Finally, I've started a blog. I decided to try it out, even though I'm not sure how well I'll be able to keep up with the demand on my time. I already write and manage the sites Happy Pit Bull and Stop BSL, and I am also the webmaster for the Humane Society of Williamson County.
So why start a blog? Many of my regular site visitors aren't looking for pit bull care instructions or ownership rules. They want to know more about what it's like to own a pit bull, or what sort of experiences I've had with my dogs, or how I'd handle a certain situation, or what my thoughts are about some news article. But my two informational websites, Happy Pit Bull and Stop BSL, can only handle so much content before they become disorganized, opinionated, and off-topic. I needed a place where I could talk about both personal matters and questions about pit bulls that don't quite fit with the theme of my websites.
Thus, it occurred to me that a blog might fit the bill.
So let's get started, shall we?
2 comments:
hey just found this blog through your website.... i was looking at the 'paws down' and wanted to write you a note, but this is the only thing i could find. hope you don't mind.
anywho, as far as PetsMart and their policy on no bully-breeds allowed in day CAMP (not day CARE) i just wanted to write in.
I worked for the PetsHotel. I own an APBT girl. We at the hotel boarded and took in for day care many bully breeds. now, when I was told they were not allowed in day camp, I'll admit I too was a bit miffed. But I asked why; I knew my manager b/c she was a member of the San Antonio Bully Breed club and owned an APBT too. She said that it was like this: the company KNOWS not all bully breeds are inherently viscious. But they are aware that other dogs CAN be, and that if push came to shove, the bully breed will ALWAYS be blamed... and owners will sue. So in order to protect every dog, they just take out the scape goat from the scenario. In working there, I was in charge of the large dog camp and I was one of the few who LOVED to do bully breed individual play time. I had more trouble with the day camp dogs than I ever had with my bully babies. There were labs who loved nothing more than to antagonize other dogs, this one ACD who LOVED to start tiffs.... but owners didn't get riled up if their dog had a cut b/c of a scuffle if it ws done by a lab or Aussie. Imagine if they were told: "oh, your dog got in a scuffle with a Staffie." heads would roll!
Bully breeds are allowed in day care, but they get individual play time rather than group play time. They can play together with dogs from their own household too in individual time. Each 'time' is 30 mins and an owner can sign their bully up for up to 3 play times (1 is automatic for bullies that are in day care b/c of their exclusion from camp).
you're not the first Bully owner to hate PetsMart/PetsHotel b/c they see that bully breeds are 'banned'; but it's more complicated (as my novel here would imply). :-)
I take Babygirl to PetsHotel Day Care a few times a month and she's a favorite with most all the workers there - even those who have never liked a pit bull before. I take her to change minds, and she has. It's also great socialization for her; there's always new workers, new dogs around her in the kennels, etc. It keeps her mind and heart wide open. :-) Give PetsHotel a chance. It's not that terrible.
I want to clarify this about the Paws Down section, and about Petsmart's day camp. First, the Paws Down section is not about who to "hate." It is about people, businesses, and organizations that make the pit bull stereotype worse by putting out misinformation (intentionally or not), falsehoods, or non-information. I do not believe in the concept of "hate," but I do believe that someone who lands in the Paws Down section probably needs to be advised that what they have said and/or done is damaging. If they publicly apologize and/or change how they behave as a result, so that they are no longer presenting a damaging stereotype, then I am happy to remove them from the list.
In the case of PetsMart, they have made it very clear to the public via their website that "bully breeds" are not allowed at their day camp. That is all they say. They do not explain WHY, and this lack of information is where I have the problem. If they were to explain WHY this policy was in place (for instance, a tactful restatement of the idea that "uneducated people freak out"), that would be one thing. But as it is, this is yet another unexplained policy that ignorant people can point to and say, "See? Pit bulls are so awful, even PetSmart doesn't want them around." In this case, what PetSmart FAILS to say does just as much damage as what they DO say. That's why they get a "Paws Down." They do nothing to alleviate the stereotype and plenty to reinforce it.
Um, and also, for future reference, my email is at the bottom of every single page of my website... and there are several other places on the site that specifically say, "Email me!" I don't mind any method of contact, but contacting me that way would be so much easier...
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