I think I just had one of the best weekends ever.  I really cannot believe what a great dog she is, or that she hasn’t been with us for more than 48 hours, it feels like she’s always been here somehow.  We’re sticking to our plan of keeping the lower floor divided, with the cats having the back half and basement, and G in the front half and upstairs.  The cats stare at her through the glass a lot, but they’re not getting puffy anymore and are comfortable enough to go off and do other things or curl up and go to sleep by the door.  Most of the time it seems like Georgia doesn’t even seem to know they’re there. 

Saturday went just as I imagined it, she was glued to my hip the whole day and wouldn’t let me out of her sight.  We went on a few walks and explored the neighborhood, which I haven’t gotten to do at all until now.  I’m trying to work out a route with plenty of grass on the same side of the street to get her used to sticking to one side or the other.  When she pulls I stop and wait for her to come back to me before continuing, and I think she’s getting the hang of it.  She’s met a bunch of the neighbors and one neighbor dog when we were out on a walk, and she’s a huge hit with everyone.  No surprise there.  She put herself to bed around 10ish, and very grudgingly left her cozy spot to come upstairs with us so we could let the cats check out her space for the night.  

Sunday morning started early, maybe too early for little G.  We went outside to do her business and I thought we’d go around the block.  We got about half way and she planted herself and gave me a “Hells nah” look.  I’m trying to avoid tugging on the leash, and I didn’t have any treats (rookie mistake I guess), so she won that round.  We spent a lot of the day working on “sit” and “stay”, which she seems to be picking up pretty quickly, and teaching her which couch can be hers.  She seemed to have that down, but did her best to convince me she had forgotten this morning when she tried to climb up next to me.  A quick “no” was all it took to send her back to her own couch.  We had zero problems getting her to eat, she’s practically the president of the clean bowl club.

I put the cats’ favorite stuff down in the basement yesterday and kept them there for a bit so G could explore their half of the house, which she was very thorough about.  At about 1 or 2 she decided it was ok if I left her direct field of view, which freed me up to do some chores around the house.  She was still following me up and down the stairs, and if she heard me go out the door and come back in she popped by to check on me, but she seems to be getting more and more comfortable with doing her own thing.  We’re also working on sitting and waiting before going in and out of doors, and she’s such a champ with that.  I am in constant awe of how good she is.  We had a few friends over last night, all of them dog owners, and they were equally impressed and charmed by her.  Someone actually said “I’m jealous”.

She’s already such a great companion, and getting better every minute.  We owe much of that to the loving home you and Ben gave her.  To hear that she lost 9 lbs in just a few months and wouldn’t eat a few weeks ago speaks volumes to how important her time as a foster was.  I really believe she is the perfect dog for us, and we would never have known if it weren’t for you, and “thank you” just doesn’t seem to say it all.  Just know that we are tremendously grateful for the time you’ve taken to get to know us, and your patience in helping us find our dream dog.

Good luck with the move, and we’ll certainly be in touch!

-R

We know that those who read our blog are generally already keen to the fact that pit bull type dogs can be great family pets and are nothing to be feared or avoided. Many of you have pit bulls draped across your laps right now, and others work tirelessly at shelters and rescues in your areas to help give lost souls — many pit bulls — a new chance at life. But all the while that you’re doing so much good, could you inadvertently be doing harm also?

I was reading a great article by a kind advocate journalist in our local Examiner online newspaper the other day, highlighting our fantastic pit bull adoption promo that Chick has dreamed up and Little Zee has funded. I was happily bumbling through the article, which talked about how pit bulls were great dogs, more people should consider them as pets, etc, etc. Then, I saw it. And it stopped me dead in my tracks:

“The American Pit Bull Terrier is often recocgnized more for its aggressive nature; and as a fighting dog than for the other characteristics it is also known for, such as: companion dog, police dog, therapy dog.”

Its aggressive nature? Really? It’s a shame when things like this are said or written by well-meaning advocates who just haven’t had a chance to think through how their words sound to the outside world. I put down my coffee and took my two aggressive companion therapy dogs for a long walk to clear my head.

It’s a tough language game, talking about pit bull dogs in a fair and appropriate way. With thoughtful and effective advocacy and guidance coming from outstanding organizations such as Animal Farm Foundation, many of you have already read these concepts. But just the same, in honor of Pit Bull Awareness Day, here is a quick list of “don’ts” to help you be a better advocate:

Don’t call them American Pit Bull Terriers. Unless, of course, you have their papers. These days, any dog with a muscular, medium-sized body, short fur, and a pensive, wrinkly forehead gets called a pit bull. In truth, most of these dogs have no APBT and no Staffordshire Terrier in their family tree. I’ve tried out a number of alternative titles, and right now I’m calling them pit bull type dogs. It’s loosey goosey, and it refers only to broad physical characteristics. Do you prefer a different phrase?

Don’t call them bullies or bully breeds. Those of us who love them think it’s cute, but those who are already on the fence leaning away from liking our square-headed friends are not going to be charmed by this naming convention. Likening dogs who some people fear to bullies on the playground? Not great marketing. If you MUST “cuteify” and nick name pit bull type dogs, why not try “pitties” or “pibbles” instead?

Don’t say “it’s all in how they’re raised.” In truth, there is much more to it than that. Many dogs of all breed mixes are raised well and end up being little devils. Many others are raised in their own personal hell of abuse, and end up as perfect, loving pets. Remember Lollie Wonderdog, our first foster, who was found in a dumpster, starved, bred, beaten, totally filthy, and terrified of life? Odds are she was not raised in a warm and loving environment, and yet, she was one of the most warm and loving dogs we’ve ever known. By saying “it’s all in how they’re raised,” you are suggesting that dogs who come from a background of abuse could not make good pets. This discourages people from adopting, since the history of shelter dogs is so often unknown.

Don’t ascribe attributes — good or bad — based solely on appearance. You know not to judge a book by its cover. And yet, pit bull lovers are quick to refer to these dogs as smart, loving, snuggly, fiercely loyal, great with kids, athletic, etc, etc. Pit bull haters are equally quick to describe them as aggressive, tenacious, and unpredictable. Neither camp is right. Most dogs labeled as pit bulls are actually mixed breed dogs of varying genetic composition — the majority don’t even have a trace of APBT or Staffordshire Terrier in their bloodlines. If that’s the case, then how can it be logical to assume behaviors, good or bad, based on guesswork and physical appearance? This is a hard pill to swallow, even for me. But if we allow ourselves to make blanket positive generalizations about a diverse group of dogs who share some basic physical traits, why do we think it’s fair to criticize others for doing the same, but casting a negative light?

This list could go on: why you shouldn’t assume a dog was a fighting dog or a bait dog. Why the difference between those two doesn’t matter. Why you’re doing more harm than good when you cite fierce loyalty and love of owner. Why it’s crazy to talk about pit bull type dogs being bred for generations for any purpose at all, when in reality most pit bull type dogs are mixed breeds resulting from accidental litters.

In the end, I want to leave you with a little game. One of the dogs in these photos is half American Staffordshire Terrier, and the other one is 1/4 to 1/2 English Pointer. Care to guess which is which?

Hey guys, it’s me Chick, your favorite pit bull! And have I got great news for you!!

Tomorrow is National Pit Bull Awareness Day, and in honor of that, my former foster sister Little Zee and I have put our giant brains together and sponsored a special adoption event at the Montgomery County Humane Society!

You may recall when we did a special fundraiser for Little Zee’s medical care. Well we raised much more than we needed, and Zee generously agreed to use some of her extra monies to sponsor the adoption fees of a few other very special pit bull type dogs at her very own shelter of origin, MCHS. For a limited time only, all adoption fees are sponsored for Little Zee’s Fabulous Four — that means you can adopt one of Zee’s custom-selected pit bulls for free, and only pay the $25 microchip fee. And these lovely dogs are all spayed/neutered, tested for heartworm and other ickies, vaccinated, and come with Little Zee’s stamp of approval. Wowza, what a deal!!

Friends, these four dogs were selected because they have a special place in Foster Mom’s heart, and all have fantastic evaluations from the shelter. All they need is a little spotlight to shine on them, and we hope they’ll be adopted in a flash. And after they’re adopted, Little Zee and I will appoint NEW dogs to the elite “Fabulous Four” team to take their place! And as our wonderbulls are adopted, they will free up cage space for other great dogs in need. We’ll all be saving lives together!

But you can help!! Please spread the word about this awesome adoption special by re-posting this blog on facebook, on your own blogs, and emailing it to your DC area friends who might be looking for a new best friend.

As mama always says — you can’t put a price on a good dog’s love. But as I would say, right now you can bring that good dog home for just $25! Here’s the lucky line up. Our Fabulous Four of wonderbulls:

BEAMER

We’re not sure how Beamer’s name was picked, but we do know that it suits him perfectly. Happiness just bubbles out of this little guy’s ears, and his future family will be beaming every time they’re around him too — he’s that lovable and charming. Beamer is about 8 months old and a very quick learner. It’s tough for a lot of pooches his age to concentrate, but if you have treats in your hand, he’s with you 100%. This valuable skill will make him a delight to train, and very attentive to his future family! He also loves to be petted, and basks in the glory of human affection and attention. And seriously– could he be any cuter?

KERRY

Kerry is just a silly little wiggle-butt! She is three years old, playful and fun, confident and touch-oriented. When you lean over to scratch her butt, she will curve her body into a little u-turn shape to show you how much she loves your attention. That’s a special move I taught her, by the way. When you call her name, she sometimes cocks her head to the side in a mischevious way, to show you she’s listening. Her ears are lopsided and adorable, and get her tons of attention. She walks well on leash and seems good with calm male dogs. She’s a volunteer favorite!

SLOANE

Sloane loves to party! She is an eight-month-old pup who is full of bubbly exuberance and puppy energy, and it’s infectious. Spend a little time with this girl and she’ll have you wiggling, jumping, and grinning from ear to ear. We can’t put our finger on what it is about this girl, but she has some kind of gravitational pull that makes people want to touch her, play with her, kiss her, and look into her eyes. Go meet her. You’ll fall in love, and she’ll be the most loyal companion you’ve ever known.

DIAMOND

Oh, Diamond. Can you get enough of that adorable mug, that patchy eye, and that sweet underbite? Diamond’s face is absolutely irresistible. She is a sweet girl, well behaved, and desparately wants a home of her own. We don’t know where she lived before, but we know that she was well fed — Diamond would love a forever-companion who will take her for long walks to help her burn off a few extra pounds. But in the meantime, I hear she makes a great pillow and loves to be touched. Diamond seems fine with dogs and is great with all people. She’s a sensitive girl who gently closes her eyes when the wind blows, and will flip over onto her back for a belly rub at a moment’s notice. She is so beautiful that people stop dead in their tracks to stare and ask about her. Come check her out!

I hope you’re as excited about my Fabulous Four as I am, friends! Now go book MCHS in your calendar for tomorrow so you can snatch up one of these wonderbulls for yourself, or if you live too far, tell your DC area friends to come check them out. These dogs will truly love you as much as the day is long!