*Ranting* Stop picking on my dog!!!!!

[Winterose]

I own a lovable and goofy Pit bull that i am training to be a therapy dog. Partly so I can go into work with mom at the nursing homes she runs and spread a little sunshine and partly so i can stick my tung out at breed haters and go nananana...nana.... but anyways.
i'm just so sick of people who are mean towards my dog and I just because he is a pibble, mind you a 60lb dog that just got beat up at the dog park last week by a 10lb yippy thing. We were at the park enjoying ourselves and their dog came in and attacked him, he didn't do anything sept hit the ground and start screaming, (so much for big bad pitty huh) but what happens? Their dog draws blood on my dog and im the one that gets cops called on them, and its my dog that gets kicked out and told not to come back, even tho the other dog wasn't hurt at all.
it has also changed the way cops in this town view me. Before if i got puled over for something stupid like going 5 over the speed limit or having an outed tail light they just warned me or ticketed me and i was on my way. now if the dog is in the car they all wanna know if i have drugs and are trying to find any excuse to search my car and be nosey as all hell. and after they let me go they follow me to my destination or at least to the edge of town.
I also get told all the time that I will never be able to get him registered as a therapy dog because of his breed and i am just so sick of people picking on a breed. people preach all the time that you shouldn't bully others, and you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, and racism is bad, but judging a single dog by its breed is just that, its bullying, and doggy racism. How can people say that all people are different no matter what the race, but all dogs are the same if they are the same breed? ARG!!!! ok, im gunna stop here, i just had to vent.

 

[Megan Amber]

I am glad you did vent out! I agree that people are very unfair to pitbulls(american terriers) and there owners. My brother owns a pit and she is the sweetest thing ever! Seems to me like they would make great therapy dogs, just like any dog if given the proper training. The problem with pits is a bullying problem in people. I hope you have better days and don't quit on the therapy trail!

 

[PaintedFeathers]

I agree, and I know exactly what you mean. Do you have a picture of him? I would love to see your sweetie!

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

I am on the other side of that. People hate on that breed for a reason. Its not cause it is any more dangerous than other breeds like it but because owners spread the lie that they are harmless to people that don't have the experience to own a breed that has that much power. That gets people hurt. No dog is harmless an I know from first had experience that someones "harmless, wouldn't hurt a fly" bull dog can randomly try to kill a 7 year old girl for no reason.

 

[Megan Amber]

I actually agree with you as well. There is a different level of experience that comes with different breeds of dogs, and a pit bull is one of those dog's that takes a higher experience level.

 

[PaintedFeathers]

I am on the other side of that. People hate on that breed for a reason. Its not cause it is any more dangerous than other breeds like it but because owners spread the lie that they are harmless to people that don't have the experience to own a breed that has that much power. That gets people hurt. No dog is harmless an I know from first had experience that someones "harmless, wouldn't hurt a fly" bull dog can randomly try to kill a 7 year old girl for no reason.

This is not the case with most pits. Pits are bred to be VERY level headed and actually placed higher on the tolerance scale than most other breeds, including golden retrievers. Owners are not lying when they say it's the owners not the dog. I would trust a pit bull over a golden or lab any day, and I am a dog groomer and work with them on a daily basis so I have first hand experience with dogs that I just meet and have to handle in ways they do not like. Mind you Pit bulls are TERRIERS, and even though they are large they can have the same energy level as a jack russel. So a knowledgeable pit owner will have an outlet for their dogs energy and therefor diminish any aggressive redirection.

and reading back, no responsible pit owners will tell someone they are a good dog for a first time dog owner, or even someone who's had dogs but is nieve on how to train them.

 

[Kevin565]

People love to hate things they don't understand. Most of the "pitbull" cases I've seen aren't even true APBT. They've either been complete mutts or American Bullies.Obviously any dog could potentionally harm someone. I've known several APBT owners and none of them have ever said their dogs were harmless. They are all very aware of the power they have. I've personally worked around dogs for years now. I have never been bit by a APBT. However, I have been bit by several Labs and various small dogs.

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

Quote: I have never once in my 13 years in EMS seen a dog bite from a lab or Golden. I have lost count of the bites I have seen with pits. I have lost count on the number of pits I have had to have LEOs taze or pepper spray so I could go in an help the owner. And a pit was the only dog I have ever had to pull off of a 7 year old girl an shoot.

There are more dangerous dogs out there. But at least with those breeds the owners know it. With pits they always say they are harmless. always...

 

[Megan Amber]

Yeah I know! It's the little tiny dog's that are the dangerous ones right!? I love to hear people say "Oh she doesn't bite,don't worry" As they
slobber at the mouth wrassle around in the owners hand trying to get you!

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

Walk in to a house with a 3 pound dog an there is no question that one of the EMS people will be bit before we leave. Boots for a reason..