Oh Puck, stop being a dog please!
The best way to describe my relationship with my lovabull, is our incredible bond that we have. If Puck was a human, our typical day would be coming home from work, one of us heading for the fridge grabbing a beer for the both of us, then just talking about our day or playing a game…he LOVES to engage with his human during play time, during training, on hikes or just lazy ol’ couch time and that’s very special!
I grew up in a small country town where it was normal for dogs to live outdoors. We would let them run out front without any worry, they were well fed, well taken care of so it is definitely a different world for pet owners today!
Whether it was being in a small town, or as kids we were never introduced to what a shelter is…it wasn’t until my adult life that I actually learned of the overpopulation problem and how some humans and organizations in this world see pit bulls as dangerous animals.
Sure, there are some that have made bad choices from owners not properly managing them but that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t exist.
Before Puck came in to our life I did extensive research on American Pit Bull Terriers and it was overwhelming. Researching only made it more confusing as I’d see some articles about how they’re known as the “Nanny Dog” then next I’d find how a pit bull mauled a child, or how they LOVE all small animals, could never hurt a fly but they are “terriers”, right?
Puck came into our lives at 5 weeks of age, will be 3 this year and boy have we had some ups and downs! Puck is the most sensitive, loving, fearful, motivated, defensive, prey driven, insecure, goofiest dog ever and I would never change any of it! He is the reason for my switching careers from OR scrub tech to dog trainer specializing in fear and aggressive behavior.
When it comes to my Puck, it goes beyond just “loving” him, I want him to get the most out of life ESPECIALLY due to his struggles. Sure, he may not be perfect but there is no such thing as a perfectly balanced dog when it comes to behavior. Most people don’t understand his issues and so its too easy for them to pass judgement.
Of course you can be passionate about a particular breed, especially those that are negatively portrayed but let’s not forget that someone passing judgement on a dog with a challenging behavior, or that owner who hasn’t altered their dog, or that one IG account that doesn’t have the funds for vet care, to me, makes that opinionated individual no better than a pit bull hater.
I’ve been a volunteer for over 2 years (various organizations/shelters), I foster, I donate, I enjoy it. We see what was once a loving, friendly dog come to the shelter, a week later they’re lunging and barking in their kennels. It’s a sad reality and I hear all the time “I could never volunteer from fear of being too emotional” and I get it!!
I see it like this, had it been my Puck in that kennel, biting at the cage doors like a rabid lunatic, growling and lunging at people walking by, he would not be next to me right now, he would be dead, they would’ve killed Puck. My Puck would’ve never had that chance to show is true beauty underneath all that sadness and frustration, my boy Puck would be a statistic.
I have the time to make a difference, I have that courageous heart to help dogs like Puck. Sure it can be emotional! My first week volunteering I escorted this beautiful bully to her photo shoot at the shelter, little did I know it would be the last time I saw her, she was euthanized. She was silly, friendly, chunky and full of kisses, her name was Grace. I will never forget Grace, hopefully her previous family DIDN’T either.
What is an irresponsible owner? What does the phrase “Judge the Deed, not the Breed” really mean? I want to share more about Puck, my social goofy loving pit bull gifted with high fight, high prey, and high defense drive that has overcome so many obstacles at such a young age! How does such a silly dog who sticks out his tongue have such behavior issues??? Stay tuned, it’ll be in my next blog…..
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Hi, I’m Stace.
This is the first in a new series of blog posts I’ll be sharing here on the Lovabull Blog. If you’d like to be the first to see these posts when they go live as well as connect with me individually, come join me on the free Lovabull Social Network, an online community built just for Lovabull lovers.
You can find my personal Lovabull profile by searching for For Puck Sake and once we are friends, shoot me a private message and let me know you read this post! I love connecting with and discussing these issues with other Lovabull parents and advocates. Download the Lovabull App for free now on the iOS or Google Play App Stores.
