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 - 12:19 — Lynda Ehrich (Visitor)
Tragically it's very common for a pittie to lose his life just because he got out of his house or yard, very often because he was shot by the police. I have no words for the ex-con who concocted this fable about being attacked by the innocent dog. God sees everything. If the ex-con doesn't pay for it in this life, he absolutely will pay for it in the next.

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 11:57 — Colleen (Visitor)
I had 2 American Staffordshire terriers, aka Pitbulls, and they were sweetest, smoochiest, lap-doggiest, bed-hoggiest, funniest, most precious babies ever. They were named the "Licky dogs" by my friend's children. Cheers to Pitbulls.

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 11:58 — Jan Hohlefelder (Visitor)
The love of my life, one full pit and three part pit's. All rescue from Lamancha Animal Rescue in Unionville, PA. They are tight and a loving pack, they love everyone and everything. Just like children, it's all about how you raise them and the time you devote to them in the form of love.

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 11:59 — susan ehrenberg (Visitor)
I have owned a pit bull that was a rescue from Harlem, NY and never was there a kinder safer dog!!! Having said that and agreeing that there are MANY wonderful pit bulls out there. I have also seen a large number of pitbulls that strike fear in my heart. Unfortunately, there are a number of people using them and breeding them irresponsibly and to ignore this would put people in danger and is just as irresponsible as saying that they are all dangerous. Unfortunely with "no kill" shelters dogs that should be put down are not and this results in good dogs losing the possiblity of having a good home. Unfortunely you can't legislate common sense.

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 12:00 — Cindy Opperman (Visitor)
My husband and I rescued our first pit in February of 2011. Her name is Sophia Marie (Sophie) and she is primarily a Staffordshire and was about 1 ½ years old. She had been at the local shelter for 2 1/2 months and luckily a grant through the local SPCA had kept her alive. My husband fell in love with her photo online and we headed in to meet her knowing full well she would be ours. At the shelter we learned she was a mouther and a jumper. It took a little while but she we got her to stop her bad habits but it was clear she had been played with using long sleeved shirts and so sweatshirts took some time. She had clearly lived in a home with a man and a woman and she was my shadow. She was scared of my husband at first and of any man that came to the house. She would hide from flashlights and ran from me when I pulled out a roll of wrapping paper. It took her a few months to realize that her new dad and grandpas were not going to hurt her and even more to calm her around anything that looked like a stick or pipe. What a horrible life she must have had prior to meeting us. The fact that the shelter was the nicest/safest place she had lived was heartbreaking. After nine months and clearly seeing her blossom into one of the sweetest dogs I've known we decided that she really needed a buddy to play with. Down to the shelter we headed and as an early Christmas present we got Sophie a new brother, Kobie (1 year old), a pit mix with probably some Springer in him is my guess. He had been surrendered to the shelter by his owner and put into a program where he lived in the prison with an inmate who taught him basic commands. He is a lover and a lap dog too. He was diagnosed prior to us getting him with OCD and that has taken some work to control but he is much more focused now and though we can't stop the shadow and reflection chasing completely he doesn't lick himself raw or have other abandonment issues anymore. Again you try not to think about the life they had before and how they turned out as good as they did under the circumstances but it is a hard thought to avoid. Most humans couldn’t even handle the life some of these dogs have before being rescued into loving homes. Both of them are angels. They love laying next to you or sitting in your lap, and truly only want petting and love. I can't imagine our home without them and I already know anymore dogs will be pits because they are loyal and good, and because they have such a bad reputation I can't help but want to give them a good home. We are having a baby soon and I have no concerns about my dogs because they are so good around other children. In fact I'm looking forward to my son and Kobie walking in the house in the years to come and being covered in mud because I know the two of them will be close and getting each other into messes. Dogs are loyal, loving, devoted to their families, and excellent judges of character, pits are no exception. I learned early on from my first dog, a golden retriever, that if my dog doesn't like you, I shouldn't like you and that has never steered me wrong. Sadly there are good and bad dogs in the world, just as there are people. You shouldn’t lump an entire breed of dog together just as you shouldn’t lump a race of people together. I’ve seen my share of mean dogs, from well known “good” breeds and from breeds that have bad reputations like pits and Rottweilers, and I’ll tell you the some dogs I’ve met are from breeds like Golden Retrievers and labs, not to mention some little dogs that try to bite anyone walking by them even children, and why are these dogs aggressive? They’re aggressive because their owners trained them to be or they allowed them to be. If you have a small child and they bite other children you don’t blame the other children, you tell yours to stop, but if you don’t and you allow them to bite they will continue to become more and more aggressive. I never blame a mean dog, I blame their adoptive parents.

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 12:00 — Kaitlin (Visitor)
I love the comments about the pit bulls. I have a nephew that i live with whom is four years old. I knew someone who had a pit that did not take good care of her. The friend then asked me if I would take his dog. I thought about it for several days because of the stories to hear about pits. I spoke with my vet about it because I did not want to take a dog in that one may not get along with my corgi and two because of my four year old newphew. The vet reassured me that pits are excellent dogs and I then listened to her. I took Zoey in and she was a loveable dog. Five days after getting her she started to get really sick. I took her to the vet and she was diagnosed with parvo virus. The vet gave me three options which being where take her home and watch her die, have her put down to rest in heaven, or admitt her into intensive care. I then took her to the animal hospital, they cared for her 24/7. When i went to pick up Zoey they told me she still has a 50% chance of dying. I took her home and had to give her IV fluids in the back of her neck three times a day, spoon feed her, and hope to bring her back to life. Months went by and Zoey was getting a bit better each day. Zoey is now almost two years old who is the most loveable dog. It breaks my heart to know the bad rap pitbulls have and how much of a family dog they are. I could have not gotten a better dog that my Zoey. Only thing i experience with pits is that they need to be walked often because they get bored and will chew. I love Zoey and would always rescue other pitbulls.

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 12:00 — Tim Ballard (Visitor)
i rescued my first pit bull doggie circa 1988. she was a beautiful white and black spotted with one black ear and the other dappled. she had a big black spot near her rump, hence her name, Shimi which means "spot" in japanese. http://www.digiflux.biz/ShimiBig.jpg

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 12:01 — Marie (Visitor)
My family has two pit mixes, a shepherd/chow mix, a German Shepherd, and a pit bull, all rescues in one way or another. The most recent was the pit bull, who I found on the way to work one morning wandering down a busy street in a rough part of Baltimore. He was skin and bone, with sores on his face. We don't know how he was treated, but he does exhibit behavior that leads us to believe he was abused. He was fearful, especially of men, but has gotten over it. Nonetheless, he has exhibited NO signs of aggression, including food aggression, which surprised our vet due to his condition. He gets along great with the other dogs (he and the German Shepherd are closest in age and love to play together) and the family's 8 cats. He does try to play with them, but we have found him napping with them, too. He sleeps with my parents in bed every night, and always has to be close to someone. He doesn't like to be alone. The media really has done a huge disservice to these amazing dogs. They are so easily trained to fight because they are loyal, and will do anything for their owners. As others have said, look at the Vick dogs for undisputable proof that the owner is to blame, not the dog itself. Those dogs went from the fighting ring to loving homes, with many becoming certified canine good citizens and therapy dogs!

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 12:01 — Don (Visitor)
I found a very young dog about seventeen years ago, and took it to the vet to have her checked out. I asked the Vet what kind of dog she was, and when he told me she was a Pit Bull I was ready to leave her there. However the doc told me about what great dogs they were so took her home to live with me and my family. We named her Lucy, she was almost all black with white markings and was the best, most loyal and freindly dog I had ever had the pleasure of living with, I grew up with collies.. After 15 years with her I had to have her relieved of her pain from arthrites and was the hardist day of my life, she is buried here on my property with a concrete bench as a marker, on that bench it the date of her death and some puppy paws and a saying " If love could have saved you you would have lived forever" ingraved in to the cement. A couple of years later I rescued a Pit from a rescue center, she was 6 weeks old and 9 pounds, white with black spots all over her, one brown eye and one blue. When we saw her my wife said oh how precious, we took her straight to our vet and the girl in the front office said " how precious" then we went back to the exam room and the tech said h"how precious", and the doc entered the room and said" how precious" and wanted to know her name and I said...Precious. she is a lap dog a lover and loves her frisbee. Pits are great dogs, and it upsets me that there are folks that pass judgement on them when they have never even been around one.

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 12:01 — Don (Visitor)
I found a very young dog about seventeen years ago, and took it to the vet to have her checked out. I asked the Vet what kind of dog she was, and when he told me she was a Pit Bull I was ready to leave her there. However the doc told me about what great dogs they were so took her home to live with me and my family. We named her Lucy, she was almost all black with white markings and was the best, most loyal and freindly dog I had ever had the pleasure of living with, I grew up with collies.. After 15 years with her I had to have her relieved of her pain from arthrites and was the hardist day of my life, she is buried here on my property with a concrete bench as a marker, on that bench it the date of her death and some puppy paws and a saying " If love could have saved you you would have lived forever" ingraved in to the cement. A couple of years later I rescued a Pit from a rescue center, she was 6 weeks old and 9 pounds, white with black spots all over her, one brown eye and one blue. When we saw her my wife said oh how precious, we took her straight to our vet and the girl in the front office said " how precious" then we went back to the exam room and the tech said h"how precious", and the doc entered the room and said" how precious" and wanted to know her name and I said...Precious. she is a lap dog a lover and loves her frisbee. Pits are great dogs, and it upsets me that there are folks that pass judgement on them when they have never even been around one.

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 12:02 — Joann Polzin (Visitor)
I own two female pit mixes and I would not trade them for the world. Both came into my life unexpectedly and change me forever. They are the most loving and affectionate dogs and are the goofiest breed I have ever seen. Everyone should spend a day with a pit so they can see what a fantastic breed they really are.

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 12:03 — diane (Visitor)
i live in downtown los angeles and every time i see a pit bull on the street they try to get to the other dogs growling the owner has a hard time to get the dog away from the other dogs. yeah they maybe sweet and loving at home but when outside around other dogs the r different. every time i see a pit coming down the street i pick up my little terrier mix dog and go the other way. i just dont trust those dogs. im sorry if anyone gets mad at me but that is just how i feel about them dogs.

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 12:04 — Brett Baker (Visitor)
A town near where I live wants to ban owning pit bulls. I was kind of shocked because I thought the bad rap was knocked down. There was the t.v. show where ppl. were rescuing pit bulls and I figured that would clear things up for ppl. My little boy is Boxer and pit mix. I take the bad rap kind of personal.

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 12:04 — Emily (Visitor)
We are proud parents of a beautiful 1yr old blue nose pitty name princess. When she was only 2 months old she got really sick we were so scared she was going to die. But out of no where she started to act normal as if she fought what ever she had crazy! That's are little soldier. My baby has been raised around babies and she does super great she is the sweetest pup I e ever had. I was always those type of people who would say "they are to dangerous, they have a bad rep,oh to aggressive dogs" but I gave her a chance and she changed my whole thinking about the breer. She sits next to the baby when u leave the baby side and waits for you to make sure baby is okay. She knows when it's play time and when it's time to calm down and just relax time. Baby is the best I would not trade her for any other breer I'm glad we found our other half that was missing! I love my princess best dog breer ever "it's all depends on how u raise the dog to be!"!!!

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 12:05 — lynn (Visitor)
Duke was chained with a tow chain wired together around his neck. He was staked out at a vacant house while his "owner' went to jail for 30 days. He had no shelter or food that he could eat. Not even the crows wanted it. I had to look at him everyday out my living room window. 5 days passed till I couldn't stand watching him suffer anymore. I went over and brought him home. After a vet visit and dental surgery (removed 12 teeth)and several months of TLC, he is an amazing dog! So loving and obedient. He is such a joy to have. I have always loved the pitbull breed. If you have ever owned one, you know what I mean. It's irresponsible owners that ruin a dog's natural good nature. Thanks to all who support this breed!

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 12:09 — Care (Visitor)
I have a female pitbull named Tula. She is 14 years old now. We rescued a couple of kittens whose mom left them. Tula allowed the kittens to nurse on her for comfort and she would clean them and would take such good care of them. She became a good substitute mom. The kittens still follow her everywhere. I was so proud of her and amazed. This breed has had such a bad rap...I love Tula and couldnt imagine being without her. By the way Tula was rescued from a life of fighting...I am so glad I had the opportunity to save her..she is such a GREAT dog.

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 12:11 — PAT (Visitor)
I RECENTLY ADOPTED A PITBULL WHO IS ABOUT 2 YRS. OLD. I HAVE HAD DOGS ALL MY LIFE. EVERY KIND THERE IS, IT SEEMS, BUT THIS PIT BULL IS THE MOST AFFECTIONATE DOG I HAVE EVER HAD. SHE IS SMART, HAPPY ALL THE TIME AND GETS ALONG WELL WITH EVERYONE INCLUDING OTHER ANIMALS. WE ARE DELIGHTED WITH HER PERSONALITY AND LOVE TO SEE HER WIGGLE ON HER BACK. MY ADVISE, ADOPT A PITBULL!!!

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 12:11 — Lynda Ehrich (Visitor)
I have been privileged to live with three pit bulls; first Hawk and Animal (named for the wrestling team), then Hawk and Terminator (who stood in as Hawk's partner when Animal tragically lost his life). Hawk had been a well cared for stray; that was obvious because he knew all the commands and was a very polite dog (we were never able to find his original owners). Animal and Terminator came from two local shelters. All three came to me at the approximate age of 7 months old. Animal and Terminator were also strays who had been picked up by Animal Control and were scheduled for euthanasia because their time was up. All three were very loving and very loyal family members. I never used my dogs for hunting or fighting; they were just family dogs. Hawk and Terminator eventually passed away, and when my husband and I separated, I took the two remaining family cats with me (the other two also passed away after reaching 15 and 17 years, respectively). I currently have a huge ginger tabby that I took in (he was homeless), and I work all day and don't have enough time to devote to a dog. But if it ever becomes practical for me to adopt another dog, it will be a pittie, and it will be one from death row. A pittie is not for everyone. Unfortunately a lot of weak and weak-minded people adopt them because they figure they can hide behind the dog. Those are the ones who ruin their dogs.

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 12:13 — Erin Hall (Visitor)
One of my buddies is an american staffordshire terrier/pit mix who is the sweetest 80lb baby dog. He loves people, he lays on you, sits in your lap (80lbs) corn nibbles your legs, and loves to snuggle. I love him and he is 4/12 years old. His name is Athos

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 12:13 — Kelly (Visitor)
i have 2 pit mixes. they are so sweet, attentive, loving and are total goof balls, beautiful and athletic beasts with a need to please us, their owners. just like any dogs, they have to be raised with love, attention and training. bad owners = unpredictable dogs for any breed.

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 12:13 — Tracy (Visitor)
We are lucky enough to share our home with 3 pocket pitties (English Staffords) and 1 lab/pointer, and are constantly amazed how visitors to our house and folks we meet on our walks are genuinely surprised how sweet, friendly and full of character these wonderful dogs are. People ask us "Are these a type of pitbull? are they always like this?"..quickly adding that they had a completely different view of how a "pitbull would be". All our dogs are rescues and our male staffie was dog aggressive when he arrived; not for long though, he now shares the house happily with his dog companions and cuddles every day with our older stafford girl. In England, where the breed originated, they are known as "Nanny Dogs" as they are so good with children, in fact their breed standard includes the words "completely reliable". I have said for years that you cannot beat this breed, they are the best and definitely the best for a family. Much more needs to be done to change the public perception, especially that of landlords and insurance companies. Oh, by the way, we are also landlords who accept Pits at our rental, it's a beautiful house and we have not had any issue at all with pitties there. Do your part if you are a Landlord and encourage everyone to open their minds and hearts to these amazing dogs, the love & understanding is well worth the investment!

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 12:15 — Gloria (Visitor)
Well I rescued my Pit, Emma, about 5 years ago from the side of the road on a hot, hot summer day in the Houston Texas area. She was so skinny you could have played her ribs like a harp. I only had a granola bar in the car to entice her. I tossed pieces to her and she dove on the pieces and came right up to me. She was so hungry. I put her in the car and took her to the Humane Society and they offered to euthanize her. I told them if she looked this bad and was still alive, I wouldn't let them kill her. She had a mild case of heartworm, but was cleared 3 months later. She's had a little surgery for a luxating patella on one leg and will be going in soon for a possible partial tear of the ACL on her other leg. If she could lick you to death, she would. She sits for her dinner then raises her head and gives me a kiss before she eats. What a great girl. She's such a clown and gets along fine with my other two dogs, Carl & Rose. Carl's a little older now (12) not too interested in play. But Rose, a pit mx, and Emma body slam and chase each other until they drop. The nay sayers are right...it's how they've been raised...and we're raising our girl to keep being the wonderful, greatful little girl (65 lbs) she is and always will be.

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 12:15 — carla brown (Visitor)
I live in Ontario, Canada and it is a breed ignorance province. There are stories abound that the law man has the right to enter into one's home to confiscate any animal that 'appears' to be Pitbull - to euthanize them as soon as their vet confirms it is even part bully. Stories can be found on the internet on family dogs being dragged away due to no fault of their own from their hysterical owners and then being put down. I am so PISSED OFF at this law as it prevents us bullie lovers from ever owning a pitbull. The Ontario SPCA is so weak in their ways that they won't help us to change these absurd laws; wishing we had a stronger advocate like the ASPCA to help us. However in saying all of this - if I was able to have a pitbull in my home (a rescued one of course), I would definitely have one as I am well aware of their charms!

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 12:15 — Jennifer Dusang (Visitor)
I am the EXTREMELY PROUD OWNER of 3 GORGEOUS PITBULLS. They are as much a part of my family as we are. These BULLYS as they are referred to are the biggest, sweetest, and most loveable animals. Yes this INCREDIBLE BREED of Canine is totally MISUNDERSTOOD and STEREO TYPED for all the wrong reasons. I did get my first pit for security and to have peace of mind while my children were home alone. Simply because people are intimidated just by knowing you have a pitbull. All three of them are inside dogs and very spoiled.ts more like they own us. And we enjoy each and every minute of these AMAZING animals. It is such a sad thing to hear and watch this breed be treated so badly. People who were once afraid of them have met mine and now they have a different opinion now. For those of you who refer to them as killers there is a book called PITBULLS FOR DUMMIES. Pick it up and read it there are some facts in there as well that everyone owners included should know.

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 12:16 — Charity (Visitor)
I have a 3 yr old Pit Bull and she is a wonderful family dog. She is gentle with our kids and loves attention. She loves to give kisses.

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 12:16 — Heatherh (Visitor)
I have two rescue pits and three rescue cats and they are best friends :) we also have a one year old who our dogs are very gentle with and protective of :) pits are my favorite! They are easily one if the sweeter breeds.

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 12:17 — Rosemarie (Visitor)
Red was the most gentle dog I have ever had or known. She loved everyone and everything. My niece was two years old and petting Red and for no reason hit the dog. Red jumped up on the bed and got as far away from Lauren as she could and looked like her feelings were really hurt. It broke my heart to lose her to cancer at 14; all the doctors and vet tech loved her too. I would get another pit mix in a heartbeat. "bad" dogs are usually the result of bad pet parents.

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 12:17 — Rich Morrison (Visitor)
We rescued her from a Missouri shelter six years ago. She was a pit bull mix, 3.5 years old, emaciated, snappy, nervous, and extremely agressive. She was the product of someone's abusive attempt to turn her into an attack dog, and they were fairly successful. She was a terror, and more than once we seriously considered returning her. Six years later, she has restless tail syndrome. She is a dear, sweet lover of all living things. She is loved, and just like any of us, responds in kind.

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 12:17 — Sheryl (Visitor)
I had a beautiful, sweet pit bull that we just loved. She was the best dog ever! We now have another pit bull and he is quite the character. Loves his belly rubbed, too! My son had 2 pit bulls and they were great! If my husband and I were retired we would adopt another pit bull. They are wonderful!!!

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 12:18 — Margaret Secrest (Visitor)
We had a male Pit named Homer, he was given to us at almost a year old by the mother of the jerk that owned him. Homer was locked in a bathroom for a week at a time & if he ate all his food he went hungry, if he drank his water he had the toliet water. Luckily for both Homer & my family this jerk's mother found him and brought him to us since she knew we are animal lovers. We had him 14 years until he passed away from congestive heart failure. He was a wonderful & handsome boy. He loved all people & he was a playful, happy, easy going dog. We have gotten more dogs since he left us. A german shepard mix (Danielle), & a English shepard mix (Kodi) - both from the shelter. Also a boxer (Droopy) that was abondoned in the country & found by a farmer that already had all the animals he could take care of. Then our Pit boy (Hammer)that was an orphan before he was weaned. We got him from the vet tech that took care of him until he was 7 weeks old - he is almost 2 and the most loving boy. He has no grace & he doesn't realize how stong he is but he doesn't try to hurt anything. All of my dogs (Homer included) get along with our cats. And if the truth be told our female german shepard mix is the Alpha & all the others follow her lead.

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 12:20 — Robin (Visitor)
She is the most amazing companion I could ever hope for. I for years was unsure of the breed but after adopting her as a puppy and now 3 yrs. later I am totally in love with the breed. She is so sweet and in tune with me it is amazing... She is totally on my schedule and by my side. She is very lovable but protective, does not conflict with other dogs at the dog park, an all around great dog. I cannot say enough to promote this breed, they are extremely smart,strong and loyal companions....and so much fun to own.... for me my Molly is an angel sent down from above!!!

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 12:22 — Alyssa (Visitor)
I have a 3 year old pit, Roxy. I love being greeted by her butt wiggle and happy growl. She loves to snuggle under the covers and plays keep away with my mom's dog. Roxy is shy of strangers (not for lack of socialization but inherited through her mom who is also shy). We took her to training to help Roxy with her shyness and have learned to read her body signals.

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 12:22 — Chris (Visitor)
I am the very proud owner of two awesome pitbulls. They make me laugh everyday!!

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 12:23 — R. Hodgman (Visitor)
I have owned several pits and so has my son. We have never had an issue with any of the animals and the children. I would trust Sammy with my grandchild every moment without hesitation. My beautiful girl, Mescal, passed away in 12/2011 of cancer and I still grieve. She has sent me a little boy in need to love and care for and his name is Magnum. Pits are not to blame for their behaviors, it is the owner who shapes and molds them. They are misunderstood often crucified and if loved, excercised and disciplined correctly you will have a pet that wants to give nothing but love and loyalty. Yes, pits can be very intimidating to any stranger possibly approaching you or your home but do you get that same safe fuzzy feeling of protection with a small breed dog, I bet not? Always and forever a pit owner.

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 12:23 — leslie long (Visitor)
When given love and a chance 99% of pitbulls are great dogs...just like all other dogs!

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 12:23 — Marie Fasone (Visitor)
I have always adopted my dog(s) from the local shelters. I'm always sad to see how many pit bulls are in the shelters and would love to have adopted one (or two), but my homeowners policy would deny coverage. As a matter of fact,there is a list of dogs that are banned. Is or has there been any legislation to change this? Thanks!

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 12:24 — Laura Hatfield (Visitor)
Have one living next door to me...sweetest dog ever!

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 12:24 — Nicki S (Visitor)
Tuck, my pit mix, is 2yrs old. We rescued him from 11th hour rescue after he had been abanonded and left for dead when he was only 2wks old. 11th hour nursed him back to health and we took him home at 9wks old. He has changed our lives 100% for the better!! He's my best friend for sure. Always there when I need him. The friendliest, happiest, most easy going boy you've ever met. My nieces and nephews can take a bone right out of his mouth and he doesn't give it a sec thought. Pittbulls are the BEST!!!

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 12:25 — Lynn Gubnitsky (Visitor)
He will be turning 4 yrs Nov 1 & is the joy of the house...because we can't let him loose to run (for his safety & the paranoia of others), he & we (husband Harold)get our exercise & fresh air on many walks per day...he & cat Lily vie for top spot next to Mama at bedtime....she's a very willfull domesticated stray, lazy about her own hygiene & allows Beau to clean her ears, disgusting but funny & necessary...he loves to learn, is so curious outside in nature, loves brussel sprouts & broccoli buds from the garden(to a fault), carries my check home in his mouth on our walk from my local P/T job ,because, of course, he gets a treat when we get to the house.....for 2 old people it was risky getting such a strong breed at this stage of retirement (after only cats for 30 yrs), but the benefits of having such a loving & smart creature as part of our lives make any training efforts all worth it...& because I take him around wherever he is allowed, the fact that his handsome self is very well behaved has impacted many who have had the pleasure of meeting him...socializing with other dogs & humans makes for a more balanced doggie...wish I could post a pic, but there is no option here....Lynn G

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 12:25 — cecelia (Visitor)
We have 5 pits/pitmixes in our home. Moagley is 3 yrs old this month and weighs 73 lbs..he gets along with everyone including the cat, the rabbit and the chicken. Our two sister pups, Hazel and Daphne, are 10 months old and they are learning that the cat is the boss (at 16 yrs he should be!) and love to chase the chicken (we discourage)but not catch it. Our foster girl, Snickers, is a one yr old mix-rescued form the streets of New York looking for her own family. Snickers loves dogs, ignores the cat, loves kids, ball, frisbee, the hose, sticks- anything and everything!! Last but not least we have Lizzie. Lizzie is our 7-9 yr old PItbull rescued from the streets of New York as well. Lizzie struggles to accept other dogs but loves our kids, cat, etc. This breed amazes me with their resilience, intelligence, loyalty, love and yes, flatulence. Judge the owner not the dog. A well adjusted owner equals a well adjusted dog..period.

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 12:26 — Amanda (Visitor)
I am the mommy of a 5 year old Pitt bull named Tyson! The stereotypes couldn't be more wrong about my gentle giant. I have two cats and Tyson is amazing with them. The cats sleep in the same bed and greet Tyson every morning he plays and loves them dearly. Vicious ? Definitely not the case I've never had a more loving and loyal dog! Pitt bulls are dogs who deserve a chance. They make wonderful companions and it's sad they have gotten a bad reputation because of a few careless owners. Bring a shelter Pitt home and give them a chance! My Tyson has definitely proven those stereotypes wrong!!

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 12:26 — Leeann (Visitor)
so glad im fostering a pit i heard so many bad rep and there not even close my girl is the best no aggression at all, Maybe ill keep her :)

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 12:26 — Deborah (Visitor)
I am Mom to 4 pitbull mixes (all brothers) rescued from our local shelter just prior to euthanization as 4 week old puppies. We got these beautiful, sweet babies because a shelter worker ignorantly put them in with another nursing dog and her baby (she thought it seemed "unfair" that one mother only had a single pup while the pitbull mom had ten to care for). Needless to say the foster mother attacked them almost immediately, and would have killed them if my husband -- a shelter volunteer at that time -- had not intervened just in time. He rushed all four of them to the vet. Two were injured - one badly -- so my husband brought them all home for me to care for them until they were well, a bit older, and we could find suitable homes for them. We really never intended to adopt them since we already had 7 dogs and 6 cats in our little family!!! (All rescues.) However, after a few weeks of changing poopy blankets and papers, wiping little butts and nursing them with a rabbit baby bottle 6 times each day -- not to mention a lot of snuggling and playing -- we knew they weren't going anywhere. We already had two shepherd mix brothers about 4 months older than these little guys (rescued from a McDonald's parking lot where they were begging and dodging cars!!!) named Romulus and Remus, so we decided to do a whole Roman legion and named our pitties, Tiberius, Brutus, Julius and Claudius. It sounds so funny to hear me holler out those names in succession when we are walking in the national forest next door and they sometimes roam out of sight. I always wonder what someone would think to hear all those latin names. But I digress... One of our older female dogs, Boo -- an Australian cattle dog/border collie mix -- decided they were her puppies and would probably never have let us take them out of the house if we had tried. ;-) She took care of a lot of the puppy "messes" herself, just like a momma would, and groomed and coddled them endlessly. We started calling her Momma Boo (to this day -- they are 6 years old now -- they all still do what she commands despite the fact that they tower over her at between 80 and 125 lbs. -- and she is only a 35 lb. senior dog!) All the other dogs helped a bit too -- even the other two pups who weren't that much older -- so by the time these guys were a few months old, they thought it was normal to have several moms and a few dads. I wish I could post photos here to show all my babies getting along so well. I take them all out together (think Ceasar Milan) for romps in the woods daily and they sleep together in beds here and there all over the house. They even eat side by side with no growling or fuss, and though we have admittedly had a few dog-dog aggression incidents over the years (mostly when they were still adolescents working out their places in the pack), for the most part, these guys are the happiest, sweetest- tempered and playful guys I have ever known. One of them -- Julius, aka Piggy Wigglebottom -- is so friendly that he wags his tail hard enough when he gets excitied that he knocks things over and sends everybody else flying out of range. He is the bottom-waggiest dog I ever saw! Our Tiberius shows he is part Great Dane, standing about 32" tall and weighing around 125 lb. (At least he did the last time we were able to weigh him on our bathroom scale with my husband holding him. He may weigh more now.) Yet, as huge and intimidating looking as he is, he is the biggest baby of the bunch, and will sit with his mouth drooping and head on paws sulking forever if we don't give him loads of hugs and kisses whenever he "calls". I love them all dearly. I wish everyone could see these big, bad pitbulls slobering all over us, each other and our cats like giant puppies. I think people would have to alter their opinions. One sad note: Their mother and 6 siblings, were killed about a week after we took these four home -- we were unable to find homes for them, hard as we tried, and our local shelter is a kill shelter that only holds dogs for 10 days, and makes no attempt to find them homes or track down owners. Also, we live in SW Missouri, where dogfighting and puppy mills are so rampant that state and local ordinances prevent pitbulls from living in the city limits without such ridiculous restrictions that no one will have them (except illegally). There are so many of these wonderful dogs going to gas chambers daily that it really just makes me sick! I always regret that we didn't get them all, but with 7 dogs already, we knew that we really could not take in more and give them the care they deserved. It breaks my heart to think of them. PLEASE! If any of you are thinking about getting a dog, please, please, please go to your local animal shelter and adopt a deserving shelter dog! There are so many of them waiting and wanting so much only to be loved.

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 12:32 — Darlene (Visitor)
Thank goodness for people like you....

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 12:27 — Darlene (Visitor)
I rescued a Pit Bull five years ago. My family and friends were very upset and told me to find a home for her...My husband fell in love with her in 2 days and we found her a home...our home! I had never been around pit bulls before but was told she was good with kids and other dogs. I had both. The people who had her were moving and she was going into the Humane Society within a few days. I had never even met her when I met with a friend in a parking lot and put her into my car. She laid down across the front seat and rested her head on my lap the whole way home. She is one of the sweetest dogs I know. I will be a pit bull advocate for the rest of my life. I have transformed many peoples minds about this wonderful breed!

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 12:27 — Sandy & Joe Molock (Visitor)
We had a male pit bull mix (don't know what with) and he was the sweetest, most gentle dog. He was so smart, he showed me where his collar had come off under the shrubs in the back yard. We had him for 13 wonderful years and still miss him.

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 12:28 — Libby Smith (Visitor)
We adopted a brindle pit-mix about two years ago and she has been fabulous, (we had 4 others dogs in addition). Hilariously, she is actually afraid of other dogs. She adores her pack, is very intelligent and is a lap dog. It is a good thing we have two couches to accomodate all of our rescues.She plays well with our little 14 pound female terrier as well as the others who are bigger than she is. We love her immensely.

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 12:31 — Joel Laurance (Visitor)
7 months ago my son discovered a 10 week old female Pit that the owner had locked in an unused bathroom and rarely fed or gave her water. All she got was a few table scraps every other day or so. No shots or other care. The room was never cleaned. My son brought her home and pleaded with me to let him keep her. At first she was scared, nervous, a little nippy, could hardly stand on her own, and extremely thin with all bones showing. Today she is about 10 months old, healthy, best friend of our 2 English Springer Spaniels, and is the most loving and spoiled creature we have ever encountered. She is immediately friendly with everyone who visits. She is a quick learner and now obeys numerous commands. She has absolutely no tendency to bite people or other dogs. She only wants to play and be friends with everyone. A wonderful side benefit is her favorite activity chasing the deer out of our 6 acre yard with glee. Now she thinks she is human. When we give her a treat, she rolls on her back and holds it with her two front paws as she eats it. Maybe she is part raccoon. Please help defeat legislation against Pits. Maryland’s recent law that establishes increased liability for owners of Pit Bulls is extremely unfair and was obviously promoted by people with no firsthand knowledge of this breed.

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 12:33 — AprilMarieSky (Visitor)
My Jersey is so smart and sweet. She knows when I am upset or sad and is there to be affectionate when she senses it. She is funny too, esp. when she snorts, or plays. She is a hard-headed and willfull dog but after a long life together she has understood my requests, demands, needs and she still loves me. She's a good dog.

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 12:33 — Yules (Visitor)
I rescued my female pitbull in december of 2010 she was found wondering around homeless in waltham, MA she was just 6 months. I fell in love with her as soon as i saw her.. she came out of her kennel just wanting to kiss and hug whoever would allow her to. she IS one of the very best things to have EVER happened to me and my boyfriend. she is sweet, happy, loving, protective and most of all she LOVES PEOPLE. i cannot picture my life without Pink aka the pinkbull. she makes my little family complete and will be a great nanny dog for the baby boy in my belly!

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