[nagdu] Dog Breeds

[Jenine Stanley]

In our old neighborhood there was a family who had a very well trained, well
behaved Pit. He looked very much like Spuds McKenzie from the old beer
commercials. 

One day I was walking past their house and noticed this dog walking beside
us. The man came out and introduced himself and the dog, not telling me his
breed. I patted him and he was very sweet. Then the man told me about the
dog, how they really tried not to tell people his breed because they freaked
out, but how well trained he was. I could see this. He and my big Golden
licked each other and were quite happy to sit there while we talked. 

The dog's name was Rocky. Every time we came by and Rocky was out, he'd come
and walk with us, at perfect guiding position on my right side, from one end
of his property to the other along the side walk. Once there was a toy in
the middle and as my dog moved me to the left around it, Rocky stepped out
in front as if to lead us around. His owner found this not unusual for him.
Rocky liked to do jobs. The man had taught him to fetch tools, climb a
ladder and bring them to him, then climb back down. We joked that Rocky was
about the size of my little Labs and he'd probably make a fine guide dog.
I'd seen him around rowdy neighborhood dogs and he just stood there. He had
his friends he liked to play with but he didn't go in with the rowdy ones.
The man said Rocky also would stand and block their baby who was just
learning to crawl, from going onto the sidewalk. 

I think I worry more about the neglected pet spaniel or Golden than a Pit
necessarily, depending on the area of town. 

I've also heard people who work boxers as guides say that their dogs are
often mistaken for Pits. My first dog was a very odd Lab mix of some sort.
She certainly wasn't a pure bred Lab. She had a large head with small ears
set further back than most Labs and small eyes with a shorter muzzle. She
was also very muscular, and pure black. She was mistaken for a Pit many
times in one particular area I went in to work. This was fine given the
area. If they only knew how unstable her temperament was. <grin> She would
have embarrassed the Pit breed. Not the ideal first dog unfortunately.