September 09, 2018

The "Nanny Dog"

So this might not be my most popular post, but I think it’s a conversation that needs to happen. Historically there actually wasn’t a dog ever known as a “nanny dog” & vintage photos that show children with assumed bully breeds cannot be accepted as proof. In our community we know that evidence is abundant that proves visual identification of a “pit bull” is not accurate: basically any bully or terrier type could get lumped into that category & we do not get to dictate when those empirical findings are valid or not solely on what benefits our personal agenda. That makes us no better than a certain opinion-based website that promotes fabricated statistics from an academic imposter. Yeah, a lot of bullies are great with kids... then there’s many that might not be. Same as pretty much every other breed imaginable. We cannot advertise a breed (or face shape) as inherently anything when training is not consistent among all owners. At the end of the day, we as the adults need to be the ones responsible. A dog may not even mean harm, but try to help, get too excited, or a variety of other factors & only have their mouths to use. Poor decisions (with ANY breed/dog) can leave a child hurt, dog in danger & for us with bully breeds - a damaging headline & statistic. It’s not worth it. Dogs aren’t babysitters. You all probably see that Czr is infallible with my niece & believe me, I trust him emphatically... but he’s still not a babysitter, he’s a dog (albeit an AMAZING one). When Kenzie plays with the dogs I don’t leave their side, because even stepping on her foot or accidentally knocking her over could hurt her. Don’t get me wrong... I love the idea of a nanny dog & I’d never put down this breed (obvi) but if we didn’t give the media stories to use, this pit bull hysteria would die down right quick. You feel me? They might erroneously label breeds, but when every headline requires a retraction, things will change. Let your dog be a dog (trained, of course), trust a kid is going to act like a kid... but YOU have to be the responsible adult in the equation. Sorry to burst the nanny dog bubble, but change doesn’t come from a cute meme, it comes from us ❤️✊️

To train your dog to be around kids: the truth is, a lot of it extends to their overall general training. Upon introduction to any new kids, I like to get them to practice commanding/rewarding/walking them (to establish an expectation of their behavior), but their greatest strength is that I’ve never allowed rough play or ever jumping/putting weight on people or each other. Playing with them always includes release commands, calls for patience, to follow, sticking hands in their mouth, flipping them around, and all-around probably doing shit I’d find annoying if anyone did to me 😂 in the end... it pays off by desensitizing them. They know out/sit/down/play, they know not to use their body weight or mouths too much when they play. This is also why I’m so particular with what dogs I socialize them with: I don’t need someone else’s dog teaching them bad manners OR leaving them feeling defenceless. Another important factor is being cognizant of what their breed needs from me (daily adequate exercise, boundaries, routine, working exercises for mental stimulation & proper direction of prey drive, etc). Your expectations have to be consistent, especially with stigmatized breeds because stepping sideways in public can have dire consequences. We will be front page news, many other breeds won’t. Give your dog the skills it needs to succeed: all that requires is your time 🖤

2 comments

I couldn’t have said it any better then you did you said what needed be said I agree 100% with everything you said so glad there is someone out in the world that thinks An feels same bout these dogs as I do thank you for everything you said on here amen to every word you had say god bless you An the rosaritosalsabachata.com team

Tammy February 21, 2019

That is the most sensible argument and opinion I have ever heard. Yes I adore my American pit bull terror and know that he is big hearted and sensitive, however, he is a dog. He is an animal, and I would never leave a child alone with him even though I am confident he would never intentionally hurt them. Bully breeds have the capacity to do more damage than other breeds. They need smart owners who understand them and protect them by keeping them out of situations where they might get into trouble. Because of the stigma and ignorant people, at the end of the day, whether it’s their fault or not, they will be the one blamed.

Janel Flanary January 30, 2019

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