It's The Pits

I wasn't going to post another blog about my dogs just yet, but I'm having trouble biting my tongue. Once again pit bulls are making the news and being maligned as vicious killers. For anyone who's been under a rock lately, I have two pit bulls, Nino and Smoke. I have never met two sweeter love hounds than these guys. Years ago a good friend of mine and her husband had three pit bulls, and they were the same. The biggest threat was that you might drown in a sea of exuberant slobber. I've known others... I could go on.

Yes, my dogs are very strong. They like to jump up and hug and if I'm not prepared could easily knock me over. "Walking" them on leashes is comedic at best. When Smoke wags his tail he can and will knock anything and everything off the coffee table, or use your knees as a whippin' post. Still, I've never, even for a second, felt threatened by either of them. When strangers approach, as long as they know I'm not bothered, they wag their tails and can't wait to meet a new friend. When we're out walking, they're the ones happy to greet other dogs as I stand by idly waiting for the sniffing contest to end.

Yesterday my friend Kim and her two young daughters came to visit. I'll admit some concern as I'd never seen the boys around children. I needn't have worried. They were so excited to see the girls and get loved up by them. The girls, one of whom was definitely smaller than either dog, were unafraid as they petted the dogs and allowed them to give their slurpy kisses. It was a proud moment for me.

Don't get me wrong... I've seen Nino's protective stance when he's with me. I have no doubt that if he felt I was threatened, he'd protect me at whatever cost. Having wrestled with them, I know the strength of their jaws and paws and would never want to see someone be on the receiving end of their fierce aggression (if it came to that). But they are wonderful, loving dogs and unless I was incapacitated or utterly backed into a corner, they would never use that power.

Mean animals, especially mean pit bulls, come from mean people. Get that fact straight. Judging an animal by its breed is like judging a person by his or her ancestry. I get tired of the raised eyebrows I receive when I tell people I have two of them. Mean comes from mean. Love comes from love. My dogs were raised in a loving home by Mitzi and Garret, that much is very clear. They are now in an equally loving home. And boy howdy, do they know how to show the love. We could all take a lesson from my two furry lads.