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Brut Quote

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Saturday, February 25, 2012

Has blogging changed your viewpoint on dogs?

I'd like to take a minute to thank everyone for being part of our Question Week.  The big dogs ruled on Friday's post:  What size dog fits you?  And according to our readers, we were right there in the majority of answers with you.   

We have one last question for the week:  Has blogging changed your mind or view of dogs in a way you never thought would?  

I think one of the biggest changes that has come out of blogging for me, is my point of view on Pitbulls.  When I started blogging I had a very strong and real fear for a dog that was portrayed to me as a fighting attack dog.  Having witnessed a vicious dog fight as a child, my fear for dogs that were bred to fight and the status they gained for it was frightening.  Yes, I have always been terrified of Pitbulls.

When I was growing up, Dobermans and Sheperd's were all the rage.  They were alleged killing machines that would turn on their owners in a heartbeat.  I was quite young at the time these accusations were being made and believed it to the truth.  I have never met either of these breeds in person in order to know any different.

It wasn't long after high school that Rottweilers became the savage dog of era.  There was a stigma with these type of guard dog breeds that were not only getting a bad rap, but shaping my very thinking that these kinds of dogs were not to be trusted under any circumstances.

While I developed a dislike for the behaviors that I had been taught these dogs could display, I bore no animosity for the breeds themselves.   

And then the Pitbull came along.  And suddenly there was a dog that was feared among the feared.  The vicious malice these dogs created only added fuel to a fire that I never started but that burned within.  For a very long time I could never see past the dog on TV attacking the child, and there in me grew a strong hatred for these dogs that I hadn't felt before with the previous ousted dogs.  Pitbulls had evolved into something far beyond what a Doberman, Sheperd or Rottweiler could ever be and I blamed the breed. Without a doubt.  This was also about the time I began to remember the dog fight I witnessed as a child and the memories surrounding it began to surface.  ANY dog that was aggressive or attacked was pure evil to me.  There was no getting around that belief.  You could not tell me any different.

Then I got Brut, my dog aggressive dog whom brought many things to light about aggression.  I struggle with this powerful dog who was shaped this way by someone before me and I began to understand something I didn't before.

THEN WE BEGAN TO BLOG  
Corbin was the first Pitbull who found our blog way back when we started and I instantly fell in love with the big guy.  I always thought Pitbulls were beautiful looking dogs, I just didn't like what I THOUGHT was underneath.  As I found more and more Pittie blogs and the fight to save the breed, I began to realize the false info I'd been fed all my life.  .

I watched a documentary on the history of Pitties on a Pit blog that unfortunately I can’t remember, that changed everything I thought I knew and understood about these awesome dogs.  I was simply in awe that Pitbulls WERE the dog to have because they were the most loyal, dependable family dog to own.  Until someone saw a potential and used it to exploit them for their own gain.  And this is where we find ourselves now, trying to turn back a clock that keeps on ticking.  Well, you can add one more to that fight.

I can not thank all the many bloggers who have taken the time and effort for people like me who have been subjected to such a narrow minded view with no honest hopes of taking the time to change that.  It was all of you Pit lovers who took each post and did it anyways.  That is some powerful stuff.  And for all of you out there, I can not begin to tell you what that means to me.  All I can say is...Thank you.
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22 comments:

Rubie and Poots (her Mum) said...

Hey - I love your blog and my mum is always amazed at dog owners who get a strong dog breed and then NOT do the homework required to raise the dog respecting the "type" of breed. That's when dogs are misunderstood and then "get bad wraps".

Anywho - I'm a mini schnauzer from Australia and I have just signed as your newest follower.

Tail Wuggles, Rubie

Golden Woofs! SUGAR said...

Woof! Woof! YES n NO. There are things/issues we already know but Blogging(reading blogs)broaden our knowledge ... it was helpful n grateful for all new interesting information we learned. Happy BLOG HOP Weekend! Lots of Golden Woofs, Sugar

Bassetmomma said...

Great post! Like Sugar I do have to say that blogging has broadened my horizon of knowledge!

Reba Messina said...

Always like keeping up with you guys! Reba

Sarah said...

That's a fantastic question and one I will have to think on.

Kudos to you for opening your heart & mind to these dogs - I know overcoming prejudices and fears is tough enough in itself but sharing so honestly about that process is a brave act as well. Kudos to you! As much as we need pit owners to share the wonderful aspects of the breed, we also need former haters to talk about how their minds were changed. I have many family members or friends who harbor fear or animosity towards pits but love my Sadie. When it has come up, they either don't want to admit she's part pit or say but she's not like the rest of them. While I don't think there's anything I can say or do to change their hearts and minds, hearing from someone who used to see the breed as they do would probably do more to help them overcome their prejudices. Thank you once again for blogging with such honesty!

Pamela said...

You've asked some great questions this week and it seems like everyone has had a good time checking in with their answers.

I feel like I'm learning all the time as a blogger. It's definitely true that increased familiarity with breeds new to me (like greyhounds) makes me love all dogs more.

I've been lucky to know some sweet and lovable pibbles for many years.

And I really like finding common cause with people online that I don't always find in my own neighborhood.

The downside of blogging--as one of the rare extrovert bloggers--I always wish I could meet my blogging friends face to face and get a little frustrated that I can't.

Of course, all my more shy blogging friends are probably relieved that I won't be ringing their doorbell anytime soon. :)

Jack & Moo said...

Great topic! what changed my mind about pitties was meeting a few at our old dog park. I was fearful they would grab my dog by the throat, but found they were really sweethearts! did see one used for fighting at an emergency vets once - a massive dog covered in scars. His owner came out & asked me to stand out of site with my husky when they brought their dog out, so as not to enrage him. That was scary and very sad. Like you said, its the owners, not the dogs.

Above all, blogging has shown us how resilient dogs are, we've met so many great rescue dogs of all breeds. All our Sibes have come from small private kennels & haven't had near the baggage to deal with. I previously thought that many rescue dogs had insurmountable physical and mental problems, but not anymore. I have a great deal of respect for people who take on dogs with problems & love them back to well-being. Four paws up for rescuers!

jack & moo Mom

Four Paw Savings said...

Hi! So excited I found your blog via the blog hop! To answer your question, yes, blogging has changed my views on dogs. Like you, I had a slightly negative view of pits before blogging. But in the past few months I have come to realize what wonderful dogs they can be, and now my mother even has a dog who is part pit (and she is the sweetest dog around). My fiance and I plan to get a dog as soon as we move out of our tiny apartment after our wedding, and a pit mix is top on our list!

MademoiselleBlume said...

Great to meet you on the Saturday BlogHop. :)

Anonymous said...

Hey, it's Jet here. Since we began blogging, we've confirmed how creative, informative, supportive and caring the community is.

We learned the most about pit bulls from Mr. Caesar Milan and Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, where my sister, Rachel, and Mom volunteered a few years ago.

Amy / Layla the Malamute said...

Blogging has not changed my viewpoint on dogs, but it has made me more aware of the HUGE society of "crazy dog people" out there :) I might have a funny/sad/whatever story about my dogs that people at work or school just would not appreciate, but my blog friends would.

Julia Williams said...

That is wonderful that getting to know the breed through blogs that speak from the heart opened your eyes to the truth. The media does these dogs such an injustice.

Blogging hasn't changed my view of dogs, but it has definitely heightened my desire to get one.

Linda said...

One thing I've really liked about writing for a blog is doing research on dogs and learning more about them all the time. Being able to meet other dog owners from around the country who have the same feelings about their pets has been an extra I didn't expect. Blogging hasn't changed my mind or view on dogs, but it has made me feel even closer to my own and given me a chance to expand my knowledge about dogs.

I've been around different breeds, including the so called "dangerous" dogs and have never understood the "fear" associated with them.

Any dog can be a danger if they are owned by the wrong person and the sweetest dogs I have known are pit bulls. One of my current dogs is a pit bull mix and I'd trust her with anyone, including kids.

Jen said...

Blogging has allowed me to form and mature my ideas on dogs, I think.

It's funny, I never really had a complete notion of all the breed prejudices out there until my first forays into the Internet Dog World. Elka is a Doberman, and though I don't have a pit bull, I will advocate for them, because as you say, it was Dobermans people feared not long ago. And Rottweilers, which were the breed I thought I wanted before Elka.

houndstooth said...

I've always loved our Greyhounds, and I honestly thought that I'd never get a dog that wasn't an adult rescue. Getting Kuster was hard for me on a couple of levels. We got him from a breeder and we got a puppy, on the heels of losing a very senior dog. Our breeder is wonderful and very supportive of us. I think she's as proud of his accomplishments when they happen as we are! I also have enjoyed a lot of aspects of his puppyhood. I think if I hadn't read a few certain blogs, like My Brown Newfies and Something Wagging that I would have struggled a lot more with the idea of getting a purebred puppy from a breeder. But with three dogs already at home, we needed to stack the deck in favor of our new dog being able to work as much as possible. Kuster has some very solid working lines, and while that's not a guarantee, I've already seen a lot of his instincts working to make him into what we hope he'll be.

Yas said...

Hello hello! Oh definitely yes in my case! Maxx's my first ever dog. I've made lots of friends through blogging and feel very lucky and blessed to be part of this amazing circle of friends. Needless to say, i learned a LOT about lots of things. It's funny because i used to think that i would have to train my dog and teach it lots of things but actually HE is teaching me each day. :-)
Now i cant imagine my life without a dog.

Cheers,
Maxx's mommy

Nancy K. said...

I can't say that blogging has changed my mind about any breeds ~ just helped me to meet lots of wonderful, like-minded people! I've had dogs for as long as I can remember and was never afraid of ANY until I grew up and heard what horrible monster, killers Pit Bulls are. It's so sad that a number of breeds are misjudged and persecuted because of the horrible things that horrible HUMANS did to some wonderful dogs who just happened to be very powerful. I wouldn't hesitate to get a Pibble today ~ in fact the second dog that I rescued and re-homed was a gorgeous Pit Bull. The only thing dangerous about that dog was his tongue and his tail! ;-)

Sage said...

I've found it's not the breed, it's the dog that can/will cause a problem. We've run into so many pitties and other "aggressive" breeds that just aren't. I certainly think those many, thoughtful blogs that I read have helped in any misconceptions I may have had.

zeeFM said...

Great post and some interesting questions this week =)

haopee said...

I know I am a little late on responding to this post but I have also seen this documentary regarding Pitties.

Of course, I've already read about it, but it's just better when you see it on TV.

I've learned a whole lot from just blogging about doggies. And I am glad that these things I've learned is information I share with people around me.

^_^

Huggies and Cheese,

Haopee

Emily said...

I think it's great you can share your experience on how you came to change your perception. I was a silly child who grew up afraid of ALL DOGS and then I moved to Phoenix and couldn't help but fall for the true "under-dog" in the area-- the pit bull. It's amazing how much you can learn from the dog blogging community, too! I have learned so much reading about everyone's beloved pets and how I can do things better myself!

Wyatt said...

We look at Pitbulls in a better light because of blogging. We look at LIFE in GENERAL, in a better light because of blogging. There are so many great people, who truly love their pets out there!

Wyatt and Stanzie