I’m on my third pit bull. Amazing and loving dogs!
Society & Animals Journal of Human-Animal Studies
Volume 6 Number 3, 1998
Dogmen: The Rationalization of Deviance
Craig J. Forsythe 1 and Rhonda D. Evans
Texas A&M University
Dogmen are individuals who fight their pit bulls in matches against other pit bulls. This paper uses neutralization
theory to examine the rationalizations of dogmen as they attempt to counter stigma and criminal identity in a world
that is becoming increasingly intolerant of dogfighting. To maintain their rationalizations, the dogmen use four
recurring techniques: (a) denial of injury;(b) condemnation of the condemners; (c) appeal to higher loyalties; and (d) a
defense that says dogmen are good people (their deviance_dogfighting expunged by their good character). The authors
conducted interviews with 31 individuals who fight and breed pit bulls and with significant others in the dogfighting
enterprise, including Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) officials, veterinarians, and local law
enforcement officers. The research also examined newspaper accounts of dogfighting. This article provides some insights
into the social construction of reality of individuals who engage in an activity that most of us find reprehensible. As
with any criminal/deviant behavior, understanding and subsequent solving of the problem begin with knowledge of the
offender’s perspective.