Someone You Know (and the Benefit of Spreading Out)

I heard this quote from political commentator Ray Suarez on PBS, describing the 2012 Presidential candidates’ strategies for influencing votes:

“It sounds kind of obvious, but the research shows that when someone you know talks to you about casting a vote in the first place or voting for the person that you prefer, that has a lot more impact than somebody showing up at your door with paperwork, a leaflet, or a pitch for a candidate.”

“So they’ve put much more emphasis on having people work their own neighborhoods this time around.”

To me, this describes the heart of effective pit bull dog advocacy: individual pit bull dog owners finding ways to incorporate their dogs into their existing ‘neighborhoods,’ both literally and figuratively.

My husband and I rarely go to stand-alone “pit bull events” anymore. Instead, we make a constant, concerted effort to incorporate our dogs into other networks we belong to.

Martha at Colgate University Class of 2002 Reunion

This is a photo of our dog Martha, who came with us to our 10-year college reunion.

We already knew the hundreds of people in attendance, but those people didn’t know Martha.

Now they do.

And now they’ve had a positive experience with a pit bull dog, through someone they already knew.

Someone from their “neighborhood.”

Once you start thinking of pit bull dog advocacy from this perspective, the opportunities are endless — and oh so fun!!

One last thought: Does this photo of middle school cafeterias make you feel anxious and overwhelmed?

Middle School Anxiety

It does for me.

Seeing ALL those people, not knowing how to approach them, desperately thinking of awkward ways to strike up conversation…..oh, the anxiety! It can be intimidating, right?

So imagine when people are out and they stumble upon a large “pit bull awareness” event. That can also be kind of intimidating, right? All those people, usually wearing the same t-shirt, in a big huddle –that’s too much for some folks.

Sometimes it helps to spread out. Just sayin’….