Everybody who owns a pitbull knows that BSL or Breed Specific Legislation impacts our daily life with our dogs. For many of us who don't directly face the kind of bullshit that citizens in Denver, Miami or Ontario citizens do over their valued family member, chances are you are still affected in some way. Whether it be insurance bias, ignorant owners, rental bias, or any other little bit of discrimination we are all still affected. But it goes further than that, Just by owning a pitbull/amstaff/staffy we are lumped together in mainstream societies views as being fringe elements of society, that we don't take care of our pets and just want them for "suspect" reasons. Any good owner knows that these are just plain wrong. Just by owning a pitbull we are already the target of "our" (used loosely) politicians, news reporters, or any other group that seeks to fulfill the discrimination already against our beloved pets.
What we seem to forget is that BSL is not a one breed monster, yes the hate in the last decade and more has been against pitbulls or any other breed even faintly resembling them. Let us remember that they used to subjugate the Dobermans, and Rottweilers as well to this unfair and unjust BSL. Not to mention that many BSL laws still discriminates in no order particular against German Shepherds, Wolf Hybrids, Dogo Argentinos, Mastiff (any breed) Presa Canarios, Akitas, Chows, and yes Dobies and Rotts. As a pitbull owner and lover I know that to classify my dogs as aggressive or ruthless or evil/mean/monsters etc... is complete bullshit. Im sure that owners of any of these breeds listed above feel the same way about their dog. Can there be aggressive members of these breeds?? Yes, absolutely, there can be aggressive dogs of ANY breed, interesting enough that the large more powerful breeds are the scapegoat. Can Akitas inflict more damage than a chihuahua? Absolutely. I do find it very interesting that the smaller breeds like Daschunds, Chihuahuas, pomeranians are generally more unstable towards humans and other dogs. Are they treated more like commodities than pets? Yes. Are they babied and carried around in their owners arms? Yes. While working in a vet hospital I have been bit no less than 15 times. None of these times has it been by a dog larger than 20 lbs. This is not to say that I haven't encountered any aggressive large dogs, I sure have, but the great majority of unstable dogs has been of the toy breeds. BTW the most aggressive larger breed dogs I've encountered were a Bearded Collie and a lab/shepherd mix. My experiences are not to be extrapolated over the entire population of dogs but people really need to take a look at themselves before they are so quick to write off a certain breed of dog because certain members of society.
Most of the dogs that bite people are Unneutered, Stray, Untrained. Those dogs that have an owner that are aggressive nearly all are untrained, have irresponsible/bad owners, and un altered. People are soo quick to attack the breed when the blame lays squarely on the shoulders of the human. People are assholes, they are douchebags, they are soo quick to rid themselves of their dog when their life gets hard, they dont value these dogs as family members and consequently the dogs will end up at the pound, on the streets, or from owner to owner, nothing of which is conducive to a healthy happy dog. I see way too many instances of people saying my wife is pregnant so we dont have time for our dog that we've had for 10 yrs... Seriously??? What kind of lowlife piece of shit are you to do that to your dog that was loyally by your side, who didnt judge you on your faults, and was as happy as can be for 10 yrs? Dogs ARE family, having said that they need to be treated not as people but as dogs, as happy healthy members of our family. They can't be allowed to run the household but they can't be tied up all day in the backyard either. Respect them, take care of them, vaccinate them, microchip them, Neuter/Spay them, feed them, love them. People generally don't deserve 2nd chances, Dogs deserve a million.
Heres Mo, My Chow mix that lived to age 14. Died in 2009. RIP Mo, Wonderful dog, Best Friend, Wish you were still here buddy. Dont judge the breed, judge the deed.
