Welcome to Pit bull New Mexico, updated every Wednesday & Saturday, comments and suggestions are encouraged.

Monday, March 30, 2009

Problem Owners, Their Dogs, & The News


Sunday night, the local news promoted their 10 O'clock program with this announcement: Local Man's Violent Encounter with a Pit bull.

I wasn't in the TV room, but I was able to hear the commercial - and just for clarification, I called out to my wife: "what did I just hear?"

Yeah, I had heard it correctly.

I didn't stay up to watch the segment. However, I did look for the segment Monday morning, and while I was able to read the story, I was not able to find the video - which I believe was an interview of the men whose dog was killed. That said, I am not sure if there are differences between the write-up and the video.

From the time I heard the news promotion and up until the point when I was able to read the story, all I could think about was this:

I wonder if the dog was even an American Pit bull. And if not, shame on the local news for tarting up the story for ratings.

Sure, many will cite that my question is heavily based in semantics - especially for a guy that is writing on a blog that often uses the generic term "Pit bull." Point taken. And the discussion is worth having, but I digress.

When I found the news article online, the title was not nearly as sensational as the 10 o'clock promo:




Clearly, this title isn't as sensational as using the terms, "Pit bull" and "violent", in the same sentence.

In fact, the title is a decent one as it doesn't exploit the situation for ratings. This title is so tame and reasonable that I'm wondering if the news station received emails and phone calls from concerned viewers about the segment, which may influenced how they presented the story on their website.

Back to my question:
is the offending dog even an APBT?


Turns out the dog is likely to be a mixed breed.

Turns out the dog has a history of running loose in the neighborhood.

Turns out the dog's owner is a "problem owner."


More than likely, this dog would not have ended-up in the headlines had this woman kept the dog on her property...and most regrettable of all, these gentleman may not have lost their dog in such a violent and up-setting fashion.

Same old story: crappy dog owner allows dog to menace neighborhood - crummy journalists selling out their professions to keep advertising dollars coming in.

My heart goes out to the guys that lost their dog in this attack.

My frustration goes out to all the idiots that allow their animals to roam.

Yes, accidents happen and dogs get loose even under the watch of the most responsible owners - but when it's a reoccurring theme, it's a problem.

As for the media, I won't waste my time going into detail: they're just as irresponsible as the owner of this dog.

Monday, March 23, 2009

Some Days...

life is a real balancing act. Hope you all are having a good week!

Friday, March 20, 2009

Lulu Disappears Sister. Or Fun With Photobucket.

Lulu was caught using her magic powers this morning, and thanks to a super-duper camera equipped with a fancy lens, I was able to capture the whole thing.

As you can see, Lulu first brought about a bright light in which to distract Coco, and within an instant, the trance rendered her sister defenseless. The rest is history.





Thankfully, Lulu isn't very practiced with her magic skills and we found Coco in the next room, confused but content, working on a stuffed Kong.

The End.

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Fetch: Pit bull Style

These pics come to us from a Kiwi internet friend of mine. As she tells it, the video was taken while the dog was starting to wear-out, so there is only one good "flip", but it's still fun to watch nonetheless. (Besides, that's New Zealand in the background!) Thankfully, there are also still pictures, which really show the athleticism of her doggie.

And make sure to watch the video, it gives the viewer a much better idea of what the dog is actually doing. The stills make it look like the dog is just jumping randomly, when in fact the dog is playing "fetch."

One of the many things about Pit bulls that I love to brag about is their natural athleticism. Physical ability and confidence can make for a very fun dog, and many Pit bulls have both in bulk.

So while there are many Pit bull videos showing the dogs excelling in weight pull or working the spring pole, I really enjoy when I find these types of videos and pics, which demonstrate the versatility of this breed's athleticism and enthusiasm for exercise.

Also, these pics should remind us all that energetic, athletic dogs have needs that are best met with consistent and vigorous exercise.





Now, that's just cool - I don't care who you are!

Fight or Flight.


Some days I feel that all I do on my blogs is rail against The Media, the HSUS, PETA, and BSL, and while it is time well-spent, I thought I should lighten it up a bit.

That said, many folks around the US are now several weeks into working against troubling legislation, and while it is tiring work, it needs to get done.

Without a doubt, I appreciate these hardworking souls - especially those working hard in my home state of New Mexico.

In hopes of bringing a chuckle to the many exhausted folks who've been hustling to keep animals safe from BSL and the over-reaching animal rights agenda, I offer the following tongue-in-cheek pics. All of which are for sale at CafePress.



Nothing says, "I mean business", like a coffe mug that reads, "obey the Pit Bull!" (LOL).

Monday, March 16, 2009

Crunch Time!


The New Mexico Legislature is in session for only a few more days.

At this point, the only animal related bill that is still troubling to me is HB159.

Thankfully, an amendment was added to the bill that has made it a lot more palatable, but there are still aspects of the bill's language that could create "animal abusers" of many responsible animal owners.

Many level headed, tireless folks have a put a huge dent into some otherwise nasty bills: HB667, which was going to require that all Pit bulls and Rottweilers be registered under the NM Dangerous Dog Act has been "killed"; SB127, has been molded into a fairly reasonable bill but has yet to pass into law.

Please visit the CNMAO blog for contact info and talking points on the many animal related bills. The legislsative session is not over, and there is still much work to be done... so find out what is still what, and speak-up now.

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Too Cool For School!


This endearing story comes to us from the great state of South Carolina:

Brian Harvey, a social studies teacher at Southside, said the group of students notified him of a recent attempt to get Scranton town officials to consider banning pit bulls.

In February, Ernestine Haselden, a Scranton resident, asked town officials to consider a ban on “pit bull-type dogs.” She also is scheduled to speak to council Thursday.

The student group has put together a presentation on why the legislation is wrong, how it violates one’s rights, how it’s inhumane and the cost to enforce it.

Harvey said the students have updated the information to include more research on failed attempts to pass breed-specific legislation across the country. The presentation includes ways to prevent that type of legislation.

Instead of banning certain breeds of dogs, the students propose implementing canine safety education programs in schools and offering responsible canine ownership classes to pet owners.

Certainly, I send my appreciation to this group of students. But I also hope this story causes a moment of pause for those that feel the youth of this nation are not involved in their communities and are self-serving little brats; clearly, this is not always the case.

My hat goes off to Mr. Harvey and this group of Southside Students.

Monday, March 9, 2009

How About That!

I love to see stuff like this: it shows that our dogs are useful, and it goes to show how trainable and gentle they can be as well.

Be advised, Nay-Sayers, the word is out - pit bulls are some of the best dogs around!

Kudos to the folks that took the time to train this cute little doggie. And most of all, thanks for sharing this video!

Sunday, March 8, 2009

Jonny On the Spot

The Vick Dog Blog had a funny one last week...check it out!

Saturday, March 7, 2009

Start Your Doggies: Iditarod Underway

From the Official Iditarod website:

You can’t compare it to any other competitive event in the world! A race over1150 miles of the roughest, most beautiful terrain Mother Nature has to offer. She throws jagged mountain ranges, frozen river, dense forest, desolate tundra and miles of windswept coast at the mushers and their dog teams. Add to that temperatures far below zero, winds that can cause a complete loss of visibility,the hazards of overflow, long hours of darkness and treacherous climbs and side hills, and you have the Iditarod. A race extraordinaire, a race only possible in Alaska.

To all the brave souls competing this year, please know we're keeping you all in our thoughts.

Timeless Tail



Nothing like a kid and a dog.

Both are staples of the good life, and this young man seems to be every bit as happy as his dog. And while I am not one for dressing up the dogs, I couldn't resist the good natured fun that is this picture.

Neither the dog or the boy belong to me,
but when this picture was posted on the pit bull board that I frequent, I knew I had to share it you all.

Hat Tip: Aquadoc.

Thursday, March 5, 2009

Brains Before Ball

If your dogs are anything like mine, Happiness is a Tennis Ball.

But a hard game of ball has been known to cause a few injuries.



And it makes sense: running, jumping, twisting, grabbing, and landing - all of which is done while going "full steam ahead."

Hell, the game of Tennis is rough on human participants simply because of all the running, jumping, twisting, and landing.

Obviously, the tennis ball is designed to have a fair amount of bounce. So when we use'em to exercise our dogs we're accepting this fact, and IMO, the trade off is worth the risk.



That said, I don't know how many times I've seen my dogs, and other people's dogs, go up for a ball that took an odd bounce only to land in an awkward position.

Clearly, the fun part must be chasing the ball with a reckless abandon.

C'mon, would a good dog really have it any other way?

So, in all my experience playing "ball" with energetic and athletic dogs, I have found that cutting a slit in the ball can cut back on the "bounce factor."

Is it a cure-all? No.

The ball still bounces, and the slit isn't a 100% guarantee against the ball taking a "bad hop."

But time, and time again, I have noticed that this simple procedure reduces the amount of bounce in the ball, which in turn, requires less jumping and twisting of the dog.

So for those of you out there looking for a way to keep your wild and crazy ball hog on the road a little bit longer, and still have fun playing ball, I hope this post is of some use to yah!

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

Rocky Mountain High

Denver: Beautiful Scenery, Horrible Dog Laws
Rinalia at For the Pit Bulls, and Brent at the KC Dog Blog, have posted their thoughts on the results of a dog bite study that was conducted in Colorado.

Here's a snippet from Brent's blog:


Over the weekend, Colorado's Coalition for Living Safely with Dogs produced data from its year long survey on dog bites in Colorado.


First off, let's talk about the people who make up the Coalition for Living Safely with Dogs.

The group is made up of the following organizations:

All Breed Rescue Network
Animal Assistance Foundation
Colorado Association of Animal Control Officers
Colorado Association of Certified Veterinary Technicians
Colorado Federation of Animal Welfare Agencies
Colorado Veterinary Medical Association
Denver Area Veterinary Medical Society
Metro Denver Shelter Alliance
Summerlee Foundation

...one would believe this would be a fairly balanced group of folks that would actually be concerned with human safety when it comes to canines. So what they'd find out?


I haven't had a chance to read the report, but plan to do so in the next few days. Here's the link to the study.

Sunday, March 1, 2009


I haven't read much in the way of what to expect from the big meeting of "Pit Bull National Stakeholders."

And worse, I haven't seen anything out there talking of how to influence this get-together.

Now, I know many of us don't trust the HSUS; I have a feeling Best Friends isn't too high on every one's list; and Pit bull people have mixed feelings on BADRAP.

So what the hell are we to do?

Don't get me wrong, I understand the motivation for Wane Pacelle calling this meeting: to get his organization out of hot water.

Clearly, I hope those of us that can't stand the HSUS' practices aren't so easily swayed to shut-up.

Hell, the last I looked, "The Meeting" isn't even on their Expo itinerary...and does anybody know who all is on the Guest List?

I say phase two of making change is to come up with a few ideas on the matter...feel free to send'em to me via the comment section or email.

I think we've gotta little more hell to raise before April.
100% of the profits are used to support RAAP programs
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Why Pit bulls?

As I work to provide positive, rational, and balanced information about pit bulls, and the virtues of dogs in general, I am often (read: ALWAYS) asked why I am so taken by this breed of dog. It is a fair question that isn't always asked in a reasonable manner.

In short, I find many pit bulls to posses the qualities that I value in a canine companion: great with friendly people, loyal, goofy, energetic, athletic, intelligent, and willing. To be sure, the run-of-the-mill pit bull is a lot of dog. It is all of these qualities in a medium-sized dog that has me so taken by pit bulls.

Alas, there are many aspects of pit bull ownership that are less enjoyable. Namely, dealing with the many negative stereotypes, and the constant battle to balance the mis-information provided by the breed's detractors.
...thankfully, it only takes is a few minutes of lovin' from my doggies and I am reminded they're worth the effort.

I hope this blog gives others insight into my life with pit bulls, and most of all, provides information on the breed in general; there are a lot of misinformed generalizations about these dogs.

Please contact me with questions or comments pertaining to dogs, pit bulls, BSL, etc..

All the best,

Donovan McBee
nobslnm@yahoo.com


And don't forget to visit my other blog, No BSL NM.



The HSUS attempted to fund raise for the care of Micheal Vick's dogs, while at the same time suggesting that the dogs needed to be killed.

And to add insult to injury, they weren't even planning on taking possesion of the dogs.

Contact the HSUS and tell them this is unacceptable!
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