[Topspinmo]

Originally Posted by Boomer

Oh, but, rg123, I think pit bulls already had a campaign manager — Cesar Millan — who made a lot of people think they needed to save a pit bull. Too many people can become completely enchanted with what their screens are telling them to believe.

Now, here we are with rescue organizations and pounds having a big percentage of pit bulls.

I know someone who worked for a large insurance company who told me the majority of dog attack claims are from encounters with pit bulls.

Nature? Nurture?

Just like with people it is both. But Nature is in there from the start.

For instance, many years ago, we had a beautiful Brittany spaniel. We were looking for a middle-sized dog and I really like floppy, curly, ears so we chose a Brittany. She cost us 50 bucks — it was a long, long time ago. (I was still cute and drove a Triumph. (sigh)) But, I digress.

Anyway, we did not hunt birds. Never did. Never will. But that gorgeous Brittany (orange and white) naturally sniffed for birds, and, all-the-time, would go into a perfect point that she could hold forever. (She looked like a bird dog in a painting.)

We did not teach her to do that. We were so dumb, we did not even realize we had bought ourselves a descendent of field champions. We just wanted a cute puppy that would grow into a middle-sized dog.

My point is that she was responding to her nature, even though sometimes, in our yard, she had to deign to pointing squirrels.

She probably thought we were big losers for wasting her gifts, but she had a happy long life as a house dog that got to go outside to sniff and play a lot.

My Brittany spaniel manual said, “The Brittany is at home at the hearth, as well as at the hunt.” She got hearth, as well as air-conditioning. But we tried to let her enjoy her nature whenever we could. She was a joy to see in that perfect point. That she was never trained to do.

Every dog breed has its history and nature. Of course nurture is important. But we did not train our Brittany to point.. She surprised the heck out of us the first time she did it.

Pit bulls are naturally strong of body and jaw and tenacious and far too unpredictable for me. I am askeered of ‘em.


PS:Thank you for reading my nostalgic recollection of a Brittany spaniel who taught herself to point and also loved to ride around with me in my Triumph. (sigh)

99% of dog owners are not dog whisperers.