Department of Veterans Affairs: Reverse the Policy: Help our Veterans heal with Service Dogs!

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SO MUCH going on in Baltimore to help pit bulls this weekend. We need your help more than ever.

B-More Dog's latest newsletter is- A MUST READ! All about our family bowling event Saturday night, our huge rally (with well-behaved dogs encouraged to attend!) on Sunday, the first chance to get our TWO new "Stop Breed Discrimination Laws in Maryland" shirts, news about last Tuesday's protest in Annapolis, and a new and improved video of B-More Dog's "Message to Maryland" PLUS how you can join in the video.

Check it all out here!

Losing a friend.

I didn't know Knox well, but I knew him, and I'm so glad I can say that. I've heard of too many people losing beloved pets in the last week or so, and while even one is too many, this is getting overwhelming. I am still going to go out on a limb and say that Knox was special. I think most would agree with me.

Always calm and cool, even in costume!

Knox was a big, beautiful, black, pit bull type dog. That pretty much hits every weak spot in my heart when it comes to dogs. But his personality was so awesome, he was so calm and sweet and fun and friendly. He just shone. B-More Dog loved it when he came to our monthly Pit Bulls on Parade event- I'm sharing some pictures from some of them here. And you only have to read about him at Pittieful Love to know that he was a fantastic foster brother and all-around great breed ambassador.

Knox plays with Ruby-Doo

Playing with Nick and Rocko

More than all this, Knox was a life-changer for Jess and Brian. I think this is why his loss seems so painful and unfair. In the less than two years they had Knox, they went from a young couple who wanted a dog to true, dedicated pit bull advocates. Their work with Mid-Atlantic Bully Buddies, BARCS, and B-More Dog is well known around Baltimore and beyond, and I've watched Jess's blog reach so many this year. I am proud to know her and see all they've accomplished. And I just can't imagine what they are going through.

Picture-perfect with Jess.

This is a loss to so many. After hearing he was gone, I went to search for this quotation I'd read, it so reminded me of that sweet block-headed boy.

"To call him a dog hardly seems to do him justice, though inasmuch as he had four legs, a tail, and barked, I admit he was, to all outward appearances. But to those who knew him, he was a perfect gentleman." 

-Hermione Gingold-

Submitted by Jess to B-More Dog on 7/27/2010: "I think this one is my favorite."

Let me tell you about the NCRC.

The NCRC (National Canine Research Council) is an organization that actually collects FACTS, not innuendo or "reports" from innacurate and partisan groups, about dog bites, dog fatalities, and other canine/law issues. 

FACT: In the NCRC preliminary report on 2011 (they're making sure their facts are all there before the final report is submitted, imagine that!) they are currently investigating 31 incidents in a dog population of over 78 million dogs (ALL BREEDS) that occurred during 2011 that may qualify as dog bite-related fatalities. That's roughly 1 death for every 2.5 million dogs, according to 2011 numbers. Is one death too much? Of course. But let's come back to that. 

Let's look at the NCRC's finalized 2010 report:

FACT: Out of 33 dog-bite related fatalities that year (out of 78 MILLION DOGS), they have determined that only SEVEN (21%) were family pets. 64% (21 dogs) were deemed Resident Dogs*, while the rest were unknown.  

From the NCRC Handout "Resident Dog vs. Family Dog"

FACT: that year, only ELEVEN of the 33 dogs could be identified as a particular breed. EIGHT different kinds of dogs were identified in those eleven incidents.

And yet, according to dogsbite.org (I suggest you don't visit the site, it's extremely frustrating and full of the worst kind of appeals and nonsense). "21 people of all ages were killed in 2011 by pit bulls."

Eleven is very different than 21, isn't it? Especially when you take into account that those eleven dogs accounted for eight different breeds. Now yes, some of the "unidentifiable" dogs were reportedly "pit bulls." But many were not. Heck, some of the dogs were never identified. 

The eight breeds/eleven dogs were as follows: 

• American Bully/American Pit Bull Terrier (resident dog, intact male)
• Siberian Husky (altered, family male)- history of killing family pets noted
• American Bulldog (intact, penned male)
• Rottweiler (altered- formerly bred, resident female)
• 2 intact Rottweilers (one male, one female, residents)
• American Pit Bull Terrier (resident dog, intact male)
• Wolf/Dog Cross (intact, resident male)
• Boxer (intact, resident male)
• German Shepherd (intact, family male)- history of aggression noted
• Rottweiler (intact male, resident)

Notice, only two "pit bulls?" What does all this mean? dogsbite LIES. Oh, they have "reports." They track reports of dog bites IN THE MEDIA. Which, as we all know, is totally right all the time. (Insert sad trombone noise here.)

But let's take this a step further. What are the commonalities we see here? What are two things we can do to prevent dog bites? 

1. Your dog should be a part of your family. 
• Of the known breeds, only two of the eleven were "family" dogs and they both had troubled histories. 
• Of the other dogs of indeterminate breed, fourteen of the nineteen identifiable cases were resident dogs, not family dogs (often involving multiple dogs with checkered histories). 
• Everybody has a different idea what a "family dog" may mean, I get that. I'm not saying let your dog run your life. Yes, you should train your dog. A dog is still a dog. 
• The NCRC says: "Family dogs are dogs whose owners afford them opportunities to learn appropriate behavior and to interact with humans on a regular basis in positive and humane ways, and who give them the tools necessary to live harmoniously in our world."
• 
  
2. FIX YOUR DOG.

• AGAIN, of the known breeds, only two of the eleven dogs were altered. One had a troubled history, one had been bred previously and was in very poor condition.
• AGAIN, of the indeterminate breeds, fourteen of the nineteen identifiable dogs were not altered. 
• Some people will always have reasons not to fix their dog. Here are my caveats: 
1. I can't think of one reason/excuse/justification not to fix a mixed breed or pit bull other than an allergy to anesthesia... Nope. There are way too many of these pups out there.
2. If you're showing your dog or whatever other reason, you are taking on an additional risk and responsibility by not altering your dog. I expect you to live up to it. 
3. I don't like breeding of dogs. I think we have too many dogs in this country. Nevertheless, there will always be people who want purebred/ breed specific types of dogs. If you are a licensed and responsible breeder (again NOT of pit bulls or mixed breeds) who contracts for people to fix their dogs and follows up, enforces and keeps track of their dogs, that's not my fight. 

If people were to make dogs a part of their family, fix their dogs, and watch for warning signs like: aggression, socialization, new or different situations, and other very common problems, the rare event that is death by dog bite could become the rarest event.  

Isn't that something we all want?

B-More Dog Hits the Big Time!

On Saturday, November 19, B-More Dog vaccinated 71 dogs times in South East Baltimore. 53 of the vaccinated dogs (almost 75%) were pit bulls . Plus gave out 10 spay/neuter certificates. Plus exchanged 15 leashes for old ones/chains/ropes, as well as a whole lotta collars. And we can't wait to do it again in the spring, West Side! 

Here's the post we wrote for Pit Bull Rescue Central (PBRC): 

B-More Dog Community Pit Bull Day in Ellwood Park