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Hi Avant......That's a better way to spend your time...I have been
spending more time since I returned only because I am snowbound. But I will probably do as you every other day or so, maybe a little chatting in the evening.
It is not snowing now but many of the main roads are closed because we have seventy/mph winds and it is blowing the deep snow around and causing white out conditions. Then by Friday we are getting hit with another snowstorm. It's beginning to really suck! Have a wonderful week! 
posted by
RckyMtnActivist
on January 8, 2007 at 5:01 AM
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Rcky
I'm only coming on every other day or so. I'm giving the kids much more attention now and it's paying off. I get up in the morning early most days and try to catch up some. Is it snowing again there?
posted by
avant-garde
on January 8, 2007 at 2:31 AM
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TAPS
The irony here is that you don't need to teach them to be aggressive. That is a side that is bred into them. They step up when they need to. They are merely being used as intimidating monsters.
posted by
avant-garde
on January 8, 2007 at 2:30 AM
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Holy
What a sweet baby! She looks pampered and very serene. I have a special place in my heart for these animals.
posted by
avant-garde
on January 8, 2007 at 2:28 AM
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Presley
You're absolutely right! Any dog can be turned vicious, given the right formula.
posted by
avant-garde
on January 8, 2007 at 2:28 AM
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twisted mom
Pepper is an absolute angel. We feel very lucky to have her. She is very smart and is almost like having another child around.
posted by
avant-garde
on January 8, 2007 at 2:27 AM
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faholo
Sure, go ahead. In nearby Winston-Salem, it is not permitted to adopt a pit-bull from a shelter at all. They put them all down. Very sad.
posted by
avant-garde
on January 8, 2007 at 2:26 AM
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Whacky
Pepper has a sweet tooth. Bam-Bam can take it or leave it.
posted by
avant-garde
on January 8, 2007 at 2:24 AM
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Whinge
Yes, I feel the same. Children can be very vulnerable. I had Bam-Bam at the vet once, and this guy came in with a very nasty looking pit. The dog took one look at Bam-Bam and lunged. I put myself in between them and hoped this guy was strong enough to hold the leash. That dog was a menace.
posted by
avant-garde
on January 8, 2007 at 2:24 AM
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Justi
I have been told by more than one person that these gang bangers get them, and are very disappointed in them. They are just too friendly. So, they taunt them and make them mean, which is a huge mistake. Or, they simply take them to the shelter until they find one that is unstable.
Legislation can be effective in curbing some of the outlandish things that are happening. Felons should be outlawed from having them. But, how can you go about something so out of control?
posted by
avant-garde
on January 8, 2007 at 2:22 AM
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sannhet
Yes, you've told me of him before. They are great companions. Very loyal.
posted by
avant-garde
on January 8, 2007 at 2:19 AM
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Ciel
The hardest thing to witness at work is the abuse of the innocent. Children and pets are true victims in some instances.
posted by
avant-garde
on January 8, 2007 at 2:19 AM
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Julia
I experienced this first hand at work. This lady said a pit-bull bit her, but it was obvious she was mistaken. There are many pit mixes, too. She showed me the dog that fought it off. I told her straightaway that it was not a pit-bull that attacked her.
posted by
avant-garde
on January 8, 2007 at 2:18 AM
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Rcky
Yes. Unfortunately, many pits end up at shelters due to their disappointing demeanors. Try as they may, the dogs are hopelessly friendly. Mine was picked up wandering about. He's very good and loves everybody.
posted by
avant-garde
on January 8, 2007 at 2:16 AM
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bel
Bam-bam is sitting right beside me shivering. He's such a wimp when it comes to cold weather.
posted by
avant-garde
on January 8, 2007 at 2:14 AM
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malcolm
Yes, absolutely. There must be some way to legislate who gets these animals. I'm afraid that the easiest thing to do would simply be to ban them.
posted by
avant-garde
on January 8, 2007 at 2:13 AM
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Hey A..... where have you been?
posted by
RckyMtnActivist
on January 7, 2007 at 5:36 PM
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Avant-garde
Back in the 70's and 80's, my Dad's dog was pit bull and I never thought a thing about it and never had a fear of him ever. He was the best and most faithful dog a person could have desired. Its too bad that humans have changed their behaviors into something terrible to be feared.
posted by
TAPS.
on January 6, 2007 at 8:28 PM
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(By the way, looks like someone taughted you how to reduce the size of your pics too - I just learned as well!) I couldn't agree more. While pits are like dangerous weapons when they are "bad," if the wrong people would stop using them the way they do, there would not be a problem. The issue is how to prevent these awful people from owning them. I don't think it can be done, and that's a shame. I've been volunteering at an animal shelter for 7 years and some of the sweetest dogs I've encountered have been pit bulls - dozens and dozens of them. My sister and brother in law adopted a pit from our shelter and she is a little Angel. Her name is Sophie, and she says hi to your pooches:
posted by
Holy_Grail
on January 6, 2007 at 12:39 PM
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your pets are beautiful
posted by
Blue_feathers
on January 6, 2007 at 5:40 AM
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Avant
I am a FIRM believer that while some dogs (very few, in my opinion) are born bad (mucked up DNA) the nature of the dog has MORE to do with how it's keeper chooses to raise it or how the dog is treated. Labradors and Retrievers are very popular "family oriented breeds." However, take one of those "kind hearted breeds", deprive them of attention, poke at them, be agressive in your handling and suddenly, they become mean and fierce natured. Your pups are beautiful, Avant!
posted by
Presley
on January 6, 2007 at 4:01 AM
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Awww...your dog looks like one that I used to own...half-pit/half-lab...he was an absolute baby....
posted by
twisted_mom
on January 5, 2007 at 11:47 PM
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"Education dissolves ignorance" I like that line, Avant, can I borrow it?
You would be very disappointed if you lived in Louisville, KY, they just passed a "bad dog" ordinance this week. Due to criminals as you referred to them who arrange and encourage the practice of dog-fights, in hidden places over there. Several terrible accidents, mallings and deaths of children have occured. It is sad what people will do and who and what they will use to make a buck! You are so right in your post! Have a great family week-end!
faholo
posted by
faholo
on January 5, 2007 at 5:36 PM
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It's not the dog's fault it is the nit-wit owners!
Ummm...that explains a lot about Bo doesn't it?
He's looking at me now. I think he wants a piece of candy...well I do.
posted by
Whacky
on January 5, 2007 at 4:18 PM
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I spent the first few years of my life being around dogs of varying breeds
as we lived on a local authority housing estate/complex and everyone had a pet.
I've been bitten a few times, once even caught in the middle of a dog fight, and personally I have never ever been afraid of dogs big or small.
Recently in the city while queueing at the ATM, myself, Alex with Rowan in tow in the buggy were approached by a dog (half pit bull, half other terrier possibly Jack Russell influence) who wanted to smell Rowan's hand, she wasn't afraid, neither was I but Alex freaked.
Then this incident happened with the pit bull in the U.K., and I can honestly say, I can't afford to take a risk like that again. I'm not in the least concerned about myself, but I will not take a chance with my child.
posted by
CringeintheUSA
on January 5, 2007 at 3:22 PM
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Avent Gard
I agree with you. But the gangesters who get them, train them to be mean and often leave them where they can get to children and the elderly is not being addressed. Tell it to a parent whose child was just walking home from school and was killed and old lady simply going to her mail box attacked and killed. These and several others happened in Atlanta while I lived there in a very short period of time. The killer is the owner but in one case the dog was out because he went to jail on some other charge.
posted by
Justi
on January 5, 2007 at 3:08 PM
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Avant -
I currently have a pit bull mix, and he is the best dog I have ever had (of the 20 or so I have had the pleasure of sharing time with).
posted by
sannhet
on January 5, 2007 at 9:56 AM
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Humankind owes a huge karmic debt to the animals we have involved as tools
in our violence, and subjects of our scientific curiosity, our vanity, our need to control. I wish more human beings grasped the distinction between dominion and domination.
posted by
Ciel
on January 5, 2007 at 9:46 AM
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I've never personally had any experience with them positive or negative,
but I do know many people such as yourself who adore them. I also know that although there are genuine cases where pitbulls do awful things (most likely as a result of the owner) they are also vilified by the media. They often report that it was a pit bull when in fact it was some other breed.
posted by
Julia.
on January 5, 2007 at 9:07 AM
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Oh and Bam-Bam and Pepper are adorable...lucky dogs!
posted by
RckyMtnActivist
on January 5, 2007 at 8:54 AM
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Hi Avant...I totally agree with you...I too love pit-bulls. I have friends
who have them and they are the most affectionate and loyal dogs. They just got a bad rap like the doberman's previously. You're right...some people should not own any pets!
posted by
RckyMtnActivist
on January 5, 2007 at 8:54 AM
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Thanks for writing this post and for sharing it.
I agree with you, totally. (as you know)
posted by
_Symphony_
on January 5, 2007 at 8:40 AM
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New Years Eve
when we went out the people had a pitbull who thought he was a lap dog. He kept trying to sit in my lap and was the biggest baby I had ever seen. He was about a year old and from raising dogs, I know that by 1 year you see a deal deal of what their personality will continue to be. I would have no problem letting this dog around my kids or the elderly as long as he didn't sit in their lap LOL!
posted by
bel_1965
on January 5, 2007 at 5:50 AM
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We've just had an incident
here where a child was mauled to death by a pit-bull breed of dog. The media are having a field day, as you can imagine, but are also stating that the owner had been warned about its behaviour in the past. If adults aren't responsible how can we expect dogs to be? We say the same thing about children when they are victims but rarely show the same support for animals when they've done something wrong.
posted by
malcolm
on January 5, 2007 at 3:59 AM
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