Impressions + Education

[RealPitBull]

The latest RPB Blog is about making good impressions and opting to educate with the visual vs. the wordy. You can read that blog here: www.therealpitbullblog.blogspot.com

What are some ways we can get the 'good word' out on the breed to the general public, create good impressions, and be the most successful at impromptu education sessions?

[RealPitBull]

Bump. C'mon guys, education and public perception is important. Any insights/thoughts?

[maryc]

Well, I answered some of these in my last post about irresponsible ownership but it applies here as well.
Education needs to start early and often (without getting caught up in the animal rights slant) but we also need to balance showing off well behaved loving dogs with the potential that is there. That to me is a real challenge. I see more and more people who believe now that the dog aggression in pit bulls is a myth entirely, rather then realizing that there are different levels within the breed and accepting that. I just had a conversation with a staff member at the shelter who said that she had just read that pit bulls are not aggressive at all and that is a complete myth!!! :whu:

[RealPitBull]

Nov 13, 2008 0:15:45 GMT -5 maryc said:

I just had a conversation with a staff member at the shelter who said that she had just read that pit bulls are not aggressive at all and that is a complete myth!!!

OH jeeeeez, see this is so scary to me. There is actually a LOT of that "they are not dog aggro" stuff out there; it is misleading. It's just as bad as the "they are ALSO super dog-aggro and that's that" line. I've found it very difficult to argue with either side, too. They have their feet firmly planted and won't budge. And both feel like the have the 'info' to justify their stance. These are 'the experts', and believe they know it all and put themselves out there in an education capacity.

I've dug and dug and dug, and I feel the truth lies somewhere in the middle, and the breed's tendencies towards dog aggression lies in a bell curve. All I know is, saying the breed 'isn't dog aggression, it's all how you raise them', is NOT helpful and is actually dangerous and detrimental. Quoting science in a misleading, half-@ssed way doesn't do justice to our cause (i.e. there is no 'aggression gene, and dogs aren't born aggressive' is only part of the story - the part that's getting left out is a very important part.)

I thank doG that I have allies like Our Pack and others who are really doing great work by educating in a balanced way and providing REAL info to the public.

[maryc]

It is scary and frustrating to me too and no one seems to question these "experts". Their words are followed blindly almost like they are rock stars with their groupies.
One of the pit bulls that I worked with at the shelter was recently adopted by a very nice young man who had never had a dog of any kind. He is a good person who clearly loves his dog, but we have had to be very hard on him to pay attention to the potential in her. I love the dog, she is a mature female who was raised in a home and she is able to be around other dogs without overtly reacting, but I worry that has lulled him into a false sense of sercurity. On many levels she hit pay dirt when he adopted her. She is the only dog, they go jogging every day and she gets to go to work with him every day too. How perfect is that?? But we want him to realize that she may not get along with every dog she meets and to be prepared when and if that happens.
One of the things that I think makes Marthina such a great trainer, and our Sunday Drop-In class so successful is it is open to all kinds of dogs. I love the fact that many of the long time attendees are pit bulls who are now well managed around other dogs - not "fixed" or "rehabilitated" but managed. There is nothing more impressive to people than a dog who is focused on their owner/handler as they are walking or just sitting in class. I also find it interesting that of the dogs who do not make it in the group class and need one on one classes are very often, NOT pit bulls.
Once again this is a very dis-jointed response but I guess that just magnifies the complexity of this issue. People are often surprised to find out when I talk to them about OurPack that I don't have a pit bull of my own. I then explain to them that with working full time, volunteering at the shelter and the work with Pack I have to have a dog who is low energy who can spend time on his own and at the present time that just happens to be an older mellow little schnauzer who I got before becoming involved in pit bulls.
Holy crap....I sure do get off topic don't I??

[OurPack]

I agree with both Marys here!! Amen Sistas!! And thanks for the validation MaryH. It is a TOUGH balancing act all the time.

I agree that there seems to be people who go from one end of the DA spectrum to the other. I AGREE 100% IN THE BELL CURVE. YES!

After digging and digging as yall have done and having so many of these guys come and go with my own dogs in my home and in foster homes I will tell you the DA in this breed is on a BELL CURVE. Why does it have to be black or white?! All aggressive or NEVER aggressive. Weird. Can't our breed just be individuals too?

Also, as MaryC pointed out about our student with the very pleasant and fairly dog social dog this guy can get into trouble simply because of WHO HE is. I had told this guy over and over NOT to let his dog get close to the other dogs in class and NOT let her go face to face with a dog and I didn't care if she seemed like the queen of dog socials.

I did get really rough on him one day, really rough, and he did SO much better the next week. I joked with him saying, "wow, you came back to class after I yelled at you!"

So here's a case where you have to SURGICALLY IMPLANT the info in the person's head for God's sake! Sometimes you can say it right, perfectly, carefully, specifically,or from the rooftops and the person will see what they see - PERIOD no matter what you say.

Getting them in front of you is often what it takes and MANY, many classes, not just something to tell them, have them read or show them a couple of times but actually, fully, training the them on how to manage their Pit Bull, even if as MaryC said (and well said too) their dog SEEMS SO social.

Getta grip folks......bell curve....that's it.