Tattoos??

OK, I'm gonna ask a question here. I want to say up front I'm not trying to get anyone's tail in a twist, but I would really like to know:

Why do so many pit bull owners have tattoos?

In my time in the breed I have seen many owners w/ tats from tacky to tasteful, from one tat to a dozen. But why? As a person who goes to both all breed & pit bull only shows & a former kennel manager at a bording kennel I have had seen the owners of many, many breeds - some of them foo-foo family dogs like Dachunds & Min Pins to tough guy breeds like Rotts & Corsos & I've found in my experince as a whole none are as tattooed as pit bull owners.

So why do pit bull owners do it? We are so interested in promoting a positive image, yet many owners look like they are the sole supporter of an entire tattoo parlor. It appears that for many in our breed that tats & bulldogs go hands in hand.

Why is it that tats are often seen on many bulldog owners but not on owners of Poodles, Saluki, Borzoi, Shar-pei, Bloodhounds, etc.? Go to a show an AKC fun show or even a CKC fun show & you see the every day Joe. But go to an ADBA fun show & it can look like an episode of "Inked!"

Why??? Is it a tough-guy/tough-gal thing??? Please lend me some insight as I am at as loss.

BTW as a side note, I like tattoos so long as they're discreet & done by a good artist. My father has a tattoo, as does my stepmom & father-in-law. I have also dated men w/ tattoos as well as lusted after many from afar.

So I'm not a tattoo hater. I just would like to know.

 

I can buy that it's a tough owner who loves a tough breed. Tough guys like tatts. Maybe they are visual too, although I don't think you can judge a person or animal soley on looks, you have to admitt that tough breeds have a fabulous look ( at least to people like us ) and tattooed people have a fabulous look ( most of the time, to me anyways ) I love tatts...

They type of people who assume someone with tattoos is bad are the same type of people who judge dogs by their breed. I knew a saluki breeder who had several champions and ran a breed rescue, before she ever told me what breed she worked with, I knew, she looked like a human saluki and acted like one too!

 

That is ironic. I have a tattoo. However I have had it way longer than I have had pit bulls. I got it when I was 18 in the Army. It is the same as the one my Grandfather had. His father was killed in front of him by Nazi's So I have a dead Nazi on an Iron cross. Not a dog statement but of a what the Nazi's did to most of what was left of the Royal bloodline of my forefathers. I knew I was going to be infantry from the time I was five. I didn't know I would become Special Forces though. That came from my drive for perfection. I know that Infantry, SF, Spec. Ops. , MP's and SP's, Marine's all use some sort of tough tenasious dog as a mascot. Many Soldiers get tattoo's. Maybe it is a carry over from us or just the rebel in the society. A dog looked down at from the fu fu society that makes most of us want to vomit. It is something that many can relate to and the those that are the one that rebel against them tend to be rebels to the bone. Dad says no tattoo's so I get one any way and mail him a picture type of thing. Many bikers have tattoo's, some people have prison tatts, gang tatts, artistic tatts, spirital tatts. It isn't just Bull dog owners. It is a I want to make a perminant statemant tattoo thing. And when they out grow that stage they get to live with those statements even after they have fogotten what they meant. lol. It has allot to to with the psycological image and not just any thing to do with being tough or not. It comes and goes with stages. It isn't a stereotype thing. I love tattoo's and enjoy them for the artistic value of them. Some of the tattoo artist are real good. Then you have a bunch that fill in the lines from some transfer sheet they just pulled of a computer animated deal. I like the real artist. One thing to note is never put a lovers name there as that may change. I have seen those names crossed out like a score sheet. That does tickle me.

To be honest everyone has their reason that has them and it isn't always an image that we are trying to portray but a statement. Some want to look tough ya. Some of us could care less what someone thinks about how tough or not we are. I know I don't care. I am alive and retired from a sweet hard core job. That is proof enough for me that at least once or twice I was probably tough as nails. You want one don't ya? lol just teasing.

 

I got my tattoo after I lost my first Pit Bull puppy. I guess we are usually more hardcore about the breed. We are willing to their faces and names all over our body to show our love of them and how amazing they are to us. Lets see someone with a Shitz do that!

 

I am planning on getting a tattoo of Mercedes and Blaize together. A lot of people choose to get tattoos of their pitbulls because they are proud owners. Tattooing is a way to express yourself. I love tattoos, my hubby has a few(our sons name). What does having a tattoo of a pitbull have to do with promoting positive press. I think it would help as long as the tattoo is done tastefully. If someone were to ask "What kind of dog is that in your tattoo?" I would say APBT and probably get the usual "Well, blah, blah, vicious, yada, yada" and that would give me an opportunity to educate. I can agree there are many who do tattoo pitbulls to produce a tough guy image, but many are just proud owners. And as for seeing so many bulldog tattoos and not foo foo dog tattoos, that's because well, who wants a poodle tattoo, might as well just get a giant cotton ball on your arm, just kidding. I dont know why.

 

I dont have any tattoos ...so what are you trying to say..im a white trash redneck who lives in a trailor owns APBTs and wears bibs when he rides his harley...cool thanks a lot...you made me feel real good today.....I bet you stole peoples milk money when you were in school huh....BULLY...Jeez ....no seriously I dont know why it seems like that ...probaly just simply male machismo....

you know white redneck trailor bound men with tattoos love APBTs...I never got any because because for the price of work Id want done I could Keep like 3 dogs and condition them and put a little into the yard which is more important to me,.....Tats are expensive....

 

I only have one thing to say. When the breed is gone and we can no longer have the american pit bull terrier I can say I was one of those proud owners and since I cant have my dog anymore I carry his symbol on my back and proudly say I will wear it for the rest of my life. No one can take it from me unless they rip it off of my back LOL man that would hurt.

 

Attila: No, I do not want one. I'm scared of needles! lol. Plus, I have to wonder how great is that tattoo is gonna look when I'm a 70 y/o gramma in a nursing home. Prolly not too great. lol.

NC: I wasn't talking about pit bull tattoos, although many are of dogs. I'm talking about tattoos in general. I know one man who had a yard of gamedogs & he has tats all over his arms. None of them were of dogs.

BlaizenJ: Sadly in America books ARE judged by their covers, so tats have a lot to do w/ positive public press. You get a pit bull owner up there to talk about BSL for example. If he's clean cut & articulate & he will be received much better & more openly than someone covered in tats. Once JQP sees the tattoos right away most of them will close their minds & disregard whatever the person had to say, no matter how articulate & proven their points are.

Misterdogman: I don't have any tattoos either, so don't feel bad. I also live in a trailer. The papers on it say "modular home" but it looks like a doublewide to me. lol. And I didn't steal anyone's milk money - that's just plain mean!

 

I'm not a tough guy and I like tattoos. I've got 4 of them, one on each limb. There really is no link between my love of body art and my love of Pit Bulls, unless you consider that one of my tattoos is a Pit Bull. I just like them. Its not something that can really be explained to someone that doesn't understand the attraction. Same with bulldogs.

 

Never really thought of it like that. I'm one of those people who tries not to judge a book by its cover. Tattoos make a person more interesting to me. I can see your point though.

 

i have 2 tattoo s. its something i like, pit bulls too.
they sympolize thinks that i believe, and i fight for them daily

 

I do not have any tattoos but alot of people already have me labled just because i own pitbulls. I consider that the same line of naive thinking. Then again i live in California where tattoos may be more common then where alot of you live?

I don't judge pitbull owners on appearance but how they treat their dogs.

 

Well, I have a tatoo. I got it in my wilder days. It is pretty preverted. Children at church come and say,"let me see it" as it is cartoon looking, teenagers say,"man, that's a cool tat", and everytime they do I cringe as I hate to be in a place of authority and display such...perversion. Mine is not of a dog, or even a dead Natzi. However,it does remind me of where I have come from. Part of me still likes them in general, but I have come to a place in my life to believe that I was created exactly as He wanted me to be, flaws and all, and for me to alter myself would be flawing His creation. Go figure!!LOL

I remember a time that the majority of dogmen that I knew did not have tats. I believe that it has become a status symbol. And the status sybolizes the same thing that tats, harleys, etc. do. It's kinda funny, I am involved in several things that bring contraversy: APBT, Bikes, Tatoo's, and my being a preacher!!HA HA
J
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I have to disagree with that people think negitave against tattoos. Tattoos are considered more and more alright. I dont look down towards people that have tattoos. I dont think that alot of people think like that. Even though my tattoo is on my back and not seen to the public or uniless I am at a public pool. I have never had one negitive responce from my tattoo, even my dad who hates them has given me good comments on them. They are becoming more and more accetable to the public these days. man that is what I was trying to say LOL

 

Maybe its not fair to judge ADBA bulldogs vs. more familiar UKC or something breeds (min pins, rotts, etc). The ADBA is not as serious in the scheme of things as UKC, AKC, etc etc...I would bet at those big shows, you wouldnt see full-sleeves and such

From what I understand ADBA shows are more laid back, wear whatever, get comfortable and show the dogs. Its not putting on a suit and looking like a million bucks on a pretty combed dog. This is just my perspective on it.

I love ink, I love the artwork, I love the needles, and I love waking up with a constant reminder of something I felt important enough to put on me for life. I got my first tattoo before I got my first dog, if that stands for anything? I plan on many more, and with the right artist,money, and time....all my ideas would be done. A few incorporate dogs, because they are a big part of my life. However, none of them are in blatantly public places, and with a shirt on, you'd never know I had them

 

I guess it depends on where you're at. When I lived in St. Louis, you could usually find a tattoo shop within 10 minutes of wherever you were at. Body mods are evidently illegal in Oklahoma, but because of a loophole, a few tat shops do exist. My mom pointed out to me that you don't see many tattooed people down here. Honestly, I never noticed. But I've also never been singled out because of my tattoos, so I guess I just don't notice them as much on other people.

 

sedalia - I hate to burst your bubble my friend, but most ppl still view tats negatively. They may not tell you, but they do.

Try this - try going to a serious job interview showing your tats. The boss will hire the non-tattooed guy over the tatt'ed one almost every time.

And look closely at how JQP percieves you. Not young kids or folks your age, but every day middle aged JQP. They not say anything about your tat & may even be nice to you. but read their body language. A lot of ppl still think tats = trash.

It may not be right, but it's true.

BTW you DO have a nice tattoo.

 

I can only talk for myself. Culture and tradition! Tattoos was/ is something that belonged to the working class. People that was struggeling, not affraid to get their hands dirty and always ready for a challange. Times have changed, but I think some of it is still there. I had my fist tattoo when I was 17, and my second one when I was 19, long before I had my Pit bull. Im a working class woman, I love a challenge, I love a dog that is not intimedated by anything and that dont care if it is getting "dirty". I dont like a dog that have to look pretty( read poodle etc.) Just see the history of our Pit bulls!!

 

Maybe you just dont notice t on others because they are covered? I dont know. But alot of people now a days have tattoos. Some people you would never guess by looking at them that under thier clothes they have them. I have 7. some are my dogs, I also have one of Crenshaw's Honeybunch

 

you really have a point but all I was saying is that now days tattoos are being seen and more and more accetable whey of life. I will give you some positve feedback on the comment though.