[Pippoles]

This kinda ticked me off and I was wondering how some of ya'll on here handle negative reactions when asked what kind of dog you have and when the person finds out you have a pit bull it's either total silence or a uncomfortable posture or look on their face.

I went to petsmart to get cupcake the canned version of the blue buffalo diet she's on so she'll eat the dry food ( not that she doesn't she prefers a little moist food with it too ) and this lady came up to me wearing the blue buffalo logo and asked me what breed of dog do I have and when I told her the breed I was sure to say american pit bull terrier instead of just pit bull hoping maybe I'd get a better response. She backed up from me and seemed rather lost for words and said " oh, well that's good " and walked away.

what a bitch! I was about to go into a diatribe about the breed and to let her know that her response was quite impolite but never got the chance.

what do ya'll do? Just suck it up and go on or would you try to educate the person who reacted the way most people do who do not know about the breed?

also, I am 28 but I look to be 19 and maybe that could have been a part of it as well. Not many realize I'm actually married and much older than I look even though I wear a wedding ring. It's quite annoying!

alright start typing your responses and thoughts!

Sheri.

[hernkingAnank]

I've started telling people it's whatever breed they want it to be. Either that or American Terrier. People are going to belive what they want to belive because at the end of the day people suck.

[Pippoles]

One more thing I've noticed as well as my husband. When cupcake comes with us for a car ride and someone has their window rolled down they'll roll them up when they see her or we'll get a nasty stare and I even saw one lady look right at me and shake her head.

She's only a puppy! The lady that shook her head at me must've thought I was a teenager....

It doesn't help matters that when cupcake sees another person in their car she'll bark at them it's more of a ruff ruff bark not an all out bark more kinda like a grunt bark It's cute but to the person she's directing it towards it scares them. From the reactions I've gotten.

I did have one guy smile back at me though when she barked at him when he had his window rolled down. But one smile isn't enough to keep me from steaming mad over how people act towards cupcake.

what are you stories?

[slimsex]

Well, my response lately to such things is now "Well you probably couldn't handle one anyway/shouldn't have one anyway".

I used to go into a rant, but I don't really have the energy or patience anymore for people who aren't open minded. If someone's curious about the breed, I'll educate them a bit.

Although, it's easier to change people's minds when you have your pibble with you.

Also, I'm 21, and on a good day, I pass for 16. I'm lucky if I don't get carded for cigarettes. And I look like I couldn't wrangle a small cat, let alone a powerful dog.

Funny thing, I've been trying to get one of those BB jobs. I guess telling them I'm a proud and responsible APBT owner doesn't help though.

Also, I love when Lucy's in the car, and she stares other people in cars down with her intense pit bull stare. They either look away or smile. I don't mind if people are scared of her. She's my dog, not theirs, and that's all that matters. As long as my friends and family like her, it's all good.

[hernkingAnank]

What's a BB job? And Sheri maybe its you they're scared of. Or your husband.

[StivRichardOff]

My biggest issue isn't so much when I'm out with Lily, because she is a damn heart breaker and people's children usually have their arms around her neck before they ask me what breed she is.
The issue I have is when I tell people I have a dog, and they ask what breed, and then I have to spend 20 minutes debunking all the myths they start saying. Usually when I'm done my spiel, their only response is 'huh, oh'.

[slimsex]

What's a BB job? And Sheri maybe its you they're scared of. Or your husband.

Selling Blue Buffalo at pet stores (or being a Blue Buffalo representative at stores, educating people on the food). It's $10 an hour to gab about dogs, which I'm more than okay with. Plus, I have a good knowledge about food and nutrition, and BB's not that bad of a food.

I guess they don't like pit owners.

[zlopikanikanz]

You will learn to have thick skin owning this breed. I just brush it off and keep loving my dogs

[Pippoles]

could be

What's a BB job? And Sheri maybe its you they're scared of. Or your husband.

---------- Post added at 08:55 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:52 PM ----------

Hell, I'd take that BB job in a heartbeat. It beats the job I've had since I was 17....and it's a dead end job. I'd actually enjoy working at petsmart period but cannot afford to lose my health insurance right now. I have Lupus and am in the middle of treatment and it would be very difficult for me to get health insurance if I try to switch, chances are I'd be denied coverage.

hm, I'll look into this BB job

Selling Blue Buffalo at pet stores (or being a Blue Buffalo representative at stores, educating people on the food). It's $10 an hour to gab about dogs, which I'm more than okay with. Plus, I have a good knowledge about food and nutrition, and BB's not that bad of a food.

I guess they don't like pit owners.

[Stainditnew]

You will learn to have thick skin owning this breed. I just brush it off and keep loving my dogs

Exactly! It comes with the territory of owning a breed that has such a bad public representation. If you react to people poorly when that act in a rude manner then you aren't helping much.

I'll tell people that I have a Mater.

[slimsex]

could be



---------- Post added at 08:55 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:52 PM ----------

Hell, I'd take that BB job in a heartbeat. It beats the job I've had since I was 17....and it's a dead end job. I'd actually enjoy working at petsmart period but cannot afford to lose my health insurance right now. I have Lupus and am in the middle of treatment and it would be very difficult for me to get health insurance if I try to switch, chances are I'd be denied coverage.

hm, I'll look into this BB job

I'd take a pet store job in a heartbeat. I don't get anything but stress from my current dead end job, at least I could enjoy a dead end pet store job (not to mention employee discounts). And I could be one of the few, knowledgeable pet store workers who respects dog etiquette and could have a real conversation with owners that isn't just "what a cute dog".

[carline]

I spent 2 years going into detail with people about the myths,exc.. now I just tell them *its sad you have not been loved by one.. I hope the next time you get the chance to - you don't let it pass you by*.. then I go my own way! I am just down right tired of it. They either like the breed or they dont.. it doesnt matter what you say.. your not going to change their minds.. its going to take them taking the chance to get to know one.. (I've learned that through my families experiances)... my mother was the worst.. and she still dis-agree's with my owning them.. but after 3 years of realizing shes not going to talk me out of mine (from her horror stories).. shes learned to except it.. but it's also went from her telling everyone *my daughter owns those monsters* to *my daughters dogs are not one of those monsters*.. it just takes time.. and them having the chance to get to know one. (my mom even shocked me several months back by helping me with a vet bill I was scrounging to afford - when we thought our girl caught mange!).. don't give up on people.. I have faith, even if its on their last day (on their death bed), our choice of breed, will show them how wonderful they are!

[Tusanoc]

I guess I have been lucky. In the 2 years that I have had Honey I have only got one slightly negative response about pit bulls from one neighbor and he said when he hears the word pit bull or sees one it is like the word cancer to him. Oh well you can't win them all. For the most part I get a very positive feed back as I am walking Honey. I have had people come out of their house to pet her or holler out their car window to tell me I have a pretty dog. It would be a fair guess to say about 25 to 30% of the neighborhood( about a 1/2 mile radius)has a pit bull. And for the most part they are responsible owners. ie. not running loose in the neighborhood.

[carline]

The thing that gets me the most is when we are outside.. (I ALWAYS have them on a leash even in our own yard if we are not in a fence).. and some woman is walking her kids and she see's my dog and picks her kid up and walks fast to the other side of the road.. first off, my dogs on a leash - come on.. and second off, my dogs are a good 25 foot from the sidewalk.. its not like we were standing on the side walk! SHEESH!

[Khcyhshq]

i get turned up noses all the time......im 25 and still look fairly young on top of that i am black so you know the stereotypes start instantly when envy and i are out(dont sta in the ""hood" no more).....because of her tuck i hear everything from quit starving your dog or "he must be training that dog for a fight".....recently we were at the lake and a man and his wife came by in a boat asking me what kind of dog she was because they were amazed at the way envy was swimming like michael phelps fetching the stick i threw and bringing it back everytime....when i told him his smile turned to a frown and he quickly paddled off...imo people like that are just jealous thats exactly why i named my dog envy...

[Singukil]

My reaction completely depends on the person...

I have had reactions where people have tried to "educate" me on the breed's locking jaw, or explain to me that the APBT doesn't exist and pit bull is just another name for AmStaff. In cases like these, I try to educate them. If they want to talk, I am all for it.

If someone is happy to see my dog, or comments on his good behavior, and then reacts badly to his breed, I will usually make note of the fact that a minute ago he was a great dog...and he was a pit bull then too.

I have had plenty of cases where there was no discussion at all also. People just give me a disappointed look or move their kids to the other side of the street. I just ignore it. Although I once had a woman literally JUMP INTO A SHRUB to avoid my dog and my boyfriend and I laughed right in her face.

I think that the best thing that you can do is just be responsible and brush off the bad reactions. There are certain people who you could talk to all day about the breed and their opinions will not change. If you are responsible and your dog is well behaved, your dog will speak for himself. The ones worth educating will see that he is a good dog regardless of the breed.

[ffdfriendforurr]

I can relate... Im 22 with a 2 year old and when I go out in public without my husband with my 2 year old son (who Ive been asked if hes my brother or if Im just baby sitting for) I get so many looks. I also look 16 on a good day so walking my 2 year old and my 70lb pit bull (and im a 'skinny ass white girl' 100lbs on a good day)
I think a lot of my bad looks come from that too.. people think im an irresponsible kid/mom for having a pit bull near a baby or they wonder if I can control my dog.

I typically catch people giving me weird looks but Ive only had 1 person acutally say something to me about it. When Harley was about 8 months old (hes 12 months now) we were in petsmart and I had my son in the seat of the shopping cart and Harley in the basket part and we were inline to pay (hubby walked off for some reason so I was standing alone with my baby boys) and this lady behind me looked like her eyes were about to pop out of her head as she looked at Harley sitting in the cart with his head right by my son and she was all "is that a pit bull?" I just smiled all sweet and said "yes he is, they are great dogs, espically with kids" and then walked off in the same fashion as if we had been talking about a golden retreiver and she didnt have that 'look of a pug' on her face.... fortunatly people in this area seem to all know the truth about pit bulls and when they see me with my dog and son they are all "oh I bet hes great with your son huh?" as if Im one of those people who dont know pit bulls are good dogs (I guess age could have a lot to do with that... since I dont look my age)

[hexniks]

Them: "Ooo you're getting a puppy?? What kind?"
Me: "American Staffordshire Terrier"
Them: "What's that?"
Me: "Oh...it's a rare breed..."
Them: "Ohhhhh...well that's cool"

[ViaxobbimeVar]

I have yet to get a total negative reaction...I guess its his puppy look I don't know, either people talk to me and just walk away with an "oh" comment or they say how the breed is great and the media need to stop takeing things out of proportion, I also get he looks boxer when I say he is an amer. staff mix I got from a rescue....I don't know about you but I don't see boxer in him(Im not ganna post photos I have so many in the art section lol I am going to be lazy this time) I also get the "that is a BIG DOG" and they stand clear...I look like I am about 16 so that probably does not help, but I guess since I am pretty (my fiance tells me I am enough anyhow) that people don't give me negative verbal reactions. When people say I have never heared of that bread I just smile and say "well that is what he is" if someone says "oh that is a pit bull then" I say "yes the amer. staff. is in the characteristic clasification labeled as pit bull" they kinda smile and keep petting him...I guess I just have good encounters, I did have someone not direct to me but when I was getting a mouse for my snake at a pet store they said to the guy infront of him in line (it was a guy and his girl, then a probably 20 year old, then me) " I have a 100 lb red nose" (the guy in front of him was not talking to him but to his girl after seeing Goren in the store saying they should have brought their pup in, it was in the car) I did not say anything because they obviously were ignoreing my boy but trying to boast or something and ignoreing me because I am thinking its because I ahve such control so punks don't like talking to me I guess lol wow I rambled...thanks for reading through all my rambles

[Krruqgwt]

Please, I dealt with something similar two days ago at Petsmart. A local rescue group was there with dogs up for adoption (most of the dogs they usually have are "pit bull" type dogs). One of the volunteers was walking an absolutely gorgeous dog, and I went up to the them, and said, "Oh I wish I could take him home. I have another rescue pit bull at home."

Her response, "This is NOT a pit bull. This is an American Staffordshire Terrier mix." Okay, lady...but honestly, the way that dog was built looked like pure APBT to me. Just nice lean & ripped.