In the middle of the Chaos, a bright spot
I spent the afternoon debating the ‘Pit Bull’ topic with some Frenchie people. What stuns me is that some of them were actually pro breed bans, referring to Pit Bulls as ‘cheap doorbells for drug dealers’, and speculating that they’re unstable because they spend so much time inhaling meth fumes.
Yes, really. Trust me, you can’t possibly be more baffled than I am.
Thankfully, two things arrived in my inbox which cheered me up immensely – updated photos of Dexter’s babies, and this article about a hero dog in Massachusets. A hero Pit Bull, that is.
From NECN.Com –
A dog is being credited with helping to save eleven people in Southbridge from a fire in a multi-family home. Firefighters say the dog woke up the people living there. Sadly the heroic dog didn’t make it out alive.
The fire broke out early Wednesday morning. An eleven month old Pitbull named Chaos helped save 11 people from the the building.
Fire crews from five different towns battled the blaze for 90 minutes before they put it out. Family and friends are hailing Chaos the dog as a hero.
Here’s the video –
If that’s just not cutting it, try staring at the following photo for a few moments. Take in the little pink belly, the freckled nose, the curled over ear, the delicate paw pads. Imagine blowing raspberry kisses on his belly and sniffing puppy breath stink. Breathe deeply, visualize, exhale.
Whatever you do, don’t imagine uniformed animal cops showing up at the door, and tearing him from your hands because he is a “Bull Breed”. Don’t picture the needle, or the garbage bags, or the landfill. Down that road lies madness, despair and despondence – and none of us can afford that right now.
Wow, do those same people not realize it affects them too? They won’t wake up until one of THEIR dogs gets taken. I guess denial is a powerful thing.
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while i agree with you totally, that no breed is particularly this or that, and no breed is inately violent; the people who engage in the drug trade do think differently than we do. they believe they have “bred” into the breed a tendency to be vicious and mean. as a result, they treat them harshly, rewarding the violent nature over the calm. and again, as a result, the breed has lived up to it’s name in their eyes.
however, i still believe that nurture can triumph nature(training) with any pup.
Yes, removing dogs from criminals will prevent crime. Makes sense. Why didn’t I think of that?
Propaganda sure dies hard, doesn’t it?
They HAVE seen what passes for a ‘pit bull’ in media stories and on the streets of Ontario these days, haven’t they? No? Well, they’d best hang on to their bulldogs then and make sure one of them doesn’t look at anybody the wrong way. Oh, and they must stay on very good terms with their neighbours as well, since this law is a weapon in the hands of the ignorant. By the ignorant, for the ignorant – it’s the McGuinty way!
As an owner of both a Pitbull and 2 frenchies, my heart is warmed and my faith remains that real people will see that it affects all dogs!
I read your blog as you regularily makes me smile and remind me of home ( I am now on the West coast, but am origionally from Ont.)
I hope that everyone who cares about dogs realizes the implications of breed bans, and I thank heavens I am in a place that still allows this fab breed. Tima, my pasnsy pibble, is the most patient and sensitive soul I know. We have been through 6 different obedience classes, not because she is naughty, but because I know she has to be better behaved, be bomb proof, as there would be no forgiveness for Tima, no second chances, no benefit of the doubt.
I don’t understand how anyone who has a dog that remotely looks ‘bully’ can be FOR breed bans, regardless of their stance on ‘pit bulls’ (which is such a general term).
I do behavoral assessments at a shelter, and I can tell you that “pit bulls” are in general have a great temperment.
Not to mention, I’ve been asked (more than a few times) if MY French Bulldog (who is <30#) is a PIT BULL!!
Once they start with one breed ban- where will it end?
A kid here in the village thought my smooth Griffon was a Rottweiler (he’s Belge, a black/red colouring). “Look out! It’s a Rottweiler!” If he’d nipped her, there’d have been another ‘rottweiler’ attack on the books and in the news.
On the upside, we wouldn’t have to go on the lam because they wouldn’t be looking for a 10-lb dog most trogs think is a Pug cross. However, should they decide to ban Pugs and anything that looks remotely like them, we’re in trouble.
It’s hard to jump one side of the fence on “viscious” breeds. I’ve been lucky enough to work for two all-breed friendly doggy daycares, and spent a great deal of time by the dog show ring. Quite frankly, I think all this hullabaloo about “viscious” pitt bulls is BS. I’ve never been bitten aggressively by a large breed, all of the pitt bulls I’ve ever encountered have been some of the sweetest dogs I’ve *ever* met. On the other hand, I’ve been bitten several times by small breeds, because usually, the small dogs are the least disciplined, most spoiled and sadly, sometimes most ignored. Personally, I don’t think any breed should be banned, I’m more partial to stupid people shouldn’t have dogs :p
That little frenchie puppy is fatally cute D:
I personally don’t see the point of the breed ban. Here in the States, most bans are the result of knee-jerk politicians, scared police, and the unfortunate victims of a powerful and all too often neglected animal.
Here in the D.C. Metro area, there are a number of counties that have banned the pit bull. Typical story…pitbull kept chained or locked in a room gets out and kills someone. The breed was created to be vicious. It was created for the sole purpose of killing other dogs.
The “sweet bulls” today are the lucky ones who have had the aggression bred out or have responsible owners that know how to keep the breed specific behaviors from manifesting. Every powerful breed gets to be a scape goat sooner or later.
Save the breed by urging regulation not bans.