What is Game?.. Cool story passed along

Recently an old friend asked me, "Why do you have such an interest in fighting dogs?" if you ever asked yourself that question, you know that when you truly have the answer you know a lot more about yourself. In trying to explain it to my friend, I realized that for me, it all comes down to gameness.

I think Gameness was what attracted the old time dog fighters to the Pit bull. I think Gameness is the attraction, for that small hardcore element that has been known to set them down for money even today. True, some people call them gamblers, but there are plenty of ways that offer faster action then bulldogs.

I also don't think you have to be a dog fighter to appreciate that Gameness; as evidenced by a new breed of fancier who keeps the dogs for show and companionships. Of course, every Pit bull has admired the power, agility, stamina, and biting of a well bred Bulldog; but these qualities are also present in other breeds. I’ve heard knowledgeable people say an Airedale bites harder then a Bulldog and it's probably true. It would be awfully hard to beat a walker or blue tick hound for stamina; and just watch a German short hair quartering a field if you want to see a beautiful exhibition of fluid motion. But when it comes to single minded drive and persistence, and indomitable will to be master, nothing on earth compares to our American Pit bull terrier.

When a dog fighter had a dog "open to match", he only specified the weight not the breed. Now, if a man could have won the money with any other breed of dog, you know he would've used it. But in many years as a fancier, I’ve never even heard of another breed of dog being used in a fight. That’s because regardless of their physical attributes, they can’t compete with a bulldog will to win. True over the years we have developed a dog with some pretty impressive equipment, but without the Gameness he is just another pretty face.

I realized in talking to my non-violent lady friend that trying to describe Gameness to some people is impossible. It’s like describing how something tastes. If you haven't experienced something just like it, words can’t convey the thought.

My friend however, has an advantage over most people because of her work. She is a psychologist who counsels people who have terminal illnesses. We talked about her experiences with the way different people Handle their adversity. She spoke with pity of those who, having learned of their fate, breakdown completely becoming incapable of continuing their day to day lives; crying and sobbing; a burden to themselves and their families. Invariably, she said the end comes sooner for those people. She spoke admiringly of some of her "favorites", they were persons who although they knew the prognosis, either wouldn't accept it, or they wouldn't let it change their outlook on life. They went about their daily lives, sometimes with more vigor then before, not giving up, even though the handwriting is on the wall. My friends, that's gameness! Harking back to the days when dogs were fought in the Pit. When an owner has conceded a long hard battle in order to save his dog, he frequently asked for a Courtesy Scratch to prove the Gameness of his dog, even though he had lost the fight. He may have made a good Scratch, but if at the end he had been lying "out of holds", not trying to win, then in my opinion he wasn't as Game as some, regardless of how many scratches he made.

Gameness is not the willingness to fight; it's not the courage to get killed by a better opponent. It’s the will to win! Nothing tests that will to win more then the instinct for self-preservation. in the Pit bull, we have one of the few examples of an animal whose will to live is consistently suppressed by his will to dominate and to rule whatever ground he's standing on.

Sociologists have told us for years that the primary instincts are for sex and survival. Well take a look at man. How many men have died for their women compared to the number who have died for their country? As for survival; there are a lot of bodies lying in the fields, ditches, and forests of the world that belong to men that wouldn't run. Of course we're not always that brave. There was a time in our culture when we were taught to aspire to be, but I guess that’s even fading.

In spite of that, I believe that every human being that walks the earth admires Gameness when he recognizes it. Some of us even seek it out. We look for it in sports that tests man's courage. We find traces of it in race horses, wild animals, and to a great degree in gamecocks. It has nothing to do with being a tough guy "who will fight at the drop of a hat". It’s when you’re getting whipped that you find out how Game you are. The same is true of a Pit dog. You don't know how Game he is until you've seen him in trouble. It don't matter how he bristles when you walk another dog by his chain, or how quick he was to take hold o f the neighbors cock-a-poo. As a matter of fact, I don't believe that the overt aggressiveness of a dog is at all relevant to how Game he is.

For example, I’ve had the honor to own a dog that came from the bottom to win a big fight in over 2 hours with no turns. The loser died and the winner was only saved by timely Shock therapy. I would say he was reasonably Game. Yet, it was not uncommon to see him romping with Cur dogs that strayed through the Yard. Many Game, Game dogs would not a fight Cur dogs. On the other hand, many very Game dogs were like kegs of dynamite. They would explode when they saw anything with hair on it. Some rank curs that would turn and run the minute they were topped, were the same way, and still others couldn't look a good Bulldog in the eye. Initial aggressiveness just doesn't seem to relate positively or negatively to gameness. Now aggressiveness in battle is something else again. A Game dog will keep his hold and what’s more important, he'll always have a hold. When called on to Scratch, whether he runs across or walks, he'll be leaning into your hands when you turn to face his opponent. He’ll Keep his eye on the dog and Scratch straight into him without turning his head. He’ll aggressively take advantage of every opportunity to hurt his opponent.


But when it comes to dogs, why partner, there’s only one. He’s not defending his children. He’s not backed in the corner defending his life. He can’t be ordered to do battle. His tail is up, there’s joy in his heart. He’s only going to whip you because you’re standing where he wants to stand. HE FIGHTS BECAUSE HE "IS".

 

It is a good story. It was written by Mr Farmer former ABDA President and editor of the ABDA Gazette

 

Thanks i had no clue who it was from a friend of mine knew i love pits and emailed it to me