Bruno On My Mind....

Happenings of the weekend led me to spend a little time on Sunday doing some research about Pit Bull breeding and fighting. I found out I was mostly right. Wrong about Pit Bulls and American Staffordshires, but understandably so, as there is a lot of confusion and cloudy history. There is a lot of subjectivity in dog breeding.
But here is what I keep thinking about. A "cur" as defined in dictionaries is a "mongrel dog," a "mixed breed dog," and/or an "undesirable dog." Obviously, at the time this word was popular use, the breeding of a dog made it desirable. In Pit Bull breeding/fighting jargon the word has similar meaning. It is a dog showing nontraditional Pit Bull traits, suggesting that it is a mixed breed, or "undesirable." These traits include, but are not limited to cowardliness, aggression toward humans, and that typical noisy dog way of fighting. To a dog fighter (in other words, someone who should be killed slowly), a "cur" is a dog that won't fight, as fighting is the only "desirable" quality these scumbags see in the dogs. In truth, the need to "fight" is not "bred into" these dogs. This is a learned behavior acquired after large game baiting was outlawed, sometime in the late 1800s (Pit Bulls were still common family and farm dogs well into 20th century America). The concept of "gameness" refers to a more broad enthusiasm for doing work, whatever that work may be, in the face of possible danger (like a hunting or large game baiting dog). Dogs in general fight for various reasons, dominance, territory, etc, and as puppies they play-fight to learn. Dogs (and their wolf ancestors) fight until one submits and issue at hand is resolved, not to the death and not for sport (or no apparent reason). The qualities that HAVE been bred and defined in Pit Bulls through centuries of employment are: loyalty, lack of aggression toward humans, tenacity, fearlessness, and a high pain tolerance (the latter three being "gameness"). These were working dogs that helped wrangle cattle and large game for hundreds of years. They were called "butcher's dogs" because if their common use to handle bulls within that profession (hmmm… "Pit Bull…"). The fact, Pit Bulls are awesome dogs that you don't want to piss off.

Through all of my reading, Bruno was on my mind. He was this random dog that I rescued from some assholes when he was 9 months old. They were going to shoot him because he wouldn't fight. He was a mess with hookworms and whipworms and emotional issues from abuse. His stomach was a mess from being fed chilis and glass and gunpowder. I took him for a mix, as he didn't display the huge basketball head and super-stocky body that other Pits seemed to have (it turns out, those are oversized "fad dogs" that aren't even considered true Pit Bulls by real breeders). I'm looking at all of these pictures and Bruno was SO one of these lean, muscular, happy working dogs. And as I read the descriptions of the valued traits in true Pit Bulls, I realized what a prize dog I had. I mean, I KNEW he was a prize, but because he wasn't one of these silly fad dogs, he didn't get much respect from some of the assholes I've known. He was healthy and hale, rather genetically clean. Didn't even start showing his age until he was 11 or 12 years old. Never got arthritis (spondylosis, yes), or hip dysplasia, or even white hair. He was very loving and fiercely loyal to those in his "pack." He adored children and even cared for small animals (like my cats & ferrets). He always deferred to me as his alpha, but to no one else, save a select few family members that could take charge in my absence. No, he was not a fighter, but he had that quiet courage and tenacity in him. And ask anyone who knew him, that dog had no fear. His one and only fear in life was losing me. He loved to play with other dogs and was very friendly. But when threatened he was no coward. I never saw him back down when either of us was threatened, by man or beast (well, when he was "threatened" by man, like the vet, he was a bit of a baby, but not until he realized that man in the white coat wasn't there for ME). As always, I called the shots, but I did see him start to tangle with a couple of different dogs (of all the hundreds he'd been completely copacetic with over the years), luckily all were on leads, or otherwise controllable, and the owners and I were able to break it up rather cleanly. Those dogs aggressed on him first. And some dogs didn't like him, but since they weren't aggressive to him, they coexisted in peace by ignoring one another. He knew which battles were actually battles. He was SMART. I watched him blow off dogs like he was Charles Bronson. On two different occasions he walked right through very minor dog bites (never broke the skin, weren't aggressive attacks, more like dog communication) as if the other dog wasn't even there. He barked at some shady people here and there. He would quietly stare at people he didn't trust, watching their every move. He bit once. I didn't like the man approaching us, he was a jerk, but I did work for him and had to be nice. I bristled, so Bruno did, too. As this douchebag approached us Bruno stared him down. I told the douche to back off and let me lead the situation, my dog didn't like him. Of course, he's a douchebag and didn't listen. He stuck out his hand and loomed over me and my dog, still coming at us. Bruno struck. Got him on the hand that was coming towards us. He didn't shake, he GRIPPED like a real Pit Bull. This dude was kicking my dog in the face and he would not let go. I had never seen him like this before and panicked a little. I was pulling on Bruno and yelling at the guy to stop kicking my dog. He even kicked me in the face. Bruno would NOT let go. I finally regained my composure and yelled the familiar phrase "Bruno, drop it!" in my deep, commanding, you-are-so-in-trouble voice. He let go and I scuttled him off to the car. My friend picked him up and took him out for a McDonald's Happy Meal while I stayed and finished my work and smoothed things over (I did NOT want a lawsuit and/or to have my dog taken away). It wasn't about fighting for no reason, for human entertainment, or because "it was in his genes." It was always about me, his loyalty to me and keeping me safe from harm, helping me win my battles. In all of this reading about Pit Bulls taking down big game for butchers (oh, that douchebag was big game!), I remembered my shock when my mellow, sweet dog and I were hanging out in my garage one day. I was bored and started hitting the heavy bag hanging from the garage ceiling. Out of nowhere, there's suddenly this Pit Bull latched onto the heavy bag and pulling it. I felt like we were jumping the heavy bag: he held it as I whaled on it. Again, he was doing his job. He was helping me take down my "big game."
I guess my point is, I had a an argument with someone and I feel bad that the argument got loud, but since it did, I took the time to recheck my facts (and "subjective facts") and in the process learned something about my dog that I had never realized. Bruno was a Pit Bull, through and through. He was a lover, not a fighter, but he was one tough dog who knew exactly who he was what he was going to do. And he never made a fuss about any of it.
Maybe to some assholes who fight dogs and try to put their own spin on "the facts" my dog was a "cur." But to anyone who knows true Pit Bulls, the loyal and tough working dogs, Bruno was pure all the way.
But I never needed to know that to love him. I simply have found one more reason to be proud of my dog. Even in death he continues to surprise, move and inspire me.
You are sorely missed, Beetlemuffin.