Steppes Of Siberia

New Yorker cover, February 12, 1966, by Anatol Kovarsky (New York City, USA, b. Russia, 1919-2016). I appreciate the illustrations of many varieties of dogs.

It's not as simple as this, so I'm going to break it down more.

The American Pit Bull Terrier (APBT), the only true "pit bull," is described as being confident, eager to please, and extremely friendly, according to the UKC breed standard. They have been noted to love people, especially children. Aggressive behavior towards humans is highly undesirable. However, dog aggression (DA) and small animal aggression (SAA) are common and within standard. This means that it's normal and acceptable for APBTs to exhibit aggressive behavior towards dogs, cats, squirrels, rabbits, etc. So aggression is part of their breed standard.

The term "pit bull" has been watered down over the years. It has come to reference a dog type rather than a breed, which should not be the case. Backyard breeders (bybs) have diluted the breed and have allowed dogs to be born and bred that do not fit the standard. These undesirable dogs continue to be bred, some exhibiting uncharacteristic behavior for their standard, and this is where human aggression (HA) has become a bigger issue. Pair this with people who do not socialize and train their dogs properly (ex. no emphasis on neutrality, punishing a growl, etc), and who do not know dog behavior (ex. whale eye, lip licking, different tail wags, etc), and this is a recipe for disaster.

There are no bad dogs in the sense of right and wrong. Dogs don't have a moral compass like humans do. But there are aggressive dogs out there. There are different types of aggression that dogs display. And that is okay! Dogs are individuals and have the right to exhibit their feelings. Aggressive dogs can be highly trained, aggressive dogs can be in public (as long as they are well managed), aggressive dogs can live long, amazing lives.

To deny the existence of aggressive dogs is doing them a disservice. Aggressive dogs need an owner willing and able to fulfill their needs and to advocate for them. Most people do not want to deal with that or are not equipped to deal with that, which is fine. But denying aggression can lead to someone getting a dog that is not a good fit for them, and that is, again, where problems occur and bites happen.

Being open and honest about dogs and their personalities, preferences, characteristics, etc is what will help them live a good and safe life.

admins' comment: we normally never ever add our own opinions onto polls submitted to us (keeping our personal thoughts out of polls is our number one rule), but we believe this is an important matter that needs to be talked about more; pit bulls are NOT an aggressive dog breed in any way. we have our own experiences with pit bulls, and we can personally guarantee that all of them are the most gentle, loving souls we've ever had an honor of spending our time with.

most pit bull attacks — just like any other animal attack casts — happen because the pit bull was 1.) abused, 2.) threatened, 3.) provoked, 4.) trained to be aggressive (aka abused) and so they believed they had to defend themself. unfortunately, due to their strength, their attack may be fatal, which leads to this harmful, out-of-reality stereotype that pit bulls are an aggressive dog breed, which then also leads to so many tragic casts of them being wrongfully and unfairly put down. it is heartbreaking and frustrating because most of pit bull attacks are human's fault, not the dog's; you (general you) abused a dog, you made them believe you were a threat and therefore you made them defend themself.

there is no bad, aggressive dogs. but there are bad and abusive people out there.

last but not least, pit bulls are one of the sweetest, most gentle dog breeds that are so gravely misunderstood. please, don't let the stereotype cloud your judgment. respect animals, and they will respect you.

*this poll was submitted to us and we simply posted it so people could vote and discuss their opinions on the matter. if you’d like for us to ask the internet a question for you, feel free to drop the poll of your choice in our inbox and we’ll post them anonymously (for more info, please check our pinned post)

period ! 2003 teen titans will always be relevant & have an imprint on the world.

pr: bbrae my bbrae fics — @bbraefairy on ao3 & ff.net

@michaelkagerer

I am a chronic turn signaller. People will be like “there’s no cars around.” Wrong, I’m

1. letting pedestrians know.

2. I’m doing this in case I missed a car or person somewhere, or

2b. I’m gonna be stuck at this intersection til a car or person shows up

3. It makes it a habit

Tonight's Sunset... over the Willow Lake Lakebed with Granite Mountain in the background.

Reason to Live #10406

 That first sip of a cold soda or lemonade or iced tea on a warm summer day.  – Guest Submission

(Please don't add negative comments to these posts.)

Reykjadalur Thermal River, Iceland

Without a doubt, the most spectacular aurora of the year in the Canadian Rockies of 2019 happened early on the 5th of August. Because we are nearing the minimum of the current solar cycle, it’s been a very quiet year for northern lights at the mid-latitudes. That long, colourful, powerful display made up for an otherwise lacklustre aurora year.

Shot this bright moment at Cascade Meadows, Banff National Park. I opted to phone home at that point and wake up my wife, who in turn woke up our daughters and guests. Everyone gathered on the back porch to take in the show!

#Top19of2019

As per tradition, in late December I like to take some time to reflect on my most special moments in photography from this past year. The posts are in no particular order, nor do they necessarily consist of images that resonated with the public. They are all photographs that got me engaged creatively and that depict special moments in the wilderness. I hope you enjoy the images. Thanks to all of you who have supported me all year long. Your presence here is much appreciated and so is every comment. Feel free to share the images. — view on Instagram https://ift.tt/2RYhDCQ