Calling APBT types pibbles

[Renee750il]

it's also a commonly used abbreviation of american pit bull terrier used by many many knowledgeable breed people, in the same way that lab is used to signify labrador retriever and westie is used because west highland white terrier is a mouthful.

sure it's used incorrectly and inaccurately by some groups. i don't see that as having anything to do with what the breed is or isn't. just because the teevee is calling a mastiff cross a pit bull doesn't make the pit bull not a pit bull.

And I've caught myself doing it, too, but I try to make sure I don't do it unless I'm around people who already know the difference

But, if I'm around people who do not know, I'm very careful to introduce Tallulah as an American Pit Bull Terrier, which often gives me a chance to do a little teaching and monster-myth dispelling :thumbup:

 

[SizzleDog]

Pibble sounds like dribble.... and I can't think of anything that dribbles as being attractive or positive.

 

[Beanie]

Pibble sounds like dribble.... and I can't think of anything that dribbles as being attractive or positive.

I think this is why I picture somebody slobbering on themselves when I hear it...

 

[Sit Stay]

I don't own a pit, but I honestly couldn't care less. I do say it - actually, I type it when gushing over something cute or something, I don't use it in a RL conversation. Just an internet thing for me I suppose - like how I type "Chi" but always say "Chihuahua" in real life. I do say Dobe in real life though!

I do get why people can get offended though. Like I don't like it when people call Dally a heeler. Okay, it's a pretty common name for the breed, but when I think of "heeler" I think of all the ACD crosses I've seen called as just that (not "heeler cross" - just "heeler"). It seems like people use "heeler" as a type, not a nickname for the ACD. I never correct them (because they aren't wrong), and I don't want to seem like a snob, but my dog is an Australian Cattle Dog!

 

[elegy]

And I've caught myself doing it, too, but I try to make sure I don't do it unless I'm around people who already know the difference

But, if I'm around people who do not know, I'm very careful to introduce Tallulah as an American Pit Bull Terrier, which often gives me a chance to do a little teaching and monster-myth dispelling :thumbup:

i introduce my dogs as pit bulls. if people connect their friendly, fun-loving selves with the monster stories on tv, more's the better. if i can cause some cognitive dissonance- the dogs in front of them are not what they see on the television screen- i can make a big impression.

i'm not interested in playing a name game.

 

[Picklepaige]

I don't own a pit, but I honestly couldn't care less. I do say it - actually, I type it when gushing over something cute or something, I don't use it in a RL conversation. Just an internet thing for me I suppose - like how I type "Chi" but always say "Chihuahua" in real life. I do say Dobe in real life though!

I do get why people can get offended though. Like I don't like it when people call Dally a heeler. Okay, it's a pretty common name for the breed, but when I think of "heeler" I think of all the ACD crosses I've seen called as just that (not "heeler cross" - just "heeler"). It seems like people use "heeler" as a type, not a nickname for the ACD. I never correct them (because they aren't wrong), and I don't want to seem like a snob, but my dog is an Australian Cattle Dog!

Really? That's so strange to me that you don't like it. I live in the deep South, and I'd never even heard the word Australian Cattle Dog until I came here to Chaz. The breed is either called a blue or red heeler down here. All the hardcore working breeders use the name, even.

 

[Renee750il]

I think there is probably a big difference in perceptions in different regions of the U.S. It's a MUCH bigger deal down here in the south, especially in some regions, than it seems to be in other parts of the U.S.

 

[SizzleDog]

We have "heelers" here too - red heelers, blue heelers. Yeah, they're ACDs but very few people call them that. It's weird.

 

[Sit Stay]

I probably wouldn't mind at all if everyone called them that! I'm just so used to people calling everything that looks like it could have some ACD in it a heeler. Like I said, it's not even like they're in the wrong because ACD DOES = heeler, I think it's just a snobby me thing.

 

[thehoundgirl]

Meh, I don't really like it lol. I love the breed but will not call them pibbles.

 

[Saeleofu]

I see it along the same lines of calling Malinois "Melonhead" or calling a Corgi "Bunny Butt". Just a nickname and no big deal.

Same. Like calling my collie Pokeynose. Just a cute nickname when you want to be silly.

 

[Lossalfling]

I would use the term here or anong friends... but not in public. It would always be APBT, if anyone asked me.

 

[oc_spirit]

I heard it for the first time during the debate whether to ban pit bulls in ON. I found it was just a cute nickname to call them that was "less threatening" to your average person. Not anything the stupid names branded on designer "breeds". Fun and cute thats it.

I also heard some people calling them "Pitter-pats" in a cutsie way not realizing that thats a term given to APBT/Patterdale crosses.

 

[whiplashapbt]

It actually quite annoys me. APBTs are not "pibbles" or "pitties" or "pits" or "pit bulls" or "pet bulls" they are American Pit Bull Terriers if you want to shorten that why not just call them APBTs, jmo though.

 

[corgipower]

APBTs are not "pibbles" or "pitties" or "pits" or "pit bulls" or "pet bulls" they are American Pit Bull Terriers if you want to shorten that why not just call them APBTs, jmo though.

Well, for one thing APBT is still four syllables, which is still kinda long. For another thing, APBT is a bit of a tongue twister. And for a third thing, a typo or a little bit of unclear speaking and APBT turns into APDT.

So if shortening the name by dropping the first and last word isn't OK, then I suppose my dogs should always be introduced as "Pembroke Welsh Corgi"...or if I really want to shorten it, I could use "PWC", except that's the same number of syllables so it only shortens it in writing.

"PembrokeWelshCorgiPower" just doesn't have the same roll-off-the-tongue feeling.

 

[Tahla9999]

Really now people. Really now.

Can't people nickname their pit bulls without being accused of sugarcoating the breed. Shoot, it doesn't change the fact they are intense, potential dog aggressive working dogs. It is just a name.

Hello my Pibbly-poo! Oh come on.

 

[whiplashapbt]

Well, a friend of mine who has Cardigan Welsh Corgis for sure doesn't call her dogs simply "corgis" when referring to her dogs or when asked their breed. When there are several breeds known by a common nickname you have to specify.

This applies to APBTs as well, the world seems to view 'pit bulls' as one of a great number of different breeds. Why wouldn't you specify breed as it's obviously necessary by what gets called "pit bull" these days.

 

[SizzleDog]

In everyday conversation I call my corgis simply "corgis" - because most people don't know the difference between cardis and pems. But when I 'm first introducing my dogs, I always call them Pembroke Welsh Corgis.

The Dobermans are called "dobes" about 99% of the time in the house - I practically never say "Doberman Pinscher" - always just "Doberman" when referring to their breed.

 

[AdrianneIsabel]

I call mine Pitiful bulls and Maligators.

I find Pibble to be silly and slightly vomit inducing as my personality isn't keen on cutsey often but I see no harm in it as a nick name.

I misunderstood the poll at first and thought you meant using the term pibble as a renaming of the breed and not just a nickname... in that case it would be stupid, on the flip side I would pick Meh.

 

[AdrianneIsabel]

Well, a friend of mine who has Cardigan Welsh Corgis for sure doesn't call her dogs simply "corgis" when referring to her dogs or when asked their breed. When there are several breeds known by a common nickname you have to specify.

This applies to APBTs as well, the world seems to view 'pit bulls' as one of a great number of different breeds. Why wouldn't you specify breed as it's obviously necessary by what gets called "pit bull" these days.

Honestly I see no need to bend my wordage. The world will either come around to its sense or not, no name clarification, cutesy or standardized will change that outcome.

My Dogs are formally introduced as pit bulls or american pit bulls terriers or bullys or buttheads or pitiful bulls or dogs depending on my mood. I can genuinely say the reactions of the spin off names endear my audience more and pit bull seems most comprehensible, american pit bull terrier (among non-"dog" people) almost always enters into a stupid conversation about what "type" they are and I have no patience for that. Funny enough when I say they're just dogs people always seem more interested and excited to help decipher their breed and often tell me how it's a compliment they believe my dogs are pit bulls.

I've had this breed for all of my 25+ years and I have yet to see any true damage from saying pit bull nor true gains in breed representation from american pit bull terrier.

I have never thought to say APBT like I say GSD but I feel it would be a tongue twister but cool if it your tongue works better than mine. (that sounds dirty :rofl1


Are rottie, Dobie, Mali, Bloodie, etc offensive to their respective breed collectives? I have friends in each breed (and have mals myself) and they all vary from conversation to conversation in their labeling terms.

Interesting thread...