These intro posts really are annoying... Ok, I'm 20, live in the rural midwest. I've heard lots of stories about pit bulls from my parents as I grew up and while my parents aren't the most responsible dog owners by today's standards(they have no clue what health testing is or why anyone would need it, still think AKC papers= quality, and think ads in the paper are the best way to find loving homes for puppies) they aren't bad people and do love their dogs. They don't have pit bulls anymore, which apparently had something to do with the birth of me(their daughter).
I have one non-pitbull mixed breed dog. I'm interested in pit bulls because I'm seriously considering a career as a dog trainer/behaviorist and they fasinate me, the amazing varitey of emotions and opinions surrounding pit bulls fasinates me, and most of all the dogs themselves fascinate me. I've met a few, a few years back one of my mom's co-workers had an oops litter with her beautiful red female and the neighbors lab and I got to go over and meet the dog. Her pups were only 5 days old but she was nothing less than accepting and loving towards me and allowed me to examine each pup and love on her even though I was a total stranger, which is MUCH different that my expierences with various other breeds of females with litters that I've fostered or helped to care for at the local shelter. The best ever 'momma' dog I've met was a pit bull, so I guess that's one thing that really draws me to the breed.
I've met some pit bulls who were not so nice, but even those weren't as out of control as say... a jack russel terrier on a warpath. I think the thing I like about the breed most is the sight of one doing obediance work, which I've seen on video and in person. The huge headed burly dog calmly but dilligently responding to it's masters commands, a very different picture from say a malinois who seem 'sharper' somehow.
I look forward to learning a lot on the forum!