Pit Bull Blog

 

by Lindsay Biddle

As I browse the various APBT message boards that are out there, someone invariably starts the topic “what does someone need to be a good APBT owner?”  Predictably, posters will answer with an ideal that usually falls in line with their own personal blend of dog ownership.  (In short, they describe an owner like themselves.)  Additionally, many people will respond that it is either the amount of Pit Bulls you have owned, or what is in your dog supply cabinet, or sometimes even where you live which establish your value as a potential APBT owner.  Example: “A good Pit Bull owner has experience in the breed and owns their own home with a 6-foot fence!”

There is something to be said for a wealth of experience working with these dogs, and one would hope that someone who has always owned Pit Bulls would be a good potential Pit Bull owner.  But let’s face the hard truth here: we all know someone who boasts years of experience owning (or worse, “raising”) these dogs, but the more we listen to them talk, the more we wonder if anything they’ve experienced has sunk in.  On the other hand, have you ever met a fresh-faced newbie to the breed that seems to ask all the right questions and just have their head screwed on straight?  I have, and I would much rather see an APBT given to a new owner with massive potential than an “old head” that is so set in their ways they will never see where they can improve.

Now I tend to agree that it is a good idea to have strong equipment and fencing with APBTs, but isn’t that putting a very fine point on things?  I have seen owners quibble over what type of clasp is acceptable on a leash, with one faction insisting that a bolt snap will always inevitably break and therefore only a bull snap will do.  Others protest loudly that a 4-foot chain link fence can never hold a Pit Bull, that the dog must be securely chained and the fence heightened to a minimum of 6 feet to keep other animals from climbing over.  The truly hardcore only use 2-inch, 4-ply collars with a heavy D-ring on them, because everybody knows that the superlative Pit Bull can promptly break through anything less substantial.

The endless perspectives on equipment types are always going to be colored by what a particular owner has had success or failure with.  Somewhere, at some time, an APBT (and probably even a Cocker Spaniel) has managed to undermine every single leash, fence, and high-tech device in existence.  Man-made items fail, and dogs will always do something that we previously believed them incapable of.  That is the way of the world.

As there is a kernel of truth in every ridiculous statement, I can also see the wisdom and advisability of owning your own home somewhere way out in the country, or preferably on an island, all secluded and peaceful, surrounded by 8-foot fencing and sentry guns for dog thieves and cats.  It sounds quite nice in theory and if you know someone selling a place like that, let me know.  I think, however, we need to accept the fact that many people live in town, sometimes in a big city, sometimes downtown, sometimes in the suburbs, sometimes in an apartment.  Why do we automatically pre-empt the downtown apartment dweller and promote the person with the big ranch outside town?  Is it because the apartment dweller must provide their exercise on leash, or because they are going to run into more challenges convincing their landlord to let them have an APBT?  If the ranch-dweller sells the farm and buys a smaller home in a more populous area, do they automatically become unsuitable, or are they graciously exempt from judgment at least until they purchase the Retractable Leash of Doom?

I think it is silliness, borderline lunacy, to believe that a person cannot possibly make a good candidate for APBT ownership based on such flimsy criteria.  Perhaps someday in an ideal world we will see all bulldog owners allotted super-fenced acreage, an endless supply of horse leads, and automatic cranial downloads which allow them to be experienced without getting their hands dirty.  But at present, we need to guide potential newcomers to the breed with sensible and balanced information, not deride them because their last dog was a toy poodle. 

To evaluate myself as an APBT owner: I did start out growing up around big dogs (shepherds, Rotties, Akitas, and later Pit-types), so perhaps there is an advantage there.  But while I’ve been reading about dogs since I was 12 years old and touching them since I was brand new, it is my desire to continue to grow which makes me what I am, not my prior experience.  I’ve got tons of equipment by now after many years and way too much spending (and believe it or not, my preferred lead for most purposes is still a 5/8″ leather job with a simple bolt snap.)  I’ve only had the pleasure of a (fence-less) house in the boonies once, with my dogs mostly being raised in the suburbs behind fences that ranged from stockade greatness to less-than-complete.

Am I unsuitable?  Is it really anybody’s place to judge, or should the evaluation be based more upon what I’ve accomplished and whether or not my dogs are kept healthy, happy, and safe?  I think if they could speak for themselves, they’d tell you that I’ve done just fine.

To come back to the original question, “what does someone need to be a good APBT owner,” I go more for the intangibles. 

First, someone needs to be inclined to dog ownership generally, in all its glory and hair-pulling.  They need to understand that a dog is a living animal that operates outside our human code of conduct, and which needs to be taught proper guidelines for behavior.  They need to realize that dogs eat, poop, shed, bark, poop some more, chew, dig, and generally do things that we may disagree with.  They need to accept that a dog is going to demand a portion of their time, some dogs demanding more than others.  They need to be prepared to exercise, train, feed, get veterinary care, spend more money than they thought possible, and generally just provide good care for their animal.  This is all very basic stuff, but its amazing how some will pretend they forget that a Pit Bull is still first and foremost a dog.

“What does someone need to be a good APBT owner?”  They need common sense.  They need adaptability.  They need problem-solving skills.  No matter how we listen and absorb information, those mistakes are still out there, waiting to happen.  A mistake with an APBT does have the potential to be nastier than a mistake with a less controversial dog, but people of intellect and determination find a way to get past it.  It does not really matter that your dog chewed a big hole in your fence and got loose.  What matters is how you rise to the challenge afterward.  If you find yourself in a flurry of hand-wringing and debating with yourself about whether or not to “get rid of” the dog, stop right there and rethink your suitability to own any dog.  If your thought pattern is more thinking about how to mend the fence and prevent it from happening again, give yourself a bonus point for dog (and even APBT) ownership awesomeness.

To wrap it up as neatly as I can, our brain is the most important piece of equipment when it comes to owning a Pit Bull.  It is not our leash, our fence, how many dogs we’ve laid hands on, or to what extent we are just like you.

With time and the will to succeed, all things are possible.  Perhaps with time we all end up buying horse leads and moving out in the country because we feel that those things are better for the breed.  But I think we cannot ignore the contribution that a well-bred if non-conforming newbie brings to the table.  A good dog owner is a good dog owner, no matter what breed they’re walking.  If they happen to be walking an APBT, we need to be grateful for the favor they do us just by choosing to be involved with our breed.

by Lindsay Biddle

I realize as I’m writing this that a lot of what I’m going to say is going to sound like sour grapes.  I suppose a little clarification is in order.  Prior to 2008, Loki and I did performance events exclusively and I know there are days when my dog is not going to be performing as she should, or times when I made a stupid mistake that cost us that leg we were working for.  Losing doesn’t bother me, when it is to a better dog that is clearly deserving of the win.  We live to compete another day. 

What I have a problem with is watching a dog leave the ring with its tail tucked while the handler is carrying the blue ribbon.  What breed are we looking at when we see that?  I don’t know about you, but when I’m in the breed ring, I am there to compete against American Pit Bull Terriers.  You know the one; that bold, fearless breed which was designed to look death in the face and challenge it.  I speak of the breed whose temperament is described as such: 

“The essential characteristics of the American Pit Bull Terrier are strength, confidence, and zest for life. This breed is eager to please and brimming over with enthusiasm. … extremely friendly, even with strangers. … Disqualification: Viciousness or extreme shyness.” - excerpt from the UKC Standard 

“Confident and alert.  Interested in things around them, in control of their space, not threatened by anything in their surroundings.  Gentle with loved ones.  Faults: Shy or timid.” — excerpt from the ADBA standard 

Even the APBT’s little brother, the AmStaff, has this written about temperament: 

“…keenly alive to his surroundings … His courage is proverbial.” - excerpt from the AKC standard for the American Staffordshire Terrier 

So when I take my happy, up-beat, judge-kissing dog into the ring and we are going up against a dog that will not gait without bellying down, that is a no-brainer for me.  Every dog can have a bad day, and I am not saying to disqualify these dogs that are showing fear and apprehension in the ring.  However, the judge’s job is to evaluate which is the best dog on that given day.  If a dog will not stack up without cowering, will not gait without being coddled along, it is not the best dog that day.  Its type may be beautiful, and there may be promise of a bold, courageous dog later on, but the dog should not win that day.  To allow the practice of putting up cringing, beautiful dogs over their faulted, outgoing competitors is a travesty. 

Just how important is temperament?  Well, in our breed it should be key.  The APBT is a gladiator.  How would you feel sharing space with an incredible warrior-like machine that was so petrified with fear that it might decide to nail you first before you can hurt it?  Let’s face it; when the fear gets bad enough, any dog can be pushed into biting.  Our breed may be required to have a round eye, well-turned stifle, low tailset, but it is the temperament that plays such a huge role in making the APBT what it should be. 

When I go into the ring, I try to keep notes on who was doing the judging and what they picked.  Its not that I avoid judges who put up a different kind of dog, but more that I have had more than enough of judges who are so wrapped up in physical beauty that they forget the big picture.  At this point, I have a list of judges that I’ve liked — most of whom have not picked my dog, by the way, but were fair in their judging and explained why they picked the way they did - and those that I will avoid in the future.  Some of the reasons I’ve noted for avoidance include “K.S. - dumped Terra for fearful puppy,” or “J.H. - yelled ‘no’ at squirmy puppies.”  (The latter was ridiculous, but the former is the real bite.) 

I went to a show in May of 2008 in Oklahoma.  There were some very nice dogs there, and we did our share of losing all weekend.  In 3 of the 4 shows, I could not tell you who I lost to because losing to good APBTs is not noteworthy to me.  However, when we went in the ring for puppy female against a very pretty but very scared little bitch, you would have thought we had that win in the bag.  The dog we were going up against was not a happy camper.  There was no way the judge could have evaluated her movement since she refused to gait.  My goofy girl wasn’t an old pro, but she did gait around the ring with her head and tail up, and she did greet the judge with a wiggle rather than a cringe.  That’s the way it should be with puppies.  Imagine my disgust when the judge handed the blue ribbon to the other female who was overall terrified by her ring experience.  

At the UKC APBT Nationals this year, I was again showing my girl.  She took senior female and was going up against two others for Best Female.  One was a very nice breeder/handler girl that I figured would take the win.  The other was a cute little female with lots of white that was just not comfortable being in the ring.  She did not want to gait and kept bellying down.  So you would think that my girl would have taken the reserve win after the beautiful B/H bitch.  Nope.  We left the ring with nothing as the judge was telling the handler of the white dog “(couldn’t hear what she said first)… but I like it.” 

Honored judge, if you like fear over the “keenly alive” animal the APBT is supposed to be, you would be doing the breed a favor if you surrendered your judge’s license.  Conformation shows are intended to evaluate breeding stock, so presumably most dogs who go on to win their CH or GRCH go on to also be bred.  By encouraging this animal to go on and win more, you are also encouraging the procreation of fearful dogs.  

Judges only have a few minutes in the ring with each animal to get a good feel for what they’re about, and yes, they might miss something.  However, if a dog is clearly broadcasting that they want nothing to do with the judge or anything around them, that should be the eliminating factor right there.  If they are simply having a bad day, they will live to show another day and any handler with sense will understand why they lost.  But it is flat ridiculousness to allow that dog to beat out another that is having a very good day and is exuding the love of life that the APBT is supposed to have. 

So there you have it, my beef for the day (or decade).  Judges, quit making excuses for fearful dogs in the ring, or for human-aggressive dogs for that matter.  This breed is not intended to be gorgeous but untouchable.  If you have a ring full of dogs with correct, outgoing, happy, space-owning temperament, then you decide which has the tighter feet, better front angulation, flatter head planes, etc.  But if an APBT is petrified, who cares how beautiful it is?

by Lindsay Biddle

(Warning, the following is pure satire.  Don’t read if you’re freakishly sensitive.)

 

Don’t get a Pit Bull unless you have at least 10 years’ experience in the breed.

Don’t get a Pit Bull if you’re under the age of 30 because you have to have financial and hormonal stability in order to cope with one of these dogs.

Don’t get a Pit Bull if you’re over the age of 40 because you have to be young and strong in order to handle the breed’s strength and exercise requirements.

Don’t get a Pit Bull from a breeder because you’ll be supporting the misery and suffering of puppy mill dogs and you know you’d be just as happy with a nice pit mix from the shelter.

Don’t get a Pit Bull from a shelter because you have no earthly idea if it’s well-bred or descended from a long line of man-biters.

Don’t get a Pit Bull mix, like, ever since it might be mixed with chupa cabra and you never mix chupa cabra and Pit Bull unless you want to lay waste to a few dozen cities.

Don’t get a Pit Bull if you have kids because they’re just too much dog to have around the young ones.

Don’t get a Pit Bull if you live alone because the dog will be neurotic without a minimum of 5 people around it at all times.

Don’t get a Pit Bull if you rent since it is impossible to get a landlord to allow this breed.

Don’t get a Pit Bull if you live in the city because all the hand-walking in the world would never keep one of these dogs happy.

Don’t get a Pit Bull in the suburbs because legions of soccer moms will run you out with pitchforks.

Don’t get a Pit Bull if you live in the country because there are just too many yucky bugs and these dogs have sensitive skin.

Don’t get a Pit Bull if you want it to be a companion for your current dog.  Might as well get a wolf to keep your steak dinner company.

Don’t keep a Pit Bull without exposing it to other dogs because you will cause inner scarring on its delicate psyche and fail to fulfill its needs as a social pack animal.

Don’t keep your Pit Bull at home because it needs socialization and exposure to lots of different situations and people and stuff.

Don’t take your Pit Bull outside because the world is a scary place full of diseases and just ew.

Don’t socialize your Pit Bull around children because those things are just annoying.

Don’t expose your Pit Bull to too many different people because then you’ll never have a dog suitable for guarding your collection of rare vinyl albums.

Don’t crop your Pit Bull’s ears.  That’s just cruel.  How would you like to have your ears lopped off with hedge trimmers?

Don’t leave your Pit Bull’s ears intact.  They just look silly and they might be at a disadvantage if they ever encounter one of those ear-pulling disciplinarian-type grandmothers.  Or a bear.

Don’t neuter your Pit Bull before 5 years of age because you will rob it of vital hormonal juiciness it needs to grow up big and strong.

Don’t neuter your Pit Bull later than 5 months of age because it might get testicular cancer.

For the love of all that is good, don’t breed your Pit Bull.  This is the canine equivalent of murder and jaywalking all rolled in one.

Don’t ever use a retractable leash with a Pit Bull.  What do you think you’re walking, a poodle?

Don’t use a quick-release collar on a Pit Bull because its just not strong enough and the dog will surely break loose and wreak havoc.

Don’t use a spiked collar on your Pit Bull unless you really dig pain.

Don’t use a martingale-style collar.  That’s almost as bad as a choke chain or a prong collar (which are both the Devil) and will surely throttle your dog to death if you turn your back.  In fact, don’t use a collar on your Pit Bull at all because it’s just not worth the risk.

Don’t be so stupid as to leave your Pit Bull collar-less.  Its, like, against the law and just, well… stupid.

Don’t put your name on your Pit Bull’s tags because then a stranger might read them and be able to call your dog by name, and everybody knows that a Pit Bull will never go with a stranger that doesn’t know its full and proper name.

Which reminds me, don’t use nicknames with your Pit Bull.  The breed has an image to uphold, you know.  While we’re at it, don’t ever put cute froo froo stuff on your Pit Bull, like bandanas or sweaters.  Nobody’s fooled, and these dogs don’t get cold anyway.

Don’t register your Pit Bull with the city because the super-secret covert ops agents will swoop down on your home and carry your dog off in a black helicopter.

Don’t own an unregistered Pit Bull or you make baby Jesus cry.

Don’t thump your Pit Bull on the head.  Not sure why anybody would need to be told this, but it’s sound advice at any rate.

Don’t play fetch with your Pit Bull because you will surely hurt its joints as well as the joints of innocent bystanders.  Besides, it involves letting your Pit Bull off-leash which you definitely don’t do.

Don’t bike with your Pit Bull because they will eventually pull to the wrong side of a telephone pole and you will die. 

Don’t own an untrained Pit Bull ‘cuz that’s just as bad as leaving a machine gun on your front lawn.

Don’t take your Pit Bull to group classes because it will definitely grab another dog and create massive media headlines.

Don’t show your Pit Bull in UKC dog shows because it will definitely break that silly little shoestring leash and wipe out the surrounding dog population.

Don’t show your Pit Bull in ADBA dog shows because we all know that those are just a cover for prostitution and drug smuggling.  Nobody shows their dogs unless they’re into something illegal.  I mean, duh.

Don’t weight pull with your Pit Bull because PeTA will so get you for that.

Don’t do obedience with your Pit Bull because these dogs just aren’t that smart.

Don’t do agility with your Pit Bull.  See any above line about machine guns or mass genocide.

Don’t bathe your Pit Bull any more than once a year because you’ll dry out its coat, or any less than once a week because that’s just gross.

Don’t speak in any other language except English to or around your Pit Bull because that’s deeply offensive to their cultural heritage.

Don’t post on any Pit Bull-related message boards because the CIA, FBI, ATF and any other associated letter people will swoop down and take your computer, you naughty thing.

Don’t get any of that paraphernalia stuff (treadmills, springpoles, etc.) because, yeah, just because.

Don’t get a blue-nose Pit Bull because they are fake.

Don’t get a red-nose Pit Bull because everyone knows that red is recessive to black and without strong pigment your dog will spontaneously combust in the sunlight.

Don’t get a black-nose Pit Bull because those are just boring to look at.  If you’re going to get a Pit Bull, you might as well make a statement.

Don’t teach a Pit Bull to open the fridge and get you a beer.  They will eventually become alcoholics and you’re just being lazy.

Don’t leave a Pit Bull without a job to do, unless the only job available is beer retrieval.

Don’t try to explain the theory of relativity to a Pit Bull.

Don’t let a Pit Bull ride loose in the car because they will eventually ask to drive, and the breed can only legally drive in southern California.

Don’t let Pit Bulls ride in any vehicle manufactured by Chrysler as you would be trusting their life to chance and that’s just not right.

Do as I say, not as I don’t.

Don’t put your Pit Bull on a chain as it automatically qualifies you for inbred hillbilly freakdom.

Don’t let your Pit Bull live in the house because it will go to their head and it’s important to keep the breed in a constant state of submission.

Don’t dress your Pit Bull up for Halloween as they will surely be abducted when they go out trick-or-treating.

Don’t feed your Pit Bull high-protein food because they don’t need all that.

Don’t feed your Pit Bull food that costs less than $2.00 a pound, cheapskate.

Don’t feed raw foods to your Pit Bull because they’re genetically engineered to do better on kibble and blood makes them go crazy on a full moon.

Just don’t get a Pit Bull.  You heard me, don’t.  I’m watching you, little mister.

Unless you’re a little missy, in which case, don’t.

 

The Road to Becoming a Good Breeder 

by Lindsay Biddle

I have blogged subjects like this before, but since I encounter a lot of new people with questions about their upcoming/current litter, I thought I would put something together to help newbies get the information in their hot little hands before they post something silly on the message boards and get put off by a scathing reply. 

Newbies, if you want to start a kennel, if you want to have your own bloodline, this is for you.  Even if you don’t want to “be a breeder” but you still want to breed litters, you owe it to the breed to produce only well-planned puppies.  If you cannot read from beginning to end, rest assured that the actual process of becoming a respected breeder will be far more daunting.

Where to start 

You cannot build a fine skyscraper on a broken foundation.  If you already have a dog that is an excellent pet, I’m sorry to say that there is a good chance that it is not necessarily the dog you need to be breeding.  Even if you just bought a $1500 puppy from a big-name breeder, it still doesn’t mean that he/she is the one you should be looking to play matchmaker with. 

Now that said, if you already have a dog, you don’t necessarily need to throw that dog out and start over.  You have a lot to learn, and your current dog can help you through certain parts of the process without ever putting its genes in the pool.  If your dog is registered with a legitimate registry (see item number one below), you can start showing and doing other events with him/her in order to “get your feet wet” and learn about the show environment.  Even if your dog is not registered, you can spay/neuter that dog and many organizations will let you show in non-licensed classes, do weight pull, do agility, get a CGC (Canine Good Citizen) title, and any other number of activities.

Here are some things you should be looking at, whether you plan on breeding your present dog or waiting and obtaining a different one.

1.  Registration status.  Provided we are talking about American Pit Bull Terriers, your breeding dogs should have either UKC (United Kennel Club) or ADBA (American Dog Breeders Association) papers, or both.  There are probably a score of registries which have come about in the last dozen years which will register your dog based on a fee and your word that it is purebred.  But remember, you want to start with the best.  If you start breeding dogs without legitimate registration now, that is all you will produce.  Some long-time breeders do not register their dogs, but you should know that you severely limit what your puppies can do (and thus limit their appeal to knowledgeable homes) if you breed unregistered or illegitimately-registered dogs.

2.  Conformation.  You can start getting a grasp on what conformation means with resources like http://www.apbtconformation.com/ . However, the only way to know for sure if your dog is conformationally sound is to enter the dog in some shows.  Learn how to show your dog credibly - articles on training are available on the web at places like http://www.apbt.info/ — and then give it a try.  Whether the judge places your dog or not, find them after they’re done judging and ask them to give you a critique about what they like/dislike about your dog.  Don’t be afraid to take notes.  Learn to honestly accept your dogs’ faults and strengths so that you can improve upon them in the next generation.  Do not show under just one judge and take their word as gospel!  Get out to as many shows as you can and talk to different judges and other exhibitors.  As you become more experienced showing, you may even bring home Champion or Grand Champion titles, which is all to the good.

3.  Temperament.  This should be a given, but it is alarming how many people think nothing of breeding dogs who are protective, territorial, fearful, or even outright aggressive.  Future breeders, remember what this breed was bred to do.  The APBT was expected to be hell on wheels to another dog while remaining completely trustworthy with the numerous humans that were near him while he was doing his job.  The APBT should be outgoing, courageous, gregarious, driven, friendly to a fault with humans and enthusiastic about the world around him.  He should not threaten a human unless sorely pressed into doing so or specifically trained for bite sports.  It is perfectly normal for a Pit Bull to threaten other dogs and it is up to the handler to deal with such behavior as they see fit.  But never, ever should a human-aggressive or fearful dog be bred!  Remember, temperament is genetic, no deposit no return.

4.  Drive and working ability.  At all phases of its development, the American Pit Bull Terrier is and has been a working dog.  He has been expected to go toe-to-toe with animals ranging from other dogs to bulls and bears.  He has been used for working with unruly livestock and hunting dangerous quarry.  He has even seen use in jobs such as search-and-rescue and narcotics detection.  There will always be dogs that are happy lying around and watching butterflies in the garden, but remember we’re talking about breeding the best.  That dog you’re thinking about breeding should want to be worked, thrive upon it, and demand it.  The type of work you do with the dog is up to you.  You can do weight pull, agility, obedience, Schutzhund, French ring, dock diving, disc sports, tracking, and so on.  Ideally, you will cross-train in different sports to show your dogs’ versatility.  The sky’s the limit with this breed, and that’s the way it should be!

5.  Pedigree research.  You have to have some degree of familiarity with what is behind your dog.  It is up to you to decide which bloodlines best represent what you hope to produce, what is strong/weak in that line, how well that blood will “nick” when outcrossed to another line, and so on.  This is not something that can be taught in a weekend at the dog show; it comes with experience.  Very few people really know every nuance of their dog’s breeding, but the more you know the better you will understand what your dog should produce.  Scatter-breeding, outcrossing, line-breeding, COI percentages all mean different things when it comes to breeding dogs.  Genetics will sometimes throw us for a loop and produce something we don’t expect, but that doesn’t release the future breeder’s obligation to research.  Be prepared to spend many hours poring over pedigrees, reading books, and looking up information on the internet.

There are two additional points that I want to add which have nothing to do with the dog itself and the choosing of breeding stock.  They do, however, sound out the potential breeder’s dedication to what they are doing and play a role in the process.

6.  Finding homes and your ethical responsibility.  This comes before the litter itself because it is something you need to consider at length before breeding.  If you have been getting out to all the shows, people will know who you are.  You will have hopefully established a good reputation and you might even have some people on your waiting list for when you breed your first litter.  That is a good thing!  It is very important to make sure that you have enough homes lined up, not just one or two.  If you don’t line them up in advance (and take deposits if possible), do you have somewhere to house a half dozen or more adolescent dogs when you can’t find placements for them later?  Another angle to consider: Let’s say you place all your puppies and a year later the owner of one moves to a BSL town and cannot keep the dog.  You still have a responsibility to what you have produced; your job as breeder does not end simply because you took the buyer’s money and handed them a puppy.  The burden is on you to see that the young dog gets on a plane and back into your care until you can find it another home.

7.  The basics.  You should know where you’re going to house the litter in advance and have the puppy den ready so the mother-to-be can start getting used to being there.  Puppies need to have a clean, reasonably climate-controlled, parasite-free environment.  Be ready to spend a small fortune if the mother ends up needing a c-section or other emergency medical treatment.  When the litter is born, your work will increase exponentially.  The babies need to be wormed and put on a vaccine protocol, and you will have to worry about things like dewclaw removal, umbilical hernias, coccidia, and various other medical possibilities.  Obviously, puppies need to eat and you will begin to think they never stop pooping.  Before too long they will be climbing out of the whelping box and exploring your home, your clothing, your expensive video games, your kids’ toys.  And at that point you can’t just toss them outside and forget about them, because guess what?  As the breeder it is also your responsibility to provide those puppies with early socialization (contact with different people, children, strange noises, different footing, unusual objects, etc). 

This is really the short list of breeder concerns.  You will find numerous other questions and conundrums popping up as you go along.  It is not within the scope of a single blog to help you answer all of them, but hopefully you can gain enough perspective to be able to handle the issues that come up admirably. 

One rule of thumb is not to be convinced that you have to breed a certain dog.  The breed has a large gene pool and there are many sources for a nice dog nowadays.  If you find yourself making excuses for more than a handful of shortcomings in your own dog, then you need to ask yourself honestly if that is the dog you want to put at the root of your breeding program.  If you start dumping problems into your program from the get-go, you’re going to be spending many years correcting them later, so it’s better to start with the best dog you can. 

Every dog will have a conformational fault or a weakness in some area.  If it is otherwise a good-quality dog, you can usually carefully breed it so as to minimize the fault recurring in future generations.  However, if you are trying to figure out how to conquer the mildly shy temperament, the too-short muzzle, the undershot bite, the lack of rear angulation, the dippy topline, the lackluster working drive, and the gay tail, perhaps you need to come to terms with your dog simply being a pet-quality dog that should not be bred.  If you have done right by the dog thus far and breeders have learned that you’re a good home to place pups with, there should be ample possibilities for you to get a better-quality dog when you’re ready.

Another thing to consider as you get into breeding is whether or not you can handle culling.  This is the removal of a dog from the gene pool via either euthanasia or spay/neuter.  While it is no big deal to alter a dog a dog and place it in a pet home, the killing of puppies is an uncomfortable topic for many and tends to polarize groups of fanciers.  Unfortunately, if you are breeding dogs, this is something you will have to tackle at one point or another.  You might produce one that is just a shade too reactive to be placed safely, and since you are a responsible breeder and don’t want to cause any headlines, you will have to hold that beautiful baby while he/she is given a fatal shot.  Or you might reclaim a dog from a bad owner and find out that it is so neurotic from under-stimulation that it is a kindness to put it to sleep.  Culling is, unfortunately, part of the package when you breed.  If you cannot see yourself “playing God,” it would be wiser not to even go down that road.

As you ponder the breeding “game,” always think about the total dog, the complete picture.  Remember that the APBT is not just a pet, not just a working dog, not just a show dog, not just a kisser of babies and savior of damsels in distress.  He should be able to do everything!  While many breeders may have sports that they specialize in - such as the number of breeders out there today focusing on weight pull - it is typically a better idea to avoid becoming a specialist and instead breed the best overall APBT that you can.  On the flip side, other breeders will promote the idea that their dogs are ideal for a laundry list of functions, while they are really only guessing because they don’t actually engage in any sort of activity.  If you are doing it right and being properly selective, you should be able to show your working dogs and work your show dogs.  Then you can boast that you have the total package! 

Getting to be a reputable breeder is a long and winding road.  There will be pitfalls (no pun intended) and hang-ups dotting your path, and no doubt you will feel at times as if you should give it up altogether.  But hopefully as you are busy learning and absorbing information, you can have fun and enjoy working and being with your dogs as you gain the experience necessary to build an exceptional program.  Remember, there is no rush.  A healthy, well-bred female will have a number of good breeding years ahead of her, and while young males will tell you they are ready to be bred at 8 months, they should be able to produce until they are old and grey.  Take your time, cut no corners, and strive to do it all the right way.

When you fast forward several years and you think you are ready to breed, there should be no question in your mind.  You should have exceeded the little bit of advice you’ve read here in my blog and be excited and proud of what you’re about to do.  When you speak of your possible breeding with other breed enthusiasts of varying interests and backgrounds, the response should be overall very positive and you will know that you have accomplished what you set out to do: become a good breeder.  At such time, I say kudos to you! 

If you aren’t there yet, don’t despair.  A well-planned breeding is kind of like when I make my grandmother’s recipe for spaghetti sauce.  It takes a long time, measuring out the components, stirring the pot, smelling the aroma, taking a little taste, adding a little more garlic, remembering you forgot the basil, putting in the meat, stirring some more, waiting, stirring, waiting.  The point is, sitting down to that meal where I took the time and cut no corners is wholly satisfying and worthwhile.  If I tried to rush, substituted sub-par ingredients, didn’t continually evaluate what I was doing, then what should have been an outstanding meal would have been only so-so, and that’s a bummer to everybody!

Good luck to you, hopeful future breeders.  Remember that what you do will make ripples for generations to come, and let love of the breed and desire to see it only continue to improve guide your actions.

by Lindsay Biddle

When we talk about the American Pit Bull Terrier, most dyed-in-the-wool fanatics will tell you (often with the gleam of pride in their eyes) that it is without a doubt a dog-aggressive breed. But when you ask the unknowing public about Pit Bulls, they often equate them more with consuming babies than with attacking other dogs, and will even use terms like “pack mentality” when referring to them. Of course, the remainder of APBT enthusiasts are scattered somewhere in between. Some take sensible precautions with their dogs while others go so far as to turn them loose at a dog park. Still others don’t even bother to think about the aggression at all until it explodes like a landmine in their face.

 

What about those of us who are responsible for the breeding, judging and overall continuation of the breed?  What are we supposed to do about the dog aggression in our dogs?  On one end, you have fanciers who wouldn’t dream of owning (let alone breeding) a dog who did not show enough fire.  On the other end are those who are working to squelch that fire completely.  Is there such a thing as right and wrong here?  Is it right for a breeder to focus on producing dogs that are so hot they cannot breed without human intervention?  Is it wrong for another breeder to produce dogs so cold that they might as well be Golden Retrievers?  (And I am not saying that as a breed Goldens are 100% dog-friendly; they were the first example that sprang to mind.)

 

When researching about pit winners that got along with other dogs outside of the pit scenario, I came across a lot of “I heard,” and “I was told,” but there are enough tales circulating that we can reasonably believe that there were some pit CH and GRCH that could tolerate other dogs.  Two that spring to mind were GRCH Santa’s Mongoose and Jimmy Boots.  Mongoose was said to roll on his back and allow puppies to nip at him, while Jimmy Boots was said to ignore other dogs unless they made the horrible mistake of attacking him first.

 

These were exceptional dogs, no doubt, but is there a reason why they shouldn’t be the ideal?  We strive to preserve the heritage of the breed, but do we adhere so blindly to a limited purpose that we also limit the breed’s future? 

 

Today’s dog is usually measured by his capacity as a family dog.  It is our responsibility as proponents of the breed to maintain his functional ability, but I think we have to come to terms with the fact that most APBTs are in pet homes.  And pet homes don’t necessarily want a dog that will kill their other dog, or their neighbor’s dog, or a visiting friend’s dog.  I hear in my head the counter-argument – one which I’ve made myself – that this is not the right breed for every home and people should respect that.  There is sound truth in that statement, but is it a good enough reason to discourage breeding dogs who lack the characteristic dog aggression?

 

Those that know me know I’m no fan of matching, but I can’t help but wonder if it is actually the criminalizing of matching which has led to an increase in dog aggression.  Perhaps enthusiasts – robbed of the opportunity to prove their dogs in the pit – are simply selecting the dogs who behave in the most fight-ready manner.

 

Before I am driven out of the community with pitchforks, I feel I should share my viewpoint on the subject.  My take is simply that dog aggression should not be a factor in a breeding program.  Breed your best dogs and don’t worry about the rest.  If that means the breed’s temperament becomes a bit more moderate over time, so be it.  But it is foolishness to my mind to value a fight-crazy maniac more highly than his equally nice (but relatively laid-back) brother.  Just as I feel it is foolishness to exclude a dog from a breeding program because it is too hot.  I no more want to see the APBT watered down than I would want to see him become a Sheltie, but I think some breeders are over-emphasizing keeping him as hot as possible.

 

I can easily embrace the idea of wanting to preserve the breed as a complete animal, including a temperament that reflects his history.  But are we as modern-day fanciers of the breed inadvertently favoring dogs who themselves would not have been favored 100 years ago?  I have heard many historical stories of dog-friendly or dog-neutral pit winners, and not so many of dogs who were so hot that they would attack puppies and females in heat.  (The source is lost in my muddy memory, but I have heard of dogmen who disliked dogs that would attack puppies, thinking they were curs.  Things like that give the lie to “bait animal” stories, but I digress.)  Perhaps it is just a blind spot with me.  Or perhaps it means that old-time pit dog breeders didn’t place a high emphasis on a dog’s willingness to grab any other dog.

 

Time goes on no matter what we do, and the breed does change.  We have a responsibility to preserve the American Pit Bull Terrier, but we also must at some point decide where our priorities lie.  What is most important to the APBT’s future?  Do we keep the fire burning at all costs; worship the grab-anything dog as the escutcheon of the breed?  Do we throw out that old warrior business and start breeding the APBT as the ultimate family pet?  I can only hope that the answer lies somewhere between the two extremes.

by Lindsay B. (aka Bahamutt99)

If you’re going to copy these blogs partly or in their entirety, it is common courtesy to leave the author’s name on there, and to provide a link-back. We are all about people using these blogs to promote breed education, but do not try to take the works here and pass them off as your own. Provide a link to the blog directly, so people can read the other articles that have been posted here. Everything here is the intellectual work of the respective authors, and they deserve the credit for writing these pieces. It should go without saying that if you copy something from here, or if you steal pictures, you should do the right thing and cite the original source.

Thank you very much for your consideration.

by Lindsay B. (aka bahamutt99)

I haven’t had much to say lately, so I figured I’d compose my thoughts about breed ownership in a poem.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Crate n’ Rotate
Plastic crates and doggie gates
All day in and out again
Supervize and separate
Its been this way since God knows when

In the crate when they get fed
Separate rooms throughout the day
In the crate when they go to bed
Tomorrow cycles the same way

In the yard one at a time
Tie-outs, kennels, walk on a leash
Some would scrap at the drop of a dime
It keeps me busy, to say the least

Walk ‘em past with caution and care
Let the young ones play while they get along
Eye contact is as good as a dare
And makes them sing the Pit Bull song

Makes me wonder on those hard days
If other dog owners could handle this strife
Would they balk and run away
If crate and rotate was their life?

What if they couldn’t walk down the street
Without the sting of nasty stares
Or if those strangers that they’d meet
Whisked their children away with angry glares

What if they had no place to live
Because their breed caused doors to close
And they knew that something had to give
When dodging thorns to keep a rose

What is it about this breed
That makes us want to deal with this?
Impulse to help a dog in need
Or are there toxins in a Pit Bull kiss?

I have threatened, heaven forbid
To trade them in for some tiny toy breed
But I couldn’t do it; I only kid
‘Cuz at times you need humor to succeed

So as I shuffle them like a card game
Entrenched in the Pit Bull ownership mess
I think “is it worth it, or am I insane?”
The answer has to be “hell, yes.”

by Lindsay B. (aka bahamutt99)

I understand the importance of putting our best paw forward; I really do.

We should share what is great about these dogs.  We should brag about their funny, loving, affectionate, playful personalities.  And their pain tolerance and stoicisim, and how that translates into an awesome pet for children.  We need to remind that these dogs have short coats, clean manners, and are the perfect size for everything from an apartment to a farm.

But I’ve noticed a disturbing trend in some places of painting a picture of this breed as only all that is good and shiny about dogs, without any drawbacks.  If we discuss how the breed is high-drive and may show aggression towards other animals, and that potential owners should believe in the idea of crate-and-rotate, there are those who would say that were are doing the breed a disservice.  The line is drawn that by talking about the uncomfortable side of the breed, we are no better than those who would see it banned.

I wonder if other breeds have this problem.  Are there those who would go on the Border Collie forums and take others to task for daring to say that BCs are too high-energy to be kept in a small house all day?  Is there a certain segment that gets upset if one were to suggest that a Patterdale Terrier is not the best choice for a home with free-roaming Guinea Pigs?

Why are we so drawn to the idea that every breed should be easy and biddable, and should discard all their deeply-ingrained traits in order to fit more comfortably into the situations that we devise for them?  Are we that afraid of a challenge?  Is the idea that you might have to shut a few doors or look twice before you let your dog out so unapalatable?  And if so, should the person who thinks so really be bringing a combat-bred dog into their home?

When I was much more of a newcomer to the breed, around 15 years old, we had two Pit Bulls and a Pit Bull/Akita mix. Two of the dogs were the offspring of the third, and got along very nicely.  They played together, and ate out of the same feed pan.  It was a beautiful, idyllic situation that any dog owner should envy.

One day, I had my peacefully-cohabitating pack out in the yard for some play time.  I was having a game of tug with mama dog, trying to spin her like I’d seen other people do.  (Like I said, I was an amateur, and therefore impressed with such things.)  She would hang on the rope for a bit, and then let go.  One of the times that she loosed her grip, her year-old daughter lit into her like a rocket, and suddenly I had a fight on my hands.  Having not been properly proofed for such things, I started to panic, and I’m not sure how I managed to get those two broken up.  They fought several more times in the weeks that followed, until we eventually gave one of the dogs away.

I was not Internet-savvy at that age, so I didn’t yet have the experience of other Pit Bull people trying desperately to educate me about proper management of my dogs.  Even if that were the case, I probably would’ve scoffed it off and said “my dogs get along just fine.”  I might have even accused the other party of trying to make a bad profile for the breed, and why would they even say such things if they claim to love these dogs?

As it stands right now, I have the benefit of some years of experience to rely on, and my experience tells me that disregarding the driven, potentially aggressive side of the breed does not make it go away.  Well-meaning comments from owners that they keep a pack of 10 Pit Bulls together with no problems whatsoever are as meaningless as stories of Greyhounds who share their squeaky toys with cute little bunnies.

If you’ve got an animal-loving APBT, pat yourself on the back, but think twice before you recommend the experience to others.  The truth will leave newbies better-prepared than a pastel vision of possibilities that may not come to pass.

So what is the truth?

The truth is that these are incredible dogs.  They have funny personalities, short coats, and make great companions for children.  The flip side — but still the truth — is that they have the capacity to deal great damage or even death to other animals.

You can manage aggression, but only if you acknowledge it and not refute it.  The best and most suitable homes for this breed are those that are well-versed in its history, and who don’t mind a few rules to keep the situation safe and harmonious.  Does that mean crate-and-rotate plus breaking sticks in every room?  Well, that’s what it means in some houses.  Other people can get away with allowing small play groups of the most compatible personalities, just not a free-for-all with every animal out at once.

Accepting the breed for what it is, and preparing for aggression, do not constitute an acknowledgement that the breed is somehow faulty.  Think of a breaking stick as an insurance policy that you may never need, but would be better off having.  View breaking down a multi-pet household into smaller play groups as similar to putting on your seat belt, just in case.  We would not consider a driver who belts up and insures himself as irresponsible, so why do we insist upon no precautions for APBT ownership?

As I type this, my three purebred American Pit Bull Terriers are in the room with me.  Loki is chewing a bone, Priest is sitting and watching her, and Terra patrols for stray crumbs.  In the room with me is a breaking stick.  I keep my ears open for signs of discontent, periodically look over for signs of stink eye, and send snotty attitudes to their crates in the next room until they cool off.  On the other side of a door to the master bathroom is the cat’s domain, with a board to prevent him from sticking his feet under the door.  My dad keeps his small dog with him at the other end of the house, out of bulldog territory.

My precautions wouldn’t even be noticeable unless I pointed them out to you, or you knew to look for them.  My dogs are not killing each other.  In fact, they all get along most of the time.  We could even put all 5 in a room together if we wanted.  But by rotating the dogs who are out together and using some simple precautions, we prevent a lot of potential heartache.  By remembering that I own APBTs, I can manage them accordingly, and keep the house relatively cohesive.  There is no point in pushing the dogs into interactions that will only lead to hurt feelings.

So to those who believe that it is only the breed’s fearsome reputation that makes it a danger to other animals, believe what you will.  But I hope you secretly prepare for the possibility, and do not get lulled into a false sense of security.  (That’s the stuff that “he just turned” stories are made of.)  Myself, I will continue to own and love this breed for what it is, and accept both the good and the bad of it.

I haven’t posted anything in a while, so I thought I’d copy my response to a local article in which a woman is seeking to have the breed banned in my town.  (Oklahoma has a BSL prohibition.)  This is the long version of my response.  I had to trim down the posted version to fit 2000 characters.

by Lindsay B. (aka bahamutt99)

I am so glad that I live in Oklahoma, the state where my dogs can live peacefully without being seized and killed just for being alive.  I moved down here from St. Louis, Missouri, and since leaving Missouri, I am sad to admit that my home state has been overrun by these bad, discriminatory, breed-specific laws (BSL).  People don’t know where to go with their dogs; there’s nowhere you can move and be safe.

It is a mindset of incredible ignorance that seeks to identify the guilty before they commit a crime.  As it is, you can own a gun or drive a car, under the presumption that you are a responsible adult and will obey the laws.  You can be black, or Hispanic, or Asian, or white, and the law does not seek to pre-determine your drive to commit crimes based on your race.  However, BSL makes the presumption that I am guilty because of my dogs, and that is much the same tactic as legal racism.  (I own three American Pit Bull Terriers.)

What is the attraction to the breed?  I have many reasons.  Our first was a stray Pit Bull mix.  (Mixed with what, we don’t know.  Pot-bellied pig perhaps.)  As a child, I loved how Chew would always be eager to play, never tired, never cranky or irritable.  Having been bitten by other dogs, it was wonderfully awesome for me to have a dog who took all my childishness in stride and asked for seconds.

As an adult, I started getting into dog training, and the natural choice for me was the American Pit Bull Terrier.  Their versatility is incredible.  They are small enough to fit in my home, big enough and sturdy enough to roughhouse with.  Smart enough to do obedience, agile and quick enough to do agility and frisbee competitions.  Strong enough to do weight pull, pretty enough to do conformation (the “dog shows” people see on TV, like Westminster).  I love their wash-and-wear short coats, and the rainbow of colors they come in.  Suffice it to say, protection, biting, intimidation, dog fighting: these things were not my motivation for getting APBTs.  They are, quite simply, the most suitable dog for me.

Nobody should deny me the right to choose my own canine companion.  Nor should you deny anybody else that same right, provided they operate within the bounds of the law.  Profiling is not acceptable to me, and should not be acceptable to anybody who values their constitutional rights.  This is not a dog issue.  It is an issue of human irresponsibility, bad choices, media influence, animal control problems, and perception.

Consider that a study at www.canineresearch.net illustrates that 98% of the studied population (including canine professionals) cannot identify an American Pit Bull Terrier without also misidentifying other breeds as “pit bulls.”  This study also tells us that 85% of people who expressed a dislike of the breed could not identify it at all!

So what animal are we talking about here?  Well, I know what animal I’m talking about, but most seem to regard it as some mythical mentality that possesses any dog with a short coat and muscles.  In short, we could be referring to any number of breeds or mixes, with no attempt made to define any clear boundaries as to what constitutes a “pit bull” or not.  The bull mastiff who attacked the ONG worker that jumped his fence was identified by readers on another forum as a “pit bull,” when he was not.  The same can be said of the bull terriers in Midwest City; they were also misidentified by laymen as something they are not.

We should not even be thinking about these kinds of laws.  Gun control does not protect us from criminals with guns, but rather serves to keep guns out of the hands of law-abiding citizens.  The same argument is applicable to breed control.  Consider the Tulsa man whose pit bull attacked a Dachshund last year.  He clearly stated that he wanted people to think he had a mean dog, because they wouldn’t try coming in his house.  His reason for owning a dog is clear, and no breed would be safe in his hands.  I, on the other hand, raise my dogs to be social and well-mannered, and they are completely safe under my influence (as well as the influence of the good genetics behind them).

To wrap up a long-winded response, dogs are not the problem.  We have some excellent laws in Tulsa, which if enforced, would help all of us.  Dogs should not be running loose, should not be encouraged to be aggressive, and they should not be casually breeding.  We have laws to govern those problems, and each of them falls squarely on the head of the human handler.  We just need to look at the correct end of the leash.

by Lindsay B. (aka bahamutt99)

I wonder if there is a way to turn this upcoming rant into an educational blog.  You know me; I’m all about using my experiences to help others.  But what exactly can you say when someone calls you a dog fighter?

It’s really a blind-side hit.  You end up staring at your screen for a moment, with your mouth hanging open.  Lindsay is a dog fighter.  I needed a moment to be able to react to that.  They might as well have called me a Martian, or told me the grass is purple.  You just don’t know what to say.

Dog fighting is a felony in every state, last time I checked.  Even being present at a dog fight will get you jail time in most cases.  Being accused of being a dog fighter ruins peoples’ lives, and gets good dogs killed, even when the owner is innocent.  (A man in Alva, Florida was recently proven innocent of dog fighting, but animal control had already killed all his dogs.)  When a person accuses a random stranger of being a dog fighter, it is hoped that they would have some kind of evidence to support the theory.  So what is the proof in my case?

I’m selling a used carpet mill.

…

Are you waiting for the rest of it?  That’s it.  I’m selling a carpet mill, and I just so happen to own American Pit Bull Terriers.  I fit the classic criteria for being a dog fighter.

Are you laughing, crying or incredulous?  I assure you, it is true.  My crime was posting up an ad for my carpet mill that I’ve had since January on Craigslist.com.  I took one picture of my dog modeling, for size comparison more than anything.  The reaction over on the Petfinder forum — names changed to protect my accusers – was as follows:

BusyBody:  “There’s a dog treadmill on CL. One pic shows a pit bull on it. There’s only one reason someone would want to own or owns a dog treadmill and that’s for dog fighting which is horrible. I don’t know what to do. …”

Expert #2 replies:  “save the whole ad and report it to the authorities. It is dog fighting paraphinalia (sp). It has the phone number and all on it. Just save it all incase it is flagged or they deleate it.”

There followed some sensible attempts to extol the virtues of keeping your dog exercised in any weather, but BusyBody would not be dissuaded:

BusyBody:  “Noone that lives in Oklahoma that I know has a dog that has a treadmill. Most people around here own plenty of acreage or yards for their dogs to run around in. There is ALOT of dogfighting that goes on in the Tulsa area, I know that for a fact. I still believe this person is trying to sell something that shouldn’t be sold around here.”

Cesar Millan, are you listening?  Or are you too busy fighting dogs?  Because I’ve seen your show, and you run those poor dogs on a treadmill, which makes you a dog fighter.  (That is sarcasm, if you’re not following.  Don’t sue me, Cesar!  I love your show!)

Oh snap!  Maybe I should have caught the name of the Pug handler who was featured on one of those Animal Planet shows recently, shown exercising his charge on a treadmill specially-made for dogs.  Maybe he moonlights as a dog fighter, too.

Yes, I know.  I asked for it.  I was warned against purchasing the treadmill in the first place, but at the time I thought it was a good idea.  It took me less than a year to realize that I really wasn’t using the thing, and I wanted to sell it.  I could always chuck it out for the garbage, but the pragmatic part of my brain wants me to get a portion of what I spent on it back, so I can buy some extra Christmas presents for family and doggies.

That’s what us dog fighters do, you know.  Sell our valuable dog fighting paraphernalia so we can buy sweaters and squeaky toys for the dogs.

To continue on the saga of Lindsay the Dog Fighter, someone dug up my website to share with the group.  (Nobody invited me into the discussion, BTW, even though by then they had my email and phone number.)  There was some debate about whether or not I was a breeder.   (As you know, if I were indeed a breeder, my flogging would have been justified.  All breeders are evil.)

Well, shucks, I don’t qualify for that dunce cap yet since I haven’t bred a litter in my adult life.  So what further dirt would be dug up on me?

Good Housekeeping says:  “I just watched the Loki video…amazing dog!…but I’m distressed by how filthy that house is!”  “That didn’t look like clutter to me. Did you see the floors? And that kitchen? Puh-leeze.”

Are you following?  I’ve gone from a dirty dog fighter, to a dirty breeder, to just a flat-out dirty person.  In less than 24 hours, even!  Perhaps that’s why they haven’t invited me to have my say.  Maybe they think I will bring fleas in.

So what is the lesson to be learned here?  Don’t own a treadmill? Hmm…  I’m not sure that’s it.  Maybe its Don’t post videos filmed in your house if you haven’t cleaned up recently. No, I really don’t think that’s it, either.  I mean after all, some of the best dog people I know can’t keep their house clean for anything.  When you spend all your time with your dogs, mopping your floor seems secondary.

Maybe the lesson is Don’t give people a glimpse into your life at all, because it will be used against you.

The irony here is that the people who were gleefully snarking me behind my back probably all think they are dog lovers.  But they are woefully unable to recognize a good dog owner (even if not a good housekeeper).  When all together in their zone of safety, with me blissfully unaware of the thread’s existence, they were happy to rake me over the coals.  All based on a small glimpse through an ad and a website.

I wonder if any of my detractors were people I’d met on the street who’d offered up praise for my beautiful, well-behaved dogs.  I suppose none of that matters since I have a messy house and a treadmill for sale.

So what is the lesson, the moral of the story?  For me, it is Don’t make snap judgments.  Snap judgments are what get good people in trouble, and good dogs killed.  Just by my being publicly accused of being a dog fighter, my life could be ruined.  And for what?  Because BusyBody saw a picture of my dog on a treadmill that I am selling.

I wonder if this person saw my husband’s Craigslist ad for the car he’s selling, would they assume he is a drunk driver?

Think, people!

Don’t judge someone based on a single-page impression of them.  And THINK before you lob accusations that can ruin somebody’s life, and get their dogs killed.  It is important to be aware of what is going on around you, yes.  But don’t get so enthralled over nothing that you are willing to sacrifice a complete stranger to indulge your overactive imagination.

I wanted to offer a quick thanks to the people who know me by reputation and by my actions, and who jumped to defend me.  I really appreciate the effort.  As of the writing of this blog, I am still waiting on an activation email from the Petfinder forums, at which time I will jump in and defend myself.

***Follow Up***

I’ve since joined the forum, and have accepted apologies from a few people.  The situation has been resolved amicably, which I appreciate.  I will, however, leave the blog up, because it is important that people realize that snap judgements can be dangerous.