I never wanted a pit bull.

Way back then, I'd never had a dog before, and all I knew was that pit bulls were the kind of dog that no self-respecting dog owner would be caught dead with. Everyone knows that pit bulls are vicious, unpredictable, untrainable, bloodthirsty beasts—right?

Then, in 2000, the pit bull came along. Felanie was basically forced on us; she was left behind by the previous resident of our house. We moved in, and there she was. Her cropped ears and yellow eyes staring out of a red-furred face frightened me; she really did look like a devil dog. I suppose I could have called animal control and requested her removal, but in what I could only explain as a bizarre fit of insanity (and a soft spot for animals, no matter how scary or ugly), I decided to give Felanie a chance.

Felanie ripped the seams out of every assumption I'd ever had about pit bulls. She excelled in obedience and agility classes, and received a Temperament Tested title from ATTS. She was calm, quiet, intelligent, affectionate, observant, and gentle. She really was as perfect a dog as I could ask for—and all this despite the fact that I was totally new to dogs and made some rather stupid mistakes early on.

Over the years, Felanie gave more to me than I could ever hope to give back. Because of her, I have a new understanding of—and sensitivity to—injustice, prejudice, and stereotypes. She provided me with years of gentle encouragement, companionship, and support. She taught me about myself, and helped me find my path to a career and a future in writing and communication. Where would I be without her? She transformed me, and my life, inside and out.

Pit bull ownership is unique, difficult, and rewarding—and not because of the dog.

Owning a pit bull—truly caring for, loving, and raising a pit bull as a family member —is a very unique experience. Not because of the dog itself, which is just a dog, after all. No, it's different because of the way other people treat you and your dog. It's because of the things that you have to learn, the hoops you have to jump through, the conflicting information you must analyze, the conversations you have to prepare for, the stereotypes you must surmount, and the situations you have to navigate. Loving a pit bull and being socially acceptable are two things that don't easily go hand in hand.

So, seeking a way to help other people understand the complexities of pit bull ownership, I started this website. The site is currently in its "third edition," so to speak. It has certainly come a long way from the rudimentary handful of pages that quietly educated visitors... and eventually generated enough traffic that my old site host told me I could no longer stay for free. To all my visitors—Thank you, welcome, and enjoy.

Last site update: 5/23/08