Why I Love Owning a Pitbull

Almost two years ago now, Mark arrived on our front stoop, knocking his boot against the door frame to be let in. In his arms, he cradled a trembling ball of wrinkle and fluff. The fall wind rushed into the house as I opened the front door, gasping in surprise at the tiny pup he held. Shaking but with tail beating against Mark's side, the little guy flattened his polka-dot ears and began licking the air in my direction.

"He was so beautiful, I couldn't leave without him," Mark offered as explanation. My husband wasn't exaggerating. With honey-gold eyes, speckled ears, and a piebald coat, the puppy was one of the prettiest dogs I had ever seen and certainly one of the prettiest among the seemingly countless puppies we had applied to adopt.

"Hi, little guy," I crooned. He scampered across the floor, wetting the doormat almost instantly. Tiny, terrified, cold, yet eager to be my friend-- my first introduction to our pup Solo. Overwhelmed by the cuteness of this tiny little mess-maker, I never paused to consider what it would be like to own a pitbull. The media hype and general prejudice against the breed never entered my mind. Instead, my brain imploded with cartoon heart-balloons and googly eyes at his waggy tail and tiny paws.

Two years later, I feel like I better idea of what it's really like to own one of the most slandered and feared dog breeds. To be honest?

I'll never own another breed. And here's why:

1. Pitbulls are both insanely strong and insanely smart.
Many people have strange misconceptions about the pitbull breed. These odd ideas include the likes of: "pitbulls' brains swell and cause them to suddenly snap," "pitbulls can only be trained to fight," "pitbulls don't feel pain," and "pitbulls, once latched on, will not/can not release their bite." Here's the truth: pitbulls have the same type of brain and the same type of jaw-mechanism as any other dog breed. Not only do their jaws not lock--as people often claim--they actually have lower jaw pressure than most other large dog breeds.  So why the misconceptions? I believe it has a lot to do with the breed's strength and smarts. Pitbulls were often trained as fighting dogs due to the ease and quickness with which they learned commands and due to their overall strength. Pitbulls have been documented pulling tremendous weights-- some over 5000 lbs. Don't believe me? Here's proof.  It's unfortunate for the breed that their positive attributes were used for ill purposes rather than for practical ones.

2. Pitbulls are very eager to please and very respectful of their pack leader.
One of the first things we learned about Solo was his eagerness to please. He is very attuned to our emotions, words, and actions. If we act displeased or sad, he's sad and worried. If we act happy, he's happy. Whenever he disobeys, he tends to punish himself even after we tell him no-no. Some reading on the breed revealed that this eagerness to please their "pack leader" is characteristic of most pitbull terriers. If you establish yourself as the "alpha" from the very beginning, your pitbull won't forget it.

3. Pitbulls bounce back very quickly from difficult experiences.
This breed trait may very well be the origin of the "higher pain tolerance" myth. Rather than being immune to pain, pitbulls simply bounce back from the bad experience very quickly. The American Temperament Test Society conducts breed temperament tests on American dog breeds to determine the most well-mannered canines. American Pitbull Terriers had a 86.8% pass rate, a number higher than that of the Golden Retriever, Cocker Spaniel, Border Collie, Australian Shepherd, and even the Basset Hound, among many others.

4. Pitbulls don't bark at every living creature they see-- at least, mine doesn't!
Now, I don't have any statistics to prove this claim. However, having been around several pitbulls, I can honestly say that I've rarely heard them bark at cars, neighbors, or other dogs. I  can count on one hand the times I've heard Solo bark and in all instances it involved some type of distressful situation (such as being left outside alone for the first time).

5. Pitbulls are incredibly friendly and "smile" when happy.
Every day, Solo does his happy dance when we come home from work. Any time guests come over, well they get the happy dance too. Check out these precious "smiling" pitbulls-- one of the quirky but so stinking cute traits the breed is known for!

6. Pitbulls are playful and energetic but tend to be calm indoors.
Like most large dog breeds, pitbulls have a lot of energy. If you're into outdoor sports, you should consider owning a pitbull. Solo loves to run, swim, hike, and play catch. A phrase sure to get him excited is "Wanna hike?" However, he knows when to calm down-- being indoors is a signal that its time to "be easy." I have to say though: our little pittie pup is one of the happiest things to happen to us ever. Who could say no to his big, toothy, tongue-lolling grin.

7. Pitbulls interact very well with small children.
Despite their fighter-dog rep, pitbulls tend to interact well with small children. Their calmness, gentleness, and patience help them cope with little kid's enthusiasm and occasionally roughness.. Solo definitely demonstrates. He is incredibly tolerant with my nephews and little cousins, allowing them to smack-pat him and pull his ears without one second's distress or complaint. The older he gets, the more mellow he gets with children as well. HOWEVER, I want to stress that no dog should be left alone with small children, regardless of how well they seem to be getting along. Dogs are animals, and kids are kids-- both need adults in the picture.

8. Pitbulls make excellent service dogs.
Pitbulls and the U.S. military have a decorated history together. During the World Wars, pitbulls were used as mascots and served our Armed Forces. Here's a quick guide to some decorated pitbull army pups.

I hope that some of these reasons will influence your

perception of the breed and help you realize that pitbulls

are just another type of pet, another family dog. 

P.S. Isn't Solo adorable? He knows how to work that camera.

Bully: Owning a Pitbull

• Man, watch out. You might wake up one day without a face.
• Aww what a cute puppy! What breed is he? Wait. What? He's a pit? Oh my god.
• That one looks like a fighter!
• The trouble with those dogs is their jaw pressure-- so strong they can do some damage even if they don't mean to.
• Aren't those thug dogs? 
• Pitbulls are great dogs. As long as you keep them firmly in hand and control their nature. 
• Aw I like pits. Just wouldn't have one myself. Too risky, really. 

These are just a few of the casual comments dropped when we tell people Solo's breed.  Other reactions include the minimal: such as raised eyebrow or a startled "oh!" Or, the more extreme: peopel circumnavigating us entirely by crossing the street to avoid walking past Solo. Or, if they do choose to risk walking by us, they may draw their arm up to their chest in fear that Solo may take a casual bite out of their hand as he pads past. My personal favorite pit-phobia came from a kennel owner who learned Solo's breed and proceeded to raise the cost of boarding him, explaining the increase as "insurance against the strong likelihood that he would tear down her fences."

Mmhmm. All right lady. Whatever you say. How's bout I just take my business elsewhere? 

It's the rare individual who actually pauses and pats Solo's head without commenting on his breed, the size of his head, or other "notorious' characteristics. It's the rare person who doesn't make a joking, fearful, or patronizing comment. It's the rare person who treats Solo simply as what he is: a pet dog.

At first, this treatment of our little pup bothered me. With a huff, I thought: Who are you to comment on my life choices? If I want to own a pitbull, I'll own a pitbull. Go educate yourself! And while you're at it, mind your own business, you bossy-butt.  Then, slowly over time, I grew accustomed to the comments and remarks. Now, when someone shies away from Solo, I do one of two things: I either make him sit and let his sweet face and waggy tail do the talking, or I simply ignore their over-reaction, striding past with my pup, on or way to toss his frisbee or his favorite little ball.

Yet let's be real and face it: a notorious stigma--largely overblown thanks to the media--does surround the breed. Making the decision to own a pit was a definite choice to put up with prejudice and ignorance. And this on top of the typical responsibility of owning a puppy.  So what has owning a pitbull taught me?

• Mind your manners. Train your dog.Teach him to sit, stay, heel, and walk without pulling. It's amazing what can be accomplished if you just mind your manners, act courteously, and be considerate. How does the saying go? You get more with sugar than you do with vinegar. 
• Hold your tongue. Don't snap or scoff at people who express an uninformed opinion. Demonstrate your pitbull's sweet personality by having him lay down or sit. A submitted, well-trained pooch is much less intimidating. Then, share a happy pitbull fact. "Did you know that pitbulls were once trained as nursery dogs because they're so good with children?" "Did you know that pitbulls actually have some of the best temperaments of all dog breeds? "Remember Petey from Little Rascals?" A difference of opinion may simply exist because the other person doesn't know the simple facts. 
• Wag your tail and move on. Some people--no matter what you say or do--are going to be negative, rude, and cause trouble. You can either whine about it or, like Solo, just wag your tail and move on. It pays to know when it's time to just walk away and brush it off. 

Surprisingly, I think that having a pit has taught me more about people than it has about dogs. Do any of you own a pitbull or another of the "bully" breeds? I'd love to hear about your dog and any anecdotes/lessons you may have from owning a pitbull. Share in the comments below!

Solo, 12 months

Things Solo likes:

• Staring at passerby from the bedroom window
• Peeing on the lawn that belongs to the neighbor's lab puppy, who barks with extreme indignation
• Going for long hikes with dad
• Pulling dad off the trail and into the brush on said long hikes
• Dragging his blanket downstairs and then leaving it at the bottom
• Being chased around and around and around the bed
• Eating mom's jalapeno plants. 

I can't believe our little waggy-butt mutt is already a year old. It seems like just a few weeks ago that Mark walked in the front door with a trembling bundle of blanket and fluff roll in his arms. Despite the many torn up garden plants, chewed up blankets, and half-eaten headbands, I wouldn't trade his whole-butt-wiggle, two-paw bounce, happy kiss greeting, every day, for any other pup!

Solo Pup, 11 Months

Things Solo loves:
1. Splashing. Not swimming, but splashing. Since we let him in the creek a few weeks ago, the pup has taken to splashing into every body of water he sees, be it Carroll Creek, a large puddle, a small puddle, or his water bowl.
2. Waking me up in the mornings through three tried and true methods: whining softly in my face, jumping on the bed, or banging his wagging tail against every hard surface.
3. Slopping up his puppy-cone from Mr. Goodies. Nom nom nom.
4. Utilizing cute-snuggle-face in a valiant attempt to sleep on the bed at night time. I'm sorry, bud, but you're too much of a covers-hog to be allowed.

Happy 11 months to the sweetest little pittie pup I've ever known!

Let's Go Walking

Few people know how to take a walk. The qualifications are

endurance, plain clothes, old shoes, an eye for nature,

good humor, vast curiosity, good speech, good silence,

and nothing too much.

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

Solo 10 Months

Things Solo likes:
1. Lying on his belly in the cool summer grass.
2. Catching afternoon snoozes with his daddy. Pop and pup.
3. Going on nose-tingling walks in Baker Park.
4. Giving through-the-fence kisses to neighborhood pups.
5. Sneaking onto the foot of the bed in the early morning.
6. Demolishing his black and green ball toy.

Happy 10 months to Solo! We're so glad to have this waggy-butt pibble in our life! His barks, tail-wags, and slobbery smiles really liven up our home.

Solo Pup: 9 Months

Things Solo likes:

1. Taking long puppy snoozes, while daddy works. 

2. Giving me the crazy eye.

3. Pretending he's a male model. 

4. Lurking on the stairs.

5. Batting his big gold eyes. "Treat, mommy?"

6. Cuddling at our feet in the early mornings.

7. Surveying all his domain from the top of his doggy hut. 

Happy 9 Months to our goofy, waggy-butt pup!