By Pardeep Sahota
I wake up every morning at 6:30 am, and not to the ringing of an alarm clock, but to the first in a series of loud yawns from my 10 month old puppy: Boomer. We have a routine, Boomer and I. He gets dropped off at my parent’s house because I don’t like leaving him alone for long periods of time. At 10 am his trainer picks him up for his hour long private training session. He returns to enjoy his naps and playtime with my parent’s’ family dogs. On my way home from work, I pick up Boomer and we go for a nice long walk – sometimes to a nearby park, elementary school, or just on the street – where he can get plenty of exposure and socialization. Boomer patiently waits until my husband and I have finished dinner, and then eagerly resumes his position on the couch next to me for a marathon cuddle session. At bedtime he is put back into his crate where he snuggles up to his whale stuffy and snores the night away.
Some people may think it’s ridiculous to revolve my day around my dog. I’ve often been told that dogs belong outside, and my dogs shouldn’t be indoors; this is problematic because Boomer is an indoor dog that only stays outside when I’m not home. A lot of people think dogs are just animals, and shouldn’t be treated like a family member – they think it’s crazy that I allow my dog to sit in the front seat of my car, or that Boomer has his own bedroom. I do this because I love my dog, much like other women love their children. The kids in my neighborhood love him, other dogs enjoy play time with him, and he always puts a smile on my face. Boomer is a 10 month old red nosed pit bull puppy and is one of the three red-nosed pit bulls in my family.
Now I don’t think of myself as particularly political or controversial, yet because of my outspoken love for pit bulls, I’ve heard everything from, ‘Do you really have one?’ to ‘Pit bulls are dangerous and need to be banned’. Not only do complete strangers tell me this, but people who know me and know my friendly dogs often make ignorant comments on the entire breed. They assume we have pit bulls because of the stigma that surrounds them and not for our love of the breed.
The American Pit Bull Terrier (APBT) was bred for working and eagerness despite the threat of substantive injury, strength, and athleticism, and was once regarded as the perfect ‘nanny dog’ for children because of their friendly nature. According to the United Kennel Club (UKC) pit bulls “have always been noted for their love of children,” but aren’t “the best choice for a guard dog since they are extremely friendly, even with strangers.” Today, as an owner of a pit bull, I can attest that parents often recoil when they see my dogs, and dramatically pull their children close to them.
Pit bulls receive a lot of media attention because of their mythological ‘locking jaws’, propensity to attack small children and dogs, and innate aggressiveness. While it can’t be argued that there have been recent dog attacks, and pit bulls have been the culprit, you can’t blame the breed – you blame irresponsible dog owners whose failings lead to poorly socialized and potentially aggressive dogs.
There is no argument that pit bulls are often the dog of choice for irresponsible breeders, dog-fighters, or for those who want a tough-looking dog tied up in their yard. It is because pit bulls are disproportionately favored by these owners that they are responsible for a large share of serious attacks on humans. However, a call for a ban on the breed or breed-specific legislation won’t work because those individuals who own pit bulls for irresponsible reasons will switch breeds and raise another breed to be aggressive. Rather than targeting specific breeds, offending owners and animals should be targeted, and stricter rules need to be enforced for aggressive dogs.
As a lover of the breed, I searched far and wide for a breeder that bred the type of dog that I wanted. Rather than opting for a burly pit bull, I got an athletic and energetic pit bull with a friendly disposition. That being said, as a responsible dog owner who knows her dog, I still wouldn’t leave my dogs unsupervised around small children or loose in my home when I’m not there. I also don’t take my dogs to dog parks to be around other aggressive dogs, nor do I let my dog off leash in areas with high distractions.
Owning a dog is not a right, it’s a privilege, and it’s something that I don’t take lightly. Owning a pit bull takes commitment, time, patience and a love for the breed. If you’re looking for an outdoor dog that doesn’t want constant love and attention, then pit bulls are not the gentle giants for you.
