Pit Bulls

So for the last few weeks I have been reading about a proposed ban of "pitbulls" in Montreal.A ban that passed yesterday. I find the whole thing unsettling and upsetting. ||The thing is for years I have heard and seen the dog world opposing breed specific legislation ( BSL) because it doesn't work. In the 70s German Shepherds were the dogs to fear on tv and movies, then dobermans and Rottweilers, heck even St. Bernards took a turn at being hated and feared ( thanks to Cujo)  and then sometime mid 90s it was pitbulls. The hype around "pitbulls" has lasted alot longer. I have had several bullie type dogs as well as all of the most hated breeds for the last 50 years, in fact literally hundreds of dogs have passed through my doorway on the way to better homes in the last decade. I have had problems with many of them. A labradoodle killed a bunch of rabbits, a Coton De Tulear attacked my five year old, a husky mixed killed puppies, I could go on and on. I have never had major behavior problems with a pitbull.

Pitbulls arent even a breed in actuality., they are a type of breed. The pitbull ban is like saying they are banning all green vegetables. It is frustrating to watch so many innocent lives be lost.

All of that said I am not saying there isnt a problem. People in general do not train dogs the way they used to. Dogs used to be a huge part of the work day and a hugely important part of survival and success. for the most part people do not include their animals in their livelihood and we compartmentalize our lives.

Our family for the most part does not understand what we do for a living and we are taught very strictly to leave our personal life at home.

People do not understand each other, our environment, our pets, our world, as we once did, and the people who maintain the connection to the natural world are generally viewed as odd.  People say all of the time "my dog is family" but then they expect the dog to behave like a tiny spoiled human and they are so shocked when the dog displays dog like behavior. Its disrespectful to be honest.

Dogs have a complex and intricate social structure and a whole language they speak using their bodies , ears, tails and faces. Over simplifying this is a mistake. It is dangerous to both people and ultimately to the dog.

I think people SHOULD have to take a knowledge test to own a dog. It makes sense to me. ANY dog.

PEOPLE should have to be taught how to interact with their dog in public and how to guide others into APPROPRIATE interaction with your dog.

Dogs are amazing but it is our job to teach them how to read people and how to react properly.

I don't have the answers dear reader I just know that we are in for a long hard fight not only in Montreal but everywhere and not just to save the "pitbull" but to preserve the partnerships that have existed between humans and animals for time everlasting.