When I saw my furever mom I was in the shelter, I was
sleeping on the concrete. There was a
bed, but when I was trying to run across the kennel I knocked it over and then
spilled my water on it. It didn’t make for the best swimming hole, but it was kind
of fun, then those cute girls took it away.
I saw her walk in, a flurry of gesture and excitement and I knew, she
was one of my kind. While I didn’t really
understand human English yet, I could tell she was talking quickly with
authority and used her body to convey her excitement… She MUST be part pit bull
I thought to myself, because she had a HUGE grin when she spoke to others and
she couldn’t sit still! She glanced my
way, asking about therapy dogs she could take somewhere so I got up and pressed
my nose against the cold grey fencing. Our eyes locked – she had AMAZING eyes,
just like mine, I knew she saw this too “pick me pick me pick me” whatever it
was this gal was doing, I wanted in! I
heard her mutter something about pit bulls, and I smelled that thing, not fear,
but apprehension as she explained to the other humans that she couldn’t possibly
take me, because I was a pit bull.
Now, I had been hearing this crap for awhile. As a 12 week old
pup I was taken away from my dog mom and had a human who tended me, named me
King and was attentive to my every need.
He was reluctant to give me that operation humans talk about, the one
that is suppose to make boy dogs calm down, and I was relieved. No operation,
but better, I am a terrier breed, who wants to remain calm? Sides this guy
liked to play rough and was teaching me to be a “good soldier”. Anyways, the man where we lived told him “pit
bulls and other dangerous breeds aren’t allowed here”, and I began to wonder if
I was supposed to be dangerous and aggressive as everyone was suggesting. A week
later I was brought to the shelter. I
was hoping it wasn’t my new home, at four months old I needed a space to run
and humans to love and lick and a home and a yard and – I laid down on the
concrete as the cute girls appeared. I
stood up and gave them my best suave look, I am a handsome boy, they all said
so and while they were sweet – have you ever lived in a shelter? It’s like an indoor zoo for dogs!! There are many shapes, sizes, breeds and some
get to live two in a cage. But it is cold and the humans come and go and for
me, there was this “being a pit bull”.
Then there was this – when you live at the shelter? They make you have that operation!!! I really couldn’t
fight it – one of the cute girls came in, talked real softly to me and gave me
a shot. As I walked with her to a place called the clinic, I realized she had
slipped me something but I felt warm and happy and sleepy. When I woke up I had a cone around my neck
and a pinch in my groin, and I was sleeping, on the concrete. I’m not sure what
they hoped to improve by giving me that operation but I was ready to run and jump
and play! Chewing up that plastic cone
from the inside was the only stimulation those gals gave me!!!! As I sit in my zoo shelter home, I watched as
my neighbors one by one got adopted. I wasn’t
sure what this meant, but they never returned, and there was a lot of
celebration and smiles and joy when they left with their human on a leash. I was thinking, I need to be adopted. .
. the cute girls talked a lot in
dismissive voices about buying puppies & breeders and people who make money
from selling dogs. I am pretty sure I
made someone some money once, and there was talk that I might make a good fight
dog and make some money – but that was at my home, these girls, at the dog zoo,
would have none of that and they were disgusted with people who purchased dogs.
. . So, I decided, being adopted was my
mission.
I am a very determined young pup and got myself adopted! We went home and I had new toys and my very
own soft bed and while I had to go back to the clinic at the dog zoo for some
shots, I knew I was home and would never be going back to the dog zoo again. We would go running every morning and I felt
safe and happy and loved. I am not sure if humans feel what I felt, but I would
do anything for my human, she was always happy to see me and would be gentle
when trying to teach me not to pee in the house and to stay off her dinner
table. She even let me sit in the front
seat of the car when we went to get my shots.
The Dr. told my new mom that I had hip dysplasia. There was a lot of confusion and I could tell
my mom was scared and disappointed in me.
She gathered me up after the clinic women all fawned over how handsome I
was and we drove home. At home she
discussed with her humans how I was going to end up costing her a lot of money
in the long run and I wouldn’t be able to do all the activities she had planned
for us. I was confused, before, the plan was I was to make money for humans
and now I was going to cost thousands of
dollars, and worse, I wasn’t going to be able to run and play and wrestle like
I loved to do?! We went in the car,
drove to the dog zoo, the cute girls greeted me, some were crying. I fell asleep on the concrete.
There was a lot of talk about how I may have a tough time
getting adopted. There was the entire I
am a pit bull strike. Now I had a genetic disorder that might make people not
want to adopt me, thinking I am defective!
The cute girls would take me outside and even some nice volunteers would
run with me in a small yard, on a leash. But, I was frustrated, and scared. I
was a 5 month old pup who had been in two homes and the dog zoo twice! I wanted to run and run and lick someone’s
face but no one had the proper time to do these things with me. I started
dancing, to get my energy out, but the cute girls laughed at me and the humans
who came to the dog zoo looking to adopt were put out by my dance, they called
humping. I get excited, I like to dance, what can I say? One day after a
particularly good run, as the volunteer dog walker was walking out of my pen I
tried to get his attention and nipped his arm. I didn’t want to hurt him, I
wanted his attention, and I didn’t want him to leave. I wanted him to adopt me.
Apparently this was not a good thing I did; because the cute girls were talking
about I would never get adopted. . . I
laid on the concrete, wondering what would happen to me next…
(Hey all! JJ’s Mom
here, as JJ was telling me his Dog Zoo story I realized it may be a days long
post, so here is part one, as told by JJ before we head out to dog park!)
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