Dog Fighting Paraphernalia Misconceptions

I'm getting soooo tired of people getting accused of dogfighting and raided just because they may have certain situations/items on their property or in their possession.

The most common list of situations/items that fall under the category of dogfighting paraphernalia/evidence are:

1.  A breakstick
2.  Antibiotics and/or other medical supplies
3.  A treadmill (slatmill, carpetmill, jenny, etc.)
4.  A springpole and/or flirtpole
5.  Multiple pit bulls on chains
6.  Chains and/or weights
7.  Vitamins and other supplements
8.  Pedigrees that may or may not contain Champions or Grand Champions
9.  Dogs housed behind a privacy fence
10.  APBT literature and/or DVDs
11.  Dogs with scars

OK.  Having one or more of these things is like saying just because you have some decongestants for your sinus infection and fertilizer for your garden on your property at the same time you're suddenly a meth-cooker.  I mean come on people!!!  Really???  Let me explain each point further.

The breakstick.  Any idiot with half a brain who cares about their dogs and owns more than one dog REGARDLESS of breed, but especially a bully-type breed or breed known for animal-aggression, should own at least one breakstick.  You never know when one day Fluffy and Fifi, no matter their age and previous love of each other, suddenly decide that the crumb of french fry they find on the floor is cause for an ultimate battle.  Well, to help avoid extraneous injury to either dog and yourself and to break up the fight as quickly and easily as possible, a breakstick is a beautiful and potentially life-saving tool.  Of course, like any tool, it should be learned how to use one correctly.  But apparently, just because you don't want your precious pets to hurt each other exceedingly in the event of an accident and you want to end a fight quickly, you're suddenly a dogfighter?  YEAH RIGHT.  So now I can't protect my dogs from hurting each other... thanks assholes.

Antibiotics and/or other medical supplies.  First of all, livestock owners can readily purchase and have on hand antibiotics, de-parasitizing products, staple guns, antiseptics, and other medical supplies to treat their livestock.  But we don't get to do the same for our dogs?  Really?  What if Fluffy decides to battle with Fifi in the middle of the night and I don't have an emergency vet available?  Or Roscoe gets himself hung up in my barbwire fence howling at 3 am for me to come save him?  You mean I can't treat my own pet until I can get him safely to a veterinarian?  And regardless of the veterinarian, what if I have the expertise to treat my own animals safely and efficiently?  Should I be punished as a dogfighter for that?  This makes me very angry that I can't provide emergency medical care for the animals I care about most in my family.

Treadmills.  Well let's just arrest every K-9 police dog owner who regularly works out their animals to help better serve the community.  They may be dogfighters.  Yes, I know I may be a bit nit-picky here, but there is a bit of a point.  Besides police officers, there are many other people who compete in canine sports who like to condition their animals to perform better through use of a treadmill.  It is a safe and easy tool, and many dogs actually LOVE using one.  And specially-made canine treadmills work under the dog's own power and desire.  They won't work if the dog doesn't want to.  When used, treadmills provide better strength and endurance for the animal to perform its given task, whether it's running and flushing birds in a field all day, lure coursing or race preparation, or a K-9 officer building strength to better aid in the capture and restraint of criminals.  Also, those who like to condition dogs for the show-ring use treadmills to put their dogs in better physical condition, which is more eye-pleasing for the judges.  And if you have a high-energy dog who loves to run every day to feel fulfilled, yet you can't devote every single day to a 3-hour romp in the field, a treadmill is an invaluable tool to help keep your pet happy.  But yet, all this doesn't matter.  If you have a treadmill, you're labeled a dogfighter.  GRRRR!!!

Springpoles/flirtpoles.  These are TOYS.  And they have the added benefit of helping to keep your pet fit and active and/or being a part of a fitness program for the reasons listed above.  We need to arrest people for having fake mice tied to strings for catfighting.  Yeah, same idea.  Dogs love to chase.  Dogs love toys.  So tying a toy to a pole and string to let your dog have fun chasing his favorite toy is evidence of dogfighting?  Apparently.  Dogs also love to play tug.  So tying his favorite toy to a rope (or the rope itself if that's what he likes) to a pole or tree attached to a spring (the spring "gives" to better protect his neck and spinal column and simulates tug-of-war activity with a person without said person being drug around, lol) makes someone a dogfighter?  Again, absolute ridiculousness.  

Multiple dogs on chains.  Nothing wrong with having more than one dog right?  Nothing wrong with housing your dogs APPROPRIATELY (yes, I stress that because many people don't have a CLUE about good animal husbandry, a point which I will discuss some other time) outside, right?  Well, what if those dogs are escape artists and/or don't all get along?  In order to keep them safe from each other, protect your community from your dogs' potential mischief, and keep your dogs outside happy that they're not stuck in a crate all day long while you're at work, keeping them chained in a secure and PROPER manner is essential.  What if my breed of choice is the American Pit Bull Terrier?  I know from experience that fences, cable-ties, and the like will NOT keep my dog safely in his own yard for his and others' protection.  He goes under or over a fence, no matter how tall, in a split second.  He breaks cable ties.  So a good, strong, appropriately-sized chain fastened and connected correctly is the absolute SAFEST solution for him, AND has the added benefit of providing more space and comfort for him than a concrete-bottomed pen.  Read more on chaining here.  But if I have more than one pit bull safely secured in this manner, who are all obviously well-taken care of and provided for, I'm a dogfighter?  Geez....  are you beginning to see the ludicrousness of all this yet?  Let me go on...


Chains or weights.  These items can and are used to either securely fasten your dog (chains) or train/strengthen your dog for sport (chains and/or weights).  People who compete in the sport of weight pulling, for example, often use chains or weights attached to a pulling harness to train and condition their dogs for competition.  This is a wonderful sport that has existed for decades for dogs of many breeds including huskies, malamutes, American bulldogs, APBTs, and others.  The dogs love and enjoy the sport and feel the reward for a job well done.  And if a dog doesn't want to pull, he won't pull, so don't go thinking we MAKE them do it.  I myself have dabbled in weight-pull training with a couple of my dogs.  One loved it, the other had no desire.  There is no way I would be able to MAKE the dog with no desire pull.  He looked at me and said, this isn't for me.  So that was fine.  The other dog LOVED it.  So that was fine, too.  But yet having these training and conditioning tools on my property makes me a dogfighter....  and again, you see the point.

Vitamins and other supplements.  Well this one is quite obvious.  Those of us who want to be healthy take vitamins and supplements to improve our own physical well-being.  It's the same for dogs.  So if I want to provide the same benefit for my pets, I should be able to without question.  Enough said.

Pedigrees that may or may not contain Champions or Grand Champions.  First, the Champion or Grand Champion titles can also mean conformation show or weight pull titles.  And having your dog's pedigree is just a matter of record and/or personal pride.  I have one dog that I am very proud of his pedigree.  He comes from a very nice line of dogs which include Champions and Grand Champions.  So what?  Who in their right mind would link this to any criminal activity?  But unfortunately, some do.  Pathetic.

Dogs housed behind a privacy fence.  Really?  Since when does that have ANYTHING to do with dogfighting?  Just because I don't want any Tom, Dick, or Harry seeing, hurting, and/or taunting my dogs, that makes me a dogfighter?  Perhaps I don't want anyone to see my beloved pets to help keep them from getting stolen.  I don't put my other precious belongings outside for anyone to see and possibly steal, so why would I put my family pets in plain sight if I don't want to?  Yet this is grounds for arrest.  Silliness.

APBT literature and/or DVDs.  So I want to know more about my breed of choice?  Say an owner and lover of chihuahuas has books about Chihuahuas or DVDs about them.  Should he be arrested too?  Just because I love and admire one of my breeds of choice, and choose to accumulate valuable information and entertainment about them, that makes me a dogfighter?  Like I said before, unless the DVDs are footage of a dogfight that I or my dogs are particpating in or present at, then it means nothing.  I once saw a program about a lady who LOVED beagles.  Almost everything in her house was beagle-related.  Books, figurines, pillows, furniture, DVDs, recorded television shows, magazines, pictures, etc.  Nothing wrong with that, right?  SO why is it wrong for me to do the same concerning the dog breed I love so much?  It shouldn't be, that's the point.

Dogs with scars.  Guess what?  Dogs can get scars in many ways, including but not limited to a dogfight.  What if one or more of the dogs you have had scars from a life previous to the one he has lived with you?  What if you rescued him from a bad situation or a shelter/rescue organization in which he has an unknown history?  What if one day he accidentally gets into a fight with another of your pets?  Now you have TWO dogs with scars.  What if your dog gets hung up in a fence or hit by a car and has to have surgery?  Just because you have a dog with scars, it means nothing.  But authorities can take your dog away from you, sentence him to death, and arrest you because of this.  Terrible!

Moral of the story, just because you may have one or more of these situations/items on your property or in your possession, it does NOT make you a dogfighter.  The media, HSUS, PETA, animal control, the police, and other groups want people to think these things involve malice and criminal intent.  That is such complete, total BS and is a violation of our personal rights and freedoms.  Please PLEASE take the time to educate yourself, your friends, your family, your neighbors, and the general public of this.  I urge you, BEG you to do it for yourself and your community to help keep people from being wrongfully arrested, and keep their dogs from being stripped from their homes and put to death!

So what is a "pit bull" REALLY?

First of all, there is no such breed as a "pit bull".  "Pit bull" is a blanket term that can cover several different breeds that all look similar, but most people don't know the difference.  And the media LOVES this fact, they can stir up craze about "pit bull" attacks about almost any dog, whether it's a true American pit bull terrier (the only REAL pit bull in my opinion) or not.  Unfortunately, this feeds right into Breed Specific Legislation (BSL) so it's important for people to understand what is a "pit bull" and what is not.

The breeds most commonly referred to as "pit bulls" are:  the American pit bull terrier (APBT), the American Staffordshire terrier (AmStaff), the American Bully (AmBully), the Staffordshire bull terrier (Staffy), and sometimes even the American bulldog (AB). 

Allow me to demonstrate the difference...

First, we'll begin with the American pit bull terrier, the TRUE "pit bull".  It's the breed that was developed over 100 years ago from the bull terrier types in England.  They were brought over and bred for one particular reason - to be the ultimate warrior and canine athlete.  They became the American pit bull terrier, bred for sport and performance, not looks.  Generally between 25-60 pounds, amazing abilities, wonderful temperament towards people, and an aggressive disposition towards other animals.  They were bred to fight other dogs in particular, but also were used to hunt, to watch over the family (particularly the children), and even served as war heroes and service dogs.  They are good, small to medium-sized, American-bred family dogs and gladiators.  Here are some pictures of some American pit bull terriers:

Ok, so now for the American Staffordshire terrier.  They originally began as APBTs, but were split off by the American Kennel Club (AKC), basically, since the AKC would not register the APBT.  Thus the American Staffordshire terrier was created in name only at first, using APBTs.  However, over a short amount of time, the AmStaff and the APBT became two completely different breeds.  One bred for looks and to prance around a show ring (the AmStaff) and the other still bred for performance and sport (the APBT).  This not only changed how they looked, but also their temperament.  The AmStaff became less dog aggressive.  But unfortunately, as happens with most AKC dogs bred for the show ring, genetic health issues began to spring up:  heart problems, ataxia, hip dysplasia, etc.  They are generally more blocky in style and shape and tend to be heavier.  So even though the AmStaff and the APBT began as the same breed, they are no longer the same at all.  Now this is not to say there aren't good AmStaffs.  There are plenty athletic and useable/working AmStaffs, but in general, they're bred to be handsome.  Here are some pictures of some AmStaffs:

Now for the American Bully.  The AmBully was originally created from the AmStaff.  It is a conglomerate of mixes over a relatively short and recent time, including different breeds of mastiff, the APBT, the AmStaff, and in some cases, even English bulldogs.  The American Bully was created basically for color and size.  It is a designer breed that many like to pass off as an APBT to look tough or cool.  The most popular color within the breed is blue, although recently other colors are more commonplace.  American Bullies were created to fit a growing trend, particularly within the hip hop world and today's youth.  Unfortunately, their popularity has risen to such a high state that when the general public hears the words "pit bull", the American Bully is the image they think of in their minds.  This is unfortunate because the APBT gets the blame for the AmBullie's short-comings.  Since AmBullies have been bred solely based on color and size, the more important aspects of dog breeding, such as health and temperament, have fallen by the wayside.  In general, AmBullies are unhealthy, unathletic, and many have unstable temperaments (stemming from the mix of animal aggressive and human aggressive breeds and poor breeding practices).  However, this said, some more well-bred AmBullies can excel at such things as weight pull competitions and even personal protection work.  There are several different types of AmBully now varying in shape and size, but almost always strictly for looks and whatever trend is popular.  Here are some pictures of different AmBullies.

Staffordshire bull terriers are another breed to discuss.  Basically, they are descended from the same dogs as the APBT, but stayed in a separate gene pool since they were mostly limited to the United Kingdom.  Unfortunately, over the years Staffies have undergone many different breeding practices that leave them so varied in size and shape that there is a similar split to the AmStaff vs. APBT predicament.  The Kennel Club (KC) type Staffs are shorter, stockier built dogs than the working type Staff, which is a more lean and slightly taller version, very similar to the APBT.  The working type Staffs have had to fulfill the role vacated by the APBT, since APBTs are outlawed in the UK.  This leaves the show types to continue on a downward spiral away from the breed's original standard.  However, there are still breeders who strive to continue breeding the working type Staffs.  Here are some pictures of different Staffies.  You can clearly see the difference between the show type and the working type.

Working type:

 Show Type:

Breeds such as the American bulldog, the Presa Canario, the Dogo Argentino, and other breeds and mixes are also often confused for "pit bulls".  Here are some pictures...

 The American bulldog:

 The Presa Canario

The Dogo Argentino

Even such breeds as Rottweilers, Boxers, and Labrador Retrievers have been confused as "pit bulls".  The media uses this to their advantage to gain ratings for spouting Pit Bull Attack! all over the place.  This is very unfortunate.  And the general public will believe them, mostly because they do not even know what a true "pit bull" is.  So I wrote this in an attempt to educate.  For all these different breeds I've talked about are usually easy to recognize with a little time spent looking at the different kinds.  But there is such a large gray area.  The breeds can be mixed together or, due to overbreeding, be so far from the standard that it's really hard to tell which is which without actually looking at a pedigree.  It's even more complicated because many of the different registries will still register an AmStaff as an APBT or an American Bully as an APBT.  It is a terribly unfortunate situation with no remedy in sight for the near future.  However, the more we educate people, the more of a chance we have of helping our beloved breeds.

As an important note following this, I would like to state that not all dogs fit the profile within their breed.  There are always exceptions to the "rule".  Also, I gave this information in the most general of terms as a basic run-down for readers.  There is much more to each breed than stated, however time and space is limiting.  I encourage everyone to do some of your own research if you want to know more specifics about each breed.  And if you choose to do so, do so carefully, as there is a lot of misinformation out there.  

The Truth About Chaining

Ok, I've been seeing a lot of anti-tethering laws popping up in places here lately.  And all I have to say is ARE THESE PEOPLE NUTS?  Please let me explain my position on it.

Take me, for instance.  I am a sweet, obedient dog that loves to spend time outdoors in our back yard.  However, I am also an escape artist that likes to chase cats and squirrels.  My mum has a hard time keeping me in the fence when I see something that I want bad enough.  First, she tried electric cattle wire on the fence to keep me from climbing over or digging under.  Didn't work.  So next she tried a remote-controlled electronic collar device on me.  It worked for a while, but then I decided that it no longer phased me either.  Those squirrels are just waay too tempting.  

So the only other option to keeping me SAFE and SECURE in our back yard was to put me on a chain.  I am too strong for cable ties or small wimpy chains, so Mum had to get a tad heavier chain to put me on to keep me out of trouble.  I don't mind it at all.  It's not too heavy, I can move around easily on it, I can even jump 4 feet in the air from a stand-still while wearing it.  And it's 21-feet long which is more than enough area for me.  Mum doesn't leave me on it when she's not at home, only when she is there to keep an eye on me so I can enjoy my time outside.  I love it.  Before, I could never just be left to hang out in the backyard, but now I get to enjoy tons of outdoor time. 

So, you say, why not just construct a pen for me or get a taller fence?  Well, just a taller fence won't keep me in for long.  I can climb, you know.  And even if you bury the fence down a ways into the ground, I can dig under it eventually.  I am crafty about hiding my holes behind bushes. 

And to keep me in a pen would mean a concrete floor to keep me from escaping.  Who wants to lay on hard concrete?  It's not good for my joints.  Plus, I would have a more limited view, not as much square footage of enjoyable space, and I can't just come up to Mum or Dad for a petting session.  Plus, pens aren't totally escape-proof either.  There are some dogs who have been known to chew through chain-link.  

Chaining, when done correctly, is a much more humane and safe way to keep your beloved dog secure in your yard.  He is much more comfortable, feels more free, and has much more room than he would in a kennel/pen.

Still don't believe me?  Well guess what?  Numbers don't lie.  Here are some numbers of living space square footage of a kennel versus a chain:

Kennel

6' X 10' pen = 60 square feet of living space

10' X 10' pen = 100 square feet of living space

10' X 12' pen = 120 square feet of living space

Chain (on a central axis)

6' of chain = 113 square feet of living space

10' of chain = 314 square feet of living space

15' of chain = 706 square feet of living space

Not to mention, a pen makes a dog feel more closed in and separated from his family.  A dog on a chain has free access to the things in his environment, such as his family and friends.  A dog in a pen, if he is an escape artist, has to lie on concrete.  A dog on a chain has nice soft earth and grass to lie in and dig around in. 

And the argument that a 1/4" to 3/8" inch chain is too heavy for a dog like me, well that's plain silly.  Yes, the whole 21 feet of my chain may weigh about half my body weight, but I'm not toting the whole damn thing on top of me either, am I?  The only part of the chain that I have to "pick up" is the 2 - 3 feet closest to my collar.  And that's only a couple pounds if that.  The ground supports the rest of the chain's weight.  And I obviously have no problem jumping around and running on it.  I do it every day.  

So as you can see, anti-tethering laws are for un-knowledgeable animal rights crazies that have never put any time and thought into what they are lobbying against.  Would they rather a dog like me, a "pit bull" be able to continuously escape endangering both my self and other neighborhood animals and possibly leading to a news headline that would feed BSL?  Or would they rather me be happy and healthy in my own back yard enjoying myself comfortably with my family?  The answer seems simple to me.

Now, all that said, I do believe there should be restrictions imposed on tethering.  Obviously, you will have morons that think it's cool to put a huge-ass yatching chain on their poor "pit bull".  Or people who think it's ok to keep their dog on a 3-foot chain living in his own feces.  Those people are idiots.  Just like anything else, there is a correct way and a whole bunch of incorrect ways to do it properly.  I will cover this some other time.

But for law-makers to completely abolish the right to keep your animal safe on an appropriate tie-out/chain is insane and unhealthy for both the dogs and the community they live in.

Happy Fun Flirt Pole Time!

I just wanted to talk about how awesome it is to play with the flirt pole. It's my favorite thing to do ever! By the way, if you do not know what a flirt pole is, or would like to know how to make one, I will be happy to tell you so that you can make your dog happy by playing this fun game with him/her.

Basically, a flirt pole is a long stick/pole with a rope attached to one end. Then a toy or other favorite object (such as a cowhide, in my case) is attached to the end of the rope. Then the human swings the stick around letting us dogs chase the toy at the other end. Seems simply silly, but man o man what a fun game!

Anyway, here is a couple of pictures so you can see how Mum made our flirt pole:

She used a lunge line horse whip for the pole since it's all one piece with the rope so it is strong, long lasting, and lightweight.  Super easy to use.  This pic is taken next to her flip flop for size comparison.

Then she put a very small c-clamp through the end of the whip in order to attach the nylon rope easily that ties to the cowhide.  Very clever if I do say so myself.  Mum is always so crafty...  :)

Then she ties the nylon rope to the cowhide by drilling a hole in the cowhide when it's stiff, then passing the rope through the hole and tying several knots to keep it in place.  

Then it's playtime for me!

 That's a pic of me playing flirt with Dad so Mum could get pictures.  Fun times!  

Flirt pole is a fun game for any dog, any breed, any age (although make sure not to do too much jumping with young pups so as not to damage their growing joints).  It's like 3 different workouts in one:  sprinting, jumping, tugging.  So much fun!  I love it so much that Mum has to pry the cowhide away from me when she's ready for us to stop playing, haha.

Anyway, I hope we get to play some more today.  I will post a few more pics of Eisha and I playing with it together the other day....

That's my "sister" Eisha, by the way.  She is a South African boerboel.  We are good friends.

Game Dog Poetry...

Here are some poems I found related to the game-bred American Pit Bull Terrier. I post them for historical purposes ONLY, and to demonstrate the heart and pride of our great breed. I am in no way affiliated with the sport of dog fighting. It is illegal, you know. Bad stuff. But anyway, I enjoyed these and found them interesting.




“The Blood Of A Champion”

He may be a large dog - may be small,
He will fight one dog or fight them all.
He will give you all he has to give,
It's the only way he wants to live.

He has earned the respect of poor men en kings,
He has fought in the open, in pits and in rings.
He has fought the wolverine, the bull and the bear,
For his own life he has not a care.

He will not cower, he will not cry,
For to be called "Cur" he would rather die.
A cur and a fighter are not the same,
A cur is a quitter, but a fighter is game.

We don't force him to fight, he can quit any time,
But it's not a bulldog that stands the line.
When men speak of bulldogs, the words that fit,
Are those like courage, stamina and grit.

In the pit he is powerful, fierce en wild,
But at home, he will sleep with the smallest child.
He knows not the meaning of a word called quit,
He likes on a chain, but longs for the pit.

The blood of the champion flows in his veins,
He can stand the heat, he can stand the pain.
If it comes to the scratch, he'll make the run,
When he hears his master cry "Aww, son!"





“Dead Game Creed”

Give me victory or give me death
I will make history and gain your respect
Take my lesson or take my life
Triumph is blemished in the absence of strife
I have great pride, For I am unequaled
Win, lose or tie, There won't be a sequel
It's unexplainable and seldom viable
But I am dead game, And that's undeniable






"The Bully"

There once lived an overgrown kid near our lot,
Who owned a large mongrel, whose name I´ve forgot.
The boy was a bully, his dog was the same,
And they both used their size to play a mean game.

All the kids in the neighbourhood feared this tough nut,
As the house-dogs for blocks, feared his oversized mutt.
Toy poodles or collies or terrier small,
Made no difference, the big cur could handle them all.

The pair soon were famous, their game they played well,
For they had every dog near the tracks cut to hell.
One day a new family took the house down the street,
They owned a trim brindle dog, with white blaze and white feet.

His eyes were quite small, his muzzle looked strong,
His low carried tail was fine, pointed, not long.
He carried him self with a confident air,
On the street he´d pas dogs as if they weren´t there.

A few telltale scars on his shoulders and head,
Told a mute story, better than if it was read.
Fifty pounds of spring steel, he was quick as a cat,
And he´d fight if he had to, at a drop of a hat.

Then one day in Spring Down, by the kids hut,
The big bully came, and behind him his mutt.
The two dogs stood rigid, and to my surprise,
The yellow dog was twice the brindle dogs size.

The big dog moved in, but his jaws snapped on air,
The thing he had lunged at, well it just wasn´t there.
A clever sidestep had avoided his jump,
Something clamped on his throat, he went down with a thump.

He tried to break loose, he was fighting in fear,
His head it was pounding, couldn´t see, couldn´t hear,
His wind was cut off, he was beaten through and through,
And the big kid, astounded, felt he´d had enough too.

They got "Brindle" off, "Yellow" got to his feet,
And with tail between legs, weakly went down the street.
Now I wonder if anyone reading this screed,
Could tell me just what was the brindle dogs breed?






“Dead Game”
By Andrew Vachss

I'm no good until I get hit the first time.
Tony says I'm a slow starter.
But once I get going, nothing can stop me.
I never quit. Never.
I looked across the ring. I'm fighting a black guy tonight. Bosco, I think his name is.
It doesn't matter what his name is.
This is the first time I saw him. They don't let me face the other guy at the weigh-ins anymore. Sometimes, I go after them right there. I have to save it for the fight.
He's a little bigger than me, but he's still inside the weight limit.
He's younger than me, too.
But I've been around a lot longer. You can see it on my face. And all over my body. Experience counts for a lot in these fights. You can't tell if a fighter's any good until he gets nailed the first time, that's what Tony says. Then you find out about his heart.
They say it's in my blood, fighting.
But I really only do it for Tony.
I love him.
He's been with me since I was real little. He gives me everything.
I train the old way. Special food. No sex before a fight.
They say that's why we started fighting. For sex. To have our pick of the bitches.
But I could have sex even if I didn't fight. I fight for Tony.
I work out all the time. Tony even built a special treadmill for me, to build up my endurance.
If you get tired in these fights, you lose.
I never get tired.
I watched the black guy across from me, waiting for the signal to start. I watched his eyes. He wasn't afraid.
They never are.
Down here, the purse is nothing . . . all the money comes from betting.
Tony always bets on me.
I'd never let him down.
I'd die first.
I'm not afraid of dying. It's just sleep. And you don't wake up.
I faced the black guy. Tony rubbed the back of my neck, getting it loose.
The crowd screamed.
We bumped once and the black guy came at me.
He was quicker than me. I took his first shot right in the chest. The fire exploded in me and I tried to tear his head off.
He went down, but he got right back up.
The referee separated us a couple of times when we locked together, but they never stop these fights.
It was a long time before I took him out.
Tony carried me out of the ring.
I couldn't see Tony, my eyes were torn.
The other guy hurt me real deep.
I was going to sleep.
I heard Tony crying.
I felt his hand on my head.
Patting my bloody fur for the last time.






"Betrayal"

Today in the pit i did meet my match,
but my legs are broken and i can't make the scratch.
Please pick me up now so i can fight another day,
but money and pride has got in the way.

You know I can't win as I let out a battle cry,
looks like this pit is where I will die.
Look into my eyes did I not give my best?
But you knew that allready when you did the game test.
This is for all the game pitbulls that never gave up,
your masters betrayed you for fear of losing a buck.







Farewell to the Game
From Old Smuggler

I have grown old
In the game of life
I will retire to the kennel
For I have fought my last fight.
But I have fought from Canada
To the Mexico line
And no dog has ever
Heard me whine.
When the fight was against me
It can never be said
That Smuggler backed off
And hung his head.
Yes, I am proud of my record,
I am proud of my name
And those who have known me
Will say I was game.
But now I am old
I am feeble and grey
My fighting days are over
I have changed my way.
I will take a long rest
That I so badly need,
And in the comforts of the kennel
I will sow my seed.
So my son's may carry on
The name which I bear
For no dog can say
But what I fought fair.
But I've fought my last fight
I have hard my last gong.
I've done some good,
I've done some wrong.
So now I bid you
A kind goodnight
From you old friend Smuggler,
The Bull that would fight.

F.L.Y.
Caldwell, Kansas

Pictures of me....

So I figured I would post a few pictures of myself to give you a little better idea of who I am.


Here's me lying on our patio in the back yard....













Me after winning my ribbon in the treadmill competition at a dog show....














Me pulling Mum out of the show ring....














Me on a treadmill...














A close-up of my cuteness, lol...













Mum and I with my weight pull harness on...














Me playing flirt pole with dad and showing off my muscles...


















Me chasing the cowhide on the flirt pole











I caught it! Now give it here!













Showing off my shoulders...













Airborne!















Me putting on my "cute face" so Mum will throw the tennis ball...













Come on... throw it!













Yep, it's mine now!













Me taking a rest in the sunny spot...













So yeah, there's me in all my recent glory. Now you kinda have a better idea about who I am. I have tons of other pics, but I won't bore you with any more.