# How do you answer the public ?



## jscottnd85 (Sep 27, 2009)

Just curious how you all answer the inevitable question that always seems to arise when I'm out with my dog. What kind of dog is it ? 

Personally I answer proudly that he's an American Pit Bull Terrier, this always seems to trigger one of two reactions either an extreme tension and almost borderline anger from people or an instant shocked Oh Really ?! he's really a beautiful happy dog ! 

We take him into pet smart from time to time their general managers mother breeds pit's and hes always ecstatic to see him at the same sense the other day we where standing in line and Ronin decided to turn around wagging his tail and lick the leg of the guy behind us.. why the man was with in half a foot of me I dont really know, I always keep Ronin on a tight leash but it was almost instant disdain and anger he showed as he looked down at my dog. He was holding bones in his hand so obviously a dog owner, then a boy of probably 10 years of age jumps out from behind him and lets out a "Oh a pitbull ! COOL !" and starts to pet Ronin as he instantly showers the boy with kisses. Which triggered an even angrier look from the man.

Even my girlfriend has had to become proactive about the breed and started learning the ins and outs. She was a bit shocked by the often times extreme reaction you get from people when telling them the breed, at first I caught her calling him an Amstaff simply to avoid the often condescending reaction she would get when walking him. She sense has become more comfortable with calling a spade a spade and defending it as such, he's been such an amazing dog thus far theirs no reason not too.


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## reddoggy (Jan 31, 2008)

I tell people to take everything they think they know about APBTs andthrow it out the window. I tell them that a few isolated, highly publicized cases don't define this breed, this breed that's been Americas dog from when it was created till someone started some propaganda. Then I tell em to get online and check out some unbiased resources and judge for themselves. I also let them know that bite statistics are fraudulent on both sides. My dogs are friendly and so are a majority of the pit bulls they'll run into... There's a few bad seeds in every breed!


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## jscottnd85 (Sep 27, 2009)

I like that response Red, to take everything they think they know and throw it out the window. I ran into a rotwiller owner, she explained to me that last week animal control stopped by her house. She had her two boys laying in the front yard the animal control officer laughed and explained their was a report of two very large pit bulls off their leash and running rampant in the neighborhood. Turned out the call was about her two leashed lazy rotts soaking up the fall weather. 

Sad really I knew it was bad, but I didnt think the general public was as uneducated and unable to determine what certain dogs are as they apparently have shown me. I dont blame anyone for mixing up Amstaffs for pits and such.. but come on a rott ?


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## OldFortKennels (Mar 10, 2006)

Depends on who and where. If it is some idiot, they are just mutts, if its a decent human being that I think can be rational, we talk about it. BUT I NEVER CALL THEM PITBULLS!! I *HATE* THAT TERM!!!!


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## reddoggy (Jan 31, 2008)

Hysteria causes people to do funny things, and from what it sounds like, in this case, some take advantage. I mean, if you wanted AC to come out fast, what would a person who doesn't care for dogs say? IMO, they'd say there's a couple of pit bulls running loose. Just like when a dog attacks someone, the media always makes it a pit bull. Shoot, sometimes people don't wanna admit that they got beat down by a little mutt, so they try to makle themselves sound tough by changing the story a bit. *shakes head at society*
Here's THE perfect example of how stupid people are when it comes to propaganda


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## BLUE PIT BULL MAN (May 22, 2009)

I loved the video scared me off them good smokes for sure!!!


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## t1dirty (May 21, 2009)

i had to watch some vids like that back in high school


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## jscottnd85 (Sep 27, 2009)

I hate the term pitbull too OFK, at the same sense i think the only reason any of us hate the name sometimes is just because of that reaction you get from people. I almost sometimes think its better they hear the name over and over so it desensitizes people and when they hear it again they'll think of a well mannered one.. a happy one they met that licked them repeatedly vs the juggernaut media machines version.


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## MY MIKADO (Apr 7, 2006)

My girl is an American Pitbull Terrier to evryone I meet. I'm lucky I live in the northland people are too nice to say mean things about my dog......or maybe my temper proceeds me and they are scared of me.....well it doesn't matter she is of the best dang breed around.


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## wvmom09 (Nov 2, 2009)

I find it really hard sometimes to keep my temper when defending my dog. I think the best think to do is offer them to pet the dog, and if they say no, then let them be igornant. A lot of people where I am from are very scared of pits, and honestly I find it ridiculous. There is a muzzle law in place, specifically just for our breed of dog and also they do not want females walking them what so ever. Personally, I see no difference in who walks the dog, as long as they can maintain control. But I will get back to my point now, I have to defend my dog everytime I take her to the vet. There is always someone there with a smaller dog who will ask me if my dog is going to eat their dog or bite them. I personally find this very offensive so its hard for me to keep my temper and answer the public with a respectful answer. I try to, but it doesn't always work out that way. I think you shouldn't judge the breed, judge the deed!


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## BLUE PIT BULL MAN (May 22, 2009)

I call them dogs and if they ask what kind if they are not stupid looking or acting i tell tem straight up. Its an American Pit Bull Terrier. other wise they are wiemerieners because mine are most all blue! im kidding


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## jscottnd85 (Sep 27, 2009)

Lol @ Blue.

Ya Mikado I live in ND and as you said for the most part people are to nice / reserved to say anything outwardly mean, but you can usually still sense disdain in some people towards your dog. It makes me laugh sometimes. What kind of dog is it ? - APBT.. - wait its a what ? - APBT.... - Oh!!! /looks at the dog with sudden concern then back at me trying to figure out why I don't appear to be a criminal.


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## melrosdog (Dec 21, 2008)

Around here a lot of people have pit bulls so almost everyone I talk to knows somebody who has one. Most people already know that they are great dogs. Every once in awhile I will get a bad reaction. 
I know some of you dont like the term pit bull, but around here thats what everyone calls them.


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## MY MIKADO (Apr 7, 2006)

There was a guy that once told me I looked like too nice of a girl to have a pitbull. I asked him where he was from he frowned and said Illinios, why? I said I knew you were not from here cause what you said wan't nice at all. Don't worry about we will change you. He moved.

What i hate about up here in the northland is how backwards people are. They don't think to research a breed. They don't know the difference between APBT, Cane Corso, Am. Bully. I get a headache all the time. I'm one person trying to educate the whole area.


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## redog (Oct 14, 2005)

I always just hand over the leash to the person. my dogs speak for themselves.


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## Jaz's dad (Aug 12, 2009)

My trusted friends and neighbours know she is an a.p.b.t, and most of the neighbourhood have heard she is a 'pitbull'. 
Jaz is always around people and kids and she loves the attention she gets, and loves to play, and to be honest, all my friends and neighbours have changed their opinion about the breed because they have realised that propaganda and hype was used to give the breed a bad name and later led to banning this breed over here.

When i'm confronted while dog walking by starngers, i say she is an irish staffy.......as you never know, I could be talking to an off duty policeman 
I love my Jaz and will never risk the chance of her being taken away from me, so as much as i'd like to educate as many people as I can, I also have to be very carefull.


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## Leon (Apr 28, 2009)

I just say bulldog, cant go wrong with that.


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## jscottnd85 (Sep 27, 2009)

Jaz's dad said:


> My trusted friends and neighbours know she is an a.p.b.t, and most of the neighbourhood have heard she is a 'pitbull'.
> Jaz is always around people and kids and she loves the attention she gets, and loves to play, and to be honest, all my friends and neighbours have changed their opinion about the breed because they have realised that propaganda and hype was used to give the breed a bad name and later led to banning this breed over here.
> 
> When i'm confronted while dog walking by starngers, i say she is an irish staffy.......as you never know, I could be talking to an off duty policeman
> I love my Jaz and will never risk the chance of her being taken away from me, so as much as i'd like to educate as many people as I can, I also have to be very carefull.


Ya thats unfortunate, they recently lifted all the BSL regulations around here so that isnt a fear a have to face.

Mikado I know how you feel, even alot of my friends cant picture owning a dog for anything other then hunting bird so a pit bull was an odd purchase to begin with. One of my friends came over to my house the other week to see him and he looks at me and goes wow.. hes kind of a boring puppy he just chills out. We took him outside and instantly he was blasting around the yard chasing down fallen apples.

I explained that this is one reason I love the breed, he isnt full of nervous destructive almost obsessive energy that you see in a lot of hunting dogs he knows when its time to play and when its time to just chew on his bone. It's funny though I hear them asking me now to bring him over and let him play with their dogs or asking how he is.


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## dixieland (Aug 14, 2009)

I tell people she is a APBT.And luckily the only place I've had a bad experience was at the vets office.Went in there one day and all the other dog owners automatically thought that my dog was going to attack their dogs.They all moved their dogs to the other side of the room,until they saw my son playing with her and climbing all over her.She was wagging her tail and licking him the whole time.Then only half of them stayed on the other side of the room.Of course all the other parents that had their kids with them still wouldn't go nowhere near us.


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## Patch-O-Pits (Jan 12, 2008)

I always say they are American Pit Bull Terrier.

Many old timers and other who have been around the breed just flat out call APBTs Bull dogs.

Only in recent years of the stupid media hype has pit bull meant dogs other than the APBT. So, I don't have a problem with saying pit bull or pits either but only will use those slang terms to people who seem to already know what they are like when we talk on the forums. 

So there are nick names for the breed. Not a big deal to me. However when someone has no idea what breed they are I make sure to use the full breed name.

It does annoy me when people post and can't even spell the names though and but things like
pitt bull, pitbull, pitts etc... 

What always bugs me , is when someone asks , What breed?", and then say something idiotic like, "Oh I have one at home just like yours!"

How stupid can you be if you have one then why would you ask what breed mine is???? This has happened more than one time.


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## foti (Oct 22, 2009)

well i tend to call my apbt pitbulls

but if it sombody that i am not sure about they are American staffies 
sorry guys but they are band in oz and they have a really bad rap after all the pit fights that were going on in my area in syd and all the attacks from crossbreeds named pitbull in the press!


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## pitbulljojo (Apr 2, 2009)

Im from Chitown and a lot of " girls" own pits up here { I'm 51 !!} Im asked all the time what type of dog it is my answer is always the same " Pit" . I have a T-shirt from cafepress that says " Its a pitbull" . I tend to be rather blunt when asked any questions - about dogs , politics , sports- so I cant be missunderstood. Due to the sheer volume of APBT in Chicago seeing them around is fairly common.


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## cEElint (Oct 6, 2009)

i usually say "nice ones" when asked what kinda dog they are?


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## Hirihat (May 5, 2009)

I reply "rescue" no matter which of my dogs I have. I am lucky to have some history on them but I don't have peds so the truth is, I can only guess. I have 2 Rotts that are not registered, 2 brothers that are 1/2 AM Foxhound and 1/2 APBT, 2 AmStaffs and a Catahoula. None were in a good situation and are powerful, STUBBORN breeds. I try to be honest and forthright and explain that all of the hype about any breed is due to poor ownership and explain how hard-headed my own dogs are and how hard we work with them to help them be their best. 

But sometimes, I can't help myself and answer the most ridiculous breed I can think of at that moment if the people are annoying such as Afgan, Poodle, Pomeranian (especially with the 100 lb Rott!! LOL) or make up something like Boogaroo Mountain Terrier, Scooby Foxweiler......Sometimes, I have to make myself laugh or the haters get to me!


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## Lex's Guardian (Aug 8, 2009)

reddoggy said:


> I tell people to take everything they think they know about APBTs andthrow it out the window. I tell them that a few isolated, highly publicized cases don't define this breed, this breed that's been Americas dog from when it was created till someone started some propaganda. Then I tell em to get online and check out some unbiased resources and judge for themselves. I also let them know that bite statistics are fraudulent on both sides. My dogs are friendly and so are a majority of the pit bulls they'll run into... There's a few bad seeds in every breed!


Well said!  Mind if I borrow your response?

I just thought of a something else to say to people, 'have you seen the little rascals' or 'Homeward Bound'? He's the same kind of dog as you'd see in those movies


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## tgp4lyf (Apr 7, 2010)

i just call out my dogs name and shout BITE!!! LOL then they ran away like crazy..


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## Sampsons Dad (Jul 4, 2008)

I call them the breed name and smile and walk away.
After 18+ years of trying to defend the bully breeds and yet seeing ore dog bits and more breeding....i quit talking.
I just smile and wave.


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## APBTHAUS (Mar 3, 2010)

I tell them American Pit Bull Terrier, and most of the time these uneducated ducktards are like"oh so she's a Terrier, not like those mean Pit Bulls right?"then my response is something like"NO, that's exactly what she is, just not mean, as most of them aren't stop listening to the media and you might learn something. These dogs were called the nanny dog in WW1 and WW2, um hello? maybe that was for a good reason. Even the beloved little rascals tv show had a APBT as well as past presidents. Get your facts right before you step to me with your mug twisted sideways before i smack it straight." As you can probably tell I'm a little blunt and can't/won't hold back my thoughts regarding this breed.


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