So October is Pit Bull Awareness Month… Some of you know that several years ago I adopted the most love-a-bull dog a guy could ask for (codename: The Monster Under the Bed or just Monster). Most of you, however, never got the story behind me adopting the Monster so in honor of Pit Bull Awareness Month here’s the story:
I was 20-something, freshly graduated from college, in my first real job, just bought a house (well apartment building actually), and relatively newly single. All-in-all I was still normalizing myself to the real world and was, if I’m honest about it, lonely without a roommate and 40+ friends within 100 yards of me. I decided I wanted a companion and for me, at that time, that meant adopting a dog (I had already been convinced of the merits of adopting over buying by an ex).
With my adoption plan in mind I started scouring the shelter websites for a dog (yeah, I know that trying to pick out a dog on a web site is like trying to pick out a wife in a mail order bride magazine, but I was young, stupid, and nervous about adopting a dog so I wanted the most non-committal situation I could swing). I found several dogs I wanted to meet and visited several shelters. None of them were a good fit for me.
Finally I got around to visiting a dog at a shelter that had a one year old collie-shepherd-retriever mix. I was really excited about meeting this dog. I thought she might be the one. The adoption counselor put me in the closed off room with her. The dog went bonkers. She peed on my feet, shed several pounds of hair, was panting at a worrying rate, and even nipped at me a little. This obviously was not the dog for me. Somewhat dejected and let down I told the adoption counselor lady that I didn’t think this was the right animal for me. She then proceeded to ask about my lifestyle and what I was looking for (first shelter that did this, by the way). She told me, “Hmmmm… I think I might have a good fit for you. Do you have time to meet one more dog?” I agreed and she disappeared to the back room. When she came back she had black dog with her. She let the dog go. This 50lbs ball of black fur then rushed towards me, jumped into my lap (making me audibly “Ooooph”), and started licking my face.
Needless to say this love-a-bull little fur ball found a place in my heart at that very moment. As I talked to the adoption counselor I found out that Monster had been at the shelter for several months and that they were having trouble adopting her out because she was black (black dogs are apparently harder to adopt out… weird) and a pit bull. I also found out that she had been found running down the road with a chain around her neck and several scars on her body that were fairly evident of abuse. My heart melted a little more. About a week later this amazing little dog (well not so little, but I call her little) came home with me.
That was about five years ago. Since then Monster has been with me through it all. She’s my constant companion, my care taker (she has literally covered me with blanket when I’m sick), my exercise buddy, and so much more. For those of you that might be scared of pit bulls, come meet Monster. I can almost guarantee she’ll change your mind.
Peace and Love,
-jw
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