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freedom to develop naturally. Layla flourished into an amazingly
sweet, gentle, pleasant pet. Throughout her entire life, she
never encountered a human or animal she didn’t get along with
─ I actually have a photo of her with a parrot on her back ─ and
she made her owners smile on a daily basis. She did not “turn”
on her loved ones at any point, and she was not intimidated into
complacency.
On the other hand, I have also seen very young, inherently
aggressive pit bulls that are drawing blood from their own littermates
at six weeks of age. What I see most often, however, are
pit bulls who have a little of both and fit in somewhere in
between — dogs like Pun, who might have been a champion at
“Bad Newz Kennels” but, instead, is snoring with his head on
my lap. These dogs become what they are encouraged to be, but
only to the extent allowed by their biological makeup.
Fortunately, we can channel the innate qualities of pit bulls into
fun and productive activities other than dog fighting, the same
way we can throw a Labrador retriever a tennis ball instead of a
pheasant. Trying to suppress instincts can leave a dog confused,
anxious and conflicted, so why not go with them That’s not to
say every other day we’re going to feed a cat to our prey-driven
dog, but we may engage him in tug-of-war. Then, when biting a
moving object becomes a stress-free game, we can start to introduce
new aspects of the game, like the idea of dropping the tug
toy on command. Now, not only are we providing an outlet for
the dog, but we’re teaching him impulse control so he doesn’t
lose his mind upon his first opportunity to get his mouth on
something.
Once we’ve allowed our pit bulls to act like the dogs they were
born to be, they’re usually more than happy to be good house
pets. This doesn’t mean pit bulls are right for everyone. Many
people bring home pit bulls with good intentions, but a mismatch
can be catastrophic for a breed that can’t afford any more
negative press. When selecting any dog it’s important to consider
whether the dog’s needs are compatible with yours.
Regardless of the breed you bring home, you’ll never wind up
with a dog that’s all bad or all go ─ but you’ll always end up
with a complex animal with needs unique to its type.
Why then the fuss about pit bulls if they’re just a dog with
breed-specific characteristics I believe it’s because many people
are uncomfortable with the specific traits they do embody,
and because when a dog this strong and driven gets into trouble,
it’s capable of inflicting a very serious amount of damage.
Those same traits, however, are what make the dog special to
someone who understands how these qualities can shine when
applied to other avenues. The temperament of a well-rounded
pit bull is something charming, charismatic, and even majestic.
Their spirit and capability to overcome some of the harshest
cruelties ever inflicted on animals is inspiring. I like to think of
them as having a little “extra” ─ and when that extra is combined
with positive guidance, they become extraordinary.
Contact Marisa@phillyfitmagazine.com
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