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.

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.


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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.