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Fighting Dogs Learn New Tricks in Chicago

July 9, 2008


	©Green/The HSUS
	Lead trainer Jeff Jenkins watched as Chris Levels got his dog, Spike, ready to be an ambassador in the 'hood.

By Erica L. Green

They aren't your typical cute and cuddly canines. Their bodies are pure muscle. They have energy and strength nearly three times that of other dogs. And their protective nature is indisputable.

Pit bulls are a force of nature. And—if that energy is channeled properly—their owners shouldn't want it any other way.

Renowned dog trainer Jeff Jenkins drives home this point while working with pit bull owners every Saturday at dog training classes in Chicago’s Austin neighborhood, a city hot spot for dogfighting.

"Genetically, you have a dog who's more intense than 99 percent of dogs walking around out there. They are capable of things those other dogs just aren't capable of," Jenkins tells the owners. "The very thing that makes pit bulls incredibly trainable, incredibly loyal, incredibly gifted athletes is the very thing that people exploit for fighting."

This, Jenkins says, puts more responsibility on pit bull owners—particularly ones who reside in city neighborhoods like Austin, where pit bull owners are more likely to be persuaded to fight their dogs.

Pit Bulls on the Team

Students in the dog training classes, otherwise known as the Pit Bull Training Team, are sponsored by The Humane Society of the United States's End Dogfighting in Chicago campaign. With Jenkins as its lead trainer, the classes help pit bull owners embrace and enhance the distinctive attributes of their dogs, rather than abusing them for dogfighting.


©Green/The HSUS
As an extra benefit, students get to know their dogs better. Chris Levels learned that Spike had a playful side.

Students are taken to Pit Bull Training Team classes by the program's Anti-Dogfighting Advocates (ADAs). The ADAs, who are respected community members with a heart for dogs, work in communities, intervening in dogfights and offering constructive alternatives to pit bull owners. Owners who join Jenkins' class learn how to take pride in training their dogs rather than in fighting them.

Sweetening the deal is the opportunity to have their dogs trained in agility, obedience and recreational sport. The dogs learn skills through exercises that increase their physical strength and confidence. The skill training ranges from basic "sit, come and stay" commands to jumping hurdles and running through tunnels. Jenkins emphasizes socializing the dogs through exercises where they perform outside, among other dogs and people.

No Longer a Liability on a Leash

The second round of classes began in April. More than 15 pit bull owners have joined and stayed committed to the classes, a sign, Jenkins said, that they are getting the picture.

"For a long time, these guys were walking around with a liability on a leash," Jenkins said. "But the impact of this program is powerful and immediate. Each day, new dogs are brought in by young men and women looking for help. The neighborhood that we train in, a neighborhood afflicted by dogfighting and all its accompanying ills, has embraced us. Now, when we head outside to train we are greeted by smiles and thanks from people who previously pulled their kids inside when they saw us coming."

Tio Hardiman, who heads End Dogfighting in Chicago and recruited most of the pit bull owners, said the second round of classes illustrates what the campaign is all about.


	©Green/The HSUS
	Tio Hardiman is on the ground "stopping the horrible violence of dogfighting."

"The dog training we are offering young people with pit bulls in the community is changing not only the dogs' lives, but their own," Hardiman said. "Students learn how to interact with their dogs with confidence and compassion, and help their neighbors to see dogs as beloved partners rather than fighting machines."

Hardiman added, "We hope to bring this program to cities nationwide so we can have a grassroots effect on stopping the horrible violence of dogfighting and the consequences for young people who get involved in this crime."

Looking for Help for Trouble

Tamaris Logan, 14, of Austin, said that he never knew that his dog, Trouble, had a silly side. Trouble has fought dogs all of his life, and has the scars—some of the physical ones are still fresh—to prove it. Tamaris said the training class was Trouble's only hope.

"I joined because Trouble was out of control. Ever since I started bringing him, he doesn’t act crazy around other dogs," Tamaris said. "He hasn't been pulling me and barking."

And Tamaris said that the classes have helped him see more about Trouble than his troubled past.

"He just likes attention, and he's real silly, too," Tamaris said. "Before I got him, he wasn't getting attention; he was mostly getting beat."

But Tamaris now knows there’s hope for Trouble.

"My dog has a long way to go, but he really has improved. And I'm going to try to get him better every day," Tamaris said.

"You Want to Pet My Dog?"

Chris Levels, 16, of Austin, and his dog, Spike, are on their way to passing the final test of the Pit Bull Training Team classes, the AKC Canine Good Citizenship certification test, in July.

The dogs and their owners obtain the certification by demonstrating the skills they have learned in the 10-week classes, on command and without fail during the final exam.

"Before the classes, I really didn’t know what to do to try and help him," Levels said. "Now, he's calm and he sees other dogs behaving. He has just completely changed. He's more focused and has a lot more confidence."

How does Chris know Spike is ready for the July 26 test?

"Before, I used to try and just keep him away from people," Chris said. "Now, I take him to the park and I say to people, 'Hi, you want to pet my dog?'"

End Dogfighting in Your City

Religious Leaders Pledge to Denounce Dogfighting in Chicago

A Nation in the Ring (Part 1: The Dogs and the Territory)

A Nation in the Ring (Part 2: The Costs of Dogfighting)

A Nation in the Ring (Part 3: Pit Bulls as Currency)

Atlanta, Chicago Taking the Bite out of Dogfighting

Ending Dogfighting in Chicago: A View from the Streets