Pit Bull Corner

My friends E&D might think I came to NC to visit them, but once I arrived and starting taking pictures I think it was pretty obvious that I actually came to see their dogs, Zrbrt (brindle) and Lilo (white).

I've always been especially fond of pit bulls. Although I'm not into purebreds, if pressed to pick a favorite breed it would certainly be pitties. They are so warm and friendly with people. I know a lot of people are afraid of them based on their representation in the media, because of myths such as the idea that they have locking jaws, because of certain types of people who choose to own them to create a macho image and due to their use in illegal dog fighting.

In my experience, they were one of the easiest breeds to work with in a veterinary clinic because they are easy to read and because they are so incredibly stoic (probably as a result of being bred for fighting). One of the veterinarians with over twenty years experience said that pit bulls are "honest," meaning she could walk into a room and assess a pit's temperament in the first five seconds. A fearful or aggressive pit bull immediately postures to display those traits, while a friendly, well socialized pit bull almost never turns on you. This isn't true for certain other breeds, such as Rottweilers and Chow chows, which are notorious for biting hard without warning. In addition, I have worked with pit bulls with foxtails in their eyes, or horribly fractured legs that despite being in extreme pain did not show it, and allowed me to handle them without even whimpering, let alone trying to bite me. This is in sharp contrast to many other dogs, who are so panicked by pain that they need to be sedated in order to be handled.

While it is certainly true that they can be extremely dog aggressive, a sensible, stable, well-trained pit bull in the hands of a responsible owner is priceless in my opinion. Zrbrt and Lilo are both highly trained and regularly do agility with their owners. They are also both rescue dogs, and although initially untrained and even fearful in certain situations, they are now gems. I'm really impressed with how well behaved they are. (Lilo might look ferocious in that third picture, but she is just playing. Kind of had to tell from a still photo but if you had been there you would have been able to see her body was relaxed and not stiff as is typical of true fighting... It took me a long time to learn to distinguish the two even in real life but I can tell the difference in an instant just by how the dog holds its body).

On top of being dedicated owners to these two, E&B have fostered five other dogs, four of whom were pits. My hats off to them. (I must admit I'm a bit jealous, I've always wanted to foster more but I've either been too unstable-- living in housing where it wasn't possible, or in a relationship where the other person objected).

For more information, or to get some awesome pit bull clothing, check out BADRAP. They are one of my favorite rescue groups-- when I worked in a shelter they consistently pulled for their program the most deserving, sweetest pit bulls in the whole place. Thank you everyone who works to find homes for this much maligned breed.