Jessica Siegfried's love of pit bulls began as an avocation and then became a business.
Earlier this year, the Dickson City woman founded Pittie Chicks, which sells stylish apparel and accessories for female fans of pit bull terriers.
In just a few months of selling merchandise online and at canine-centered events, Mrs. Siegfried exceeded her own expectations.
A recent launch of a zippered fleece jacket with Pittie Chicks' distinctive logo, for example, was promoted with a picture of Mrs. Siegfried's sporting one of the 60 available. The picture was posted at 8:45 a.m. and the stock was sold out by 9:05 a.m.
She and her pit bull Lola have become something of celebrities. The two get recognized at pet supply stores so often that Mrs. Siegfried finds it overwhelming and flattering.
"Everyone wants to introduce their dog to me and tell me their story about how they got involved with the breed," she said. "They are more excited to see Lola."
In Kirby Park in Wilkes-Barre today from noon until 5 p.m., Pittie Chicks will be featured at National Pit Bull Awareness Day, an event sponsored by the Luzerne County Pit Bull Owners.
Finding the niche
The idea for Pittie Chicks grew out of Mrs. Siegfried's interaction with other pit bull fans on social networking sites such as Facebook. She noticed that most passionate pit bull owners were young women and suburban moms. The people running rescues and fan pages also tended to be women, an extension perhaps of pit bulls' role a century ago as companions for children, or "nanny dogs."
Yet, most of the pit bull merchandise available was unisex garments such as roomy, not very stylish T-shirts. She wanted something cute and fun, and figured other female pit bull lovers would as well.
A graphics designer at a local advertising agency, Mrs. Siegfried started by crafting a logo, a profile of a pit bull with a heart.
"The pit bull's strongest muscle," she points out.
In another version the dog sports an argyle bow tie - for owners of male pit bulls - or pearls, signifying female pit bulls.
She figured she would do a load of T-shirts, sell them at an event, donate the proceeds to a pit bull rescue, and be done with it. The shirts sold out and people clamored for more. It hasn't stopped since. Now, about one-third of the sales are through events, the rest online.
She has so many requests for a men's line that one is in the works, as are baby clothes and scarves. She recently started shipping internationally. She takes suggestions from customers, such as a child's shirt that says "My older brother is a pit bull."
She has all her goods made locally and still donates a portion of the proceeds to pit bull rescues. Her home has become a collection of plastic bins organizing the fast-turning inventory.
New pit bull owner Nyla Robinson, of Washington State, sees herself as not just a customer of Pittie Chicks, but part of a community.
"I don't know if it was (Mrs. Siegfried's) intention or not, but the Pittie-Chicks Facebook page is a forum for all of us women (and I suspect a few men) who love pit bulls ... and just enjoy the camaraderie of like-minded people," Ms. Robinson said in an email.
Unlikely advocate
As a child, Mrs. Siegfried was bitten by a mixed breed dog. The scar was temporary, but the fear of dogs seemed like it would last a lifetime.
In 2002, she met Nittany, a pit bull rescued as a stray puppy by Jessica's then-boyfriend now husband, Jason.
"Nittany helped me to not fear dogs, and he is why I went from being afraid of everything to loving animals now," she said. "I feel like he brought me into a wonderful family." Nittany died. The Siegfrieds got Lola in 2009.
Being a pit bull owner is a challenge, she said, because of the perception of the breed. The breed often makes headlines in dog attacks and is the focus of breed-specific legislation. Irresponsible owners, not the dogs, are to blame, she said.
"When you have one, you are constantly defending the breed. Whether you want to or not, you become an advocate," she said. "You have to work harder, socialize harder, train better than everyone else."
Lola earned a Canine Good Citizen certification from the American Kennel Club. But some people can't see beyond the breed. Mrs. Siegfried describes how people cross the street to avoid her and Lola on walks.
"I see dog owners afraid of Lola even as their dog is barking and lunging toward her and she is unaffected," she said. Recently, a man stopped to comment on what a nice dog Lola appeared to be. When he learned she was a pit bull, he sneered that no one should be allowed to own pit bulls.
Angry and hurt, Mrs. Siegfried went home and wrote a mission statement, which became Pittie Chick's best selling shirt. In black and pink letters it reads in part:
"I'm on a mission. I fight bad reputations and stereotypes. I am an advocate. I stand up for their breed. It's a privilege."
Contact the writer: dfalchek@timesshamrock.com