When it comes to Bullies there’s one thing that everyone can agree on...they’ve got a bad reputation. But just like Joan Jett, the people who share their lives with these dogs just don’t give a damn. If you’ve never spent quality time with a Bully it’s easy to fall into believing the negative media coverage for these breeds, but ask anyone who’s spent more than ten minutes with a Bully...it’s all unjust discrimination. Before Rooney came into my life I’d only worked with Bullies and working with dogs you don’t really meet a lot people that aren’t “dog people.” I had expectations of other dog owners wanting to keep their pets away from Roo for fear of aggression, which is fair...as much as they love people you aren’t too hard pressed to find a Bully that doesn’t get along with other dogs...thankfully Rooney would rather roll over for the chihuahua down the street than eat him! What I never expected was the fear from people! We live in the city, right next to the zoo, which means lots of people sometimes in crowds; this is no problem for Roo and I except for occasionally having to drag him away from the sticky little person who’s just come from the zoo that he wants to lick clean....but every now and then...maybe once every couple of weeks, I see someone totally freak out at the sight of Rooney. I once had a girl scream and jump into the path of oncoming bike traffic just to avoid him. I know it’s not a reflection of Rooney, but a common misconception about an unfairly targeted group of dogs...still, how do you not take it personally? He’s my baby and I have to stand up for him. Many would be surprised to know that it’s actually a breed fault for the AmStaff and other Bullies to show aggression towards people; while a friendliness to people isn’t demanded from 99% of other breeds. This is because the early breeders of Bullies wanted their dogs to be good and loyal family pets, not just used for sport. In England the Staffordshire Bull Terrier was even known as the Nanny Dog for it’s unwavering love of children. It’s our job to defend the honor of these dogs who, if they could talk would probably just ask for a hug!
