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posted paper 5 for Sociology

did questioniare for Math 950

could not post. Due to program problems.

Date: 04/2011

HLAC – Lifelong Wellness Application Paper

Write a paragraph on each of the following:

What did you learn about “lifelong wellness” from taking this activity class?

It is important to live a balanced lifestyle in order to be healthy. That it is important for your wellbeing that you do an activity like yoga or dance as well as take time for relaxation and meditation.  I also found that by doing Yoga twice a week I had more energy throughout the remainder of my week. I looked forward to class, stretch and relaxation.

How would you apply this information to your life?

I would realize what yoga has done for me over the past semester and make sure to continue this activity even after the semester is completed.

What is your intention to continue to exercise in your life and why?

I will continue to do Yoga twice a week as well as take a community dance class. I love doing step aerobics as well as palates with friends.

General ideas for improving this course?

The biggest thing for me was the short amount of time. I would like the class to be at least a full hour. Also A quick warm up with stretching and breathing before doing the actual yoga salutations would be nice as well. All in All I really loved this class and plan on taking another wellness/exercise class next semester.

Art in Utah’s desert

            It is 1988, The Hubble Space Telescope is sent into orbit to explore deep space like we had never seen before, it was also the year I took my first trip to Wendover Nevada. At the time I had no Idea how new-fangled this strange yet intriguing masterpiece I was about to see was. My Mother, in an attempt to prepare me for a car ride that felt like an eternity to an eight year old told me about the tree in the desert that wasn’t really a tree.  She expressed she knew I would like it, and that when I saw it, that meant we where close to Wendover. She was right; I was amazed to the point I wanted to turn around and drive past it again just to make sure it was real.

“Metaphor: The Tree of Utah,” stands a towering 87 feet, sculpted on the Bonneville Salt Flats of Utah, off of Interstate 80. It was created, and funded by Karl Momen of Sweden, and constructed in the early 80’s. While on a tour of the United States, and traveling through Utah’s West Desert he had a vision. This aw- inspiring, yet simplistic and organic cement structure was what was born from that vision. Speaking from someone who has driven across this flat, white, and barren yet hypnotizing and beautiful desert, it is not surprising  one might see “things” in the heat rays rising off of the salt. What is amazing about “The Tree of Life” is simply that it is, and that Karl Momen had the audacity to build it.

            There is an inscription on the base of the trunk of Schiller’s Ode to Joy, as sung in the Choral Climax of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony. “A hymn to our universe whose glory and dimension is beyond all myth and imagination.” It is said that Momen created the tree due the “vastness and relative emptiness” of the Bonneville Salt Flats. Momen also suggests that the tree “brings space, nature, myth and technology together.” I agree with the artist. This piece has always fascinated me, and I find a certain uniqueness about it due to its location.

            If I had to describe the West Desert of Utah, It would be like standing on mars. The desert even has the ability to change colors, due to it being predominantly white. Therefore what the sky does the salt does. “Metaphor: The Tree of Utah,” reminds me of being in space with is spheres hanging high above the ground. As you drive past it at 75 miles an hour, it gives off the  illusion of rotation. If you are lucky, and happen to come across it after a rain storm, the base is accompanied by a small pond, or puddles of water. This only adds to the oddness, and amazement of the piece. During the tremendous Utah summer heat, it can reach temperatures in the 120 degree range. When this happens, as you are driving and the tree begins to appear the heat rays seem to erase the trunk of it, and the spheres float in mid air. I have always been able to make out the red stripe, that reminds me of a tennis ball ,on the top most sphere.

            The ground around the tree has fallen “Pods” or leafs that have cracked open and been left vulnerable in the desert sun. This is an interesting aspect to the art work, and adds extra appeal. There is no turn off or parking lot, and you can and will get a ticket for pulling over with out an emergency, so you will have to come prepared with one of those if you want to take any pictures. In resent years the State of Utah, who owns the tree, has put a chain link  fence around the base to prevent graffiti, and vandalism.

            The Artist built the tree with mainly concrete. It consists of a square shaped ‘trunk’ holding up six spheres that are coated with natural rock and minerals native to Utah. The spheres put of a look of painted Styrofoam, which in turn give them a sense of weightlessness. He financed the project himself to bring bold color and splendor to the bleak, flat, salty landscape. The sculpture is made of 225 tons of cement, almost 2,000 ceramic tiles and five tons of welding rod, and tons of minerals and rock. Some critics say it is weird, and there are many, who don’t understand it, but that is the beauty of art. It is not for all to love.

“Metaphor: The Tree of Utah,” seems almost alien to me. When speaking to others that have witnessed this sculpture in the West Desert they all have different opinions on it. What I found to be strange was over half did not like it. How perplexing this was to me sense I’m also one of the few I know to find the desert pretty, one would think the tree adds excitement to a desolate and lackluster trip to Wendover. You don’t have to like it to enjoy it. That in my mind is what makes a great and memorable piece or art.

“Heroine of Pain”

Frida Kahlo, an inspirational female artist, who created her own image with exquisite care on canvas over and over again, always this absurdly triumphant victim. The legend she built around herself is powerful.  Its honesty inspires and intrigues half a century after her death and yet at its heart remains a mystery.

Frida was born Magdale Carman Frida Kahlo Y Calderon in Coyoacan, In Mexico on July 6^th, 1907. As a young child she suffered from Polio and so was influenced to enroll in a pre-med program in Mexico City. This was just the start to a life of pain and suffering. She did not originally plan on becoming an artist. At the age of 18, she was involved in a serious bus accident which fractured her spine, collarbone and ribs, shattered her pelvis, and injured her shoulder and foot. It was during her convalescence she began to paint. She endured more than 30 operations over the course her lifetime.

Fridas soul though damaged was loud. She lived a very colorful and documented love life, with a variety of lovers, both male and female. She also had an intense, troubled marriage to a fellow Mexican painter Diego Rivera. Over the course of there marriage, both commented many affairs against each other and were never able to remain faithful. Through her art she paints an accurate show of emotion towards her husband. It is revealing and honest, yet despite all of this, Frida Kahlo is mysteriously elusive. The woman who made dozens of self-portraits in the 1940s and early ’50s was not lying when she called herself “The Great Concealer”. She painted her own life in bold swathes of color, possibly hoping that nobody would dare to read between her brush strokes.

Kahlo “loved him unconditionally”, she speaks of her husband. Rivera loved Kahlo, but was emotionally unavailable and unfaithful to Frida.  Rivera’s affairs tore her apart. Rivera approved of Kahlo’s lesbian affairs, but Kahlo was guarded about her boyfriends. Feminist icon she might have become, but the truth is she lived for Rivera.

In Mexico, Kahlo is known as the “Heroine of Pain”. She confessed, in capital letters to her diary “I am alone,” but publicly, categorically, she denied this personal truth. Her house was covered in mirrors – on the canopy of her bed, on tables, on her wardrobe doors, the walls, even in the garden. She often drew herself by looking in the mirror; in one drawing she appears to the viewer to be left-handed, because it’s a mirror image. Many have questioned if her own image gave her comfort. When I look at her images, the thought of “feeling comfort” does not cross my mind. I see more of a release of pain through self, not for comfort, but tolerance of life.

Kahlo created over 200 paintings, drawings, and sketches all related to her experiences in life. She has 143 paintings, 55 of which are self portraits. When asked why she created some many self portraits she said, “Because I am so often alone…….because I am the subject I know best.”  Some of my personal favorites: “Girl in Dead Mask”, “Memory”, “Self Portrait with Necklace of Thorns”, “The Two Frida’s”.  Frida was going to become a Doctor. Other than some art classes in high school, she had no formal training in the arts. She shocked the world with her “surrealist” style and now her paintings sale for more than any other female artist.

“My Grandparents, My Parents, and Me” 1936. The first of two family portraits. This piece represents her ancestry and has both sets of her Grandparents, her Parents, and two different representations of herself, one as a small child in the courtyard and an unborn fetus in her mother’s womb.

“Diego and Frida” 1944. This Piece was a gift to her Husband. It expresses Frida’s love for him by making them one. She has combined the two of them into one portrait. I really like this painting, but I also fell disturbed when I look at her need for Diego to feel complete. I think it shows a true account of her loneliness.

Frida crated many paintings that were sexual in nature. She was a provocative painter and woman.  She also was very famine in her work, yet with a hard edge. ”My Birth” 1932. This painting is a recreation of how she imagined her birth. It is a very intense panting.

In 1953, during her first solo exhibition, the only one held in her country during her lifetime, a local critic wrote, “It is imposable to separate the life and work of the extraordinary person. Her paintings are her biography.”  I find her art to be intimate and open to truth. I agree it is a showing of her life and the feelings inside her existence. Some are graphic and may be hard to view. The meaning, though sometimes abstracted, is there for you to see. When you see the art, you will know the artist.

Since her death there have been many book written in her honor. One author named Grimberg says of Frida “If she got the attention of other people, she mattered.” It seems she did not want people to forget the woman she was. On her first self portrait in 1920 she writes, “ So you will remember me.”

Her life was full of tragedy, including contracting polio as a child, a long recovery from a serious car accident, two failed marriages, and several miscarriages. She used these experiences, combined with strong Mexican and Native American cultural influences, to create highly personal paintings. Kahlo used personal symbolism mixed with Surrealism to express her suffering through her work. A viewer might classify her paintings as Surrealism or Magic Realism, but she considered her art to be realistic. Kahlo died July 13, 1954 of pulmonary embolism.

Frida Kahlo left a gift to the world through her art and has taught me a lesson in humility and honesty.

 “I paint my own reality.” -Frida Kahlo

Harmonie Walkingshaw

Jack Stoddard

Davor Simunovic

Stephanie Aragon

Business Plan

Non-Profit Organization

Company information and business name, Right Start Early Intervention School. Address tentatively will be at 4500 South 2350 East Holladay, UT 84117. Telephone number is not yet confirmed. Fax number is not yet confirmed. However we do have an E-mail address which is Harmoniesearlyintervention@yahoo.com

When we were assigned this task, one of our team members had an idea that was important to her. The central idea was to open school for young Autistic children that would begin to get them the help they will need in the years to follow. We along with our team member agree that early intervention will be beneficial to these children when it comes to enter public school systems at the same age as those not affected with special needs. When we collaborated and tried to come up with ideas that will address all possible issues in the foreseeable future.

Our mission is to provide early intervention schooling for children with special needs. Focusing on attention we hope to create a learning environment that caters to their specific needs and any individual challenges they may face in the early years of education. To date, there is no known cure for autism. It is not believed nor has it been proven to be outgrown, however many individuals that received intense early intervention therapy and or schooling have shown a higher success rate in leading fuller and more active lives. Many individuals who received intense treatment are now often indistinguishable to the general public from their typically developing peers. The level of success of the treatment is greatly determined by the individual’s severity, cognitive abilities and possible co-morbid medical factors.

The proposed school is a brainchild of Harmonie Walkingshaw. Due to a desire to serve and educate, as well as provide badly sought after help for parents of Autistic children, this proposal was constructed. We are aware that this type of institution will run most effectively as a nonprofit organization. In the pages to follow we will break down specific aspects of our plan so that you the reader and possible participants may fully catch our vision. A not for profit organization means that at the end of the year all funds will be accounted for or in other words we will provide a “profit showing”. Funds rose through donations, fundraisers, and specific grants will be put to use to run the school effectively.

By providing this service at an early age to the community and the families, as well as the children in need, we hope to help instill and teach safe, happy and productive living skills with successful results. Our goal is to accomplish this with realistic costs and individual care insuring that no one in need of our services is left behind. Our primary focus is children with autism or similar developmental disabilities. We will be focusing on children between the ages of three and six. Our plan is to help families that have detected early signs of autism and help them learn to manage and cope with the condition. Too often parents with Autistic children may feel alone and uncertain when it comes to raising their child. Although there is constantly new information flooding our media outlets, raising an Autistic child can be overwhelming. An institution such as the one we are proposing could be invaluable for so many reasons. Some of those reasons is; proper guidance that will lead to life altering coping skills, interactions with other children who are faced with the same challenges, and much needed breaks for the parents of these children.

Our industry, or the community’s needs for such an “industry,” is one that is still growing. We would be one of only a few organizations in Utah that offers such services, all of which are nonprofit. Our company will demand results, by utilizing a small, yet reliable and trained staff, with the willingness and desire to help make a better life for our students and their families. This would consist of: 1 Full time (Certified Special Ed) Teacher, 2 Full time Vice Attendant, 1 Full time Management CEO, 1Full time Office Staff, 2 Part time Staffers (Office/ Class Assistance) and up to but no more than 4 Interns (which we will take under certified conditions). Future employees are yet to be determined. Seeking out those most qualified might prove to be a challenge. Nevertheless it will be key. If we are to be entrusted in making these first crucial years of special needs children our jobs.

Our student body will be limited to 10 to 15 students (in the first three years). Insuring focused and directed attention. This will help secure a more productive, stable, positive learning environment. Staying within this ratio will also allow for growth. We are of the belief that for the benefit of the children that will be attending, it is a must for the quality of time needed will be available.  We want to create this school with love and compassion in mind and not with the intention of warehousing these kids. When the focus becomes money and expansion, we suggest that the quantity vs. quality problem will arise. However, naive we are not. We know that once this school is off the ground and functioning, that there will be more attention drawn to it and the nature of its care. When that time comes that we decide to take on more students, we will also hire new staff. Keeping the two in balance will assure that the time and teachers are there to provide for the specific needs. It is also our belief that stability in staffing need be maintained. It is much more conducive to a safe and trustful learning environment to keep the same staff aboard. Relationships built will be just as crucial in helping these students as will be the training and methods applied.

Our long term plan is to increase enrollment in upcoming years, as well as to increase needed staff. We hope to maintain a stable and open learning environment for our students. We plan to expand the student’s horizons by keeping up with the latest technologies and studies on developmental disabilities. Another future goal is to expand the facility, and to possibly branch out to new locations. Join and team up with other nonprofit organizations and leaders of our community to help fund our cause and give the children the early intervention that is needed. A central theme is to guide these children in the right direction for life. This will include helping parents decide the next step once their child has completed our program and we are no longer able to help this starts by achieving successful efforts, as well as creating positive results with the children. The time frame is dependent on the effort of the community, success not only depends on us, but outside involvement as well. Our pricing for enrollment will consist of one base price (unless family income level is poverty level) under two payment options, $ 150.00 per week. There will be an alternative option to fulfill the monetary obligation all at once with $ 7200.00 full year enrollment plan. Payments if necessary may be arranged by month or seasonal period. We would like to keep our costs within a range that would be affordable to all who are in need of our services. This can be achieved by private donations, insurances, and based on a sliding scale of the student’s family income (low income family qualifications required.) Our main goal is to provide a much needed service to the community. We plan on running strictly as a nonprofit company. The early intervention school will provide a service to the community at a low cost.

We plan to work closely with the community and other nonprofit companies to create a warm and successful environment for children with autism to get the start needed to be successful. We will operate with low over head and low cost. We will except all donations made in good faith. We will keep a small, but qualified staff as well as a small class size in order to create the learning environment needed. When we discussed the issue of fulfilling our staffing needs it was not beyond us that we needed to be exceptionally exclusive and careful when doing so. Not just anyone can work with people with special needs, especially young children diagnosed with Autism. By being selective in our staffing and hiring process we hope to ensure and secure professional caring employees. Just having the skill to do the job is not enough. Individuals applying to work for our school will need to demonstrate that they have a desire to make a difference, and the patience to work through the many trials that will most assuredly come.

Licensing and bonding requirements will be within the State and Federal guidelines for a non-profit organization.Concerning the hours of operation this is what we have in mind. 8:00am to 3:00pm (Full Day) Monday-Friday. 8:00am to 12:00pm (Half Day) Monday-Friday. By offering the option of a full or day or just a half, we feel will help in assisting parents with their specific needs.  We recognize that there are different degrees of Autism and not all affected will need as much intervention as others. Hours of operation are vital to helping parents who work full time as well as those who would use our services as a jumping off point for steering their child into the right direction. It will be made clear that this is a school to serve specific needs and not in the least bit a day care.

The legalities of the business should go as follows: Licensing and bonding requirements- State mandated. Permits, state and county mandated. Health, workplace, or environmental regulations- Federally mandated. Special regulations covering your industry or profession- County mandated. Zoning or building code requirements. City mandate and City Local Permit. Insurance coverage- (Yet to be determined). Although we have not put together all of the pieces as far as concerning insurance, we are well aware that an institution such as the one we wish to create will be in need. Especially when working with young people and then compiled with special needs, insurance will be a topic that we take very seriously and spend a good deal of time on. While putting together the infrastructure needed to operate and launch such a school, it will be to our benefit to speak with others in the same line of care. Of course while the projected business will be in the city of Holladay, it will serve us well to read up and study city ordinances and requirements. This will be very helpful and cost effective when applying for licensing and permits. By speaking beforehand with other schools of a similar nature we can prepare ourselves to be better equipped for the “cutting through red tape”.

 Our personnel and organization pertaining to management as so forth we envision like this. Our day-to-day management will be upheld by the Management CEO, as well as the office staffers. Class management and organization would fall under cooperated effort of the Vice Attendant and the individual teachers, insuring base criteria. Our professional and advisory support would list the following. Board of directors and management advisory board (Yet to be determined) Attorney (Yet to be determined) Accountant (Would be handled by the Management CEO) Insurance agent (Yet to be determined) Banking and financial needs would be handled by one of our office staffers, assigned to treasurer duty. Consultants (Yet to be determined)

Financial Plan

Our financial plan consists of a 12-month enrollment and donation plan, a four-year enrollment and donation plan, a wage projection, a projected balance sheet, and a breakeven calculation. Breakeven insuring the organization is of non-profit.

Our organization will be highly dependent of donations, grants and government lending. The enrollment tuition itself is only a small portion, compared to the cost of running the organization.n for donations; funds from donations need to be long term, insuring progress. Any amount will be gladly accepted, from anyone, organnization or institution. Spent funds will be open to the public insuring full adamant use of donor money. Donations should primarily go through our site, or directly through our office. Involvement of donation will be on the board or in management. Like any organization dependent upon the graciousness of others to function, fundraisers will undoubtedly be held in our name at least semi annually. We would expect that with proper planning and explanation of our cause, coupled with plenty of media coverage, we could receive monetary help.

Executive Summary Our main goal is to provide a much needed service to the community. We plan on running strictly as a nonprofit company. The early intervention school will provide a service to the community at a low cost. We plan to work closely with the community and other nonprofit companies to create a warm and successful environment for children with autism to get the start needed to be successful. We will operate with low over head and low cost. We will except all donations made in good faith. We will keep a small, but qualified staff as well as a small class size in order to create the learning environment needed. Again this is a school and target oriented learning and growing place, not a daycare. It is with a certain affinity towards children who are afflicted with Autism that this school was brought to fruition. From conception to construction and eventually operation, this is a purpose driven cooperative. With passion, drive and commitment behind our efforts, we feel that this is an endeavor that is not only achievable but will touch the lives of many.

            In conclusion we would like to thank all of you for lending your ear and hopefully opening your hearts. We cannot emphasize enough the importance of what this program will provide. We are humbled by the help that we do receive and at the thought of the amount of help we will receive. We would ask each of you to take a look at your own respective organizations and situations and if there is any room for you to help us we would invite you to do so. Thank you again for your time and consideration.

Hedges, Catherine. “The Truth About Pit Bulls.”

Thetruthaboutpitbulls.com. Web. 10 Mar. 2010.

            Dog Breed Information Center. “American Pit Bull Terrier.”

Dogbreedinfo.com. 1998-2010. Web. 12 Mar. 2010.

            Jessup, Diane.  Official Pit Bull site of Diane Jessup. “Pit Bull Information Pages.”

Workingpitbull.com. Web. 12 Mar. 2010.

            Chesser, Veronique. “Pit Bulls on the Web.”

Pitbullsontheweb.com. Web. 13 Mar. 2010.

            Masyk-Jackson, Janis. “The Best Family Dogs.” “Dogs That Are Good with Children.”

dogs.suit101.com. Web. 1 Sept. 2009. 13 Mar. 2010

            American Temperament Test Society. “ ATTS Breed Statistics as of 2008.”

Atts.org. Web. 10 Mar. 2010.

            Morral, Timothy. “ History of the Pit Bull.”

Pitbull411.com. Web. 10 Mar. 2010.

            Off The Chain. Dir. Brown, Bobby. Perf. Ross, Karen.

Allumination Studios, 2005. DVD.

Americas Best Friend VS. Public Enemy Number One

A Little girl is sitting at a small pink table in her shady back yard one late afternoon. Her mother is inside doing the dishes and watching her play tea party with a teddy bear. On the other side of the street a newly rescued American Pit Bull Terrier sits, watching her play from behind the fence. For the last two weeks the family of the new Pit Bull has been under close eye, and neighbors are not to happy about the new addition. The dog begins to bark at the fence and at the same time mom looks up to check on her child. All appears to be ok so she continues to dry the last of the dishes when she hears a scream from her daughter, “MOM!”  She runs as fast as she can around the table and through the kitchen to get to the sliding glass door, but it was too late something beat her there.

Spud, the Pit Bull from across the street had jumped the fence and was in their back yard. Mom screams as she sees the dog running towards her daughter, “Stop Stop!!” The dog leaps for the table and lands right on a rattlesnake just as it is about to lunge at the little girl. Spud lands on top of the snake killing it, but in return ends up with the deadly snake bite original meant for the little girl. The mom drops to her knees in frantic tears and disbelief. She screams out for help as her daughter runs into her arms safe and sound. A limp, hurt dog makes his way over to the mother and daughter where he was welcomed with warm embraces and thank you hugs. This is a true story and unfortunately, Spud did not survive the snake bite. The American Pit Bull Terrier is misunderstood. It has the ability to be a better family pet than a stereotypical fighting dog.

Most people are unaware of the history, and breeding behind the Pit Bull. “Pit Bull” is a kind of umbrella term for many breeds with similar traits that are often inter bread and mislabeled. Though it is hard to know for sure the rich history of the breed, pit bull enthusiasts believe the origins of the breed can be traced back to antiquity and the Molossian family of dogs. Officially termed canus molossi (dogs of the Molossi), these animals were notorious for their fierceness, loyalty, and their ability to intimidate the enemy in war.

Sadly though, the History of the breed turned bloody when the Romans received information on such a powerful breed. They started a melting pot of bulldog breeding for fighting, profit and entertainment reasons only. Than when the Normans invaded England in 1066, they introduced a new sport called baiting. Baiting originated with butchers who kept dogs (called Bullenbeissers) to handle aggressive bulls as they were herded to the market for slaughter. When a bull stepped out of line or exhibited unmanageable behavior, the dogs would clamp down on its nose and hang on until the handler could regain control of the upset animal. This was a noble job for the dog and the butchers were proud of their canine companions. Such amazing abilities consequently sparked pubic displays to showcase the dogs’ abilities and, quite frankly, to satisfy the crowds that attended baiting events for their entertainment. When baiting was made illegal by the British parliament in 1835, the public’s gaze fell on the sport of dog fighting, primarily because it could be more easily hidden from the law than baiting and other fighting sports. (All information on the history of Pit Bulls as obtained from the following sources: The official Pit Bull site of Diane Jessup, The truth about Pit Bulls.com, Pit bull 411.com.)

Current day fighting of the breed is no less horrific and cruel than it was back than. It is still underground and illegal, but with small punishments compared to the gain if your dog wins. As you can imagine, dog fighting is an extremely sadistic pursuit. The canine combatants are put through a rigorous training process depriving them of normal contact with humans. It’s common for the dogs to be fed a diet of blood, puppies, cats, steroids, and raw meat. They are kept in complete darkness, apart from the few hours a day they spend training with their handlers. The ”Dogman” will force them to run on stationary treadmills with a weaker animal in front of them, but just out of reach. At the end of the exercise, starved and week, the dogs are allowed/told to kill the animal as their reward.

During the course of a dog fight, the dogs are expected to fearlessly hurl themselves at their opponents without flinching or hesitation. If a dog turns away, it is viewed as a weakness and could be grounds for forfeit or death. Many handlers kill their dogs because they believed a dog that hesitates even once can no longer be trusted to fight with the tenacity the sport requires. If one fight is lost the dog will be put to death.  If more than a few fights are won the dog will be breed. The fight ends only after a dog is killed, either by the opposing canine or of the owners own doings, only then will the money be collected.

Fighting dogs are forced to tare each other up alive. If  the loosing dog happens to survive the fight  he or she could be set on fire, left to bleed to death, suffocated, thorn from the back of a truck or ran over, all by a frustrated owner that the dog has just fought to the death for.

The average cost of a champion blood line fighting dog is 500 to 4500 dollars. It is common for pay outs to be as high as 20 or 30 thousand dollars on a winning fight. The average punishment for getting caught fighting animals around the U.S. is a 3^rd degree felony with a 1000 dollar fine, but not all states charge you with a felony, some are still just a misdemeanor. If they can they will seize the property found on site. This includes: dogs, cages, cash, and any equipment used for training. For a “Dogman” who has just won 20k on a fight, this might seem minor.

Now that we have covered the history and “sport” behind the Pit bull I would like to talk about the qualities and attributes of this breed. The ATTS (American Temperament Test Society) Breed Statistics are as follows:

• American Pit Bull Terrier, number of dogs tested 665.
• Passed 567.
•  Failed 98.
•  Average score 85.3%.

This is a temperament test given to hundreds of pure bread dogs. The Pit Bull Terrier ranks in the “above average” category (above 80%). This is a better score than the following breeds:

• Border Collie 80.6%.
•  Chihuahua 71.1%
•  Cocker Spaniel 81.9%.
•  German shepherd 83.7%

This is just a small sample of common family dogs that score lower that the Pit Bull breeds on this test.  Of all 122 breeds tested The American Pit Bull scored 4^th highest!

In the city of Chicago it is estimated that there are 60,000 Pit Bulls.  Most of these dogs are living in hostile environments and yet to their testament rarely have any problems reported. Most of the calls reported to Animal Control in the area refereeing to the breed, are due to neglect and abuse, not violence on part of the dogs. Thousand of dogs are fought in the city of Chicago ever night yet only 3 officers are assigned to the curtly of animals. (Information in this paragraph was found on: The truth about Pit Bulls.com.)

The Pit Bull breeds are known for their loyalty, intelligence strength, and obedience, when conducting my research on the topic of what makes a good family dog these qualities were ranked among the top. I conducted over 25 public surveys on the topic of family dogs and found people want a playful, loyal, obedient dog that is good with kids. The Staffordshire terrier, one of the dogs labeled as a Pit Bull, is a close cousin to the American Pit Bull. It makes a top 7 list of the best family dogs. This breed is known for being good with kids and other pets. Some recent findings show the Bull Terrier Breeds are good companions for the disabled. The qualities of any champion fighter whether it be a Olympian or a pit bull dog are sought after qualities that we all strive and look for in each other and are pets. It is what we do with these attributes that make us good or evil. The Animals involved in fighting did not get to make that choice; it was made for them at birth.

A second survey was conducted during the research for this paper in which “Pit Bull” related questions were asked. Out of 35 completed surveys only 7 people had been bitten, chased and or other wise harmed by a Pit Bull.  When asked that same question about any dog breed other than a pit bull type, 23 out of 35 people said yes, that they had been harmed in some way by another dog breed. The most interesting element of the survey was the answer to the question, “Are you afraid of Pit Bulls? “  25 answered yes.  

The Public is receiving one-sided information on the Pit Bull Terrier. The media keeps a close eye on the breed due to its popularity.  The American Pit Bull has been over bread and is the number one sheltered dog in America. In Los Angeles they often euthanize up to 300 Pit Bull mixes a day.  The underground breeding and fighting of this breed has to be controlled, and the American Pit Bull brought back into to the American home where it belongs. A ban on the breed will only make it go further underground. The “Bull” dog has been bread for centuries and it will continue. Stricter laws and public support is needed to help control the problem.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

In an attempted to pull this breed away from sport fighting pit bull enthusiastic have formed a type of competition for them. It is a series of strength and endurance test, games for the dogs to compete in. One event is the harness pull in which some male dogs can pull up to 1000 lb. it is a truly amazing to see these dogs compete in a healthy manner and be rewarded with honest praise. The Pit Bull breed is capable of so much if the owner is willing to train properly and offer love and support to the dog. Just as any other breed of dog would need.

 Like any species, not all members of a breed act alike. There is no “one way” an American Pit Bull will act. The members of any dog breed are neither all “nice” nor “mean”.  Almost all dog breeds have been selected for the purposes of hunting, guarding or protecting/working livestock. Before they worked for us, the dog’s ancestors were wild animals. They retain the behaviors which make survival as a wild, pack living animal possible. The American pit bull is a pure breed of dog. In fact, they are one of the oldest and purest of dog breeds.

Every time a specific breed becomes a “fad” information gets lost in circulation, myth and just plain lies. This lack of correct information comes from those who are prejudiced against a breed but also from well meaning people who have not been educated properly on the topic. The truth about Pit Bulls serves the breed well. Pit Bulls prove time and time again that they can be a good and loyal pet to the right family. The breed has also shown the ability to rehabilitate, even after years of abuse, fighting and aggression. The more the truth is spoken, the easier it will be to get the Pit Bull out of the ring and into the American home. 

11 April 2010

pitbulllovers.com.

I have been a wear of this site for sometime now. It has always been one of my favorite site on the Breed. I did not refer to this site before  due to that fact. I will be referring to the information on this web site throughout the essay. pit bull lovers .com is a great source of information on the pit bull breed. Some of the articles*/ pages on the site offer a raw delivery of the information, but I still gain knowledge from this and perspective.