GRRRRR! Im so frustrated with my dad!

[anissa]

My parents are coming from Canada to visit in a couple of weeks. My parents thought Charlie was the cutest thing when Ive sent them pictures, and my mom has always asked how he was doing and seemed to be really happy that we had him in our lives. After getting Brock a couple of days ago, I let them know that there would be another dog here when they came. My dad mentioned that my mom was scared of pitbulls, which kind of took me by surprise because she never mentioned her fear each time we talked about Charlie.

I just finished an MSN conversation with my dad that went like this:

Anissa says:
i was wondering why mom is scared of pitbulls
Trash says:
she just doesn't trust them
Anissa says:
well i hope she's not scared to come here
Trash says:
yeah she's gonna cancel the tickets
Anissa says:
no she isnt
Anissa says:
i hope you're kidding
Trash says:
those dogs are so inbred that they are all somewhat dangerous
Anissa says:
you've watched too much TV and bad press on them
Anissa says:
you both will change your minds when you're here
Trash says:
they were bred to fight
Anissa says:
no they werent.
They are taught to fight.. by owners who want them to fight.
Trash says:
bullshit..u better look that up and you'll see
Anissa says:
YOU better look it up and you'll see
Trash says:
keep thinking and soon you'll start to believe yourself
Anissa says:
whatever. Ive educated myself on them. You just know what you've read and heard on TV. im not the ignorant one here.
Anissa says:
pitbulls are now used as therapy and police dogs.
Trash says:
yeah but it's so much fun to piss u off


He was kidding about them cancelling the tickets, and I KNOW he was just trying to get a rise out of me, but at the same time he showed me how truely ignorant they are about the breed. I didnt want to get into 'proving' that they are wrong over msn, but I will definately do so when they are here and HAVE to listen to me. At this point, I am just going to collect as much 'proof' as I need to make them think differently.

This has pissed me off more than I can even explain, and needed to share.

[anissa]

@ "tinkle me off"

P*ss me off, it was supposed to say.

[Maryellen]

you are not alone, my folks flipped when they saw rufus.. they were fine until my brother said he was a pit bull.. then they did the old he will kill me routine.. so what i did was every time they came over i made sure rufus was on his best behavior, tied to my hip with his leash, so that they could get to know him without being scared.. it took a few months, but rufus and my folks are now the best of buddies, they brag to everyone about him , and you just have to take what people say with a grain of salt.. i also have ALOT of pit bullbooks laying around, somewith just photos, some with stories, this way they see them everywhere in my house. when i started fostering they were fine with the dogs i brought over, i use them as guinea pigs to meet new fosters i have..LOL..

if you want, you can showyour folks my album of rufus doing therapy work, maybe that will help them, its http://www.imageevent.com/princess21

[Vanessa]

My Mom and Dad were scared of Titan (my first pitbull) when i first got him but they got used to him and as he grew up they started to love him. My parants don't buy in to all the media crap and just love my dog for who he is. They now refer to Ozzy as their "grandson" and my 81 year old grandmother loves him to death Just try to educate them as much as possible about your breed. Once they see how good your dogs are i think they will be more comfortable... Good luck

[Romanwild]

Canadians

[anissa]

Canadians

HEY watch it mister! Im Canadian (until immigration decides I am worthy enough to be an american HAHA)

[pitbullmamaliz]

I so feel your pain! My parents are still very timid around Inara, which cracks me up and tinkles me off (I actually did write "tinkles") all at the same time. I'm hoping time will bring them around. Good luck to you!!!

[Malli]

tricks are the dog's way into an unsure mind

cutesy-wootsy stuff is what its all about, I think. Well, that, and good behavior

Malli

[mnp13]

I hope your parents come around, but I have to point out that your dad is 100% right.

Pit Bulls were created for one reason and one reason only - to kill each other. they had other uses, farm dogs, family dogs, etc. But the breed was made to be a finely crafted fighting machine. You don't "teach" them to fight, they do or they don't. Some just take longer to turn on, some never do.

They were not bred for human aggression of course, and that's most likely the BS that your parents have fallen for.

[Carla]

Im Canadian (until immigration decides I am worthy enough to be an american HAHA)

Hey, just come in the southern door - ANYBODY can come in and you don't even have to be worthy....



And now...



Carla

[anissa]

Hey, just come in the southern door - ANYBODY can come in and you don't even have to be worthy....

haha! Im already in. Married me a hot american soldier! Immigration is actually quicker through the army, but its still taking TOO damn long.

[dogcrazyjen]

Just don't get too much onto the soap box or they will turn off-I would let the dog do most of the convincing.

My dad asked seriously on the phone if Tess was going to rip is arm off when he got here. He was a state cop for 31 years, and had some pretty bad expiriences. I told him no, and they came. I let her out, she barely did a flyby and ran out the door to go potty-we have worked hard on her ignoring new people and dogs. After she met him, she kept going over to him and rubbing her face on him-he ended up with drool smears on every shirt,(which is NOt something he likes) but he liked her! She sucked up pretty good.

[Malli]

when I first told my parents I was getting a Pit Bull puppy, they asked me why I would want "one of those dogs" Now my mom is always telling me about the "Amstaff" she saw and what he looked like etc.

She tells ME I'm a drill sargeant with him and too strict Poor, hard done by, granddog (her word!)

My boyfriend's parents were the same, now they try and explain things to their family members who are nervous, and my bf's mom will go let him out of the truck (when we stay at their house, no dogs inside) in the mornings before we get up because she thinks he needs pee break...

dogcrazyjen is right, your best persuasion is really your dog himself. A great personality will shine out all on its own.

[ParisStreetPitCrew]

My grandmother used to be against people who own kids having pit bulls because they were soooo dangerous. She didn't know any better back then.
Now she wears a t-shirt that says "I love my GrandPits" and educates the 70+ church crowd. Go gramma.

Maybe your parents will change their minds after meeting your babies.

[cheekymunkee]

I've never had this problem, I was born into this breed. My dad knew from the time he was a kid what a wonderful breed this was & he taught me.

[msvette2u]

I hope your parents come around, but I have to point out that your dad is 100% right.

That's what I was thinking. Plus terriers by definition are tough little dogs, bred to kill "things" for the most part, aren't they?

[Malli]

yeppers yvette, thats what terriers were made for.

cheeky, how lucky for you

[cheekymunkee]

yeppers yvette, thats what terriers were made for.

cheeky, how lucky for you

I don't know if I was so lucky or not. He liked his dogs & cars better than he liked his kids I think.

[Malli]

Oh

[Alaine]

Your conversation sounds a lot like the conversation I had with my neighbor tonite. I was about to slap her. She kept going on about how pit bulls "turn" on people all the time and tried to use the recent stories in our local area to prove her point. I pointed out that one of the stories was about German Shepherds and the other was two pit bulls that had just gotten out of quarantine for biting someone (and never should have been allowed out of the owner's sight). I tried to explain the difference between animal and human aggression but she was having none of it. She even warned me to make sure my kids don't play rough with the dog.