Yeah, I said pit bulls.
Here they are...
I know, I chose the dopeiest picture of the two (Hollis is the white one on the left, Clementine is the blue- that means this for dogs - brindle on the right), but I could've chosen a bunch of other goofy pics of the two...
They're spectacular, loving, kind, gentle dogs. They're the kind of dogs about which friends of ours have said after meeting them, "they didn't seem like pit bulls at all."
And it's that last part that's the kernel of today's post.
People think pit bulls are mean, vicious, terrifying, killer dogs. People look to ban pit bulls from their city. People read that pit bulls attack little children.
And I still own pit bulls.
And I foster pit bulls.
Because I've known a number of spectacular, gentle, loving pit bulls in my lifetime. My parents' first dog, the first dog in my home when I was born was a pit bull, a gorgeous, even-tempered, mostly black Staffordshire Terrier (a related if not identical breed to pit bulls) named Shebie.
I've been educated in the history of the pit bull breed (a bit of a misnomer as pit bull is a group of dogs, not a specific breed), and I know that the dogs that many people think are pit bulls aren't really pit bulls. Take this quick quiz to check your knowledge.
They can be trained to be vicious dogs, true. So can chihuahuas. So can German shepherds. So can miniature pinschers.
They can also be trained to be wonderful family dogs, loyal and protective, gentle with children and wonderfully intelligent.
Pit bulls can save lives. They can be police dogs.
No one should go into dog ownership - or pet ownership, really - blind, and if you're at all interested in learning more about pitties, do your research first and feel free to stop by one of the Adore-A-Bull adoption events.
And check out a recent Esquire article about The State of the American Dog. Good read...
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