I did it. I adopted a dog.
You should know this decision was not taken lightly. Sure, I’d decided that now was the time because I was a bit spooked living in my new house all alone, however this was a decision I’ve been thinking through for many years. My friends remind me that I’ve been talking about getting a dog for as long as I’ve been volunteering with rescues and shelters, which has been a good three to five years now. It was back when I was volunteering at the new Best Friends and Salt Lake County Animal Services collaboration “shop” that I first discovered I loved Pit Bulls and became a Pit Bull advocate. The breed is highly misunderstood.
However when the time came to adopt a dog, I wasn’t sure what I wanted. I’d been talking about getting a Pittie for years, however with such a small house and my yard not being totally fenced yet, I was contemplating a smaller dog. Some kind of terrier, maybe a cute small white dog or something. I wasn’t sure and I knew I needed to do my research in order to find the right dog for me. So when I heard about a local Pet-a-Palooza adoption event, I decided to meet up with some friends and head on down.
Saturday morning started bright and early as Brittany dropped off her new puppy Pepper at my house. Brittany and her older poodle Apollo were off to run a marathon together, but Pepper was too little to go, so I volunteered to puppy sit for the morning. Around 11AM Julie showed up with her Weimaraner Ruby to pick Pepper and I up for Pet-a-Palooza, where we met Brittany and both Pepper and Ruby got microchips which were free for the day. Then I decided to walk through the kennels and see if there were any pups I fell in love with. But there wasn’t.
Since new pups were arriving here and there I walked through the kennels a good three or four times, and though there were some adorable dogs, none of them seemed like dogs that had to come home with me. There was no way I was going to rush into such a big commitment, even though I really wanted a dog, but I knew that when it was right I would know. None of them were right. I did meet a pit named Leo, but Leo was a big boy (he probably weighed 90lbs or something) and Leo and I didn’t really hit it off-even though he was a sweetie. Interestingly enough, I saw my pup there-but he was being looked at by someone else and I didn’t think much about it.
So Julie and I dropped Ruby off at home and decided to head down to the Humane Society of Utah. We looked at so many dogs, and even walked a cute little terrier chi mix who was super docile, but when we asked about his history it turned out that he had been returned due to being a biter and couldn’t be around kids. Even though I don’t have kids, I do have godkids and friends with kids, so I didn’t dare take the risk. In spite of one teeny chihuhua making me feel super guilty about putting him down, we left empty handed.
Salt Lake Count Animal Services was just across the freeway, so we decided to stop and have a look there first. I’d spoken to the lady who was in charge of the Salt Lake County Pit Crew earlier and she’d recommended I go down and have a look if I didn’t hit it off with anyone at the event. We were warned straight off the bat that there were only a few dogs because of the event going on, but we went on back to look at the kennels. Nearly all of the dogs there were Pibbles. There was a gorgeous blue nose who paid us no mind, a pretty tan one named Bubba who was barking and growling fiercely so we passed him up, and several others. I really wanted to meet one named Cognac, but he’s bad with cats so they recommended we meet Bubba. We were assured that even though he was acting crazy in the kennel he was a staff favorite.
The minute Bubba was pulled out of the cage he was a different dog. He was affectionate and happy, and all he wanted in the whole world was to play with a tennis ball. It didn’t take long for Julie and I to decide that Bubba was coming home with us, and after some quick checkups with the vet, licensing, and tons of paperwork-Bubba was in the car enjoying his freedom ride. It turns out Bubba loves car rides.
We dropped Bubba off in the bathroom (which was totally untouched when we returned-good boy!) at my house while we ran to Petco to gather some supplies I needed for a new dog. So much stuff, so much money, but so so worth it. We even bought him a name tag, and since he responds to Bubba so well we kept the name-though his official name is Handsome Bub, and I mostly just call him Bub. After going home we quickly learned that Bubba can’t have soft toys because he destroys them fairly quickly, but he was so proud of himself for it!
As of tomorrow, Bub will have been with me for a week, and I could not be happier. I don’t know how I did it, but I managed to adopt an extremely well-behaved dog. Now, I know that it will take some time to see his real personality as he warms up, but so far he’s been the picture of good behavior. He hasn’t barked (or made any sounds for that matter) since he’s been home, he doesn’t get on the furniture… I am starting to see a few more bad behaviors as he warms up, such as he ate my remote and he peed in the house (but I don’t think he knows how to tell me he has to go out, I want to train him to ring a bell) but all of these things will be corrected in time. When you get a new dog, you do have to keep a constant eye on their every move. This will ensure that you know what they’re doing. Obviously, as the dog has just moved to a new home, he isn’t familiar with my routine yet or the house itself. People do say that new dog owners should expect to have to clean up any accidents that your dog may have in the house for the first couple of weeks until they understand that the garden is where they should be going. Whilst Bub hasn’t done this yet, your dog might decide to poop inside your home. If they do, it’s important to clean it up straight away. There are many reasons why pick up dog poop is so important, but one of the main reasons is because it could cause bacteria to build up. As this isn’t what any homeowner wants, it’s important to make time to clean up after your dog and to make time for toilet training. Bub seems pretty good at going outside, so I’m not too worried. However, it’s something that I’ll need to prioritize for training.
It also looks like he is the picture-perfect dog in terms of his health too. Even though it’s early days, we haven’t run into any health concerns as of yet, which I’m incredibly thankful for. Dog Allergies can be just as common in pets than humans, so before I got him, my friends told me to have a look into supplements just in case any arose, but as I said, it looks like he has a clean bill of health, and we haven’t had to use them yet. I think it’s just fair to say that he is perfect in every way.
He’s even been pretty good when being home left alone all day while I’m at work. I feel super guilty each day I go, and I get those sad eyes every time, and a few times I can hear him scratching at the door and whining after a leave-even if I leave him a bunch of treats-he only wants me. One time I caught him, he had pulled my robe down off the chair to snuggle with it-I think because it smells like me. Awwww.
I’m so smitten with this dog. I keep asking him if he wants to stay forever, and he responds with big puppy dog eyes and the smallest little lick to my nose. I’m pretty sure that’s a yes.
Have you rescued a dog? Tell me about it!
Congratulations! It’s so great to find a furry companion. My cat probably saved my life by keeping my spirits lifted during some rough times. Animals are amazing.
We haven’t rescued a dog since I was ten (That dog was pregnant, and we kept one of the puppies, and now our house is too small for another pet), but I really want to find a dog I loved as much as our first rescue and pup. They were good, sweet dogs.
Most of them are such good dogs. I hope one day you can have another!
Awww Bubba is adorable! Congrats on your new best friend 🙂
Thankyou, he’s such a sweetheart!
I *heart* him!!! 🙂 BTW Your blog isn’t refreshing itself on my blog roll for some reason (?) As far as rescuing dogs….My beloved Bonnie Blue was a rescue. The breeder was going to put her down due to a heart condition. I got her when she was only five weeks old and I had to give her bitch’s replacement milk for a few weeks. I loved that dog so much, and we were lucky to have had her for ten years, sweet baby!
Would you mind emailing me your address?
Thank you! I do too! I wonder if you had the old blogger RSS in your feed? My new wordpress has a new one, though the FeedBurner link should be the same.
Bonnie was such a sweetie. 🙂 And sure thing. 🙂
I updated your blog on my roll and it looks good now.
This was THE most helpful post, as I’m contemplating getting a dog now. Lots to consider, so I appreciate the insight.
Glad I could help! We’re having some adjustment issues, but I don’t regret getting my pup at all. He’s such a great companion.
Congrats on adopting Bubba! He is adorable. I also think pittbulls are misundertood, from what I have seen they are great dogs to have.
They really are misunderstood, every one of them I’ve met is the biggest sweetheart!
He is absolutely adorable! I love pit bulls, too. They’re so incredibly sweet. People don’t understand that if you raise a dog to fight, it will fight – not just pit bulls but nearly any dog breed. Poor things get a bad rap but they are a delight.
Thank you! It’s true, any dog can fight-they’re hunters for a reason. It’s all in the human, not the breed.
He is too cute! I am glad you gave him a chance!
I do not have the restraint you do with looking for pets every time I go to Petsmart on the weekend I want to adopt a different doggie! All my dogs I have had as adults were rescues, some ended up being sick and I didn’t get to keep them long but I think that was part of our path for me to be there for them and help them across the rainbow bridge. My little one now Libby is the best we have had her 5 years!
Thank you! I’m glad I did too. I just love him so much.
Awww I Love this so much! Hooray for Bubba <3 He seems like such a sweetie. He does look mighty proud of his destroyed toy. Haha Too cute!
Thank you! He is so sweet. But soooo clingy. lol
Handsome Bub ♥ He certainly lives up to his name. He looks so proud of destroying his toy. Haha. I’m in love with Pepper as well. She’s such a cutie!
I’ve never adopted a pet before (dog was from a “breeder” and bunny was a gift) so it was really interesting to read about your experience. As soon as I’m able I plan to adopt a lady friend for my bunny boy.
I also didn’t realize that you lived near Salt Lake City. I guess I should’ve since it’s in your bio. Hello fellow Utahn!
Thank you! Pepper is so cute too, she’s such a shy little thing.
You should totally adopt a bunny! There were so many bunnies at my local shelter and the humane society when I was there. Those kinds of places are often looking for fosters too if you wanted to foster one too. Salt Lake County also had a few, and hey! Yay for meeting fellow Utahn’s!
I’m so happy that you ended up with a pittie! He really is handsome, and I’m glad that you two hit it off 🙂 I can’t wait to see more pictures in the future as he gets used to the house and you!
Our baby, Spike, a black lab / Pomeranian mix, is a “sorta” rescue. He was just 9 weeks old when we met him. Hubs’ aunt received him from a neighbor after she lost her rottweiler to old age. Spike got left in the backyard unattended for a little too long and stuffed his tiny belly full of leaves. He stopped eating that day and was a little lethargic. Auntie freaked out, thought he was dying, and said she was going to have to take him to a shelter because she couldn’t afford a vet bill for potential surgery or euthanization. I thought she was crazy and needed to give the poor baby a day to see if he was okay. I knew he wasn’t actually sick, but she was convinced that he was. I knew right then that I had to take this dog home with me, all 8 fluffy pounds of him. He was just fine the next day, back to normal and eating like a little pig. He turned 4 years old last month, and is one of the best 65 pound lap dogs I have ever met.
When we finally have a house of our own, we’ll be adopting another dog, a pittie this time. We had a chance to rescue a pittie a couple of months ago from a neighbor, but we decided not to risk getting evicted for breaking breed restrictions. For now, I’m doing what I can to raise pit bull awareness and hopefully eventually get rid of the stupid breed restrictions.
Thank you! I’m happy too, he’s just so adorable! Aw, I love that story! I’m so glad you took your Spike home, and I can’t wait for you to get a pittie! Utah passed an anti-breed restriction law last year-I was so stoked when it passed!
Unfortunately in Texas there are a lot of people pushing for breed restrictions. We even had a story on the news last week that two pits would not let their neighbors leave their house. When the new crew went to visit the pitties, they were the sweetest dogs ever. One of them was 6 inches away from a baby with no problems. So my husband was yelling at the screen “what were the neighbors doing to the dogs that caused them to act so aggressively???” So many people blame the actions on the dogs, and not the instigators. Ok. I’m done with my mini rant lol. I’m off to look at your new photos!
What a sweetie! One of my girlfriends has two rescue pitbulls, and they are the sweetest dogs! I hate that they are often misunderstood.
Thank you! Aren’t they? They really are great-I wish more people gave them a chance.
Oh, what a cute dog! We haven’t had a lot of luck going the adoption route in our family so I am so glad it worked out for you and he is good!
You haven’t? That’s so sad! I’m really glad he worked out. There are a few things to work on, but he’s really anxious to please me so I think a little training will sort it out very well.
HE IS PRECIOUS!!!! AW!!!! I’m so glad you adopted him. ♥♥
Thank you! I’m so happy I did too!
What a sweetheart, you gave him such a good home. We have three cats we adopted but whenever I hear about any animal being adopted it makes me really happy. I’m also glad that you are an advocate for pit bulls, I think they are very misunderstood dogs, Bub looks like such a sweetie.
I’m glad you adopted some cats too! They really are the most misunderstood. I was walking him the other day and some lady was in her yard with yer kid and other dog and she immediately like grabbed them both and put them inside while giving me dirty looks. I was like ten feet away-chill lady!
I love Bub! So handsome! Congrats to you on a new companion, and congrats to Bub on a new home!
Thank you! I love him very much.
It makes me sad that most of the dogs not taken to the adoption event were pibbles. They really can be such sweeties. And I adore Bubba; I wish we lived closer so that he and Roscoe (whom we also call Bubba sometimes) could be besties. Your boy definitely lives up to the name Handsome.
Well, they took a ton of pitties to the event too-the problem is that they have more pitties than they can take at once sadly. Bub had been to the adoption event and had just come back due to the chihuahua attacking him.
That makes me feel a little better.
Eek! I love love love this post. He is so handsome!!! Walter is definitely a toy destroyer, too, and he’s 4 years old so he hasn’t grown out of it yet! I’m so happy for you and Bub!
Thank you! Isn’t he adorable? Our babies are the same age! And both little toy destroyers… haha
Congratulations!
Thank you!
Oh my goodness, you’re killing me with all of this wonderfulness. He is really handsome! Yes. It does take time to get to know a rescued dog and train them but it’s so, so worth it! I’ve had my rescued boxer boy for almost 4 years now and just love him to death. (Even though there’s a few behaviors that he can’t seem to let go of.) He loves me and accepts me so, of course, I’m going to accept him too. 🙂
Aw, thank you! Boxers are a lot of energy, I’m sure there are things too that Bub will always hold on to-like being a little sneak when I’m not looking… lol But I still love him.
HE’S ADORABLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And. yea. Steel, who has been in obedience school since he was 4 months old, has chewed up SO MUCH. We still crate him (1 year, 3 months) when we leave him at home alone. Its frustrating, but I refuse to replace another damn remote! lol!
Thank you! I think he is too 😉 I started crating him today actually. He spent most of yesterday in his crate even though I was home and the door was open, so it made me realize he’d be totally fine in the crate for the hours I’m at work, and it’ll be safer for him since I know he likes to get into stuff he’s not supposed to and since he’s on bed rest and needs to stay off his leg.
Yep, as long as you never use the crate as a punishment – they just feel safe and know that’s where they go when you’re gone 🙂
So sweet! I love your adoption story! It sounds like you’re the perfect match. We’re getting our pup on Wednesday and I’m SO excited! I expect accidents and bad behavior to happen, but it’s an adjustment period for the dog and us. Congrats on your Handsome Bub!
Thank you, it really is a good match. I’m excited to hear about your pup!
I LOVE adoption stories! We have two and I posted their stories a while back. He is SO cute. I hate that Pits get a bad rap. They’re such awesome dogs. I would definitely adopt one some day.
Thank you! I love those stories too, and pitties are such great dogs! I hope you do get to adopt one one day!
Aww yay! I adopted my pup from the Humane Society about 3 and a half years ago and it was the best decision I ever made!
That is awesome to hear! I think this is a great decision. Sometimes I worry I didn’t think it through, but mostly I’m realizing how selfish I never knew I was-that behavior has to adjust when you take in a pup haha!
He is SUCH a good dog, and what a turn-around from her crazy in-kennel behavior! Makes me sad to think how many pets have been passed up for adoption for activity that wasn’t their norm, just a response to a really stressful environment. 🙁
(now that I think about it, Valentino was like that- affectionate in the adoption center, totally ignored me once he got comfy at home!)
I guess that goes to show you should always talk to the staff at an adoption center, to get the real story on the animals.
It’s so true, and I’m glad we didn’t pass him up just because he was crying in his kennel. He’s just so perfect. I’m glad I took Julie with me, because I had no idea about asking more questions at the desk than what was just printed on their sheets.
I love this! I’m so glad you found your Bub and that it’s such a good match.
My mom has been a foster for years for Golden Retriever and Lab rescues. She’s adopted several senior dogs that wouldn’t have been placed otherwise.
That is so great! I’m always so glad that there are people who’ll take in senior dogs and disabled dogs. Those people are definitely the toughest.