How do pitbull owners help change the image of the pitbull?

Question

I'm part of a pitbull club in my area and one of the central themes is "redefining the image." Some members often disagree about putting spiked collars on the dogs or displaying the dogs using large chains while involved in public events. I believe if the pitbulls image is going to be changed societies opinion and views are very important. I would also like any opinions on what other methods could we use to improve or change this image.

Answer 1

I had a cat nearly killed when two pit bulls attacked it. I think the breed should be eliminated. All of them be sterilized and after several years they will be gone. No more people and animals being mauled by those horrible creatures. Not sure why anyone in there right mind would want one for a pet. If people continue to have these mean aggressive dogs as pets they should be held completely responsible for the animals behavior. There are too many nice dog breeds out there why have terrorists as pets!

Answer 2

I am a the proud pet of a beautiful red-nose female.  The negative opinions of the breed are unfortunate and deeply ingrained in the general population.  The fear is not without reasons, we have all witness the negative aspects the breed is capable of.   However, it is the individual owner that is responsible for the individual dog.  That is the case with any other breed (except, perhaps, Chow).  

My red is convinced she is a cat.  or at least convinced that she is a petite, delicate flower.  My two cats are her best feline pals, one of which is a 5 month old.   She is gentler with him than he is with her.  Her best canine pal is my friends teacup chihuahua.  (that is FUN to watch)

She has NEVER bitten anyone, ever.  She will growl when another dog approaches her food, but so do alot of dogs.  Difference is she sounds like a hound of h**l, and most others don't.  If another dog approaches her in an aggressive way, she will match that aggression.  So do other dogs.  She has all the behaviors of all breeds, its just that she is bigger, stronger and her breed has lots of bad press & gets all the blame.  If she was a beagle or a pom, no body would blink.  It would be just a dog thing.  

So~  what I do to change opinions, is take her out for walks alot around other dogs and where lots of people are and let her be an ambassador of education and change by her very nature.    

Answer 3

Make sure all the dogs are very friendly and trained well and keep them on a leash in public. There's no need for spiked collars if the dogs can heel and not yank on the leash when there are other dogs, cats, kids, etc. nearby.  

Answer 4

I love APBT and i own Seven (English) Bull Terriers.  Unfortunately if someone gets accused of something, some people want to hang them without trial.  There is bad dogs of all breeds all over the world who attack far more than cats (i also own 2 cats.  Used to own 5 until they passed away. Old age). No dog should attack another animal this is wrong and as responsible owners we should not let this situation happen ever. With the right training in socialization as puppies all dogs will learn to act accordingly around all animals in a calm submissive state.

Certain breeds are not front page news and do not sell papers.  We have owned Bull Terriers for over 15 years and over the last 5 years they are becoming more and more popular.  The down side to this is some people see them as easy money.  Any genuine breeder will state this is nonsence.  We have kept the odd puppy until 4 months old before we would sell to such people.  All breeders need to look after these wonderful breeds.

Only people who own Pits know the real side.  however people who have been on the receiving end will undoubtedly want them wiped off the face of the earth.

We must ensure that if we breed we have the breeds best interest at heart and should never breed with anything with less than a 100% even temperament.  And never let them fall into the wrong hands.  If the genuine breeders do what it says on the tin we should see a vast improvement.  Hopefully.

Sorry for repeating myself but this subject is very close to my heart and i am appalled at what some so called breeders will do for a quick sale.  These people are the ones who should get NO TRIAL.

Answer 5

Well, I love Pitbulls and think they just get a bad rap for all the people that have turned alot of them into fighting machines.  One of the things I've seen going around my area that tugs at my heart strings is showing personal pictures of the dog in it's relaxed home environment i.e. sleeping w/it's owner or kids, playing carefully w/puppies or other dogs, anything that shows the loving & caring side of a Pit.  Also, reinforcing the fact that it's the owner fault why some Pits are vicious and it's the owners that raise their dog that way and it's as simple as that.  A dog, nor an entire breed, should have to pay for humans mistakes..for human's ignorance.

Answer 6

Be on top of the training, constantly. I'm paraphrasing a quote I read, but your dog can't be as good as all the other dogs, s/he has to be BETTER. I took mine to a professional trainer who gave me some valuable tips. She responds extremely well to me. People do back up at first when they see her but when they realize how sweet and well behaved she is they warm up immediately. I call her my PitBull ambassador.

With regard to getting the word out, it's not hard if you know where to look. Pits are drug dogs, rescue dogs, volunteer dogs, and aid dogs. Find as many as you can and put their image out. It's all about propaganda. Pit bulls got a bad rap from it, they can get thier good rap back the same way.

Did you know the Lil Rascals dog is/was a pit? And Teddy Roosevelt's family dog. I show people those images as often as I can

Answer 7

I do my best to change the image of pit bulls, I do so by being a responsible owner. My dog loves people, she is a big mush...However like many of the terrier breeds she is animal aggressive, When I bring her somewhere where I know she will be exposed to situations where she may want to get alittle aggressive I use her pinch collar, She is well trained and listens but when a rabbit runs in front of her she has one focus. It is my responsibility to keep her in check and the best way for me to do so is for her to have the pinch collar on.

Answer 8

Good for you! Not making them look like vicious tough guys would help. Even more, stop selling Pits to jerks who are using a dog to enhance their manhood. There are sweet, well trained Pits, but there are still way too  many who are encouraged to be aggressive or assertive.

I have watched at the dog park. When a Pit comes in, many of the other owners watch carefully to see how the Pit acts in relation to other dogs. If it plays too rough, or behaves in an assertive manor, many dogs, mine included, leave the park.  

Thanks!

Answer 9

By educating the public.

You can't force people to see things differently, thats about as effective as yelling at a brick wall. I work with, train, rehabilitate and re home APBT's that were found in fighter rings or were taken for known aggression.

My first, and greatest accomplishment was a APBT named Kong. He was without a doubt my most aggressive and "dangerous" trainee. He had come directly from a fighting ring and into the dumpster outside of the shelter I was volunteering at. He was scheduled for euthanasia the next morning, but I took him, worked with him for two years, and he reached prime rehabilitation. He now shows NO aggression towards anyone or anything now, and once a year, Kong, his owners, and myself travel to libraries, schools, community centers, and parks to educate people about the struggle and passion that these animals face and have.