# What owning a pit bull type says about you



## 9361 (Jun 25, 2009)

Do you think that you are automatically judged as a person based on the fact that you own a pit bull type dog whether it be full blood APBT, mix, or bully. I was thinking about this with all the talk of renting houses with pit bulls. I wonder if the moment I mention I own a pit bull.. the person automatically starts thinking I'm scum... and part of the reason they don't allow pit bulls is also prejudice against not only dog but owner stereotypes. Like when you say "I own a pit bull" the person starts picturing you as a scummy drug dealer with a big thick chain on your vicious barking pit bull. You get the image?


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## MetalGirl30 (Apr 15, 2008)

Yes, I get looked at funny, comments made to me, people telling me that one day my dog will turn. Everyone I meet is an expert at negative opinions towards me and my dog!

Everyone has a degree in PIT BULL BS!!!

It is just something that goes along with owning such great dogs. I just ignore or educate when I get the chance.
Sometimes it's not my dogs but me they look at first. I have tattoos, so that automatically makes my dog bad. 
My poor boy never had a chance....lol!!


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## franktank1 (Dec 29, 2009)

I got one of these reactions yesterday with a lady I work with. I had a picture on my phone, and she was like "OMG is that a pitbull!". You know what I'm talking about. I just looked at her with that "I would love to get in that discussion with you" look. I think she realized it was a battle she wasn't going to win and quickly changed the subject. But truly, I really would have loved to have that discussion with her. Maybe I'll get my chance one day.


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## 9361 (Jun 25, 2009)

Was it someone who already knows you?? I just wonder about a strangers preconceived idea's.


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## MetalGirl30 (Apr 15, 2008)

No not really, just people who see me with my dog or hears me say that I own PIT BULL.

Just hearing you say you own one brings out the "bad dog 101" class in them.

There are few times that I actually get a good opinion about my dog from someone and it is usually from another pit bull owner.


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## 9361 (Jun 25, 2009)

I have found even other pit bull owners to be ignorant!! Everyone takes things as "facts" that they hear from others.... I have yet to meet a person in RL that knows what an "American Bully" is so when I meet people that start bragging about their big blue 100lb dog... and they are saying "hes the biggest pit I've ever seen" I try to tell them about the American Bully and their dog is not an APBT... but they don't listen.


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## franktank1 (Dec 29, 2009)

Shes Got Heart said:


> Was it someone who already knows you?? I just wonder about a strangers preconceived idea's.


I just met her a few days ago, she's new at work.


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## MetalGirl30 (Apr 15, 2008)

Shes Got Heart said:


> I have found even other pit bull owners to be ignorant!! Everyone takes things as "facts" that they hear from others.... I have yet to meet a person in RL that knows what an "American Bully" is so when I meet people that start bragging about their big blue 100lb dog... and they are saying "hes the biggest pit I've ever seen" I try to tell them about the American Bully and their dog is not an APBT... but they don't listen.


That is so true... I have a guy that lives down the road that owns a beautiful blue BULLY and he tries his best to make me think his dog is AKC registered and will argue with you if you try to tell him any different.
People sometimes just like to listen to the words coming out of their own mouths.


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## ganja (Feb 11, 2010)

I don't feel categorized as an owner perse, if it isn't just the fact that I belong to the "pit bull" owner category or "child abuser" and such nonsense... but nothing like gangster or whatever...

I have had more luck this far with my pure bred APBT pup at 5 months old than I had with my mix at 7 months old when it comes to people I meet during walks...
he was taller but still, he looked less like one when he was that young than my current dog does...

and then you got those like a lady with her 2 yrs old kid at the mall... 
my apbt was 2.5 months old and this lady comes walking up to me with her kid and asks me if her daughter can pet the puppy, so I agree.
she asked me what breed he was, and pulled her daughter back as soon as the words "american pit..." came out of my mouth lol... 
as if he was gonna eat the kid at 2 months and a half lol 

a few mins later an elderly lady in a wheelchair comes by with her husband walking next to her and asks me if I could please put the puppy in her lap so she could pet it.
I agree and she proceeds to ask me if it's a lab puppy.
at that point I didn't really know what to answer and allmost whispered his breed, thinking she wouldn't understand it and leave it at that 

she said he is a lovely little "pit bull" with a HUGE smile on her face! lol

we talked a bit and I moved on 

it really depends on the people... mostly bad comments, but we still have some non-biased people walking around every now and then


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## MetalGirl30 (Apr 15, 2008)

It is just something that comes with owning a dog any breed of dog that has been put into the "aggression" category.

People believe what they hear, and make opinions based on that without experience.


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## pitbulljojo (Apr 2, 2009)

I live in an "inner city" neighborhood in Chicago so basically I'm known as the "crazy white lady with all those pits" . I have never like little anything - dogs, men etc so owning bully breeds seem like a natural { I have 5 APBT} . I've been married to a black man for 31 years. A friend of my oldest daughter told me once that he liked my house cause it was a " mutt house" {he was mixed too}. I always take the side of the underdog / missunderstood / under represented. I have never been in the "in clique" , I am usually considered a bit different and thats why I usually identify with the missunderstood breeds. Being different is good. I'm the one who will tell you the truth straight up - no frills


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## MY MIKADO (Apr 7, 2006)

My sister thinks that you do get judge but I find that I don't. The only person that gave me that look was a man I had never met before plus he wasn't even from MN. I tell people everyday that I have a pitbull but I don't think they are judging me. I'm a clean cut girl plus I'm really friendly.


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## DarkMoon (Nov 26, 2009)

If people know me before they find out what breed of dog I own, I get the "What? You own what??!??" They just can't see me as a Pit Bull owner because in their minds the only people who own a Pit Bull are scum and dead beats.

This is why when I'm out with Nubs, I attempt to dress up more. I nice pair of jeans and a nicer top. You'll rarely catch me in my cargo jeans, hoodie, and beanie unless it's in my own back yard. I WANT the public to see that even a non-druggies own this breed. I think this is the reason I rarely get negative reactions from the general public. 

When I start talking to people on the phones about my dog, I ALWAYS say "American Pit Bull Terrier" because most people do not know what it is. It is also followed by the explaining of what CGC is and how you go about earning it, obedience classes, agility classes and working on becoming a Therapy Dog but it isn't working out so well because 
"he is just TOO happy, friendly and we just can't seem to get his head to stop moving his tongue when he meets new people". It's actually amazing to hear what people say after all of that. Normally its "American Pit Bull Terrier? You sure your talking about a Pit Bull???" 

So far to date I've only had 2 bad experiences and both were from people who jumped to conclusions before even speaking to me. The people who always talk to me and meet Nubs have always walked away with a smile and less objective view on the dogs.


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## Akasha (Oct 30, 2009)

You know funny thing happened to me today - We are trying to purchase a house, but need to go with the lease to own option, so now we need to find a place! We found a beautiful place out in the country and the lease to own will come in the first year of renting the place. (kinda a nice way to do it, because it shows the owner that we are responsible - because he's holding the lease until we are able to mortage (sp) the home).........

Anyways I asked the owner today, just to make sure he was aware that we had an "American Pitbull Terrier" - he said "No I had no idea you had a dog, well that changes everything" - I retorted with well I'm pretty sure I posted that on Craigslist - ALL the sudden I heard this laugh at the other end of the phone! He said "I'm kidding!!" - I believe its the owner, not the dogs fault!!


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## smokey_joe (Oct 14, 2005)

I think that our dogs are negatively viewed by society, and as owners, that makes society view us in negative ways as well. But, just like any other stereotype and prejudice, people have to be willing to by into it for it to make any difference.


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## jmejiaa (Dec 8, 2009)

Some people I tell are usually just freaked out by the fact that I have a dog that can kill at any time. You know, once my dog's brain starts getting to big for her skull it's over for me.


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## brandicookie (Feb 3, 2010)

some of the people i meet act like that but i met this minister the other day when i was walking walle and he was petting him and playing with him then he asked me what kind of dog it was and he said he didn't expect them to be such lovable he fall in love with him when he seen him. and now when i walk him we usually go see him. Im glad there is some people out there who understand.


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## jmejiaa (Dec 8, 2009)

brandicookie said:


> some of the people i meet act like that but i met this minister the other day when i was walking walle and he was petting him and playing with him then he asked me what kind of dog it was and he said he didn't expect them to be such lovable he fall in love with him when he seen him. and now when i walk him we usually go see him. Im glad there is some people out there who understand.


+1 most pplwill be surprised how nice they are will see that they aren't as mean as the media says they are.


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## 9361 (Jun 25, 2009)

Yes the dogs normally speak for themselves! Like many of you have said people have walked away with a changed perception after meeting Helena. I just wonder what people think when I call about a rental house and I say I have a pit bull... which is why I think I'll stop mentioning the breed right off the bat on the first phone call. I will let them meet us first and then I will mention the breed before making a deal. But I think it is so important that we take our dogs to obedience classes and train them and make the better than other dogs in society.. they have to be!


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## aus_staffy (Nov 10, 2009)

People will always judge you for having a bully breed dog. I love hearing that you never know when your dog will "turn", getting asked "when you have kids will you put your dogs down?" or "do you fight your dogs?". I also love it when people cross the street to avoid us.

My personal favourite happens all the time. When we are out somewhere, someone will come and pat my dogs or let their kids pat them and then ask are they vicious? Depending on my mood, sometimes I say in mock horror "Yes they are! You're so lucky you didn't get mauled!". All the while, the dogs are wagging their tails and cleaning their kids' faces.

Unfortunately if you own a tough looking dog, a lot of people will assume you have something to prove or compensate for.


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## betsy09 (Jan 3, 2010)

My sister lives in Japan and just found out today that I inherited Betsy....she was like "what? hell no! if anything happens to the kids....." The fact that I don't leave any dog alone with my kids, not even a hamster, it just did't register....but I just sent her a billion links for her to do some real research on this beautiful breed (Dogs 101 on Animal Planet doesn't cut it). Americas has truly forgotten a true mascot. I'm glad I was reminded.


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## Black Rabbit (Nov 14, 2009)

I get the stink eye quiet a bit actually. People see a ton of tattoos and a pit bull they think druggie or scum bag. It all depends on where I am I guess cause I've had a lot of guys act like tats and a pit is the sexiest thing ever. LMAO I guess it's about half and half.


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## buzhunter (Sep 3, 2007)

I only talk to dog people, even in real life. lol


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## NewPitThena (Feb 5, 2010)

Sounds about right.

All the places we found that would allow Athena are in the city. No place in the nice clean (somewhat) suburbs would allow it. Except for the place we just found in the country (kinda).


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## MetalGirl30 (Apr 15, 2008)

kg420 said:


> I get the stink eye quiet a bit actually. People see a ton of tattoos and a pit bull they think druggie or scum bag. It all depends on where I am I guess cause I've had a lot of guys act like tats and a pit is the sexiest thing ever. LMAO I guess it's about half and half.


Same for me really to. I am a female with 7 tattoos who walks a pit around, automatically I am a drug dealer or some below the Earth scum.

Never mind that my dog's tail wags 100 miles and hour or that he wants to lick and greet everyone that gets 5 feet from him. Or that he doesn't pay any attention to other dog that are around or go crazy trying to get to them.

I have more problems with Tink going crazy, showing her rear end and being bad on walks, but she is always commented on how cute she is and "oh, she want to play".
We have been putting her through OB training and she is getting better, alot better.


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## Aximus Prime (Dec 15, 2009)

Opinions and stereotypes about dog breeds seem to be one of the easiest things to imprint on idiot people through movies and the media. People have watched movies about dogs that show staged behavior and so everyone is an expert on breed behavior!


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## Mom_of_Kambo (Nov 11, 2009)

That's exactly what happens because back when stupid people and impulsive people saw that the "pit bull" could be an effective tool in making a tough image. Dogs that normally would have been deestoryed by their owners as unsound, all of a sudeen became popular as breeding stock. So, in turn, mean dogs mated with mean dogs etc etc. The most crazy dogs and meanest dogs were prized dogs. And that's not what the APBT image was like till like the 60's when all this started happening. Thugs do the same thing...they produce wannabe thugs with these mean dogs. So people associate "pits" with gang members or criminals doing drugs and this and that. Pretty much the bad dudes with bad attitudes with bad dogs. Media picked up on it and that's where our fight begins to reclaim the image of the dog.

So I make a point to ask someone is it really a "pit" or is it an APBT...And point the difference out to people who are open to the explanation...I'm not trying to be racist here so nobody get mad ok?? Alright... There are a lot of black people where I live and when we ride around with Tex.. They all say "oooh look at the pit" or when we ride with Gage (guthrie's dog) "he's a monsta beast" Yea they are APBT ...but after I figured out the difference it's like an insult to call our dogs just pits.


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## 9361 (Jun 25, 2009)

buzhunter said:


> I only talk to dog people, even in real life. lol


I can't meet "real" dog people.... HAHAHA I always think about how GP should buy an island and we can all live happily and BSL free... and if someone screws up.... WE CAN BAN THEM! LOL


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## Patch09 (Apr 23, 2009)

when I walk my dog I definitly get "what are you doing owning that kind of dog vibe" but when people come over the house I let them judge for themselves and hopefully they leave thinking alittle different about apbt's


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## wheezie (Aug 4, 2006)

i think a large portion of the stereotypical "pit bull " owner is true, sad but true lots of hill billys and thugs own this breed or mixed mutts they clame to be "pit bulls"


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## Black Rabbit (Nov 14, 2009)

MetalGirl30 said:


> Same for me really to. I am a female with 7 tattoos who walks a pit around, automatically I am a drug dealer or some below the Earth scum.
> 
> Never mind that my dog's tail wags 100 miles and hour or that he wants to lick and greet everyone that gets 5 feet from him. Or that he doesn't pay any attention to other dog that are around or go crazy trying to get to them.
> 
> ...


Yea the tats don't help I've got a full sleeve on my left arm so I kinda stand out especially in a small town like mine. I owned a tattoo shop here and people were not very accepting of a pit bull as a shop dog. This is how I feel about that:


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## Mom_of_Kambo (Nov 11, 2009)

LOL...you're great... I feel the same way


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