And now for something lighter: a few notes on my experience, thus far, with that most infamous, blood-thirsty, maniacal breed of dog on the planet, the pit bull.
Lucy is my pit bull, the first one I’ve ever owned. About 18 months ago I decided I needed some kind of energetic beast in my life, and only a dog would do. I’ve grown up around other types, just never a pit. But I’d heard the hysterical stories about this maligned breed. I’d also heard the good things that came from pit bull owners, along with their bewilderment that anyone would think this breed in any way vicious if they’d actually ever been around them. They’re reputed loyalty, intelligence, and athleticism pushed me over the top: I contacted a seller with a new litter the next day. First I confirmed that she was full-blood rather than a mix, and made a small road trip to Ardmore to pick her up. The rest are just a few observations that may either dispel or confirm the stereotypes, but they are observations based on my first-hand experience from a new owner.
- Lucy is intensely loyal to me, in a way that I’ve never encountered before in a dog. Her exuberance at just being around me is almost always at the max, but it’s very self-contained and controlled. She doesn’t jump all over me or my children, but just tap-dances in place until she feels she’s permitted to come over.
- When you take a pit bull for a stroll around town, people do cross the street. Maybe it’s their preconceptions, maybe it’s the dead stare that she gives people from a distance. Whatever it is, people move. Comedian Bill Burr said that everyone owes it to themselves to walk a pit bull down the street at least once. It is a glorious experience.
- Her athleticism is a sight to behold. Lucy’s only desired material possessions are her blanket (that she prefers to arrange herself) and tennis balls. In lieu of a live squirrel, Lucy is content to chase and fetch a tennis ball as long as you’re able to throw it. In fact she is faster than your ability to throw the ball. She’ll bring it back, but not before performing several victory laps around the yard. Pits are muscular in a compact, barrel-chested way, and you can see every muscle’s purpose when they’re running at top speed.
- Intelligence. Her ability to quickly learn commands is something I’ve never encountered before in another dog. I chalk it up to her eagerness to please. Almost all of my handful of commands to her aren’t even verbal, but merely hand gestures and finger snaps.
- She is by far the most even-tempered animal I’ve ever encountered. That is not hyperbole, merely an observation.
- Pits do have boundaries and will enforce them in a casual way with people they’re unfamiliar with. It’s probably never a good idea to approach a stranger’s dog before being introduced, and I wouldn’t recommend it with a pit bull. They won’t rip your arm off, but they will make sure you keep your distance.
- For home security, a pit bull is far better than an alarm system or even a gun. She hears every noise in the house, and can somehow parse the noises of my two cats with anything that seems to her to be suspicious. On the rare occasion she thinks something needs to be checked out, she lets out a single, full-throated bark, walks slowly around the entire house, then goes back to bed.
- There isn’t a violent or impulsive bone in her body. On the contrary, Lucy is the least-impulsive of any dog I’ve ever been close to. Her extremely cool, even temper is one of her greatest features. On the single occasion that a neighbor’s dog entered my backyard, rather than tearing each other limb from limb, that dog and Lucy spent the next twenty minutes running in figure eights at full-speed.
So there it is, my un-embellished impression of the infamous breed of dog after one year. Was it helpful? Who knows. But what is astounding is that hundreds of high-quality specimens are practically given away every day on Craigslist. Few people want them due to the stigma. Guess what? The stigma is baloney. If you want a very good dog, consider a pit bull.
