My Long Absence

I know it's been quite a long time since I've posted. Though I'm not going to explain the entire reasons and circumstances just now, I wanted to chime in and let readers know I'm still here and I'll still be writing this blog.

However, it's been very difficult for me because on June 1st my husband and I had to put our beloved Concobar "to sleep". The hole she's left in my life has made it too difficult for me to write about, and has even made it hard for me to visit my own blog.

I'll be back, and I'll share my story with everyone when I am. I believe there is a few good lessons to be learned from my baby girl's untimely death, and I'll be discussing those when I finally do post.

Until then, take care of yourselves and your pets.

Peace, love, and pit bulls!

A Great Video from Animalist on Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/AnimalistNetwork/videos/625580204251807/

Check out this video! It's packed with great information, not to mention adorable dogs!

A Pittie Gets Even With His Owner!

http://www.piitbull.net/when-the-pitbull-stays-at-home-alone/

Another Wonderful Article

http://www.caninejournal.com/pit-bull-facts/

This article was brought to my attention by another bully advocate named Mozy-S. This is further proof that we are turning the tide! Please share this article so we can keep that momentum strong and vital. Together, we can make the difference.

One of the things I liked best about this piece was the way the author addressed how much the media has influenced the publics perception of so called "pit bulls" . The truth of that influence is just one of the reasons we Pitbull Parents have to stay positive, committed, and passionate about the breed we love. Let's be as loyal to our bullies as they are to us!

I thank each of you, but only for reading this blog, but for being a voice for the voiceless. You are all amazing!

A Video Worth Sharing

So I was browsing through Facebook this evening and I came across a post that one of my daughter's shared from a Funniest Vine. Now normally I don't watch videos that are more than 5 seconds long, but this particular Vine caught my heart immediately, so much so that I knew I had to share it with all of you.

The link for this Vine is https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=344535579086914&id=254986661375140&refid=12&__tn__=H

It's a truly amazing story about the bond and love that can develop between humans and dogs. Trust me, you won't regret following that link!

Thanks for reading my blog,  keep spreading the word about how lovable, loyal, and wonderful pit bulls truly are!

I'm Still Here...

Hi Pit Bull Parents and Friends!

I just want to let my wonderful readers know I'm still here and I'm still writing this blog. 

Not only have I been swamped with school, family commitments, and work, I've had two head colds and the stomach flu, all in two short weeks!

I'll be posting a new article soon. In particular, I'm excited to share with all of you a website I found that will make you a custom t-shirt with your dog's (or any) picture on it! The owner of the site is a pit bull supporter, and besides doing custom work, keeps his prices affordable. He also sells hard to find sizes. But more on that later!

So keep an eye out, I'll be back soon with a fresh and exciting new post in a jiff! 

Remember to be a Breed Ambassador and spread the word about our favorite furry friend!

Con likes to watch T.V. upside down!

Turning the Tide

Before I begin chatting away about today's topic, I'd like to get something out of the way.

Sadly, it's been a while since I've posted any meaningful articles. For that, I am sorry. But it means that I have LOTS of new things to share with all of you wonderful readers, so expect several new posts in the next few weeks or so. 

A couple days ago I opened my email and spent several minutes scrolling through the muck that builds up if I don't check in every 5 minutes. One of the emails was from Goggle+, and it listed some of the posts I've missed since I last checked in. One of those posts was shared by a wonderful Google+ member named The Blueminator and it included a link to an online article. 

Roscoe, one of the dogs featured in Madden's article

The article, written by Emily Madden and titled, "Pit bull owners share the softer side of 'bully breeds'", shares the account of different pit bull owners who live in a town called Newark (not sure if that's Jersey or not, it wasn't specific!) which imposes strict restrictions on the owners of "bully breeds". Most of the dog owners choose to keep their dogs regardless of those restrictions, which I find to be wonderful and terrible at the same time. Wonderful because the owners are refusing to give up their cherished pets, and terrible that they are required to maneuver through so much bureaucracy in order to do so. 

I found myself having a great deal of mixed feeling over this article. The reporting, in itself, was wonderful. Ms. Madden does an excellent job of describing the breed, from their origins in the old country to their eventual stigmatizing use as fighting dogs. I wanted to stand up and cheer when Ms. Madden mentions how critical the negative media hype has been in demonizing our beloved breed of dog. 

A member of the media declaring the media has played a large role in misrepresenting pit bulls? Can you say, "Score for Team Pit Bull?"!!! Whooo-Hooo!!

But back to my mixed feelings. I most definitely felt angry and sad for those dog owners in Newark (and in every county that has enacted BSL) who are forced to spend time, money, and an overt amount of effort to own the type of dog they want to own. But at the same time, I started getting this burning feeling of hope and victory in the pit of my stomach.

Hope? Victory? Many of you are probably wondering how in the world I could possibly feel these things when I was reading yet another story about pit bull owners being punished for owning pit bulls. 

The reason is simple, really. Overall, this article was about how loving pit bulls are, and what great pets they make.

WE ARE TURNING THE TIDE!!! The voices, like ours, that are telling the world all the wonderful things about the breed known as pit bulls are being heard!! Want proof? Google pit bulls. The amount of articles, websites. and blogs in support of the breed are beginning to out-number the negative websites and articles. Pit bull lovers are everywhere. Each time I try and use PitbullMama or PitbullParent as a username somewhere, it's taken. (Along with just about every other pit bull related name I could think of!). Celebrities are speaking out and sharing their personal stories of pit bull ownership. And more importantly, everyday people like you and me are spreading the word. 

Granted, we in the pit bull community have a long way to go. There are still far too many close minded individuals out there who believe that pit bulls are dangerous and vicious dogs. But minds and hearts are being changed every day. The data keeps coming in that proves the BSL isn't an effective way to manage dog attacks and more and more communities will continue to vote No on BSL. 

So keep on spreading the word! Use your Breed Ambassador to change those hearts and minds. And use your knowledge and experience to educate someone who may have only heard negative things about pit bulls. I'm often surprised by how easy it is to change someone's mind about pit bulls when they have no personal experience with the dogs and have gotten all of their "information" from media hype. A few minutes of petting Con, a few facts from me, and usually those individuals leave our encounter bewildered, wondering why they ever thought pit bulls were dangerous. 

Let's keep on fighting the good fight for our four legged best friends. Let's keep turning the tide.