RI Pit Stop

Do I Bite?

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Taken From the LucyDog Website
www.lucydog.com

Q: "Why would you want to own a "pit bull?'" (Asked in the same tone of voice as, "why would you want to pierce your tongue?")

A: I wanted a clean, medium sized dog. I also wanted a dog with whom who I would feel safe walking alone in a public place. However, I didn't want a dog who was going to bark constantly or bite guests. I wanted a dog who is smart, healthy, rugged, not fearful of new things, enjoys the outdoors -- in short, a buddy. Lucy and BB as individuals met all these criteria, and these are traits common to the breed as a whole. Besides, who can resist such a pretty face?

Q: "Aren't you afraid that your dog is going to turn on you/eat you?"

A: Not at all. We can take a bone out of Lucy's mouth and wake her from a deep sleep with no complaints whatsoever. How many dog owners can say that? Lucy receives fair and consistent discipline, and she therefore trusts us. In fact, I am safer for owning her -- as gentle as Lucy is, she is a great watchdog and protective over her mom. I trust her with my life.

Q: "Aren't you afraid that if you have kids that your dog is going to eat them?"

A: No one should leave a small child unattended around a dog. Regardless of breed, dogs not raised around children do not view them as being humans and dominant as they view their masters. Lucy was apparently raised around kids and likes them. However, she could easily injure a small child accidentally, by stepping on him or knocking him over for example.

Most people are not watchful enough of either their pets or their children. For example, in June 1996 USA Today reported that "in Oakland two Rottweilers killed an 8-year old boy." I happened to be visiting the Bay Area at the time, and saw the local report as well as the national one. The more thorough local news reported that the boys had let the dogs out of their fenced yard two streets away and teased them with a ball, then someone had pushed the poor child onto the dog. This was a tragedy that was completely predictable, with humans at fault for not locking the yard and not watching their kids. There were 200+ lbs. of dog running loose down the street - where were the parents? Of course, the dogs were shot on sight.

Q: "Does he bite?" (They think all 'pit bulls' are male)

A: No, but the owner does.

Q: "What kind of dog is that?" (this question is asked two ways, one is: "What a pretty dog, what kind of dog is that?" and the other is: "(ohmygodthatsapitbull)What kind of dog is that?"

A: People who keep APBT's as pets have a hard time with this question. I know people who routinely say, "boxer mix" or "terrier mix," especially if there is talk of a breed ban in their town. I know a vet who was called to a house in the country to vaccinate 16 "Boxers." They were Am. Staffs or APBT's, and the vet had no problems treating them, but the owner was afraid that had no vet would come if he had told the truth over the phone.

How you answer this question depends on where you live and your circumstances. We live in a state where breed bans are illegal, so we are safer in telling the truth. However, if I lived in some parts of the country, Lucy and BB would be "boxer mixes." If I meet someone on a walk, I usually say "American Pit Bull Terrier," and take a minute to explain that the dogs are very people-friendly and that the media is biased. They usually react positively (or their eyes glaze over) and I feel like, "good, we just educated one person today."

I prefer to tell the truth, using the proper name for the breed ("American Pit Bull Terrier", which the media never uses). It is good for the public to meet a friendly and well-mannered Pit Bull who contradicts the media image.

Q: "Don't Pit Bulls just exist to fight other dogs?"

A: Some say that the breed was originally used for hunting, and for managing livestock - doing work too dangerous for humans such as bringing in unruly bulls. Anyone who has seen how excited their Pit Bulls get around a herd of cattle tends to agree with this! The breed's good temperament is owed largely to its fighting background. Since there was a great deal of handling involved in conditioning the animals for the pit, and of course in breaking up the dog fight, dogs who bit humans were not usually not kept and not bred.

A very small percentage of Pit Bulls engage in fights today; most are pets. Some hold jobs using the tenacity, strength and stability for which they were bred: working livestock, search and rescue, narcotics detection, even therapy dogs (visiting people in nursing homes and hospitals). This is documented in the stories on my press page. The dog fighting that is so often portrayed on the evening news is not nearly as widespread a problem as is indiscriminate breeding, irresponsible ownership, and outright animal cruelty.

One important note: One legacy of pit fighting is that some APBT's are, despite all the best efforts at socialization and training, dog-aggressive, and need to be watched carefully for their entire lives. Anyone who adopts a young APBT should be capable of taking such precautions. Dogs who want to fight other dogs can still make great pets in certain types of homes.

This is what it is like for me to own an American Pit Bull Terrier. And Lucy is pretty benign-looking, with natural ears and fawn coloring. Fortunately, I live in Texas which has a "live and let live" attitude over most matters, so there is relatively little chance of a breed- specific dangerous dog legislation here. I probably have it much easier than most people, so what works for me may not work for someone else.

But since you asked, my advice for people who consider owning American Pit Bull Terriers as pets is:

1. Be responsible to the highest possible level. Use a leash, pick up poop, don't leave the dog in the yard all day to scare passers-by...I could go on, but the bottom line is that the slightest infraction could cost your dog its life. If your dog wants to rumble, this is even more true - don't let your dog attack someone else's pet. This type of vigilance is not for everyone. Don't be the cause of "pit bull" hysteria and a resulting breed ban in your city.

2. Don't breed. Assuming you have a "pet quality" animal, get her/him spayed or neutered as soon as she/he is old enough.

3. Obedience train (see #1). Nothing impresses people more than to see Lucy sit at the curb automatically, with no command, then wait for me to tell her it's "okay" to proceed. People say, "Wow, my dog won't do that!". Training to competition level isn't essential, but your APBT should be able to perform basic obedience tasks. Choose a trainer with positive training methods - despite their tough exterior, these are sensitive dogs who want to please their masters. If you encounter a trainer who has a problem with Pit Bulls (e.g., automatically wants only your dog to wear a muzzle in class), get a new trainer.

4. Have fun. These are fun-loving dogs. Do things with your dog like hiking and swimming, if your dog will swim. Spend time each night just playing and being silly. Keep lots of durable toys in rotation.

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