Note: This is a guest post from John, the man behind the scenes.
Question: What kind of dog is that?
Honest Answer: He’s an American Pit Bull Terrier Mix (Cooper). He’s a Staffordshire Bull Terrier Mix (Emmett). He’s a Shepherd Mix (Lucas)
General Answer: He’s a mutt!
Depending on who’s asking me that question, as well as the context in which it’s asked, I can get incredibly different reactions based on how I answer the question of breed. Many people look at the square head, the wrinkled forehead, the broad chest, or the brindle coat, and they know before they ask. Lots of people know the general answer to the breed question before they ask it, but what’s the best way to respond? You say “pit bull” and you can get raised eyebrows, parents picking up their children, people crossing the street, or people saying how much they love the breed. You say “mutt” and you hear about how they’re so healthy because of a diverse gene pool.
Now I’m not one to shy away from many situations (ask Maggie! or Kim!), but when is being honest not exactly in your best interest? I mean, do you say, “A pit bull! Just like you hear about on the news!” and then go through explaining that the media just goes for shock value? That lots of dogs bite lots of people each year? That it depends on the situation, how the dog is treated, etc? Or do you just say “mutt” and go about your day? When is it worth putting up with being told that your dog is going to kill a kid one day, and being asked when you’re going to have your best friend euthanized? Is it worth getting that frustrated with someone who clearly doesn’t know the first thing about dogs, and bully breeds in general?
I’ll be the first person to give someone an earful if they EVER have a negative thing to say about Emmett, but at the same time I understand how and why people have the views that they do. There is no way anyone can ever convince me that pit bulls are dangerous dogs.
And I know that there are people who will never be convinced that they’re great dogs. I truly understand that, even though I don’t agree with it. So when faced with that opportunity, do you just avoid the frustration and save your effort for the person who asks you, “A pit bull? Are the rumors true?” Those are the people who I will gladly chat with. Those are the people who I can really have patience with. The others….well, I’m not the most patient person and will kindly advise them to [fill in the blank with something that Maggie would be mad if I actually said].
I saw a puppy the other day that clearly had some “bully” in it. When I asked the owners what type of dog it was, they replied with “mutt”. Noticing how big the feet were, I said it looked like it had some “terrier” in it. Not know these people, who seemed very nice and interested in letting their dog get to know Lucy a little bit, I figured saying terrier was a safer bet.
I don’t blame you one bit. Why open your dog up to that sort of discrimination? I have seen people in the park who let their dogs play openly and freely with pit bull type dogs, and then as soon as they hear the breed even suggested, all of a sudden gather up their dogs and walk away. It’s not worth putting your dog through that.
I am pretty sure my dog has some staff in her somewhere. There have been times people have told me to “get your dog away from me” even though she was walking down the street, minding her own busines, and not even looking at them. If I can avoid that look of fear in someone else’s eyes, I will. My dog has worked her butt off learn such positive behaviour. It makes me angry when people still act like she is a monster.
Our dog was listed at a shelter as a “boxer/lab mix.” I took one look at her and could see some form of a bully breed in her (not sure which, though, as she seems to have characteristics of each).
When we’re out and about and people ask what kind of dog she is, I generally let their questions lead my answers. I start by saying, “We don’t really know, since she was a rescue dog…” and if they seem interested enough, I continue with, “the shelter thought she was a boxer/lab mix, but I actually see some pit in her…” and go on to list of all her wonderful attributes. 🙂
I have noticed more people asking me outright if she’s a “pit bull,” and I’m happy to report that my semi-affirmative answer hasn’t deterred many people from petting her. 🙂
Awesome suggestions, Jenny!
My dog was listed as a shar-pei mix at the rescue organization, and the shar-pei is very very obvious. Pit bull and lab are the most common guesses for the rest. I’ve had someone who’s got a purebred APBT assume she was a pit bull, but I’ve had other people ask if she was all shar-pei.
Personally, if I had to bet one way or the other, I’d go with pit because she has much more of a terrier personality than a retriever personality. She destroys mouse-shaped toys and loves the game of finding treats hidden in a towel or blanket, but has no interest in a thrown ball whatsoever. That’s hardly proof that she’s descended from rat-killing terriers rather than bird-fetching retrievers, but it’s a mark on that side. And it’s not either-or; she could have some of both. I’m not going to shell out the bucks for a DNA test, so I won’t ever know for sure.
I do get the “what kind of dog is that?” question a lot, and I frequently describe her as a “shar-pei mix” or “shar-pei and we-don’t-know-what.” When asked if she’s a pit bull, my answer is that I know she’s a shar-pei mix, and she probably has some pit in her. I’m much more comfy admitting that she’s probably a pit mix around people who have pit bulls or pit mixes, because I won’t get the “ooh, scary dog” BS. Having a “maybe pit mix” has prompted me to learn about pit bulls and educate myself about BSL and more dog stuff in general than I otherwise would, so it’s a good thing whether she’s got any pit in her or not.
Kristine, I’m sorry you’ve had to put up with that, and I’m sure you have an awesome dog.
I have a cocker spaniel / pit bull mix, an am staff mix, and a Doberman. I try to answer people honestly when they ask about my pit mix and am staff. My pit mix actually looks like a very thick and muscular beagle and he adores people. Most of the time people are fawning all over him before they think to ask about him. By then they are hooked and it is then a perfect opportunity to talk about his breed : ) I have actually had more negative reactions because of the cocker spaniel in him than the pit.
My am staff is a rescue and most people cannot tell she is a bully breed because her face is oddly shaped. Someone broke her jaw when she was a puppy and it was left to heal badly. By the time the rescue got a hold of her she was somewhere between 1.5 and 2 years old and could barely open her mouth. She has since had surgery where part of her mandible was removed so that she could open her mouth. This gives her face a odd shape and people are generally curious about her and what happened. She too loves people and people cannot help but fall her as well. I find this is also a perfect opportunity to tell her story and help people understand how terrible human beings can be to the breed and yet they still love humans : )
Wow. Sounds like everyone has been through a whole range of experiences. I think John was inspired to write this post (John, please correct me if I’m wrong) in response to some nasty comments that were posted on a very lovely story that someone else wrote about Emmett and his therapy work. The sad reality is that many, many people believe what they hear on the nightly news and don’t bother to investigate the truth for themselves (and that extends way beyond pit bulls, for that matter). Those of us with pit bulls, pit bull mixes, or even dogs that just look like they could possibly maybe be a pit bull have the obligation to showcase our ambassadogs and to educate. That being said, I completely agree with John’s point: Not everyone is willing to be educated. All that is to say, I wish I could teach everyone how wonderful these dogs are, but I know I can’t. So I try (try!!) to pick my battles. I don’t always succeed…
I don’t have an APBT mix, or even a dog who looks like one, so I don’t often have one on the other end of my leash. I personally have the general “rule” that I don’t ever come out and say that I think a dog is an APBT mix. If a person should mention they they think the dog looks like a “Pit Bull” I will often say things like: “Well, they tend to be really touchy-feely cuddly dogs and he is very cuddly so I suppose it’s possible.” or “Well, he sure does do the super happy full body wag when he sees his friends like they tend to do”. I find it helps to disarm the scary mean dog perception.
I VERY regularly do this when people talk to me about a dog they know, etc. For example, a guy at work was telling me about his girlfriend’s “Pit Mix” and I could tell in his voice he seemed to like the dog, but all his preconceived notions were getting in the way of really seeing the dog for who he was. I proceeded to ask him if the dog was really cuddly and liked to snuggle with blankets and such because that’s such a pit bull thing. The more I asked him about the endearing qualities of the dog, and mentioned THEY are the true Pit Bull traits, the more “wow, I didn’t know that” I got and the more I could see him recognize that none of the things he’d been told about those dogs before was evident in the dog he know.
Over the years I have learned not to bother “educating” those who don’t care to be educated – they are a waste of my time. (with the exception of political representatives who owe it to me to educate themselves) I will, however, sit and talk for hours with somebody who truly cares to learn. It keeps me sane.
It’s a challenging question to answer, because it depends what people mean by “pit bull”! If you define “pit bull” as only an APBT or an AST (maybe SBT but many SBT people don’t regard their breed as a “pit bull”)… then you can’t possibly know unless you have papers from one of the 3 reputable registries: AKC for the AmStaff; UKC/ADBA for the APBT. Otherwise, the most you can say is that the dog has the “appearance” and “temperament” of one of those breeds.
But most people mean “any short haired, blocky headed” dog. Or “any dog that bites”. 🙁
I do like Amanda’s definitions though!
Maggie’s right. There were some unpleasant comments about Emmett from an article a while ago and I got pretty annoyed at first. But then I realized that there are some people who want to know, some people who don’t care to know, and people who think they already know everything about pit bulls. I was lucky enough about two weeks to have someone overhear a conversation I was having with a coworker about my bully pups. The lady heard me talking about some of the terrible things that have been said, heard me talk about the misconceptions about pit bulls, etc. She asked if my dogs were dangerous like that. She wasn’t being judgmental or accusatory, she was just curious. I told her that they were very well behaved dogs and that we’ve never had a problem with either of them. The conversation ended there, but it was a small victory. She just wanted to know about my dogs, not pit bulls. They were just dogs to her, which was great.
@Kristine- We’ve seen people pick up their children when they see Emmett, or cross the street. One lady asked us if we’d have him put down if we ever have kids. It’s truly awful what people say sometimes.
@KellyK and @Desiree- It sounds like your approach to gauge your answer on who’s asking the question, and how they’re asking it, is the way to go! I’m glad to know that lots of people get those questions/looks/vibes from other people.
I feel pretty confident that there’s some kind of bully in Jack, but I leave that out when people ask me what he is. For starters, they’re banned in Ontario, so there’s that. But outside of that, people’s expressions change as soon as you mention bully breeds. Someone could be in the middle of telling me how gorgeous Jack is, and then stop and back away. For the most part, I just say “He’s a Mastiff mix.”
I did have an elderly woman once stop me on a walk and ask me if he was a pit bull. I said no, and she winked knowingly at me and said “No, of course not. You know, I had a pit bull for years and they’re the best dogs in the world. Nobody can ever tell me otherwise.” and then pat my arm and continue on her walk. If only there were more people like her.
I struggle with this every day but Scout looks so typical of her breed, people don’t usually ask what she is, they say – is that a pit bull? And I usually respond with, yes, and she’s very friendly. A lot of people are happy to meet her but just as many are instantly afraid, even if Scout is just sitting politely. I’ve had to convince my own sister that there’s no reason to be afraid of Scout and while she says that’s fine for me, she would never want to be around a pit bull. I guess it comes with the territory. As long as we love these guys, we’re going to have to defend and educate.
That is a frustrating situation, for sure. It’s hard to constantly be the ambassador for the breed, always taking time to explain the benefits and how the rumors are untrue. It can get exhausting, I’m sure. But when you have a chance to educate, maybe we all need to take it. If the people who are against pit bulls hear enough times that they are great dogs, maybe they will start to at least research them for themselves.
As someone commented to me the other day…either people love them or they’re ignorant. Sometimes I can’t help but agree.
Our dog is a pit bull/choc lab mix from what we can tell and truthfully, I let my dog’s behavior determine my answer. When he is being well behaved, well mannered and calm, I proudly respond “He’s an American Pit Bull Terrier mix, rescued from a shelter”. He is providing a wonderful representation of his breed. If he is misbehaving, which he sometimes does around small dogs, I proudly respond “He’s a chocolate lab mix”. Either way, if they are interested and want more info, I gladly share what I know and believe. If not, that’s their loss and they will continue to be feed by the fear mongering media.
As someone commented to me the other day…either people love them or they’re ignorant. Sometimes I can’t help but agree.
Our dog is a pit bull/choc lab mix from what we can tell and truthfully, I let my dog’s behavior determine my answer. When he is being well behaved, well mannered and calm, I proudly respond “He’s an American Pit Bull Terrier mix, rescued from a shelter”. He is providing a wonderful representation of his breed. If he is misbehaving, which he sometimes does around small dogs, I proudly respond “He’s a chocolate lab mix”. Either way, if they are interested and want more info, I gladly share what I know and believe. If not, that’s their loss and they will continue to be fed by the fear mongering media.
Some hoomans can’t be weasoned wif and awen’t wowf the wowds, but some might actually leawn something. Thewe awe pitties in my doggie wun and I have nevew had any pwoblem wif them. I hate doggie discwimination as much as any othew kind
smoochie kisses
ASTA
I always say “Pit Bull”. I like to challenge people’s preconceived notions by this 5’2″, college educated white girl with MULTIPLE pit bulls. If they respond negatively, eh. I don’t waste my breath. 5 years of negativity and my skin is pretty thick. However, it’s pretty rare that I get a negative comment anymore. There’s been enough in the media over the last two years that most people say something like “they get a bad rap”.
I feel like owe it to my dogs to be honest. Maybe just seeing my well behaved (ok, not Mouse) dogs in public may make someone think twice about the stereotype.
I believe that every dog should be regarded as an individual, regardless of his “skin color”.
I have an American Pitbull Terrier, purebred and she is hands down always the most well behaved dog in the dog park! Submissive, sweet, gentle, and well mannered. She plays well with little dogs and can hold her own with the big dogs. When people ask me what breed she is, I proudly say “She is a Pitbull”. She has moments where she can be stubborn, but other than that she has broken every negative stereotype.
Sometimes, i ask myself what kind of dog should i get .. but as i think now, i want Shepherd, and want to get only this kind of dog.
I think I have the same dog as you, but I am unable to see his full face. Have any pictures you can e-mail me? No history on my dog. Bought him at Berlin Farmers Market in NJ. He is 8 yrs old.
DEmmett looks exactly like my 9 year old rescue, Billy Bob. For a moment I swore you posted a picture of my dog. Billy Bobs mother was a brindle APBT and his dad was never seen. He is the best companion I could ask for.
I have always owned my home but am selling it
To downgrade to an apartment. 99% have breed
Restrictions…my dog is pit bull but I believe he
May be able to pass for “lab mix”. My sister is law
Who’s a vet tech told me just to tell apt complex
Thats what he is. I’ve heard some will go with what you
Say, while others will ask for vet records and
Even DNA blood samples to be sure no pit bull exists
In your dog. Bullshit if you ask
Me. I would love to email a pic to anyone
To see if you can determine if he would pass as
A MIx. My email is Feliciamgallant@gmail.com
Thanks 🙂
My dog ??looks very similar. Great coat and the best friend.
Your sweet Emmett looks exactly like my sweet girl, Echo.
Hoping that I successfully included a picture of her for you to see.
We get the same thing – people are afraid of her just by her appearance. Little do they know, she’s a big marshmallow!
[IMG]http://i62.tinypic.com/z4rp2.jpg[/IMG]
When I saw this pic I was like “Who in the hell got a pic of my dog. Swear I have a pic of Nova just like. I’m still convinced this may be my photo… Anywho, Nova looks just like this pup and she is a Pit Bull Terrier/Shar Pei Mix. So there. Question answered.
I have a picture of my dog. He is sleeping in that exact position and is the exact same breed. I thought I had found a picture of my Duke on the internet when I first saw it.
Not gonna lie, I genuinely thought that was a picture of my dog Baby for a moment there https://share.icloud.com/photos/0mqJiBvKoS4D7gpZaICG3pCYw#Columbus,_TX