Grrrrr..... I Hate Stupid People.

[Alysser]

I don't know why you guys are defending the older lady. Everyone does that with pit bulls these days and it makes me sad. I would be upset too. Maybe the lady isn't "stupid" I would call her uneducated but still I would never ask if a dog would bite me. She could have went a different way and not be so rude.

I love pit bulls. What if it was your dog the person was afraid of? Maybe you could live in her shoes for a minute and see how upset she was. I am sick of breed discrimination and I doubt that is the first and only lady to say that to her wonderful dogs. To KNOW them is to LOVE them.

I think it's a matter of educating rather then turning people off to the breed more. If she had not made the comment, and rather educated the women on Pitbulls a little bit and showed her a nice pitty maybe the women would have changed her mind on the subject. Instead, saying a comment may have turned her off more. While I hate breed discrimination, I don't by any means agree this lady was being "stupid". A better phrase for it would have been ignorant or close-minded, but not "stupid". You never know what kind of experience she could have had with dogs in the past, and honestly, walking into Lowe's a dog would be the last thing I'd expect to see. I've never seen a dog in that store before

Mikey is seen as a pitbull to quite a few people, I've gotten it maybe like 3 times - people asking if he's a pit. There's one guy who walks with his kid around the neighborhood and when he sees me and Mikey he goes across the street. I thought that was kinda weird..but I don't know. Maybe the little girl's afraid of dogs or maybe just more ignorance about someone thinking he's a pit and being scared.

[*LabLoverKEB*]

I totally agree with Catlady 711.

IMO, it would have been FAR better if you would have said something like, "Actually, most pit bulls are very sweet, they just get a bad rap from the press. He's very nice, and won't hurt you at all. His name is Phoenix. Would you like to pet him?" You always catch more flies with honey than with vinegar. The goal is to educate and inform, not embarass and alienate.

Couldn't agree more.
My mom isn't that fond if pitties- doesn't make her 'stupid'.
As most know, Pit Bulls can be fabulous dogs- IF they are raised in the right environment, and with the right person. As you stated, not all pit bulls are bad. But, unfortunately, they also have the potential to be aggressive when given the right opportunity. This is due to bad breeding and training.

That woman was just uneducated about the breed.

[apbtmom76]

**** SO I'm gonna multi quote a few times to be able to answer all of you****

I think he looks simply dashing in his camo! Then again, he's soo pretty- I mean handsome in the first place!
I bet that lady was just uninformed and she didn't mean anything buy it.

Why thank you, he loves his jacket,a sh eknows that when it gets cold here, well for Texas anywayz, that he get sto wear it, lol. ANd I call him a pretty boy too, it's ok, Uninformed is one thing, and you are prolly right.

Perhaps this person had a previous bad experience with this type of dog that made her fearful of him, but that doesn't make her stupid IMO. I have to admit that I feel somewhat intimidated by them, but I have also met a couple that were big old pussy cats and I had no fear of them.

I also think it's wise to be leery of any dog that you don't know, whether it be a little Chihuahua or a big Rottie. Both can inflict a nasty bite! To say this person was stupid is extreme and unfair, if you don't know the circumstances behind what she said.

Well I have had bad expierences with horses and a few dogs, even a APBT, does that mean I should not learn or try to educate myself on that or maybe just maybe not assume something, and as I stated a the bottom of that OP, stupid can mean a lot of things, ignorance, misinformation, uneducated, whatever ya like to call is still stupidity.

I too think it wise to be leary, I am cautious when I approach new dogs or any animal for that matter, and true that they can both inflict a nasty bite as well as a cat, snake, lizard, horse,etc. But I understand what you are saying.

By having well behaved dogs, you're setting a good example for Pit Bulls. And then 5 people came to pet him. Showed how stupid the lady was.

Thanks CP, I WORK VERY HARD to make sure ALL of my dogs are well trained and properly behaved in public and at home or anywhere for that fact, I know what I own and wanted good breed ambassadors

Next time you could say "He never would, but I might!"

Keep smiling, we will change attitudes one person at a time!

hahah I have said that once, too funny thanks karen

Know this first, I LOVE pits!! They're my second fav breed (right behind rotties). And both have been nailed unfairly with a bad reputation by the media.
Yes they have.

I understand you were angry with what I assume is constant misinformation you hear about your dog all the time, and I'm sure that frustrates you. But I think you overreacted a bit.
I overreacted, how so, I was nice as could be with a smile on my face, me over reacting would be for me to have yelled at her and told her she was rude and to go a diferent way that YES my dog would bite her, but then I would have just showed her exactly what she was looking for, so I really was nice, I wasn't sarcastic, i just said it nicely and calmly.


First of all you said it was an older lady. Older people tend to be more cautious than younger people might around an animal they don't know.
As I have an elderly grandmother who for years called me EVERY night to tell me, not the dogs I own now, but tohers in the past, would rip out my throat in my sleep at night, and I mean every night, now I cannot go visit with out taking Phoenix, he has completely changed her mind about these dogs, NOW does that mean that she would go up and pet any pit bull, no, so I can understand this.

I don't know about where you live, but where I live the only dogs allowed in Lowes are service dogs, which usually have their vests clearly marked as such. Your dog was wearing a camo shirt (which might remind one of an army fighting soldier) and (based on the picture) a large collar and chain (which might say to an observer that this dog is hard to control). I'm just telling you what it might look like to someone who isn't familiar with dogs, or this breed.
There is a sign on the Lowe's door about the service dogs, but it does not say anywhere that the genral public cannot bring theirs in. I have a therapy dog so I know about the vests and patches and laws. Hmm so because he wears a 2" collar with is name emboridered on it and all of his tags on it, with a choke chain mean he is hard to control? Wow I never looked at it that way, so if he had had a prong collar on would that have made a differnce? I like to have control of my dogs at all times, but I can understand where ya coming from on this one too.

You don't know what her situation is. Her only exposure to pits may have been the tons of bad reports of attacks she see's on the news. It's possible she's never seen a real live pit in person before.
That is what upset me, she just assumed something, not cool. SO she had to be rude and say that to me instead of asking?

You also don't know that she doesn't already have a fear of dogs, I mean ANY dog. My grandmother was attacked as a child by a pack of wild dogs, after that she was deathly afraid of any dog, and almost all animals in general including cats and birds.
I am sorry to hear about your grandmother, must have been terrible for her, as I have a huge fear of snakes, I can understand.

I don't think the lady was 'stupid'. I think she encountered a dog she didn't know, that has a bad media reputation, in a store that you normally don't think of as a pet place. Since you didn't mention that she asked her question in a nasty tone of voice, I assume she was being cautious and polite in trying to go through by asking you first.
As I stated stupid to me can mean a lot of things, I am not the most educated person but if I am stupid about something then I educate myself about it, like snakes, ow I live with one, *shivers*

By your smart remark to her,you missed your chance to show her that not all pits are bad and have now given her the impression that pit owners are rude as well.

As I stated I wasn't sarcastic or rude, i simply put it plainly and she went on about her business, and for people like her I make up for it with the next 5 people that came to pet him

[apbtmom76]

I love Pheonix and screw what everyone says about him. Just smile and keep walking. I don't the OP is in the wrong, I would have done the same thing.

And he loves his Krista I guess if people knew me they would know I was being tame with the whole situation, lol

I guess that would make me stupid too because I'm deathly afraid of Pits. Not because I've ever had a bad experience myself but because of the media and how some little kids were badly mauled by one. I'm also very unstable on my feet so I know I would never stand a chance against one. Do I hate them? No, of course not, I love all dogs. But I would be just as afraid to pass next to one as that elderly lady was, I probably wouldn't ask the question she did but I would wait till the dog was gone before passing.
I have large breed dogs myself that many people fear because they don't know my dogs, am I offended? Not at all, If someone shows fear regardless of the circumstance I reassure them and move my dogs away from them.

So you hav never thought to educate yourself about the breed, you would rather remain one of the people we fight with BSL, who think that our breed should be banned for what they are, a breed? Well I too am a bit unsteady on my feet as I have a few back problems, Phoenix is with me to be my dog of all trades, lol, he helps me do a lot of things.

I don't know why you guys are defending the older lady. Everyone does that with pit bulls these days and it makes me sad. I would be upset too. Maybe the lady isn't "stupid" I would call her uneducated but still I would never ask if a dog would bite me. She could have went a different way and not be so rude.

I love pit bulls. What if it was your dog the person was afraid of? Maybe you could live in her shoes for a minute and see how upset she was. I am sick of breed discrimination and I doubt that is the first and only lady to say that to her wonderful dogs. To KNOW them is to LOVE them.

is all I will say to that, tahnks Krista, I do try so very ahrd to be a responsible owner and show people the GOOD side of this wonderful breed, I change minds, my crew makes sure of that

[apbtmom76]

People who don't know dogs can be tough to deal with.

I "think" I know something about dogs. I never go near a dog I don't know unless I ask first. No, I don't ask, "will it bite me." I DO ask if the dog is friendly, may I pet it' or "is it OK to pass or would you prefer I go around" or some such.

Not knowing much about dogs, she may just not have known the proper way to ask what she was trying to determine.

I also agree with Catlady711 --
- unknown dog
- older person
- camo jacket
- HUGE collar, leash and choke chain


Don't take it personally. Folks often ask me, "do they bite?" If I am in a mood, I reply "only from the ankles down."
LOVE Karen's suggestion!

Ok so seems he, Phoenix, is being stereotyped for his collar that he has on, Penny, Phoebe and Orion all wear a 1 1/2" collar and Penny has one of tose bully harnesses, does that make her mean, oh yeah she is an epileptic and a certified therapy dog. Phoenix does weight pull and the collar goes with his weight pull harness and lead, and is embroidered with his name on it with ALL of his tags on it.

He only has a huge collar because pit bulls necks are thick.

hahaha this is Neener we are talking about, the dog who pulls 3,300 lbs.

[apbtmom76]

I think you are being a tad over sensitive but then aren't we all when it comes to our beloved pets.
I would not call the lady stupid either, but perhaps she should have thought before she spoke, she could have said something like oh what a cute dog, is he friendly to strangers? i think it is all about the approach really, so i get why you felt annoyed.

Although i have to say down under the ONLY reports i have ever seen about dog attacks have mostly been pit bulls, so i think the Media has a big responsibility here in how they are portrayed, it makes people even myself wary of them.

Again not being over sensitive, wehn you own this breed you have to have thick skin, I really was being nice to her, lol. No what see what the media wants you to see and what they "think" is a pit bull or a mix there of, it is not always true. But I do understand.

I totally agree with Catlady 711.

My mother, who is 80 years old, would have been terrified of walking past your dog as well. She is by no means stupid. She is old, frail and raised in a different generation.

Many, many times I have seen posts here about how frustrating and potentially dangerous it is when people approach our dogs without asking. So this lady asks and she's "stupid"?

I understand how angry the "pit bull" comment made you. I've been told the same thing many times with foster, rescue and shelter bully breeds in tow. But, honestly, all you did was alienate her further, not only toward the breed, but now to the breed's owners as well.

IMO, it would have been FAR better if you would have said something like, "Actually, most pit bulls are very sweet, they just get a bad rap from the press. He's very nice, and won't hurt you at all. His name is Phoenix. Would you like to pet him?" You always catch more flies with honey than with vinegar. The goal is to educate and inform, not embarass and alienate.

And my grandmother is the same age as your mom and she too was terrified and I do mean that til she met my Phoenix, as I stated before that does not by any means mean she will walk up and jus tpet any pit bull. But yes I told my grandmother she needed to educate ehrself and not be stupid to the whole thing, well I said ignorant, and agin if I alienated her then I made hugs progress with the 5 people who came over to pet him and say what a handsome boy he was. And I have said that I really was being nice, so IMO she can take it the way she takes it. Sorry is how I feel.

My mother is terrified of "mean" looking dogs. She knows they won't attack, but they still scare her. She always thinks they know that she's afraid of them and will attack just her. hehehe. So I can see where people who are afraid come from. Sometimes it's not because they're uneducated or stupid... it's just because they are AFRAID!!! If people owned spiders... I would FLIP out if people brought them to a store!!!! LOL!!!! Ewww... creepy little nasty things.

I get lots of things about dalmatians also... oh they're just stupid dogs... or I even get that dalmatians are aggressive. They quickly learn differently when I show them Delta or Honda's tricks or when they meet them... they find out how loveable they are.

I have to say that the media has put a stigma on these dogs, and while I know these dogs can be total sweethearts... it's usually not the case where I come from. I always feel the need to show how sweet these dogs are and always welcome them with open arms, but there will always be that nagging in the back of my head. If someone says "Oh no, here comes a pit bull" at the dog park I am always the first one to pet it. I always allow my dogs to play with pit bulls.

What I would figure, is that if you had him in public, then obviously he's not vicious. BTW, his coat is adorable!!!!!! I love it!

I can understand fear, as I am deathly afraid of snakes and spiders, but I now live with a snake in the house, when I swore my whole life I never would, and I have to go to the pet store to get live rats for him and they have spiders in ages onthe counter, see I just shivered, lmaoo. And Dals are awesome dogs, all of them are if properly taken care of and trained. The nedia has played a HUGE role in how this breed is viewed that is the truth. See tht is what I tell ppl, if he was mean do you really think I would bring him in public, but I can't say that, i have seen ppl do that also, lol. Thank you I got his jacket at Wal-Mart.

I would have been very disturbed to have seen that dog in Lowe's. I never would have expected to see a dog, any dog, in a store like that. In Petsmart, fine. In Lowe's, no way.

Well I'm sorry to hear that.

[apbtmom76]

I think it's a matter of educating rather then turning people off to the breed more. If she had not made the comment, and rather educated the women on Pitbulls a little bit and showed her a nice pitty maybe the women would have changed her mind on the subject. Instead, saying a comment may have turned her off more. While I hate breed discrimination, I don't by any means agree this lady was being "stupid". A better phrase for it would have been ignorant or close-minded, but not "stupid". You never know what kind of experience she could have had with dogs in the past, and honestly, walking into Lowe's a dog would be the last thing I'd expect to see. I've never seen a dog in that store before

Mikey is seen as a pitbull to quite a few people, I've gotten it maybe like 3 times - people asking if he's a pit. There's one guy who walks with his kid around the neighborhood and when he sees me and Mikey he goes across the street. I thought that was kinda weird..but I don't know. Maybe the little girl's afraid of dogs or maybe just more ignorance about someone thinking he's a pit and being scared.

As I said stupid can mean a lot of things, so yes to me she was stupid. And there is NO sign that says dogs are not allowed. And I have had that happen on more than one occassion but I just laugh and keep walking with ALL 3 of the big dogs to show them how well behaved a pack of pit bulls can be

Couldn't agree more.
My mom isn't that fond if pitties- doesn't make her 'stupid'.
As most know, Pit Bulls can be fabulous dogs- IF they are raised in the right environment, and with the right person. As you stated, not all pit bulls are bad. But, unfortunately, they also have the potential to be aggressive when given the right opportunity. This is due to bad breeding and training.

That woman was just uneducated about the breed.

a TRUE American Pit Bull Terrier was NEVER meant to be human aggressive, if they showed any signs they should be culled, even at 5 years of age, no matter what, but most of the time it is at birth, people are to soft and think it's ok for a pit bull to be mean to people, they encourage it and you have the underground whorld of street dog fighting, those are the dogs you see inthe news, but YES they do have the potential to be very dog aggressive at any given time.

[pomtzu]

I would have been very disturbed to have seen that dog in Lowe's. I never would have expected to see a dog, any dog, in a store like that. In Petsmart, fine. In Lowe's, no way.

Exactly!!

I don't know what part of the country the OP lives in, but around here, and everywhere else that I'm aware of, a dog would never get past the front door of any store (other than Petsmart), unless it was a service dog.

This is simply put, a matter of public safety, and the store would be held liable if a dog inflicted any injury on a patron.

Can you imagine if every Tom, Dick and Harry brought their dog into the store with them??? I imagine there would be a sanitation issue also.

Signed by,
Stupid

[apbtmom76]

Exactly!!

I don't know what part of the country the OP lives in, but around here, and everywhere else that I'm aware of, a dog would never get past the front door of any store (other than Petsmart), unless it was a service dog.

This is simply put, a matter of public safety, and the store would be held liable if a dog inflicted any injury on a patron.

Can you imagine if every Tom, Dick and Harry brought their dog into the store with them??? I imagine there would be a sanitation issue also.

Signed by,
Stupid

Well as I live down south, so I am still in the US, if there is no sign that says dogs are not allowed then why can't I take him in there and I understand, I relly do, but I am not Tom, or Dick or Harry, I am a responsible APBT owner who has wonderful breed ambassadors that do NOT deserve to be stereotyped, so you are saying my dog is dirty and shouldn't be allowed in because he is a pit bull and not a service dog, nice. Wow, thanks for the lesson stupid I appreciate it

[pomtzu]

Well as I live down south, so I am still in the US, if there is no sign that says dogs are not allowed then why can't I take him in there and I understand, I relly do, but I am not Tom, or Dick or Harry, I am a responsible APBT owner who has wonderful breed ambassadors that do NOT deserve to be stereotyped, so you are saying my dog is dirty and shouldn't be allowed in because he is a pit bull and not a service dog, nice. Wow, thanks for the lesson stupid I appreciate it

You are taking offense to a simple statement of fact. No one said your dog is dirty or that you are not a responsible pet owner, nor am I stereotyping your dog. I was simply pointing out that this does not apply to ALL dogs or pet owners.

However, anyone can claim to be responsible, but that doesn't mean that they are. I applaud that you are, but that still doesn't amount to a hill of beans IF your dog were to injure someone. And don't say it NEVER would, since anything is possible. The point I was TRYING to get across, is that it would be potentially unsafe and unsanitary if dogs were allowed in stores at will.

No response necessary, because it appears that you are looking for an argument, while I was only telling it like it is.

[Tora Oni]

I've never been bite by a dog, technically because it never pierced the skin, one was an Aussie, and the other was Rottie. So if I ask someone else I just ask if they are Friendly since I know that asking if they bite or are mean is kinda rude way of putting it. I mean use to get that with my Chessie/mix. I know how it can irratate one, since its like Why would I let him in a place full of people so I can get a law suite? Yeah I would love it if you got bite by my dog so you can put him to sleep and sue me for half my fortune. Thats kinda what I think to myself, but I just simply tell them he won't bite. I've never really held it against the dogs for trying to bite me, after all they are misunderstood.

Your dog is really pretty boy, I love his coloring and he has such a sweet face, I think the dobermans are cute dog and funny thing is there are plenty of people who can't recognize one without its ears cropped and docked tail. So don't take it too harshly that the world is blind. I must congragulate you on having one and taking it out to show the world Hey my dog, isn't mean and he is part of the bully breed.

[MonicanHonda]

Oops, wrong board... sorry guys!

[Tora Oni]

Oh the conversation about stores... I wouldn't want to see somebody bring in their pets to a grocerry store, but hardware isn't and issue. I wish there were more resturants that provided petfriendly stores, Like coffee house or something I mean I understand why not every coffe house wants pets in causes extra fuss and allergy issues. I mean seems funny to want a resturant to accept pets but not grocerry store, Can't explain that one other than its hard to keep your pets away from the lower shelvings, and a the size fo a store like Wal-mart verses a cafe.

[apbtmom76]

I am not lookin for trouble, I cam here as a pet owner and a responsible one at that, I never expected to slammed for actaully being nice to someone and that my dog would offend so many people, seems that this may not be the place for me and my wonderful American Pit Bull Terriers after all, I wish you all good day. Happ yHolidays

[Asiel]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Asiel
I guess that would make me stupid too because I'm deathly afraid of Pits. Not because I've ever had a bad experience myself but because of the media and how some little kids were badly mauled by one. I'm also very unstable on my feet so I know I would never stand a chance against one. Do I hate them? No, of course not, I love all dogs. But I would be just as afraid to pass next to one as that elderly lady was, I probably wouldn't ask the question she did but I would wait till the dog was gone before passing.
I have large breed dogs myself that many people fear because they don't know my dogs, am I offended? Not at all, If someone shows fear regardless of the circumstance I reassure them and move my dogs away from them.

So you hav never thought to educate yourself about the breed, you would rather remain one of the people we fight with BSL, who think that our breed should be banned for what they are, a breed? Well I too am a bit unsteady on my feet as I have a few back problems, Phoenix is with me to be my dog of all trades, lol, he helps me do a lot of things.



Where in my post did I bring up the BSL??? I wasn't even thinking about it until I read your reply. I said I feared pits but I also said I loved ALL dogs . I also said many people fear my dogs because of their size. I don't call these people stupid, I try to reassure them and move my dog my dog away from them.
Try not to be so defensive about our responses, it makes it look like there really is something to fear if you have to act up to defend your breed.