Tag Archives: pit bull

Book Review: The Dog Who Spoke with Gods

9780312291525I have searched for a very long time to get my hands on a decently conditioned copy of this book.  Each and every time I managed to come close it seemed to slip through my fingers.   This book was, after all,  a pit bull-related book so I just had to have it. I continued my seemingly fruitless search for it until I stumbled upon a copy for sale in the one location I had never expected to find it – a dog show.  I had finally managed to get my copy!

Diane Jessup, the author,  has been around the online pit bull community for as long as I can remember.   In many cases, it was a love or loathe relationship for many forum goers with a woman who is every bit the bulldog – a tenacious individual who has stuck to her guns be it hell or high water.

Diane and I have butted heads on numerous occasions on numerous online communities over one topic or another.   More often than not, we have had to agree to disagree even if we had accepted the other’s point of view. Overall,  though,  Diane is a very good representative for the breed – even if we rarely see eye to eye.   Her love,  adoration and respect for her beloved bulldogs shines radiantly throughout this entire novel.

The Dog Who Spoke with Gods takes place in the Pacific Northwest.   It showcases the love of a once feral pit bull named Damien who unluckily lands himself in a collegiate animal research laboratory and a young premed student named Elizabeth Fletcher.  Unbeknownst to Elizabeth,  this dog and the bond they form will lead her to question her beliefs that she has kept steadfastly throughout her life as that bond between human and canine grows.

This book and its plot had me on pins and needles throughout the entire 360 pages.  I laughed.  I cried.  I, ultimately,  prayed for the storybook ending that Damien and Elizabeth deserved.   It was well worth the emotional roller coaster I was on for the entire book.  It was well worth the wait to obtain and read this fantastic and emotionally expressive book.  I would highly recommend this book for any dog enthusiast’s collection even if they do not own a pit bull.

Shelter Dog Saturday: Princess

princess-october2013-5623Name: Princess

Breed(s): American Pit Bull Terrier

Age: 2-3 years old

Gender: Female

Princess is a very sweet girl who has been dealt a very crappy hand.  She was originally brought into the shelter as a court case dog when her owner went to jail.  Her house brother, Tank, was already adopted into a loving home which left her behind.  Princess, however, has a few issues that she’s come in with that can likely be linked to previous care and ownership practices because of lack of training, socialization and rules in the home.  princess-october2013-5624

Princess is dog selective and can be nasty toward other dogs if given the opportunity to be.  She also is incredibly agile and can get herself into a lot of trouble by being able to scale fencing with ease.  She has been labeled RESCUE ONLY by the shelter because of her behavior concerns but it would be worth an experienced home’s time to check her out if they are willing and able to work through her behaviors because she is a very sweet dog even if she’s not keen on other dogs and small animals.

If you’re interested in adopting Princess, she is available for adoption through the River Rouge Animal Shelter which is located at 100 W. Pleasant Street, River Rouge, Michigan.  You can contact the shelter by email at pkelly306@aol.com or by phone at 313-205-1732.

Update: Headed to Rescue!

Shelter Dog Saturday: Puck

blueboy-october2013-5429Name: Puck

Breed(s): American Pit Bull Terrier

Age: 1-2 years old

Gender: Male

What can I say about Puck except that he is absolutely amazing.  He is the kind of dog that I would be proud to have as part of the Work-A-Bull pack.  (Yes, folks, he’s one of those few that if I had the resources to work with another adult dog, I’d be bringing home!)

Puck is a younger dog about 1-2 years old.  He has drive in spades for toys and never let my attention getting toys out of his sight without staring for more.  He likes treats but it’s a moderate drive there since the B-A-L-L was far more important in his life.  With these two drives, he would make an exceptional sport, search and rescue orblueboy-october2013-5435 detection prospect.  He is more than willing to please the other end of the leash if you could please just share that reward!

Puck has not been tested with other dogs or cats so appropriate introductions or an experienced home would be best suited for him who would do slow and proper introductions.  He handled being poked, prodded, pinched and pulled very easily but with his youthful exuberance may be too much for a younger child to handle without dedicated, slow introductions.

Overall, Puck is one of those once in a lifetime dogs out there that an avid dog sport person or active family really shouldn’t miss and he’s available right now at the shelter where no owner came to collect this beautiful boy!

If you’re interested in adopting Puck, he is available for adoption through the River Rouge Animal Shelter which is located at 100 W. Pleasant Street, River Rouge, Michigan.  You can contact the shelter by email at pkelly306@aol.com or by phone at 313-205-1732.

Shelter Dog Saturday: Butterscotch

butterscotch-october2013-4060Name: Butterscotch

Breed(s): Pit Bull mix

Age: 1 year old

Gender: Female

If you’re looking for that perfect companion or long walks on the beach or an up and coming dog sport star, look no further than Miss Butterscotch.  She is a sweet, relatively low maintenance gal who would love to be the apple of her new forever family’s eyes.

Sweet and kind Butterscotch is a delightful little girl.  She is relatively good on a leash but has some typical puppy-ish exuberance.  She is very, very foodtayloranimalcontrol-september2013-2996 motivated and has a moderate toy drive.  She would do well in a home that was willing to work with her and set her up for success.

Butterscotch can be a bit pushy with other girl dogs because she believes she needs to be the only woman in her human’s life.  She would probably do best with a boyfriend or being totally spoiled as an only dog.  She seems to interact well with the boys at the shelter currently.

If you’re interested in adopting Butterscotch, or any of her kennel mates, he is available for adoption through the Taylor Animal Shelter which is located at 25555 Northline Road, Taylor, Michigan. You can contact the shelter by phone at (734) 374-1354 or by clicking the link to the shelter above.

Update: Butterscotch has been adopted!

Shelter Dog Saturday: Freckles

tayloranimalcontrol-september2013-3011Name: Freckles

Breed(s): Pit Bull mix

Age: 1-2 years old

Gender: Male

Would ya look at that smile on that goofy face!

Freckles is an amazing bundle of spotty goodness. He is happy-go-lucky and full of get up and go. He would do well in just about any family because he is just an amazingly well-rounded dog (we would have taken him home if we didn’t have six already!) with a phenomenal personality to boot!

Freckles, if you’re interested in dog sports, this guy already has atayloranimalcontrol-september2013-3012 pretty decent start to the basics and would make a fabulous prospect for obedience, agility, weight pull or any other venue you may be interested in. He has the desire to please and an off switch when it’s time to relax and chill out at home. I really can’t say enough good things about him. Unsure of how he is with other dogs and kitties but proper introductions to both should definitely be on the top list of priorities no matter what!

If you’re interested in adopting Freckles, or any of his kennel mates, he is available for adoption through the Taylor Animal Shelter which is located at 25555 Northline Road, Taylor, Michigan. You can contact the shelter by phone at (734) 374-1354 or by clicking the link to the shelter above.

Update October 11, 2013 – Freckles was adopted!

National Pit Bull Awareness Month 2013

21423_10151223420059828_576419650_nEvery year the month of October is hailed in as a month of awareness for one of the most misunderstood, mistreated and maligned breeds of dog in modern history – the pit bull.  There are many who would wish to see this breed’s future annihilated and sent into extinction but there are even greater numbers of breed advocates and aficionados who work tirelessly against the opposing side in an effort to reverse breed specific legislation that is aimed to eventually destroy the breed that is affectionately called ‘America’s Dog’ by its followers.

National Pit Bull Awareness Month is only a couple of years into its conception.  The creator founded this month in an effort to show the love and dedication of one very special American Pit Bull Terrier named Tiffin who had crossed the bridge earlier in the year.  This wonderful tribute allowed for the extension of the original National Pit Bull Awareness Day (which was started in 2007) into thirty-one days of advocacy and affection for an incredibly diverse and resilient breed.  This month will allow shelters, breed clubs, other individuals and groups to spotlight the breed through events geared toward education and responsible ownership of this often demonized breed to show that, with a little elbow grease,  this breed can and should remain a part of the heart and soul of so many fanciers across the globe.

 So, the question remains – what can you do to be a responsible advocate for this years National Pit Bull Awareness Month to raise awareness and celebrate your love for this breed?  Well, hereriverouge-september2013-2787 are a few suggestions that may get your creative juices flowing that will not only help the breed but also the community with your positive actions:

– Use the power of social media to share positive images, stories and events involving pit bulls.

– Volunteer at your local shelters and rescues.  These dogs wait for their forever homes and time spent working with them enables them to get closer to the highly sought after end result of that forever home.

– If you’re looking for a new canine companion and can responsibly care for a pit bull, check out those same shelters and rescue groups for your next best friend.  (If a rescue isn’t your cup of tea, which we understand, and you’re still looking for a pit bull, make sure you work with a breeder who is ethical and responsible!)

– Get involved in breed specific activities and events.  Group walks/hikes, dog sports, etc. are excellent ways to network, keep updated on local issues and provide opportunities to passively socialize your dog or to solve a current issue with someone who has one through it already.

– Sign up for that Canine Good Citizenship or Therapy Dog class you’ve been putting off.  Everyone appreciates a well behaved dog no matter what the breed is and eventual therapy dog work will be beneficial to the community as well!

227875_10150183839839828_1098159_nMost importantly, no matter what activities you do this month, make sure you enjoy your dog(s) and be an advocate who acts professionally and politely without being too overzealous.  It is, after all, a hard pill to swallow if one is proved wrong (and something I’ve personally learned from experience many times over!).

Have a wonderful National Pit Bull Awareness Month and don’t forget to celebrate National Pit Bull Awareness Day 2013 on October 26th!