"Tee" wrote in message
...
My take was that the author is referring to street dog fighters/breeders,
not "dogmen." If that is the case then she pretty much hit the nail on
the
head

i tend to agree with you. i think the OP was specifically looking for
things to rant about, based on the fact that he went off on several tangents
not even mentioned in Ms. Cook's writings.

you'll find that this is very common in the pit bull world. there seem to
be four major groups of pit bull enthusiasts/owners.

first, like the OP, the ones who glorify "dogmen", and constantly go on
about the past. they tend to believe there is only one way to "game test" a
dog, and can repeat fights for you, blow by blow, as "historical accounts",
of course. they care a lot about bloodlines and think any mixed dog or non
ADBA papered dog is a cur or a mongrel. they do seem to care a lot about
breeding and often have very organized and well researched breeding
programs. while their dogs are often chained in a yard, they're usually
well fed and well exercised.

second, is the pit thug. they see snarling pit bulls on chains in rap
videos and want one of their own. they may try to fight them on street
corners, matching them against other breeds, or dogs of different sizes and
experience. they breed indiscriminately, with no regard for conformation or
even keeping the breed pure. they tend to prize bigger dogs and dogs with
big heads. these are they guys who leave a loosing dog on the sidewalk to
die, rather than nurse it back to health or kill it humanely. they think
that certain colors of dog make better fighters. they're responsible for
most of the current bad press pit bulls get at the moment. and they're the
ones Ms. Cook was talking about in the first couple of paragraphs. these
are the dog fighters that the "dogmen" like to pretend don't exist. they
use pit bulls as accessories (canine bling bling, if you will). some of
these folks honestly love their dogs and don't fight them, but love the
tough image. unfortunately, they seem to be the most likely to
"accidentally" breed their dogs.

next is the opposite extreme, the pet bull owner. these folks tend to get a
pit bull before they know much about the breed. they keep them inside as
well loved house pets, and often obtain their dogs from rescues and
shelters. they abhor all things fight related, and often have no interest
in the breed's history. they think owning a break stick makes you an
automatic dog fighter, and are wary of weight pull, because it seems cruel.
they'd probably be against BSL if they knew what it was, but probably have
never heard of it. they tell everyone how wonderful their dogs are, and
probably invite trouble by letting their dogs and young children romp
unsupervised. "but he was such a sweet dog!"

last is the middle ground. folks who love their pet bulls, but also
understand their past, and how that affects their present behavior, but
without the need to glorify that past. they're crusaders against BSL and
unfair insurance and housing practices. they can see the difference between
a "dogman" and a pit thug, without the need to feel that one is any better
than the other. they work with shelters and rescue, and try to educate
others on the breed with every chance they get. most would not breed their
own dogs, but may not be opposed to a well bred dog for conformation or
working purposes. they own break sticks and know how much fun a spring pole
can be. they train their dogs well, and get them involved in all sorts of
activities, agility, weight pull, therapy, you name it. they know that
every dog should be a perfect example of the breed.

i aspire to make it into that last group. i definitely started as more of a
pet bull owner, but i think i'm much more middle ground these days.

yeah, this is way simplified, but i think it's pretty accurate.

-kelly