Owners seek chance to show off the beauty, lovable side of pit bulls

By Nisa Pauline

HAWAII ISLAND—Marlena Dedrick is a stay-at-home mother to one child and also a mother to Pretty, a 18-month-old blue nose pit bull born March 7, 2008. According to Dedrick, Pretty will be entering the Bullies in Paradise dog show at Hilo Bayfront next month. Pretty will be showing off her beauty in the appearance contest. When it comes to her feelings about pit bulls, Dedrick blamed the owners for the breed’s bad reputation, explaining that dogs are reflections of the owners that raise them.

According to a study by Merritt Clifton, editor of Animal People, pit bulls, Rottweilers, Presa Canarios, and their mixes were responsible for 65 percent of the canine homicides that occurred during a period of 24 years, 1982 to 2006, in the United States.

Statistics like these led to a bill introduced in the Hawaii State Legislature last year that would have made owning, possessing, or selling a pit bull a misdemeanor and would have authorized forfeiture and impoundment.

According to Senate Bill 79, “pitbull means any dog that is an American pit bull terrier, American staffordshire terrier, a staffordshire bull terrier, or any dog displaying the majority of physical traits of anyone or more of those breeds, or any dog exhibiting those distinguishing characteristics which substantially conform to the standards established by the American Kennel Club or United Kennel Club for any of those breeds.”

While the bill died in 2009 and saw no light in the 2010 legislative session, the stigma of pit bulls being seen as nothing but dangerous has many pit bull owners and breeders vying for the opportunity to show off the beauty and strength of a well-loved pit bull.

Allen Mahoe runs a website called 808bluepitbull.com to showcase the more positive aspects of pit bulls. Mahoe is the proud owner of Diamond, a purebred pit bull. Diamond is the daughter of Tubbs and Li’ili’i born July 4, 2007. The bloodline of Diamond’s mother and father contain sierra, gaff, and razor edge blue nose pit bull—all variations of pit bull breeds. When she was just five months old, Diamond did her first weight pull at a Hilo show; it was just practice. Her most recent pull was in November and she placed second. Diamond is very strong and she has proved it by pulling about 4,000 pounds in a competition, and 5,000 pounds in a practice pull. Today she weighs 60 pounds.

Tim Watson is the owner of Game Over Kennels in Mississippi, which opened six years ago. When asked about the behavior of pit bulls, Watson said they “crave attention and discipline, sorta like children. If you don’t get out their energy it turns into mischief.” Watson also said he will only put down a dog if the vet recommends it. “A dog that’s not breedable or is retired we find pet homes.”

Starr Yamada is a 10-year worker at the Keaau Humane Society. She is also the owner of Ruby, a two-year-old Staffordshire rescued from the side of the road. Ruby may be a Staffordshire, but she still comes from the pit bull bloodline. Starr said that at least 50 percent of all dogs brought into the Humane Society are at least part pit bull. When pit bulls are brought in, they are treated like any other animal, going through a few tests to show any aggression towards a person or another dog. “Ruby is a very loving,” says Starr.

Starr says there is an off-the-leash dog park on Hawaii Island that will be opening July 24. Although pit bulls have a bad reputation, she hopes this park will show other people that pit bulls can be very good dogs if the owners of the dog raise them well.

For more information, visit http://www.pitbulllovers.com or http://www.dogbitelaw.com/PAGES/statistics.html.