Why Do Pit Bull Owners Constantly Say the Same Thing?
“It’s all in how you raise them!”
“I love my Pit Bull. It’s how you care for them that makes the difference.”
“My Pitt-Bull is the greatest dog on earth. It’s how you treat them that makes them mean or not.”
“Irresponsible owners are the reason why Pit Bulls get a bad rap. I love my Pit Bull so much.”
I receive emails like these all the time. People comment like this on the PBL facebook page too.
When I read comments like this I have to wonder why so many people feel the need to say the same thing.
Fact: It is NOT only how you raise them that matters. A lot of things go into making a good dog. Good handling is a piece of the overall puzzle. Breeding, how old they were when removed from the litter, what happened to the pups between 3 and 8 weeks old, how the parents and grand parents behaved. These are all VERY important factors in determining the overall personality of a Pit Bull Terrier.
I can do everything right in regards to raising the dog. I can socialize the dog, train the dog, and give the dog a great diet. However if the dog is from a bad breeding, carries genetic defects, has a temperament flaw due to bad handling as a young puppy my efforts will not change the fact that in the end the dog is flawed and will probably be a handful.
More to the point Pit Bull owners by and large are ignorant as to what makes or breaks a dogs overall personality. The same person that says, “It’s how you raise them that matters” when asked, “what is the critical socialization period for puppies” will look at you with a blank stare or they toss out their best guess.
So when owners spew the drivel “it’s how you treat them” out to people it really doesn’t make any sense that someone who doesn’t know what they are talking about open their mouth to speak.
What they are doing is justifying their dogs presence to the outside world.
I have some advice for Pit Bull owners who constantly say “it’s how you raise them” or anything similar to people.
Don’t worry about it. Those ignorant souls who have made up their minds that Pit Bulls are demon dogs do not deserve an explanation or an answer.
I, scratch that, we, do not owe anyone an explanation of why we keep American Pit Bull Terriers as our breed of choice. We do not need to constantly regurgitate misconceptions about “how you raise’em” that in the end are false. It takes a lot of things to be in place to get a good dog and that is not my opinion that is a biological fact.
Another funny thing I find absolutely pointless is when Pit Bull owners start telling other Pit bull owners the same lines. Hello! They are also Pit Bull owners and I’m sure they’ve used the same line at some point in their life.
Preaching the choir is counter productive.
Well, I know it’s not that educational but I had to get it off my chest.
Until Next Time,
Jason M.
Author The Pit Bull Training Handbook
PitBullLovers.com – A Refuge for Pit Bull Owners
