I used to be in this category of people: "Pit bulls are scary. They are bred to kill and protect. They are unpredictable. I would never want one for a pet, or nonetheless, around my child."
This all changed when I met Sadie in 2007. My husband rescued her in 2005 from an animal shelter in Tallahassee, FL. She had scabies, heartworm, an ear infection and was guessed to be around 4-months-old. He had no intention of taking home a dog that day, but he couldn't refuse that pitiful puppy face staring at him through the bars. He made a promise that day that he would never have her live that way again.
Sadie has given us such joy in the time we've had her. If you are a dog lover like us, you know that there are some dogs that just have that something special about them. Sadie is nothing short of special.
Sadie has a very sweet demeanor about her. Many of her qualities seem human-like. She is sensitive and sweet. If you were to come to our house today, Sadie would greet you at the door, lick you like crazy, and follow you around the house. She would sit right next to you hoping for a good scratching behind the ears or patting on the head. Her eyes are the best; she looks at you like she's looking into your soul.
Sadie does some things that I have never seen a dog do before:
Sadie will not eat food unless you tell her its for her. What dog does this? We even have a big OPEN box of treats that sit on the floor of our laundry room which remains untouched. She will only eat them if we give them to her.
She also has the funniest, "UH-OH" face. If she does something wrong, like pee on the floor or chew a toy that is not hers, she will curl up her lip showing all of her teeth. We think its her, "I'm sorry" face.
She also hates yelling. My husband and I have some cute memories of being newlyweds where we would start bickering/yelling at each other and then have to start "whisper fighting" since it would make Sadie shake and get scared. It's like she keeps us in check of our emotions.
Sadie has never, and I truly mean NEVER, hurt a human being. In the almost 9 years she's been alive, not I, nor my husband, have seen her nip, bite, or growl at a human being.
But, I shouldn't lie and tell you she is an innocent angel. She is still a dog. An instinctual dog. And all dogs should be monitored as such.
Here's some interesting/funny/sad things Sadie has done throughout the years:
1. Brought a live opossum into the house as a present - 3 different times. Standing up on couches, swooshing them with brooms, trapping them in trash bags, all make for great, funny memories.
2. Took down a baby deer that was running through my in-law's property in the country. The deer was able to get away.
3. Dragged squirrels and birds onto the bed for us to stumble upon.
4. Killed a barn cat that kept running onto my in-law's property.
5. Attacked a rattle snake and ended up with three bites on her nose and lip. Luckily the anti-venom saved her life in time.
So, it's safe to say, if there is an animal that she doesn't know, and it is on the run, she will instinctually run after it.
There is one animal story with Sadie that melts my heart:
Sadie was acquainted with a baby squirrel that fell out of a tree one Christmas holiday. This squirrel was so young that my mother-in-law had to feed it throughout the night. It would stay in a towel on her bedside table, until one night, the squirrel fell. My mother-in-law panicked when she awoke to see an empty towel. Then, she walked into the bathroom and saw that Sadie had picked up the squirrel, carried it into the bathroom, and nuzzled it into a t-shirt to keep it warm. There, Sadie remained licking it like her own baby. I believe Sadie cared for that squirrel because we, humans, cared for the squirrel. She treated it differently.
Like I said, She is one-of-a-kind.
Many people asked me this question when I was pregnant:
"Are you worried about your dog with your son?"
(The underlying meaning: "Are you worried about your PITBULL with your son"?)
No. I am not worried in the way that many people think I would be. Am I worried that my dog will attack or bite my son? No, never. I do worry about Sadie around my son just like any animal around any child. I am worried about things like Sadie pawing him for attention or scratching his skin on accident. I am worried Sadie will want to play and jump on him too roughly. I believe I am cautious with my dog around my son like any parent should be about pets around their children. It is smart to be aware and watch their interactions, no matter what bread of dog. That's just being a safe guardian.
From the start, Sadie was curious about Carson. At first she would just sniff him and walk away, unsure about the crying baby taking up our attention. Now that Carson knows Sadie, looks for Sadie, smiles and laughs when he sees Sadie, Sadie just soaks up all the attention. And these two have become quite lovely friends.
Wherever Carson and I are playing, on the bed, on the floor, or eating in the kitchen, Sadie is right there ready to play. Sadie has such a patient way with Carson. Carson is at the age where he doesn't know that pulling an ear or poking an eye could hurt Sadie. So he does it relentlessly. He loves Sadie's wagging tale, her clinking dog tags, and floppy ears. And Sadie, loves his attention. She just sits there while Carson is constantly crawling on her until she can steal a kiss and get him to laugh. She will even sit right next to his crib when he is crying until I come and pick him up.
I could just watch them forever. I love that the dog that has loved on us for so long can now love on our son.
I am not the woman that once had a narrow misunderstood view of a pit bull. Now I am a mother who couldn't imagine another dog, or breed, that could be a more perfect fit for our family.
