Sweethearts Of The West

Pit Bulls by E. Ayers

 

So many people are scared of Pit Bulls. I don't know why. They were the nanny dogs. My father grew up with a nanny dog. His Pit Bull looked a lot like the one on Little Rascals with an eye ring. Except that dog on Little Rascals dog's eye ring was faked. 

If you look at photos from the early 1900's you will see Pit Bulls. Peter Pan hand a nanny dog that was a sheep dog. Wrong breed! And a strange fact - Wendy was a made up name for the story. That's the first anyone was named Wendy.

Pit Bulls are very loyal to their family. And many immigrants brought their dogs with them.because both the mother and father worked.. They had to leave the children alone. Often a five or six year old was left to care for the younger siblings. It was the dog that kept the family safe.

They are a breed that has been used for dog fights, etc. But everyone I know who has a Pit Bull, they are the sweetest dogs. I've never found a mean breed. I went to a friend's house and I had no idea she was married to a cop. This big dog came flying around the corner barking. I stopped and talked to the dog. The dog as sweet. I was petting him when his cop owner opened the door. The dog snapped to attention. The cop couldn't understand how I had managed to to touch his dog. I don't know. I think dogs know the difference between a criminal and a regular person. 

Dogs in general like me. When a neighbor's Dobermans got out of their yard, I grabbed them by the collar and returned them to their home. They were running towards me. I stooped down and waited for them to approach. They scared my husband but I wasn't frightened. He was certain they were going to eat me.  No, they licked me and almost knocked off my feet with their excitement.

Dogs have been in humans lives seemly forever.  Homo sapiens used them as hunting partners. Egyptians used poodles as guard dogs for the royals. Dogs were part of American history. Many a westward pioneer had a dog. They were the security alarm system for family. They helped to herd cattle and sheep. They protected the family.  

There's a reason dogs are man's best friend!