Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Pooches: Shunned

So we were actually phototagged by Pibble to choose a mathematically random photo to tell a story about. This couldn't have come at a more perfect time as I'm in the home stretch for my National Boards process. My portfolio is due at the end of this week, and all I've been doing for the past couple of days is sitting in front of my computer writing. I actually took Monday off of school to work and I sat from 7 am to 10 pm only stopping for lunch and dinner. And it still doesn't seem close to being done...
So for something more interesting, the above photo was actually the PAWs 4K walk along Chicago's lakefront trail. It's like a huge dog parade where we get to walk along lake Michigan and then hang out in a big field at the end. We live about 2 miles from the lake, so the pooches don't get there often. Here is Miss M. gazing at the waves.
While we like to do these types of walks, they aren't always pitbull friendly. A lot of the time our pooches end up getting shunned. When we first started dating E took Miss M. on the walk while I was away at a conference. I guess they got a lot of stares and comments to "stay away from that dog" because she was a pittie. And they all created a big circle around them and no one would talk to them. Unfortunately, there are also certain parts of the city that are not pitbull friendly. In my first neighborhood men used to scoop up their tiny dogs and give us dirty looks when we came by. Does anyone else have dog racism experiences? Or does Miss M. just need to work on her smile?

22 comments:

Unknown said...

We think Miss M's smile is perfect! I am so tired of people giving pitties a bad rap. I have loved every single one I've come into contact with. People are just dumb.

laura said...

Absolutely! When Duncan shows interest in other dogs on our walks, I tell people, "He thinks everyone is his friend." I say this with a big smile and also make sure to give them a wide berth. Most people just glare at him and ignore me. A couple of days a ago an old woman mumbled something under her breath at us and it wasn't friendly. It actually hurts my feelings because I see the earnest look on Duncan's face and I know he only wants to play.

Mack said...

Miss M has a PERFECT smile!

And it's a shame some people don't realize pitties can be the sweetest dogs ever!

Kate said...

We get the same thing sometimes. It's such a shame because they are really great dogs.

The Adventures of the LLB Gang said...

We love Miss M.'s smiley! We do NOT like people who assume a breed is a certain way...

Smileys!
Dory and the Mama

Mack and Mia said...

Miss M is perfect in every way, shape, and form! Our mommas sister has a beawoooootiful blue pit and her name is Nia and she is sweet as pie! Shame on those ignorant people who are CLEARLY uneducated! Keep your head up and keep going to ALL those walkies and showing everyone they are just plain stooopid!

Anonymous said...

O Miss M yur smile is beeuteeful! It is sertanlly not you that needs to change.

kissa-bull said...

oh we would just attack her wiff slobbers and sugars if we seen that smile on the stweet
dont you wowy we get the shuns too when we got to petsmart and stuff and especially if we took cause we're nervoius.
teehee
pibble sugars and wee wags
the pittie pack

pibble said...

People are awful. Just look at sweet Miss M!

Often, people will say to Charlie "what a cute dog; what is she?" and when I tell them, they'll recoil as if they just put their hand in a flame. Very stupid.

Thanks for playing along - don't forget to tag five blog friends!

And all the best on your Boards!!

Anonymous said...

Sometimes that happens to me, too. And it kinda makes me feel sad cuz I luvs peoples SO much. But mom tells me that they're the ones losin' out by not giving themselves a chance to get to know me. So I would tell Miss M that her smile is Most Magnificent and that it's those silly peoples loss if they don't wanna get to know her!

Wiggles & Wags,
mayzie

PeeS. Good luck with your test thingie. You'll knock 'em dead. (But don't really knock 'em dead. Cuz you would prolly fail your test if you did that.)

Dog Foster Mom said...

Aww, Miss M. is beautiful. I try to be extra friendly to people with pit bulls because I know other people sometimes aren't so friendly. But as others have said, the unfriendlies are just missing out on meeting a very sweet dog.

Bobby said...

I have had the same experience when I had the rottie's even though little Pip was jumping all over them. It is unfortunate but I can understand, these type of dogs have got a bad reputation from the idiots who get them to make themselves look macho.
But they end up with no control and the poor dogs end up in kennels.

Dexter said...

Not your most alluring look, Miss M., Don't feel bad, some humans are afraid of me, too.

Slobbers,
Mango

the booker man said...

awww, miss m. has the most perfect smile.
my big sis asa gets the shun sometimes, too. mama says some people are so naive. :(
*woof*
the booker man

Kari in Alaska said...

all sorts of people do that to us, even when we are walking one or both with Big Carl.

Two French Bulldogs said...

We love your smile, kinda like Elvis
Benny & Lily

Martine said...

Oh gosh! We have plenty of doggie discrimination stories.... we currently don't suffer from this issue, but can feel you pain. Everyone always thougth Sugar our bull terrier was pittie... they also thought Abby our staffordshire bull terrier was pittie puppy.

xo martine

Unknown said...

I feel we view pitties differently in Cali. Can you all move here?
Twinkie

Paxton said...

With such a beautiful face and perfect smile, why am I living here in Australia and you so far in the USA, Miss M!! I dream of sharing bones, running crazy dog is the parks and finding some freshly mowed grass to dig holes into! I also get to hear comments like "I am scared of pit bulls" but when people find out that I am one, they cannot believe it and ask my Mummy "Really!? He is a pit bull?" We just smile - humans can be so blind and ignorant but we know better! You go, Miss M! Ignore those humans that have negative attitudes - nothing anybody can say or do will change their opinions anyway.

Woof
Paxton & Mummy Shirley

Mary said...

Do we ever! We either get the rude remarks and stares or people asking if they can buy him or his puppies. One guy said, "damn! That motherfucka' hella' pretty!" Um, thanks? And after trying to explain to another guy that our dog couldn't have puppies, my husband just nodded his head and smiled when the guy said, "oh, is he circumsized?"

I've gotten used to the street crossing over time and try to focus on the times when people pull their cars over to tell us how gorgeous he is. Miss M's smile must also stop traffic! She's adorable!

SusanA said...

We get it a lot too. The other day I was walking on the opposite side of the street and a woman made her two children come and stand on the porch with her until we passed. I thought she was just being cautious but when I said hello, she didn't answer. Another man at the park scooped up his toddlers as we approached. I thought he was going to fall down with them, all the while teaching them to be afraid of dogs. Miss M is the bomb. I don't know how anyone could be afraid of her.

Rosiroo said...

I can't imagine being scared of Mrs M- she has such a funny cute little smile! Love the underbite...

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