Post by windowdog on Aug 1, 2008 10:25:47 GMT -5
Ever since I've had Devin I've been educating people I know that she's not a monster, my friends, family and neighbors mostly. Some of the neighbors have been a hard sell (one house has Westys, and I guess they were afraid their dogs might get eaten or something) but everyone seems to be coming around. Devin is such a sweet and passive dog it's kind of hard for anyone to really be afraid of her for long (so far at least.)
So I've got the "pits aren't monsters" act down pretty well. But I have to say another pit owner threw me for a loop the other day. A friend of the family apparently has owned pits her whole life. So we started talking and before long she was telling me about her dogs have always been pedigree "blues" and how they're really rare yadda yadda.
I'm new to this whole pit scene so this is the first time I'd ever really met a person who was fanatically proud that her dog had papers. You'd think it'd gone to Harvard or something. Further she was completely against puppy mills and would only buy from "reputable breeders", but when I asked her only definition of a reputable breeder was the breeder she went to was a close friend.
So I'm sitting there ready to tell her that blues really aren't all that rare, and the whole thing about how there are so many dogs in shelters that buying dogs is kind of maddening. But she's a really nice older woman, and she obviously paid A LOT of money for her dog, she never lets the dog breed, is appalled by all things related to dog fighting, and seems like a good owner all around. So I just let it go. I didn't have their heart to tear into this whole fantasy she has about being an owner of exceptionally rare dogs. I did mention that she could probably find some blues on Petfinder next time she's looking for a dog, and she seems interested in the idea of rescuing a blue (though not other pits which made me kind of grind my teeth.)
So when people talk about being an ambassador for the breed, does that extend to getting into debates with other pit owners about the false perceptions they may have? I must say I'd have a much easier time getting into the face of a cruel owner that I did try to tell a dupe of an owner that she wasted her money.
So I've got the "pits aren't monsters" act down pretty well. But I have to say another pit owner threw me for a loop the other day. A friend of the family apparently has owned pits her whole life. So we started talking and before long she was telling me about her dogs have always been pedigree "blues" and how they're really rare yadda yadda.
I'm new to this whole pit scene so this is the first time I'd ever really met a person who was fanatically proud that her dog had papers. You'd think it'd gone to Harvard or something. Further she was completely against puppy mills and would only buy from "reputable breeders", but when I asked her only definition of a reputable breeder was the breeder she went to was a close friend.
So I'm sitting there ready to tell her that blues really aren't all that rare, and the whole thing about how there are so many dogs in shelters that buying dogs is kind of maddening. But she's a really nice older woman, and she obviously paid A LOT of money for her dog, she never lets the dog breed, is appalled by all things related to dog fighting, and seems like a good owner all around. So I just let it go. I didn't have their heart to tear into this whole fantasy she has about being an owner of exceptionally rare dogs. I did mention that she could probably find some blues on Petfinder next time she's looking for a dog, and she seems interested in the idea of rescuing a blue (though not other pits which made me kind of grind my teeth.)
So when people talk about being an ambassador for the breed, does that extend to getting into debates with other pit owners about the false perceptions they may have? I must say I'd have a much easier time getting into the face of a cruel owner that I did try to tell a dupe of an owner that she wasted her money.