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| My dog, Riley |
My son's name is Riley, an American Pit Bull Terrier. Obviously, he's a rescue dog, and of course, he's awesome.
I also have a crew of amazing Pit Bull babies at Lucky Dog Rescue. They are each loving, fun, and special. If you're looking to adopt a dog, my Pit Bulls are incredible... and so are the millions of wonderful Pit Bulls waiting in animal shelters across the country. You should adopt one.
I'm ridiculously proud of each of my babies, and I wouldn't trade them for the world. But I won't lie to you... Life is different when you're a Pit Bull Mom. Not because of the dogs... but because of the people who hate them.
When I take one of my rescue dogs, like a Lab or a Hound mix, out for a walk, everyone in the area wants to meet them: "What a cute dog! What's her name? She's so sweet!" Car rides result in lots of smiles and waves. Trips to the vet are filled with attention and praise from the other clients. For those dogs... outings are special, fun, and exciting.
But when I take one of my Pit Bulls anywhere... it's a much different story. On walks, others will intentionally and rudely cross the street to avoid any contact. Many of them will nervously jog until they get past us. In the car, other drivers glare and point. At the vet, clients cling to their children and quickly head for the door.
When I'm out with my Pit Bulls, I'm forced to endure rude comments, open criticism, and sheer ignorance. I've been questioned many times, I've been debated in public areas, and I've been made to feel like a criminal... simply because I love these amazing dogs. True story... and it sucks.
Here are a couple of basic examples: One day, a woman stopped me on my walk, as my angel Riley was smiling and prancing along, and she said: "You've got some kind of nerve walking that Pit Bull around this neighborhood. There are children here, for Christ's sake."
Another woman at the vet's office once said: "How dare you bring a Pit Bull to the vet's office?"
Hmmm... well.... let me think. I guess I did that... mostly because... it's a VET'S OFFICE... you know... for pets and junk. It appears that you brought a rat here. Oh wait... sorry. That's a dog. My mistake.
Like I said, life is different as a Pit Bull Mom. Some people will judge you. Others will berate you. A lot of people will hate your child... and they'll hate you for having them.
It's painful... when people hate your baby... this innocent little soul who has done nothing to deserve the judgment. It's heartbreaking... to watch your dog joyfully approach a stranger for attention... then to see that stranger talk down to them in disgust or walk away in fear. It's sickening... to think of what these dogs have been through in their lives... and to know that the forgiveness and love flowing from their hearts isn't enough to make them amazing to others.
Hearing all of this... it may sound like it's not worth it to become a Pit Bull Mom. Well, in truth, it's beyond worth it.
Honestly... if it wasn't worth it, why would I do it? Would I really put my reputation... my life... on the line for a vicious, killer dog?? Would I really use every breath I have to save them... if it wasn't worth it??Throughout my life, I've known every breed of dog there is to know, as well as thousands of different mixes. And when I adopt a dog, I've chosen the Pit Bull. That should tell you something. Why would I choose the most "aggressive" breed for my own personal dog?? Seriously... ask yourself... what do I have to gain by fighting for a "vicious" breed?
If the stories about them were actually true, and they were simply going to prove me wrong... then not only would I lose every ounce of credibility I have... but I'd also be putting myself in immense danger on a daily basis. WHY would I ever do that???
I subject myself to the scrutiny and judgment... because their love is worth it. Healing the pain in their hearts is worth it. Presenting the truth is worth it. The amazingness they bring into my life far outweighs any criticism I could ever receive. These dogs are loyal. They're intelligent. They're fun. And they're awesome.
Being a Pit Bull Mom is different. It's not always easy, but it's always worth it. Anyone can be a dog mom. But it takes a really special mom... to be a Pit Bull Mom.
By Ashley Owen Hill
http://luckydogrescueblog.blogspot.com/2011/09/im-pit-bull-mom.html
Awesome story! Always great to meet other Pit Bull Moms!
ReplyDeleteGREAT story!! Big smiles came from the last sentence!! Thank you so much for sharing!!
ReplyDeleteyour story brought me to tears! I can't believe someone out there could actually be feeling the same way me and my family do when it comes to our pitties!
ReplyDeleteWe deal with the same type of discrimination you write about, but not only from the my surrounding neighbors, but from the court system....I have court transcripts that would make you throw up, and I am NOT exaggerating even a little, I wish I was. it's a constant battle to keep my dogs safe, and we have no BSL here, but ignorance fuels the fire and we continue to fight for our breed, because they need us too. Even though we have stopped bringing babies home from shelters and are now down to only 2 beautiful boys, someday I hope we will be able to rescue more pits.
And even though these people can make our lives a living hell, my boys make it all worth it. And in the mist of all the chaos, we are blessed with a lawyer who will continue to fight for my babies at almost NO cost to me. And when the dog warden comes calling ( almost on a weekly basis) I take a lot of satisfaction in the fact that my baby boys will run to him and lick him. ;)
This brought me to tears... my Pit Bull Boscoe was stolen from my house days ago, I miss him so much and am working to find him although many people in Southern California love pitbulls, I would run into an issue when I crossed paths with an older crowd. It was almost as if I was polluting the world with my amazing pitty. Thank you Ashley for fighting for them!
ReplyDeleteFantastic story and I know exactly how you feel! Unfortunately there will always be ignorant people, but all we can do is try our best to educate them and hope that they are willing to learn! :)
ReplyDeleteExcellent read!! You've expressed everything I've felt and tolerated. Everything I will continue to tolerate because I love my "vicious" Pit Bulls! They are so worth everything I've dealt with and then some. They would never give up on me and I absolutely refuse to give up on them due to ignorance and rudeness. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteAmazing Story! I'm Proud to be a Pit Bull mom.
ReplyDeleteI was rescued by my Bobby almost two years ago. At 11 weeks old, I was his FOURTH home. To this day, he sees his abusers everywhere he looks, but our love for each other has brought us so much happiness. He loves me enough to have become my service dog. On a daily basis I get to hear how sweet he is "even though he's a Pit Bull". I find myself constantly telling people that it's the owners, not the dogs. And I am sure to remind people that my Bobby is one of "those vicious dogs" as they are playing with his doofy ears and petting him!
ReplyDeleteI'm very honored to be a pit bull mommy, I always say "who rescued who?" My baby was used as a bait dog she was thrown out like trash, my fiance found her walking down a country road and brought her home. As I type this she is cuddled up on my bed with our cat. I have been in arguements and debates over the breed numerous times. It is not the breed it is the owners. Sure she thinks shes a lapdog and may whip you with her tail because shes wagging it so much and so hard and she may smoother you with kisses, and I often tell people their little rat dogs are more aggressive then her. When we take her to the park or to petsmart I see the fear in peoples eyes, they grab their kids who are comming up to pet her as she lays down on the ground to let them, I see dog owners turn the other way so they dont cross our path as my babygirl sits there just wanting to say hi. I wish they would spend just 5 minutes with her and I know their opinon would change.
ReplyDeleteI am a proud pitt bull mom! I have 2 and i love them very much they go everywhere with me. people around my area know me and how i am about my dogs so, i don't get much criticism however i did promise this one guy i would shoot him if he ever does anything to hurt my dogs. haven't seen him around lately.lol no... i didn't shoot him. they say their vicious.....ok..thats why mine yipes when you sneak up on him and scare him then in return he licks me to death. my babies. they make my day jr, and shadow. they will bring a toy to you when they get to know you.
ReplyDeleteI have 2 mixed pits. One is pit & white shepered. The other is pit & boxer. They r both great dogs. Everyone who knows us loves r dogs. People should under stand that all animals act the way they r treated. If u treat an animal mean then it will b mean & that is not just a pit it is any animal. People should make there own choice & not go with the crowd.
ReplyDeleteCouldn't agree more with your story. So sad people judge pit bulls on their look without even giving them a chance. I am honored and blessed to have two pit bulls and have fostered two dozen put bulls from my local county shelter. To own a pit bull is to make them show how great a pit bull is and can be. Love my pitties and wouldn't give them up for anything
ReplyDeleteI was a Pit Bull Mom of 6 of the greatest dogs I've ever met! I changed people's minds about the breed, who before, wouldn't come within a mile of one, who ONLY had negative things to say about them, but NOW, absolutly adore them!! They are such amazing dogs, and one day, when I am living back in a house, and not in an apartment, I will be a Pit Bull Mom again!!
ReplyDeleteLanora Batten March 24,2012
DeleteMy daughter owns one of those pit bulls too. and I must say I am proud to call him my dog grandson. he is the sweetist pit I have ever been around.If I didnt have my collie I would have a pit bull.Its true..its the owners not the dog. I had a down syndrome child and when I took him out in his wheelchair he would get the same treatment that pit bull dogs get. People can be so rude and tend to put certain people and certain breed of dogs in a class by themselves and treat them as outcasts.Its down right discrimination however one looks at it.
I am SO thankful I have never had any problems with my pit, except home insurance. Sheis 13 years old. I have lived in 4 states and all the vets were just fine - I never heard a bad word from anyone in the vet office about pits. I have had no problem boarding pits. The kennel TX said they have pits all the time and they are just great - it is other dogs they keep an eye on. I walk my dog around with kids and adults. No one has crossed the street or said anything mean. Most want to pet my dog. And, I have never had any problem with repairmen coming into the house. So, I will say it again, I am SO THANKFUL I have not had issues with my little girl. Icount my blessing every day - for lots of things.
ReplyDeleteMy husband and I just recently bought a pitbull mix and her name is Fancy, she is the most loveable and cuddly little angel:) I do admit I was a little hesitant at first, but after doing a lot of research and spending some time with her after she was born I don't regret my decision. The media has made them out to be horrible! And just recently my husband made a comment on an article he read about online and in it it said that pitbulls were actually referred to as the protector of children a long time ago. It is not in the dog's nature to be mean it is how the dog is raised! Thank you so much for writing this article:) P.S. Your Riley is adorable, and I love the floppy ears:)
ReplyDeletelove your story thankyou for sharing...I'am a pitbull Mom and i love my baby he has brought so much joy and happiness in my life. he is the most loving and well behaved pet. He is the light of my life.
ReplyDeletethis is such a great story, as a Pit Bull mom myself i truely can understand. but i too have learned that people are just plain dumb and only beleave the crap they hear and not see for them self.
ReplyDeleteI loved this story, but do wish that there were more comments from "new" pit parents. We are pit parents and have been for years with many different pits, even before all the rumors about them. There definately needs to be more education and by sharing this story over and over again, maybe we can walk down the street without muzzles (law here in Ontario), and just enjoy giving them the right to be dogs instead of the "deadly killers" they are. All I know is my Ruby will jump on your and pin you down and lick your face off as she lies on you waiting for rubs..lol. She sees a stranger coming up our driveway and she puts her face to the fence, tail wagging like it is going to lift her off the ground, just waiting for pets...and she gets, "hope you don't mind me not getting out of the car" YES! I do mind! YOU came on my property uninvited, at least you can acknowledge my family!...yep..prejudice and lack of education is definately a downfall of way too many people.
ReplyDeleteI to am a pitbull mom. I've had 5 to date in over 40 yrs, all lived to be 14 to 16 yrs old and never had a problem. I've been bitten twice by dogs, one of which took 15 stitches to close, neither was by a pit...I would trust a pit before any other dog. The blame need's to be put where it belongs.( On the person raising the dog, NOT the dog.) Any dog will bite.
ReplyDeletea great article. my pit bull is my baby and i hate it when people judge him on how he looks rather than how he acts. thankfully, i live in a place that's pretty pit bull friendly. most people either know someone who has a pit or they are smart enough to realize that judging all dogs by the actions of a few (usually caused by bad owners) is not fair or right. in fact, i rarely have to say anything in defense of myself or my dog. the people i meet say things like "they are so misunderstood" or "if you raise them well, they'll be good dogs". sometimes people surprise you in a good way:)
ReplyDeleteI was a mommy to a pretty pit mix. She passed away almost a year ago. She was about 11 years old. She died of complications after a very bad stroke. We miss her dearly. I would like to share a little of her story. Bridgy was actually found on the side of the road by a friend of my boyfriend Mike. She was honestly lucky to be alive. One phone call to Mike and she had a home. Judging by her size, which was very small, she couldn't have been more than 6 weeks old. Mike bottle fed her and slept on the floor next to her for weeks. (the floor because she needed to be on newspapers)She grew to be a very happy healthy big girl. She loved everyone! When Mike's father died Bridgy never left Mike's side. She brought Mike back to life after such a devastating loss. I met them both about 4 years ago. She stole my heart right away. It took longer for me to say I Love You to Mike, than it did to say it to Bridgy! We would play fetch for hours. I'd tire before she did. If we weren't playing we were cuddling as a family. I only had a few short years with her as her mommy, but I enjoyed every minute! I still cry and miss her sooo very much. I LOVE YOU BRIDGY!
ReplyDelete~Cynthia S.~
I am lucky to have my Pit Bulls. People assume when my 8 month old runs down the fence with them, he's trying to attack. When he really just wants to play! I am a Pit Bull Mom, my boys are my children and I will never stop loving them.
ReplyDeleteWe have a 100 lb American Staffordshire that looks a lot like your baby! Same colors and all. I've never had a stranger make any rude comments about him but we did have a landlord once that showed up for a "surprise" visit, and then told us that we love our dog more than our kids and that one day we would wake up and our kids will all be dead because of the dog. My husband had to keep telling me to SHHHHH cuz I started going off on her!! At first, she told us we had to get rid of him.. then after awhile she said we could keep him but "don't come crying to me when your children are dead!".. OMG I was soooo angry!!!!!!!!... He is the first Pit Bull breed I have ever owned and I am absolutely in love with the breed. I've had dogs for the majority of my life but my Staffordshire is the most well behaved dog I've ever owned; all he wants to do is be next to us and make us happy. He lives in a house with 3 kids and 5 cats and he is terrified of the cats! I will never own another breed of dog. I try to advocate for Pits the best I can and have written quite a few articles on the breed. Thank you for sharing your story!
ReplyDeleteThis story breaks my heart, because people just do not get it. It just makes me angry that the Pits and some of the other breed have a bad rep, People just do not seem to get it that, IT NOT THE BREED it how they are treated, I had to put a cocker Spaniel down at 9 months old due to inline breeding which caused his cocker rage, Even the cute little chichiua( sorry if missed spelled) can be vicious,I can list off cute breeds that have become vicious due to overbreeding. I am not afraid of a Pit but the one question I always ask no matter what the breed is. Can I pet your dog?, and is it Pet friendly, I do not own a Pit now, but I am not afraid of them either I think they are an awesome breed.
ReplyDeleteI'm a pit bull mom and proud of it, i have to hear it constantly from my family and friends about my Brutis, but you know what he's part of my family, so they can't accept that then I'm sorry, but he lives in my house, and they don't, so if they don't like it they can stay outside, i love pit bulls, they are way over misjudged dogs. I have owned 2 more besides Brutis and they have all been very lovable, loyal,and protective if they needed to be over all they're one of the best dogs you can ever own!!! I love my pit bulls!!! Its not their fault people fight them and make them mean and give them a bad reputation, don't take it out on the breed just because its humans fault that some of them are the way they are!!!
ReplyDeleteI can soooo RELATE. When those same things happen to us when I am walking my baby I shake my head and try to educate. Those who are willing to listen and learn embrace it. Others....well we can't control the ignorance of others. I am a PROUD PIT BULL MOM and no one or anything they say will EVER change that.
ReplyDeleteThis made me cry. My boy Gideon is the sweetest little boy you can imagine. His best friend is our 5lb cat Oswald for crying out loud. I have faced a lot of ignorance and hurtful comments in regards to Gid. I had one lady come into my work with a dachsund so aggressive he had to be sedated just to do an exam, but I was told (and I quote) "You must be one of the lucky ones to get such a loving pit bull because they are mindless killing machines!" Again, this coming from a woman who's "non-aggressive breed" was so vicious that it had to be sedated for a standard exam because it was trying to rip our faces off! I have to say though I am in a situation where I am very blessed because I work in a vet's office and am allowed to take my baby boy to work with me because the doctor LOVES him (along with everyone else who actually takes the time to meet him.) He lays at my feet when I am working at the front desk and greets everyone who comes in the door with a wagging tail and his big pitty grin and people always seem so amazed when I tell them that he is a pit bull. I feel like I am slowly, but surely changing at least a few people's view on pit bulls and if even one person has their mind changed and there is one less ignorant person than I have done something worthwhile.
ReplyDeleteThank you!! We deal with this IGNORANCE all of the time. Our girl Valey is THE MOST AMAZING and LOVING girl. My husband and I THANK GOD that I stopped and picked her up on a busy freeway in Houston. She has completed our family and made our house a home. She loves our other dogs like she has been with them all of her life. We are so proud to have her by our side regardless of the ignorant people who grab their children and walk the other way, or those who step aside when we go for walks in the neighborhood. They have no idea what they are missing. Hugs and kisses and LOVE LOVE LOVE. I too, am a PROUD PIT BULL MOM!
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