Everyone needs a good pep talk now and then—especially dogs who face unfair stereotypes.
Tiffney Ross, a proud pit bull mom, recently went viral for the motivational speech she gave her pup, Dior, before heading to doggy daycare.
“Listen, before we leave, we gotta have that talk, okay?” Ross tells Dior, who wags her tail excitedly.
“You a pit bull, which means people are gonna label you a monster the minute you walk out the door,” Ross continues. “You can’t be out on these streets actin’ a fool like these chihuahuas, ’cause you don’t get no second chances. You always gotta be on your best behavior, and I know that’s hard, okay?”
Ross reminds Dior that while she can’t control people’s ignorance, she can control how she carries herself—with pride, humility, and kindness. “You are the most amazing dog in the whole entire world,” she assures her.
Before heading out, Ross makes one last heartfelt promise: “I will do everything in my power to make sure that you make it to your third birthday, okay? Mama loves you.”
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The video struck a deeper chord with many viewers, who saw parallels between Ross’s words and conversations Black mothers often have with their sons. Pit bull discrimination has long been compared to racial bias, with actor Michael B. Jordan once stating, “Black males, we are America’s pit bull. We’re labeled vicious, inhumane, and left to die on the street.”
Author Bronwen Dickey explores this link in Pit Bull: The Battle Over an American Icon, explaining how pit bulls became closely associated with Latino and Black communities in the 1970s. As negative media portrayals of these communities surged in the 1980s, pit bulls were vilified alongside them.
Thankfully, pit bulls are shedding their unfair reputation, thanks to advocates who showcase their true nature—sweet, goofy, and full of love.
And if there’s any doubt? Just look at Dior’s face. That’s not a monster—that’s a furry angel.
Whether human or canine, harmful stereotypes hurt. But having someone in your corner makes all the difference.