Calling all "dangerous" breed owners!!!!

I don't own a pittie, but german shepherds do raise some eyebrows.  And Lori is right.  You just have to make darned sure that they are above reproach behavior wise.

It makes me sad that people can be so closed minded and hateful towards any breed, but especially one that is so darned loving to everyone.

As the others say...make sure his manners are good; do your obedience training every day; socialize as much as you can getting him around all kinds of people (the more diverse the better); organize or get with neighbors to have doggie play dates for more socialization.  And, grow extra thick skin because inevitibly someone, somewhere will say something offensive.

Its really a proud moment when someone, somewhere makes complimenting comments about how well behaved your dog is.  I love it when I'm walking my young GSD down the street and she pays no attention to the people or sits nicely with a smile on her face.  People seem to be amazed at that.    That's what we strive for.

lorib

I make sure Gypsy's manners are waaay better than the average dog on the street. This way nobody can say she's a menace.  How can any dog who is licking a hand with her tail wagging wildly be a menace?

I really cant agree with this more. Having a dog of this breed requires a higher level of responsibility, manners, and thick skin

 I have never been met with all out animosity towards my breed by strangers. my inlaws how ever are a different matter entirely..... they have only seen junkyard bulldogs(that is MY FATHER IN LAW HAS.. my MIL hardly leaves the house and has owned two dogs her entire life... and she did NOT like the stress of owning a GSD.. untrained one at that)

when i take my dogs out people often times want to greet and talk about what pretty dogs they are, how nice, even when Kaydee has her Guard Dog On Duty attitude going on. not that she's lunging or snapping or even growling.. she's just businesslooking. still.... the most i have gotten was some people saying "i had a bad experience with a pit bull once when i was a kid bla bla bla" when they go on the explain what happened i can tell what went wrong, who was at fault (neither kid nor dog usually) and how it could have been prevented.... and i tell them as much. i've never been challenged, insulted, or belittled by anyone.... my inlaws tried their best to prove how bad these dogs are but it didnt work.

they met some bad ones, i grew up with a lot of good ones..... my mind wont be changed. in fact my MIL turned around so many times on her stance it was funny..... finally i had her agreeing with me and she didnt even know it. she thought she'd won so i left it at that

and really thats what it boils down to..... people who want to confront you on the negative side of your breed only want to control you and make you think like them. they dont care if your dog is good (both of mine are!) they dont care how many pit bulls DONT  bite people... they just latch on to the minority that do cause harm... thus they should all be banned.

best to just wave your hand in the air and keep walking. you cant change their mind and they cant change yours. oil and water... 

To start, I make sure I am always in public with rewards. Sometimes I wear my training pouch, sometimes I just fill my pockets, but I always make sure I am ready for a worst case scenario, since Rosco can be DA. Training, training, and more training goes without saying.

Second, he rolls in a preppy collar, and preppy sweaters/fleeces in the winter. (He gets cold.) He also knows a bunch of stupid queues to "make a good impression" when needed. Mostly we use, say hello, and he will sit and wave his paw. The old adage, you never get a second change to make a first impression rings true here. Every person you pass is a potential "first impression," so that's how i treat it.

I never put him in a head halter, because I don't want people thinking it's a muzzle. I would never put him in a collar larger than 1" across, or a lead that is too big, etc. I basically assume that everyone around me is a dog idiot, hates pit bulls, etc, and if they aren't I consider it a pleasant surprise. My equipment choices would change if I felt he was potentially dangerous in any way.

You will have people pull their children out of the path of your dog, you will have people stare at you, you will have people say terrible things. I take all my love for my boy in those moments, and stuff what I really want to say into the bottom of my stomach, so I can smile.

Moments like those make me want to wear a t-shirt that says:

I have a top flight education.
I have a great career.
I am living the American Dream.
And yes, he IS a Pit Bull!

 Welcome to the club. They are truly wonderful dogs!

Thanks guys all great advise, yeah her training is very important to me at the mo. We are working hard on that. She is a typical puppy and wants to lick/touch faces that is one thing I want gone asap, as well as jumping. But on a whole she is a well behaved puppy, but have yet to really expose her to as many dogs as we can cause she is quite timid don't want that to be misread either.

I own a Rottweiler. I've had my share of looks, comments and general ignorance. He's well behaved and when children or adults want to pet him, I let them and if they have questions, I'll answer them. I'm sure I've changed some peoples minds and I'm sure I haven't. One thing I won't put up with is rudeness and insults. I do not tolerate people acting a fool and I make a point to let people know they should be more afraid of the bitch holding the leash and not the dog. LOL!!

meilani

 I make a point to let people know they should be more afraid of the bitch holding the leash and not the dog. LOL!!

 haha I like that very true

I don't necessarily own a "dangerous" breed, though Misha is a Chow mix, and  he is a large dog. I have taken my friend's APBT out before and been met with varying circumstances, from both dogs.

When with Dixie (pit), I found that people who owned pits were likely to comment on her. Some workers pet her. Some people pulled their children out of the way. One woman (a large, 6' + woman at that) backed up to a door and gasped in fear... because Dixie looked at her. Dixie is not human or dog aggressive unless on something she considers her property. I was managing two dogs at the time, both Misha and Dixie, and I made sure to always keep Dixie near me and know where she was and where she was going. So I could avoid a situation if I needed to.

 With Misha I have to manage him in a very different way. Misha is afraid of people. I'm not entirely sure why, but I believe it has something to do with his socialization and my lack of experience. Obviously you're going to want to make sure to socialize your pup well. I find that many people want to come and pet or ogle the big orange mutt. When he goes out I have to be proactive in keeping him between myself and the shelves so people don't approach him. Owning large dogs gets me some scrutiny as well, though not as much as a pit, certainly. I try to be polite and educate people about him, his breeds, and his situation. Is Tui a rescue? That's usually a way to get people talking, they seem to be more interested in rescue than bought dogs. At least... in my experience.

Okay... maybe I'm rambling. The moral of the story is make sure to be aware of your surroundings. Know your dog. Work on your training (this has already been said, I'm aware). If you want to bring positive attention to [her?] I like the idea of dressing her up a little bit. Nice collars, a sweater if she chills. Cute tricks. Everyone loves Misha's tricks, and he'll do them even when he's stressed. And for dealing with people? Learn to recognize those you cannot change. Tell them thank you, or f* you, or whatever and walk off. No need to talk yourself blue when they aren't listening. To those who are interested, maybe have some books or websites you suggest along with at least a brief understanding of some history and maybe some fun facts to keep it interesting. Hope this helps... it's late and I fear I'm rambling confusedly. 

Having two Dobermans, the general public is naturally extremely weary of me and my dogs and I get terrible comments from people constantly. I do, however, make sure that their manners are superb to ensure that people can see that "dangerous" breeds can be fantastic dog citizens. My two have turned peoples minds around completely, and I hope that they will continue to do so, but there are still plenty more out there who will never believe that such breeds should exist, unfortunately. I've just learned to try to ignore those people to the best of my ability, and hope that one day, by meeting more dogs as behaved as mine, that they'll come around. If people act absolutely ridiculous when I have my dogs out, I also am not afraid to let them know how I feel about their absurd comments. I try to be nice for the most part, but some people definitely get an unexpected ear full.

 *I* know my dogs are wonderful though, and feel that the scrutiny that my dogs and I go through, is still totally worth owning Dobermans in the end.

AuroraLove

lorib

I make sure Gypsy's manners are waaay better than the average dog on the street. This way nobody can say she's a menace.  How can any dog who is licking a hand with her tail wagging wildly be a menace?

 

I really cant agree with this more. Having a dog of this breed requires a higher level of responsibility, manners, and thick skin

I really agree with this too!!!  I don't have a dog (YET!!!!), but after talking to many BannedBreed Lovers out there, there are some who have had the poopy end of a stick delt to them (bottles thrown at them, cigarettes flicked at their dogs etc..) and others who have only had the occasional slurr or comment made to them.  Owning a Banned Breed means that your dog has to be 100x better than everyone else's, as well as understanding that every time you step out your door, people immediately put you under a microscope.  Don't forget, what people will tolerate from toy breeds, won't be tolerated from Pitbulls. Socialize, grow a thick skin and love your dog (cause then, it doesn't matter what they say.. you get the kisses to prove it! )

Good Luck..

meilani

I make a point to let people know they should be more afraid of the bitch holding the leash and not the dog.

Hooraw, Meilani!

I've been asked if Shadow bites and I say "no" but would like to add "but I do." For some, it may seem like a legitimate question. I have, indeed, lost count of the number of times someone thought he was a timberwolf or wolf hybrid. Other times, I would like to point out that anything with fangs can bite but that would not educate, only frighten.