In honor of National Pit Bull Awareness month, I’d like to share my fostering journey with pit bulls and why they’ve become my favorite dogs. Over the last several years, I’ve fostered dozens of pitties for Rescue Ranch. Never for a single second have I felt threatened by any of the dogs in my care. So I’m always taken aback when folks tell me they’ll consider “anything but a pit bull.” They don’t know what they’re missing!
Years ago, when I was working for a veterinary hospital, I noticed that every time I met a nice dog, I came away with a good impression of their breed. Likewise, a negative experience gave me a bad opinion of the breed. Since then, as my experience has grown, I’ve revised those unfair generalizations. I’ve learned that every dog is an individual. We’ve done some myth-busting before, but prejudice isn’t something one can simply argue away. But there is one thing that can dissolve it completely: meeting a lovable dog.
How fostering opened our hearts to pit bulls
Just ask my husband. When we began fostering he thought square-headed dogs were scary. Then I brought home Chloe and her babies. Chloe was a large blue torpedo with a grooved head (that groove is a chin rest, by the way). She crooned when we squeaked her ball, hoarded toys, collapsed in the heat, rolled ecstatically in the grass, ran from bees, and dug like a bulldozer. Her puppies were perfect blue velvety potatoes.
Next I fostered Ash, the Lava fire puppy. Our dogs hovered around him, kissing his charred paws. I still can’t find words adequate for that fostering experience. It was a holy time.
Then came Angel and her babies. Angel was a reddish-gold, solid sunbeam. Our daily cuddles consoled me after letting Ash go. Her puppies stacked on top of each other like rolls in a bakery and revealed new dimensions of cuteness.
After Angel came Diamond’s pups, so small and tenacious. After them came Elke and her babies. Elke crawled onto the sofa to snuggle with our fragile senior cat.
Then there was Thomas, a philosophical little gentleman. Next came dear Ella, so fascinated by small details. Then came Runa with her thirteen puppies. Runa was kind and impeccably polite. She wore a groove across our front lawn chasing her ball.
Pittie foster to pittie mom
When I met Spirit, my heart turned inside out. Spirit was gentleness itself. She embodied patience and humility. Our three months together filled my heart for a lifetime. After Spirit passed, my husband and I knew that our family was incomplete without a pittie.
I helped deliver Andie’s litter during the Mill fire. When we returned to our fire-scarred neighborhood, Andie and her pups came along. Somehow, I knew this was our litter. When it came time for their routine puppy wellness exams, the smallest puppy was diagnosed with a heart defect. I knew she was meant for us.
At just over 30 pounds, Gabby is one of the smallest pit bulls I’ve ever seen. She’s the most tolerant and peaceable member of our pack (except when she’s directing traffic). She gives me French kisses each morning, sprawls like a frog, has a meltdown before every walk, flirts shamelessly with our collie, looks tragic in the rain, adores yogurt, and cuddles beside me every evening. I don’t know how we lived without her.
Meet a pit bull and fall in love!
If you find pitties intimidating, let one of Rescue Ranch’s wonderful pit bulls change your mind. Come meet Miya, Rumi, Chipotle, Mayzie, Henri, Ostara, Jackson, Courage, Sully, Ella, Peterbuilt, Oscar, Reebok, Nike, Ramona, Samson, Kylo, Eve, Arlow, Junie, Paco, Freya, or Rodeo. And if you’ve adopted a Rescue Ranch pit bull, share your story! Together we can change the world for these precious, lovable dogs.
