We may have a new addition to the household....

[AdoreMyDogs]

Rachel you did nothing wrong. Some people jump to conclusions and it's too bad. One sentence has produced some very irrational venting. It's a shame, you're such a nice girl. I also have found pits intimidating sometimes, although I've met lots of wonderful pits. It's ok to be concerned and it's ok to be nervous of an animal. Daisy and Delilah (sorry I don't know your name) couldn't have said it better.

I hope you come back soon.

[Pam]

I responded in the other thread where Rachel said that she is taking a break from PT but feel that, since this thread is probably the cause, I should reply here too. Some of you will not like this but it is my opinion and I am completely entitled to it. I MYSELF would never own a breed that has been in the news as much as pit bulls have. There are too many awesome dogs out there that come with no baggage or reputations. That is just my opinion.

I recently saw a show on Animal Planet where a dog (not a pittie) who had been rescued from a bad situation, had bitten a trainer who was working with him to rehabilitate him. The dog later on, after even more sessions with the trainer, bit him yet again. The trainer insisted that the dog not be put down and he would continue to work with it in the hopes of getting it adopted out. That program really made me mad. Why was so much time and effort but into rehabilitating that dog when it could very likely go to a home where it would bite yet again and maybe maul a child? Why not concentrate on getting some of the sweet souls who are languishing in shelters, and ultimately being PTS, adopted? I personally do not see putting anyone in a potentially harmful situation, no matter what the breed, but if someone else wants to adopt them that is fine. It is just not for me.

The subject of pit bulls is a heated one for sure, much like declawing a cat. People can really get nasty with their replies. At the end of the day, each of us has an opinion and we should be free to express them.

[4 Dog Mother]

Right on, Pam!

[Jadapit]

I MYSELF would never own a breed that has been in the news as much as pit bulls have. There are too many awesome dogs out there that come with no baggage or reputations. That is just my opinion.


You dont like the breed, fine I can respect that BUT being the owner of a pit bull, its hard for me to read all the bad things being said about them. Ebony has NO baggage. She is one of the best dogs around. The media only shows one side of the story when it comes to the pit bull breed. Its not right and its not fair.

I love the breed, its hard to see them being put down all the time. I'm sure not one of you would like to see the breed you love hated as much as the bully breeds. A whole lot of the "sweet souls" languishing" at the shelters happen to be the bully breeds. They will never get a chance for a home when people think and believe they are monsters that attack anything they see.

[caseysmom]

Hi Donna, I actually was worried about you through this whole thread and hoped you wouldn't see it. {{hugs}} by the way PICTURES!!!

[CountryWolf07]

I feel I need to make a final post on this issue.

First, I want to say, I'm not against the breed at all, but I do not like HOW they were trained for a lot of bad reasons, but okay YES, I was nervous and wary of the puppy, it did not matter how old to me. Why? It was more of HOW Anna and Rosie would react to this "new addition" to the household. My brother did not think this through. I am sorry to say this, but I knew all along, this would not work out for the puppy and he would have to return her to the owner. Was I scared to pet her? Was I scared to approach the puppy? No. I was excited, but I just had a gut feeling it wasn't going to work out. I did go out and buy her a collar, I offered. My brother did not know what to expect, he just FIGURED that Anna and Rosie would be just fine and dandy and just go along with their business, but that didn't happen. In fact, he never did any researching on the breed. HIS reason of why he rescued, RESCUED the puppy, was to KEEP HER SAFE and offer her a good home! He did not want her to fall into the hands of a wrongful individual who would raise her to fight. My brother has a huge heart for dogs, he would do anything. So I am just surprised, you would view me as someone that hates pit bulls, that's fine, because you thought wrong. I do not. I do, in fact, think they are WONDERFUL dogs, ONLY based on how their owners RAISE them. It's such a shame how their reputation is a bad one to the public. So WE DID TRY, we gave it a shot, and it did not work out. I'm not going to apologize for that, because I did nothing wrong. It didn't matter what breed we brought home, like someone said on this board, HUSKIES are very, very pack-orientated. That's what happened. So if you want to stay upset over this issue, why don't you go and scold my girls for it? C'mon, let's think about it. This is such a silly arguement that only has been caused over one or two sentences. If I don't make sense over what I'm saying, then it just means I am just not exactly what to say but say what I can say. That's all I wanted to say. Hopefully, you do know that I love dogs, but I do dislike some breeds for my own reasons, but hey, that's what having an opinion is all about.

[Daisy and Delilah]

Well said, Rachel.

Donna, I have to say that I hope nothing I said has offended you. I love your dogs. What the heck....I love dogs period. Sadly, some dogs(any breed)can be trained to be mean by their ignorant owners. This is certainly not the case with your gorgeous girls. It makes me crazy, every day, to know that entire breeds can be labeled by a few examples. Examples that were born innocent and corrupted by evil people.

I honestly don't think anyone on this board is grouping dogs together by breed alone. I would also love to see pictures of Ebony, Jada, and Diamond.

[K9soul]

I definitely think there is a difference between being anti-pit (or anti- any breed) and feeling more wary around them. Anti-pit people want them banned or extinct. I doubt anyone here, at least I would hope, wants that. It is another thing to be nervous or uneasy around a dog, or any creature, because of what it is capable of.

For example, plenty of people prefer small dogs because if something goes wrong, a small dog can do far less damage than a large dog. There are people afraid of a mastiff or great dane because if it nips, the potential for damage is MUCH greater than a smaller dog (As PT's Anna knows!). Now, if I were walking my dogs and saw a bully breed running up, I WOULD be on guard more than if it were a cocker spaniel or chihuahua. Why? Because if a fight breaks out, EVEN if it is MY dogs who start it, it is mostly likely going to be a very serious and possibly deadly fight, because bully breeds withstand pain well and do not tend to back down once a fight breaks out.

Bully breeds in general tend to have a much more physical type of play, I know even my friend Vela talks about how her boxers play very physically. I had a boxer at the dog park really overwhelm Raven with his play when she was younger and she was really panicked, but this boxer was just doing his normal bully type of play.

It's very possible in this situation that Rosie was overwhelmed by this pup and that at some point, Anna was likely to really lay into the new pup. I would have been nervous too in that situation. If at some point Anna had had enough and attacked the pup and she fought back, who knows what the outcome might have been.

That said, I feel that pits are not in the news because they are more unstable and have more baggage, but because when things do go wrong, due to their power and gameness, the outcomes are much more grim and thus make the news. I type ER reports for hours on end with my job and get many, many dog bite reports of all breeds, large and small and mixed. Some breeds of dogs require more caution and knowledge and crucial socialization and training, and it's best an owner be fully prepared and committed to do this.

[Ginger's Mom]

Well said, as always, Jessica.
Donna, I am sorry that you were hurt or angered by this thread.
Did everyone see the Petwarmers story this week? http://archive.mail-list.com/petwarmers/msg00647.html Talk about timing.

[luvofallhorses]

Pam,

with all due respect..
pit bulls DO NOT come with "baggage" - you have to be responsible and do right by them, that doesn't mean they come with "baggage" - EVERY dog deserves a second chance especially the pit bulls. they are very wonderful dogs and I am sorry some of you don't see that... we have had the best adoption rate with pit bulls where I work and make sure they fall into the right hands.

we screen people throughoughly for all the dogs especially the bully breeds. we make very sure they aren't failed again. I wish other shelters/rescues had that much luck placing pit bulls/bully breeds into the right homes like we do. Just because if they were treated badly doesn't mean you shouldn't adopt the dog, give the dog a real chance at a good life. and I am truly sorry it didn't work out for you Rachel.

any dog can bite and all the pit bulls I have known where I work wouldn't hurt a fly. of course you have some that aren't good with other dogs but that doesn't come with "baggage".. it can be worked with. I wouldn't call it "baggage" - this breed is very special and doesn't come with "baggage" - responsibility YES but "baggage" NO

Donna,

I am sorry this thread upset you. I too was hoping you wouldn't see it. I LOVE your dogs and also would LOVE to see new pictures of your beautiful girls. ((((HUGS))))

[Animalhouse26]

I don't post on here, But I am a Pro Pittie Person. Love the breed. and I own one.. and am Fostering one atm. I Will NEVER be without one. But if you disagree.. then Just say it a bit nicer next time LOL! I Love the breed.. and being that I do alot with my dogs.. I see how people respond...and I HATE IT. People cross the street when I walk my dogs. *Sigh* It is kinda sad when people come on a forum like this.. and get bashed on something. Everyone has there own opinion. And I personally will never own certain breeds.. But that is My opinion. And I know some people.. well, A lot of people dont like Pitties.. :-/ It is just something I grasped with owning one. If someone shows interest in learning about them.. AWSOME! But, they aren't for everyone. And Dogs.. any breed feel fear... And that is not a good thing to show around ANY breed. I think Maybe she should have had a different mind set going into the meeting.. But going in Thinking about how much you dont want one.. I dont think there could have been a more perfect pittie to make her want the dog. That is oK.. Some dogs aren't for others! That is how it works out.


ANyways, that is IMO! And I hope she comes back.. And maybe somewhere down the line she will find the perfect dog for her life.. and home.

[Husky_mom]

regarding the baggage issue... I think all dogs have baggage....some good some bad... but if they didn´t had then how would you know about them...

for instance, Huskies "baggage" would be high prey drive.... some show it some don´t... some people may find it annoying some may find it scary..... just as the post above if someone were talking about huskies as such a bad breed I would defend them but if they said they didn´t liked them, that´s fine... no breed is a gold nugget to be liked by all....

the good thing about this situation was that they realized they were not meant for certain breed and didn´t force the situation....

and I certainly think no one should feel upset, not even Donna, as a few have mentioned... why were you so afraid she saw this??...yes she has pits and we all love them, but there are people who just would not have them regardless of the publicity....In her shoes and in my case if this was a thread about a husky, I wouldn´t go insane calling stuff to the poster.. I would be mature enough to understand this certain breed (husky) is not for everyone and realize that what was done was the best thing for all those involved...

and certainly I wouldn´t want people saying "I hope Isabel doesn´t sees this"... why??... would I be upset.... no.... because every person know their limits and have their own choices... the situation would be soooooo different if the dog had been beaten, miscared, or somethign along those lines....

we all here love ALL dogs... but you know there are certain breed you would never have.... for whatever reason... barkiness, nippiness, lazyness, stubborn, way too active, too big, too small, too much hair, etc... and all that is the breed baggage....baggage is what comes with the breed and each indivicual has additional baggage based on how his/her life has been.....

[Pam]

I MYSELF would never own a breed that has been in the news as much as pit bulls have. There are too many awesome dogs out there that come with no baggage or reputations. That is just my opinion.


You dont like the breed, fine I can respect that BUT being the owner of a pit bull, its hard for me to read all the bad things being said about them. Ebony has NO baggage. She is one of the best dogs around. The media only shows one side of the story when it comes to the pit bull breed. Its not right and its not fair.

I love the breed, its hard to see them being put down all the time. I'm sure not one of you would like to see the breed you love hated as much as the bully breeds. A whole lot of the "sweet souls" languishing" at the shelters happen to be the bully breeds. They will never get a chance for a home when people think and believe they are monsters that attack anything they see.

Jadapit, if poodles were in the paper as often as pitbulls are I would have never owned a poodle either. No one here has said they hated the bully breeds. You are missing the point. It is about freedom to choose. I am glad that you have your dogs and they have you. Everyone should be able to do the same.

Yes my local shelters are full of pitties and pittie mixes. There are ads each week in the local paper where people are selling pittie puppies (inner city people) which obviously know nothing about breeding dogs. These are the very same dogs that wind up at the shelters shortly after, God only know what, has been done to them. You wonder why someone would hesitate to adopt such a dog? Please it is not about hating the breed but being informed as to make the best decision.