It befuddles me when American Pit Bull Terriers are referred to as a large-breed dog.
Here's Mina with my other dog, Celeste. Celeste is long-legged and weighs about 45 lbs. Mina weighs about 40 lbs and can fit neatly underneath Celeste (in fact, she likes to walk under Celeste in order to get attention from me). Mina is certainly compact and muscular - she weighs more than she looks.
Mina's weight ranges from 38-43 lbs. In her early days, she topped out a chubtastic 50 lbs and embarrassed the crap out of me at the vet hospital. They were kind, noting that Mina had a rotund but happy appearance, could bear to whittle down a bit at the waist. Seriously, whittle down? Which I did, of course, because Mina was quite overweight at 50 lbs and is quite svelte at 40.
This is Mina with George, a Jack Russell/Rat Terrier/Something or other mixed breed. He's probably a little under 15 lbs and the top of his head reaches an inch or so below Mina's shoulder.
Here's Mina's butt with two Italian greyhounds. The one on the right, Italy, kicks Mina's ass like whoa. Geppie on the left is super tall and does in fact stand almost as tall as Mina.
And here's Mina with another dog who is about 30 lbs.
I just cannot fathom calling Mina a large-sized dog. I can pick her up. I can fling her across the room if I so desire (and I don't). When she places her two front paws on me, she barely gets past my waist. She fits in my lap. Sorta.
American Pit Bull Terriers are not supposed to be large dogs. Unless the classification of large has shifted to any dog over 30 lbs, APBTs remain a mid-size dog. The image that people conjure in their heads of what an American Pit Bull Terrier looks like rarely aligns with the actual dog herself. Case in point - when people learn Mina is a pit bull (and surprisingly few people realize she is), they are quite surprised. Oh, she must be a mix, they say (which could be true, to be fair). Or, she will get larger, assuming she is a puppy. Oh, she just cannot be a pit bull with those dainty paws and small ears. Color me surprised when I was told I have a puppy Boston Terrier who will grow up someday. (Seriously, someone suggested Mina was a Boston terrier mix, which is certainly less accurate than Staffordshire Bull Terrier, which is more accurate than Boxer).
All you naysers, you "PIT BULLS ARE GIANTS AMONG GIANTS"....you have made Mina emo. Pat yourself on the back, you bastards.
EMO PIT BULL WILL EAT YOU IN FIVE SECONDS FLAT. Fact.
Daisy is just under 60 lbs, of course she is not a pit bull, she is a mix of stuff with pit bull. She is a bit tall a leggy and I can just barely lift her up and carry her up the stairs :)
ReplyDeleteThat last picture of Mina is my favorite. Lola gets that look and it is just too cute. I'm a sucker for expressive ears
ReplyDeleteLOL! They are supposed to be medium sized dogs with weight proportionate to height (17-18 inches for females) At her weight though Mina is TINY for the breed these days. But then most breeds have outgrown their standards. SUPERSIZE me applies to dogs, too, I guess.
ReplyDeleteEmilyS
To me a large dog is over 100lbs. Baily weights 47 and Mesa is 53. When we talk to the vet they always refer to the girls as the small pits while I tend to think they are on the large side since they do have some bigger breeds mixed in (Baily is part Boxer and Mesa has some American Bulldog).
ReplyDeleteI heart Emo Mina, but don't tell her that...her emoness wouldn't appreciate that! ;o)
ReplyDeleteP is also around 60lbs, but she's much taller than most, vets won't hazard a guess on what her 'mix' is so until we fork up money for DNA she's just our pretty pittie mix. But still very compact for her 60lbs and still much smaller than her boxer friend...
Well I get irritated on the whole LARGE dog thing too. My boys are 65-70lbs. I STILL consider that medium when I have friends that have Great Dane and Akita's well into the 150's and Collies in the 100's. THOSE are large dogs. The thing with Pits is the breeding, since most breed for bad reasons, they either breed them for the small/thick size or the taller/leaner size. I've ran into many a BAD breeders here in Memphis that salivate for Lennox's lean/taller build. And both my boys still kinda fit on my lap too! :)
ReplyDelete