The year was 2000.
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?
Felanie was basically forced on us. Her cropped ears and yellow eyes staring out of a red-furred face frightened me; she looked like a devil dog. 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. She was calm, quiet, intelligent, affectionate, observant, and gentle. She was as perfect a dog as I could ask for.
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.
In 2001, seeking a way to help other people understand the complexities of pit bull ownership, I started this website. It continues to grow. To all my visitors—Thank you, welcome, and enjoy.
My wife was not very open to the idea of haveing a dog not much less than owning a pit bull. But, thank the good lord she has stolen her heart and has had mine since I first saw Riley. She is a spoiled pit with all the love two people can give. We do have to deal with the sterio type of the breed, but we stand strong that these animals are better than some of the stupid owners (abusers) that own them. Our Riely is filled with play and love, her tail is her only weapon of choice and it is attached to one of the purest hearts I have ever met.
By: Eddie Balles on December 10, 2009
at 3:52 pm
Thank you so much everyone for leting people know that pitbulls are not a bad dog like people say they are i have a red noise pitbull an shes just one of the kids she gose every where with me i love her an she loves us all shes the best dog i ever had. Shes loving,loves to run an play ball, stick ,sock she dont care she just wants to be loved like any other dog or person for that matter.Any living thing will bite if it is profoct. Look at people they hit when they are hit its all the same. I love my pitbull Rocsy shes my best freind shes always there.When im sick shes right by my side more.Dogs know when things.Thank You Margaret
By: margaret on April 16, 2010
at 4:37 am
Great site. We started this site our site (http://myawesomepitbull.wordpress.com/) to dispel some of those awful myths surrounding pit bulls. Your site is very extensive and has a lot to offer. Thanks for sharing – pit bulls are awesome!
By: kipfinch on January 11, 2010
at 2:02 pm
I love what you are doing! I used to be one of those ignorant people who judged pit bulls by what the media showed. Then my boyfriend bought me a puppy red nosed pit and I fell in love with her! Since then (only a few months ago) I learned how great pit bulls really are. I started a blog about my puppy (www.puddlesthepitbull.com) to show people all the great things about this breed.
By: natasha on March 22, 2010
at 7:46 pm
Thank You very much for what your doing. My American Pit Bull is truly my best friend and is gentle as the day is long. He is as big a part of our family as any of us three kids and a wife and he loves us all.
By: David Simmons on March 27, 2010
at 5:25 pm
Check out my Pit Bull blog, I started if for a class and have found that I love hearing other peoples Pit stories!!
http://dontbullymypit.wordpress.com/
By: DontBullyMyPit on April 7, 2010
at 11:55 pm
Thanks for your story. And for knowing that it is not an isolated incident. And great pictures.
We’re having a baby soon, and people think we’re crazy for not giving up our pit bull mix.
By: Matt on July 12, 2010
at 9:23 pm
My friends pitbull laid by the crib everynight in the baby’s room protecting the baby from any and all harm. Became protective of the baby, but not mean. Just knew it was his job to look after her.
By: Lisa Williams on September 10, 2010
at 5:13 am
My thoughts exactly. We came across a pitbull puppy that was running lose and had almost been hit by a car. No one claimed the dog after attempts at finding its owner, so we decided to take the dog in, knowing it most likely wouldn’t be adopted out and most likely euthanized. People definately have these dogs tagged as savage beasts and I know there are those that are severely aggressive, but it’s all in how the dog is raised. The pup we have is very affectionate, loves to play, we taught him to sit after 2 1/2 days of having him. He is very smart and very willing to listen and learn. He’s become a joy in our household and although we never imagined this to be a dog of choice with us, we are sure we made the right decision to keep him and give him a chance he deserves. If people would stop getting these dogs as a “status” animal and training them to be aggressive, they wouldn’t have all of these special rules and regulations placed on them along with a very bad reputation. Those are the whatever percentage of dogs out there because they have negligent owners but think of the percentage who are wonderful family pets, companions and protectors of your home.
By: Lisa Williams on September 10, 2010
at 5:11 am