Ah, Pit Bulls. The breed that everyone has an opinion about. Known for their blocky heads, muscly physiques, and infectious personalities, these lovable furballs are more than just a pretty face. But why should you consider making room in your life and on your sofa for a Pit Bull? Here are the top 7.5 reasons. Yes, 7.5—because who says we can’t be just a tad unconventional?

1. An Endless Supply of Slobbery Kisses

Let’s be honest, who doesn’t like sloppy kisses? Pit Bulls are notoriously affectionate creatures and will shower you with an endless amount of slobbery love. Forget about personal space, as that’s a foreign concept to these attention-hungry pups. Soon, you won’t even need to set an alarm, because you’ll wake up to a wet, sloppy kiss every morning—whether you like it or not!

2. Personal Trainer Included

Looking for motivation to shed those extra pounds? Your Pit Bull will gladly accept the position as your personal fitness coach. From drag-you-out-of-bed morning jogs to epic games of fetch, you’ll be getting more exercise than you ever thought possible. And guess what? You won’t even need a gym membership!

3. The Ultimate Home Security System

Forget about fancy cameras or high-tech alarm systems. All you need is a Pit Bull with a bark that could wake up the entire neighborhood. Whether it’s the mailman or an uninvited squirrel in the yard, nothing gets past their keen senses. And don’t even think about ignoring them; they won’t rest until you’ve acknowledged the imminent “threat.” Just don’t expect them to actually do much against a human intruder if no one’s home. They are more likely to trip the would-be burglar with their unbridled friendliness than bite!

4. Professional Vacuum Cleaner

Dropped some crumbs on the floor? No worries, your Pit Bull will swoop in like a superhero, ready to clean up the mess before you can say “Swiffer!” However, be prepared for a few “accidental” spills as your dog learns how to game the system.

5. Instant Social Life

Owning a Pit Bull is like joining an exclusive club filled with fellow enthusiasts who are just as crazy about the breed as you are. Whether it’s at the dog park, vet’s office, or pet supply store, people will flock to you, eager to share stories and exchange Pit Bull parenting tips. Who needs social media when you’ve got a fur magnet?

6. Infinite Comic Relief

Who needs comedy specials when you’ve got a Pit Bull? From clumsy attempts to catch their own tails to dramatic reactions when you dare to leave the room for more than two minutes, Pit Bulls are constant sources of entertainment. You’ll never know boredom again.

7. Unconditional Love, 24/7

This is the big one. Pit Bulls are incredibly loyal companions who will stick by your side through thick and thin. They don’t know how to give less than 100% when it comes to love. You’ll soon discover that their hearts are as big as their jowls, and they will always be there to provide emotional support, even on your worst days.

7.5. Intimidating Snoring Skills

Why only 0.5? Well, the snoring could either be a pro or a con depending on how you look at it. Yes, Pit Bulls snore—loudly. If you’re someone who’s into ambient noise, you’ve got yourself a live-in noise machine. On the other hand, you may need to invest in some earplugs. But hey, it’s all part of the package!

So there you have it, folks—7.5 overwhelmingly convincing reasons to add a Pit Bull to your life. Ready to take the plunge and rescue one of these delightful creatures? Your sofa—and your life—will never be the same again!

Happy Pit Bull Parenting!

I’ve been involved with Pit Bulls for about 35 years, which makes me far older than I’d like to be! I’ve written two books on the breed, shown dogs in AKC, UKC, and ADBA conformation, put a few titles on dogs, and have been directly rescuing Pit Bulls, exclusively, since 1997.

I mention all that just so you have a basic understanding of my love for and experience with American Pit Bull Terriers and American Staffordshire Terriers. I love these dogs, and I frankly couldn’t imagine not having one sharing my home, spending time with me out and about, or just snuggling on the couch.

But I’ll cut to the chase here. Sometimes other Pit Bull advocates do things that annoy me, though I know the “offending” advocates are all well-meaning (and really, if you like Pit Bulls and treat them kindly and responsibly, you have to be an okay person, in my book, even if you’ve committed some of the offenses I’m about to mention).

“It’s all in how you raise them.”

No, it isn’t. Stop saying that. There’s that old concept called nature vs. nurture. Science hasn’t definitely figured it out 100% yet, but what we do know, for sure is that both nature and nurture influence behavior in animals such as humans and dogs. Dogs can be aggressive toward people or dogs even if they were never raised that way. Dogs can be aggressive toward squirrels, cats, and unfortunate stuffies even if they were never raised that way. By the way, cats can be aggressive toward birds, mice, and spiders, even if they were never raised that way. Get it?

Nature does matter quite a lot. Some dogs are naturally shy and timid. Others are naturally confident and outgoing. Some dogs are naturally mellow, while others are naturally more like Mighty Mouse on speed.

It’s a problem to say “it’s all in how you raise them,” because the phrase completely ignores nature and can make otherwise good owners feel “at fault” if their dog doesn’t like other dogs or is scared of strangers, even when those dogs were properly socialized during their youth.

In addition, there’s this notion that, if you get a puppy, you can raise her to turn out exactly how you’d like. No, you can’t–at least not entirely. Of course, you can train your puppy and give her a great foundation, with lots of positive experiences around strangers and other animals, but the real truth is that puppies are all fundamentally different from one another, just as children are all fundamentally different from one another. You still have to find the right match for you.

Crying out to save the terrified or aggressive dog and letting the perfectly happy one get euthanized

This one really bugs me because I know the motivation here is all good. We humans have emotions. We see a scared dog, quivering in the back of a shelter kennel, and we want to help her. Likewise, that dog that the shelter wants to euthanize for acting aggressively toward people, we have a desire to help. Inside, we think, “He just needs to know some love” or “With training, he’ll blossom into a great, well-balanced dog.”

Maybe he will. More likely, he won’t. Sure, dogs can make huge progress. I’ve seen it over and over again. Of course training and proper socialization, desensitization and management can help a terrified or aggressive dog blossom into a socially acceptable dog. However, keep in mind that many of these traits are influenced by genetics. Short of a magic pill that changes the underlying genes or their biochemical products, no training, love, or management is going to alter that dog’s DNA. Odds are, that dog will always require some level of extra caution and/or management.

And, heaven forbid, with the aggressive dog, if it doesn’t work out…if whoever has that dog isn’t 100% on the ball every single moment of every day, that dog could hurt someone. That dog could become the next headline. And when that dog becomes the next headline, my perfectly happy, well-socialized, snuggle bug of a Pit Bull becomes at risk of being suddenly illegal, confiscated and euthanized (and yes, this has happened in cities all over the world).

Ever here of a little city known as Denver, Colorado? After a 3-year old was killed by a Pit Bull and a reverend was seriously injured by another one, the city banned Pit Bulls. Since that ban, somewhere in the neighborhood of 4,000 Pit Bulls have been impounded and euthanized.

That’s right, about 4,000 dogs have died because of two aggressive dogs that lived.

When you save that aggressive dog, you risk my dog. When you risk my dog, you more than annoy me. You outright make me mad. Please, stop risking my dog’s welfare. (To clarify, I have no serious issue with saving a scared but nonaggressive dog, but I do always remind people that fear is the leading cause of aggression).

Here’s another really tragic truth: saving the aggressive or terrified dog almost always leads to a more temperamentally sound dog being killed. The  blocky-headed goofball that isn’t quivering in the back of his kennel, jumps on the gate to get attention, and bounces on people because he’s so happy to see them just doesn’t tug at most heartstrings when it comes to social media postings.

The fact is, the scared and otherwise broken and even aggressive dogs get the shares on social media. They get the crowds. They present heartbroken images. The happy dog smiling and wagging its tail in the shelter kennel doesn’t quite merit the same social media response. He’s not sad enough. He’s not tugging on our heart strings enough. He doesn’t know that the dog in the kennel next to him that’s shivering and huddled in the corner is trending all over social media. People are calling the shelter about that dog. Foster homes and adopters step up for that dog. He doesn’t realize that, next week, when the nice shelter person comes to take him out of his kennel, he’s not going to the play yard. He’s going to a room where someone will end his life.

Now, I know you might say, “A life is a life.” That is true, to some extent, but the reality is, these terrified or aggressive dogs often stay in foster homes longer. They require more resources, more work, and that means that they are taking up space that would go to two or three more dogs who desperately need out of the shelter just as much as that one dog.

Now, I’m not so foolish as to believe this blog post is going to put a stop to such things. I know people cannot always help what dogs stir their hearts. All I’m asking is that you think more about the issue and realize that, in the rescue world, saving one dog inevitably means letting another one die. Try to choose wisely and, through your choices, enable the highest number of temperamentally sound dogs to be saved.

By the way, if those two aggressive dogs in Denver had never been allowed to hurt people, 4,000 Pit Bulls would’ve been saved. Think about those numbers. Think about all the good Pit Bull owners who had their dogs seized and euthanized, even though those dogs harmed no one. Think about that happening to your dog, because I promise you, it can. Talk all you want about how you’d move or live in your car, etc. But the reality is, when the breed is outlawed, there’s no where to move except out of the city or state, away from your job, away from your friends, away from your children’s school, and sometimes, even when you are ready to move, you cannot move fast enough before animal control comes and takes your dog.

Letting politics override ethics

I know rescue is expensive. I know donations are important. I know social media followers are important. However, rescue is full of hard decisions, and the lives of both people and dogs are almost always affected by our decisions.

Put politics aside. If doing the right thing causes you to lose a few volunteers, some social media followers, or even donations, do the right thing anyway. Sacrificing ethics will eventually lead to something truly bad. It’s just a matter of time. If you know a dog isn’t safe to place, don’t place the dog. If you know your rescue is not equipped to take a specific dog, don’t take the dog. Say no when you need to. Give yourself permission to follow your conscience and your gut instincts.

These two pups are best buds but are they a “bonded pair?”

There’s a recent development in the rescue and shelter world about the “bonded pair.” Videos abound on social media platforms showcasing two animals, often found as strays together (but sometimes surrendered by an owner), who appear to be very attached to one another. Organizations often require that these two animals be adopted together.

However, there’s a problem with overzealous use of the phrase “bonded pair.” While animals do often grow attached to other animals they’ve lived with, it is rare that two animals form such a close bond that they cannot humanely be separated. Requiring that two animals be adopted together when they don’t need to be leads to real problems.

The first obvious problem is, of course, that two dogs are harder to adopt than one. As a result, pairs usually stay in their shelter kennels longer. Of course, a heart-wrenching video on the Internet might change that scenario, motivating someone to adopt the pair and thereby quicken their adoption, but that’s never a sure bet (and hasty adoptions spurred by momentary pity might not be conducive to long-term adoptions).

There’s another problem with advertising dogs as “bonded pairs.” People seem to think there’s some kind of magic in that term which ensures the dogs will never fight. Owners often take their two new family members home with unrealistic expectations. In some cases, those expectations can lead to disaster in the home when the members of the “bonded pair” are left alone together and end up in a fight.

Two dogs looking scary (but really playing)

Fights have, in fact, broken out between “bonded” dogs. Two young male Pit Bulls were labelled as a “bonded pair” by one local shelter and adopted together. After a few months in their new home, they began to fight. The shelter, having the best intentions, truly thought it best that these two seemingly best buds be adopted together, but in reality, these dogs should have been separated. Same-gender pairings are a little trickier than opposite gender pairings and can sometimes lead to fights down the road as gender-driven conflicts may arise after the dogs mature.

These gender-driven conflicts, as mentioned, tend to arise after the dogs reach two to three years of age, highlighting the issue with adopting younger dogs as “bonded pairs.” Young animals often get along well. When they reach and surpass maturity, problems may develop. These problems can be serious enough that the new owners relinquish one of the dogs to a shelter. An older dog in a shelter is a lot more difficult to adopt than a younger dog, and that older dog may end up waiting for months in a shelter kennel before finding a home…or may not find a home at all.

Of course, some breeds might be more prone to gender-driven conflicts than others (such as the terrier breeds), but overall, the advice related to bonded pairs applies to dogs of all breeds.

Younger dogs, in particular those under a year, tend to be more adaptable to new situations. They can be adopted separately from their buddies, usually with very few ill effects. When it seems like two dogs are inseparable, often one finds that they get along just fine without the other dog as long as they’re getting enough attention.

The only case where it may be more difficult for two dogs to adjust to separation arises when siblings from the same litter grow up together and are separated at adulthood. These may truly be bonded to one another (but that also doesn’t mean they won’t get into serious fights, especially if both are of the same gender). This littermate syndrome is one huge reason we never recommend keeping littermates together. Littermates often do bond closely to one another and become more interested in one another than in their human caretakers unless diligent efforts are made to spend individual time with both, separate from the other. However, most littermates can be separated and adjust to life without the other.

Even dogs that are truly bonded pairs are unlikely to be together forever. Unfortunately, time will take one of them away first, leaving the other alone. Many people have gone through the experience of bringing in a younger dog when they already have an adult dog. Eventually, the older dog passes away, and the younger dog learns to carry on without the companion he or she had known since puppyhood.

These two dogs lived together for 10 years. The tan dog passed away at age 14.

We encourage organizations to use the term “bonded pair” as conservatively as possible. Very few dogs should truly fall into that category. Even when the term is appropriately used, organizations should make sure the new owners are educated about the pros and cons of having two dogs and the potential need to manage conflicts between them.

Prince George offered his dog a lick of ice cream. The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) responded, “It is lovely that Prince George is trying to help keep his family dog, Lupo, cool in these high temperatures. We would advise people to be cautious when giving their dogs food meant for human consumption as some items, like chocolate, can be highly toxic to dogs and dairy items can be difficult for them to digest.”

The RSPCA is absolutely right that  some human foods can cause issues for dogs. Some dogs have issues digesting lactose and chocolate can be fatal to dogs.

Here’s the catch: dogs have been licking ice cream cones from kids since ice cream was invented (roughly sometime around the 15th or 16th centuries).  A lick or two of ice cream won’t hurt a dog. Also, the ice cream on the little prince’s cone was white, so we can safely say it wasn’t chocolate ice cream (I know, you’re going to say, but it could’ve been white chocolate)! Go away– white chocolate isn’t really chocolate. You can go here for a chocolate toxicity meter.

However, even if it had been chocolate ice cream, it would still very likely be okay. Let’s be realistic, only the most premium of chocolate ice cream brands contain any significant amount of cocoa (read the ingredients), and dark chocolate or baking chocolate is much more dangerous than milk chocolate.

So, let’s chill out on that issue (ice cream pun intended).

The bigger issue is that there are just too many people on the Internet who feel compelled to say something when someone posts a cute photo or video with a dog. By all means, if a dog is photographed in genuine peril or deplorable conditions — say something! But many people have gone over the edge. Let’s just get back to enjoying our dogs and letting them indulge in the simple (but not always 100% healthy) pleasures of life…in moderation, of course.

That goes across the board. If you see a dog in a car on a cool day in shade with the windows cracked, don’t break the window, post the poor abused dog on Youtube, and pat yourself on the shoulder as being a hero. Literally, I had a friend who left her dog in a car on a rainy, cold day while she went into the store and came out to find an officer berating her for doing so because her windows weren’t open.

That’s not to say you shouldn’t intervene to help a dog in genuine distress in a warm vehicle–please do so in the way safest for yourself and the dog. Too many idiot dog owners do leave their dogs in hot vehicles, in dangerous conditions.

When we incorporate dogs into our lives by taking them along for errands when weather permits or giving them licks off our ice cream cones, we benefit them through these social interactions. A hundred years or so ago, dogs were often seen accompanying family members, trotting alongside horses or riding in carriages. These were never the safest activities for dogs. They could get kicked by horses, be enticed to jump out of a carriage and injure themselves, or get banged around during the bumpy ride.

Despite these risks, the dogs were often better socialized and definitely more acclimated to other animals, horses, people, and noises.

By keeping our dogs isolated and protected, by never letting them lick that ice cream or go with us on errands, by only taking them around the block during their daily leashed walk or, more rarely, to a park, we’re not doing them any favors. Is it any wonder why so many dogs have behavior problems and socialization issues?

Get out there with your dogs. Be sensible and be safe….just don’t try to to be so safe you end up actually diminishing your dog’s quality of life.

And to those on the Internet like the RSPCA who feel the need to warn about simple, normal interactions between kids and dogs….relax.

I mean, I could make all kinds of comments about the photo — the dog isn’t wearing a leash or collar (apparently), the toddler is too close to the dog’s face and isn’t wearing shoes (he could step on something, even a bee)! There isn’t even any visible water for the dog, and it’s summer! Okay, so it’s England (come to Sacramento for actual heat!) and Prince George and his companion are likely in their own private, fenced estate. They probably even have groundskeepers that get rid of anything even remotely dangerous, bees included, and maybe the water bowl is just outside the camera’s view. Unfortunately, I know none of this from the photo, and gosh darnit, what irresponsible people!

Really, though, I think it’s just a cute photo, and I wonder how little George’s hair stays so perfect and how the photographer managed to photograph that very black dog so perfectly, especially next to his fair skinned companion and that dolop of white ice cream!