Protecting Our Good Name
June 2005

Responsible owners prove dogs' value to society in a world of banned breeds and bad press

When Kristine Crawford of Palo Alto, CA, rushed into the hospital room, she thought it might be too late. The 5-year-old boy there was losing his battle with leukemia and had asked for Crawford's therapy dog Tahoe, who had visited him several times before. But at the mother's urging, Crawford took Tahoe to the bed. Sniffing the boy's hand, the big white dog gently climbed up beside him. "His mom put [the boy's] arm around Tahoe," Crawford remembers. "We saw a faint smile, and a few minutes later he died."

Later, while walking with Tahoe back to her truck in the hospital parking lot, Crawford heard a woman's voice from across the row of cars. "Get that monster out of here!" the stranger screamed. "There are children here!"

"I know", Crawford thought to herself as tears welled. "That's why we were here."

As Crawford and her American Pit Bull Terrier, Tahoe, can attest, it's the best of times and the worst of times for our canine companions. Arguably, never before have dogs been more popular or pampered: This year, the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show was sold out for the first time in it's 129-year history. Animal Planet is virtually a household name. Finicky Fidos can luxuriate at day spas, ferry to their grooming appointments by limousine, and can get away from it all at woodsy canine camps.

But at the same time, society is eyeing its canine citizens warily--especially those breeds whose less-than-sterling depictions in the media mean that the misdeeds of the few define the reputation of the many. States and municipalities have introduced - and in some cases passed - breed specific legislation that bans or restricts the ownership of certain breeds, such as American Pit Bull Terriers, and other bully breeds, Rottweilers, and Akitas. Ordinances in some communities limit the number of dogs residents can own. And some insurance companies have created breed blacklists, requiring homeowners with these dogs to pay higher premiums - or refusing to renew their policies altogether.

I step into a public relations minefield almost everywhere we go," Crawford says. "There is so much unwarranted hatred for these dogs."

Best face forward

But Crawford and responsible owners like her realize that if they're not part of the solution, they are part of the problem. To that end, every owner is a potential billboard for what is good about sharing your life with dogs, and every four-legger is an influential ambassador for his breed and, on a broader level, his species. By our -- and our dogs' -- example, society at large can see the positive contributions dogs make to individuals, families, and communities.

Arguing with people isn't going to change their minds," says Crawford, whose other American Pit Bull Terrier, Dakota, a search-and-rescue dog, tracked a lost Alzheimer's patient to the bottom of a ravine, where she was partially submerged in a creek, hours from death, "But showing them is."

To that end, Crawford has created For Pits' Sake, a non-profit group offering dog-accompanied educational programs for children - at no cost - that teaches safety around dogs, responsible dog ownership and how not to get lost, and if they do, how to survive in the wilderness.

Every year she and her three dogs - Tahoe, Dakota, and an American Staffordshire Terrier named Cheyenne - attend fairs, expos, and school events, where she distributes literature about the things she teaches. She also hands out thousands of trading cards of her trio of dogs. And because image is everything, Crawford counteracts the bully breeds' tough guy reputation by decking her dogs out in American-flag bandanas and demure pink collars.

Know more, show more

Not every dog owner has the resources to mount a public awareness campaign like Crawford's. But Steve Wolfson of Merrick, N.Y., a member of the board of directors of the American Rottweiler Club and a Rottie owner for over 30 years, says every dog owner can add a much needed drop in the bucket.

The first step is the most basic: Know the dog you own. "You have to do your homework about the breed," including the caveats, Wolfson stresses. Rottweilers, for example, "are a very strong breed and are not for the faint hearted, or for people over a certain age, or for very, very young children." The more you understand about your dog's drives, strengths, and limits, the more harmonious bond you can show the world.

To expand your knowledge, Wolfson suggests studying your breed standard, joining local or national dog clubs, and enrolling in a basic obedience course. Knowing your dog's individual nature helps you show him -- and dog ownership in general -- to the best advantage.

The message of manners

Ann Lettis of Staten Island, NY, director of the Responsible Dog Owners Association of New York, a networking group that tracks dog-related legislation, points out that owners cannot afford to excuse their dogs' bad manners in public. Even something as seemingly benign as straining at the end of the leash or jumping to greet passerbyers can give the impression that a dog is out of control - and, to those who are not dog savvy, potentially dangerous.

"I was attacked by a dog as a child, and I would hyperventilate if I saw one two blocks away," says Lettis, who owns Staffordshire Bull Terriers. "So I'm always aware that there are people who are afraid of dogs, or allergic to them, or just don't like them.

Because a good citizen obeys the law, keep your dog licensed, properly immunized against rabies, and wearing the tags to prove it. Always walk him on a leash, and clean up after him.

It's also important to know your dog's limits, says Diane Thomas of Flushing, MI, who owns Pinee (short for Pinefore), a 4-1/2 year-old brindle and white Bull Terrier who is both a conformation champion and a therapy dog. "If your dog has never been to a dog park, don't put him in a situation he can't handle." To put your dog's good manners to good use in publicizing the positives of dogs and dog ownership, Thomas advocates getting involved in activities such as Canine Good Citizen and therapy dog certifications. "Get [your dog] out and about doing things so that when people read negative things about a breed, they'll say, "I know this dog, and he's not like that."

Spread the word

If you see someone with a dog that acts more like an outlaw than an ambassador, try diplomacy. "You can't come off as a know-it-all or a policeman," Wolfson says. "Instead, try to alert the owner to their responsibility as an owner of the breed. If you buy a Rottweiler - and I think this is true for any dog, whether it is a purebred or a mutt - you are now a caretaker of the breed.

Cultivating a positive public image for dogs is a consuming task, and a fragile one: Just one "killer" headline can undo a mountain of hard work. Still, Crawford says, for her, it's the least she can do for her dogs, whose character she so admires. "No matter what I ask, or what new task is at hand, they will cheerfully attempt and continue to try until they have mastered my requests," Crawford says. "They are never discouraged. They do not get angry or feel sorry for themselves. They do not understand the concept of giving up and walking away."

And neither, apparently, does their owner. Take her for your model in being a good ambassador for dogs and the people who love them.