrs old and is the sweetest dog ever! :) I have even adopted another pit mix from the shelter. I also have a pom who bosses the two around. :) Pitbulls are the best!

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 10:02 — T Carsus (Visitor)
I have to be honest here, I am a Malamute/Husky girl myself, and shy'd away from even considering a Pit. That all ended during a motorcycle trip up to Vermont (we live in Mass). My Mother always donates money to a shelter up there while on vacation. So we went to do the anual trip to the shelter to say hi to some kitties and puppies and give to a wonderful cause. I walked down the line of dogs and loved this one on the end, she was a dane mix, but extremely shy and didn't take to us, the cages next to her contained 2 pit/american Bull mix ... they were alost identical, but one seemed more of a bully than the other. So what does my hubby do, he asks to take out the dog known as Chip at the time. This dopey lovable dog. I instantly fell in love with him. But when they put him back in the kennel he looked sadly at me with those huge brown eyes. We left the shelter and took the application home with us back to Mass ... 1 week passed and someone adopted Chip's bully freind ... I got very nervous and started to go ahead with the application (against the better judgement of my hubby) ... see we just purchased our home, and he didn't want to get a dog right away. This didn't stop me, I ended up getting approved to adopt this 90lbs of love. So on that following Saturday we drove 280 miles to pick up our pit mix. We didn't look back after that, he has been such a loving part of our family, he is very playful and a complete lug. He has gained about 12 or so pounds and is full of energy. he also likes to pretend he is a 5lb lap dog! I wouldn't trade Chip, who I renamed Tyrion (yes Game of Thrones) and call him Ty for short!

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 10:03 — dee (Visitor)
my grandson has a pitbull .she is the best dog .and she listens better than most kids.her name is violet. we love her

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 10:03 — Antoinette Nieb... (Visitor)
Sophie is at least part pit bull -- I can tell by the shape of her head and jaw. She is the sweetest dog. Of course, she was born in my hands (her mom is a rescue dog. I did not know she was pregnant at the time I adopted her.) so she has never known anything but being a cherished family member. You have to be careful -- Sophie will steal your heart! She loves to play with her toys, sleep close to me in bed, roll over for tummy rubs, and give wonderful "pibble" kisses. I propose changing the breed name to Big Goofy Dog, since it seems to describe pitties' personalities better. Maybe this would begin to change the minds of folks who haven't had contact with these great dogs and only know the negative stuff they've seen on the news.

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 10:04 — Joan (Visitor)
I have two pit mixed dogs. They are wonderful. one is 10 and her name is Noelle Louise. My other one is 5 and her name is Anastasia Marie. They are very protective of me by standing next to me and barking very loudly at the other person. They have never, ever lunged at anyone. Once they get to know the person, they stop barking. My younger one is very, very frisky and always wants to play. I take them in the backyard and the older walks around but the younger grabs a ball, I throw it and she runs as fast as her legs will let her go to get the ball and brings it back to me. When she brings it back, she drops it and sits down with her tongue hanging out as if to say "throw the ball again Momma, throw the ball again!!!" Anastasia, at night, cuddles up at my feet in bed. Noelle goes to a certain spot on the sofa and that is where she is in the morning. My dogs are treated very well and for this I am loved by them. I feel very safe, secure and comfortable with them. The love and happiness they give me is overwhelmingly wonderful.

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 10:04 — Steve M. Windha... (Visitor)
As soon as the CDC releases data that shows otherwise, pitbull-type dogs are among the most dangerous dogs in the USA. http://www.cdc.gov/homeandrecreationalsafety/images/dogbreeds-a.pdf Insurance companies employ acutaries, accountants, and economists among other professionals. For some reason pitbull-type dogs are on the top of their list for dogs that they will not cover. http://www.forbes.com/sites/cateyhill/2012/05/30/11-riskiest-dog-breeds-for-homeowners-and-renters/ And you expect people to believe that pitbull-type dogs are not a problem?

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 10:13 — Ginny Alden (Visitor)
You need to own one as well as read some of the comments on this page. There are two so far that feel the way you do, but I must tell you that you are wrong. These dogs, ANY DOG is not dangerous unless they fall prey to some maniac human being that treats them badly or trains them to be aggressive. For your own sake and the sake of so many of these babies that are euthanized because of the ignorance of people like you, please do some research, read some of these posts and try to open your mind.

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