Dog profile for Lenny, a male American Pit Bull Terrier

American Pit Bull Terrier

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Home:St. Louis, MO, Daphne, AL

Age: 6 Years Sex: Male Weight: 51-100 lbs

Dogster stats for Lenny

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(25)


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Nicknames:
Lenny Penny, Lenn-a-bull, Leonardo-de-pitty

Doggie Dynamics:

Energy

sleepy		energetic

Intelligence

silly		genius

Friendliness

aggressive		affectionate

Playfulness

not playful		very playful

Disposition

anxious		calm

Quick Bio:

-purebred

-pound dog

-dog rescue

Birthday:
January 31st 2006

Likes:
sleeping, being in his hoodie (seriously), following me around, riding in the car, going for walks unless it's a bad hip day, eating

Pet-Peeves:
aggressive dogs, getting his temperature taken at the vet, being where he can still see me but out of reach,

Favorite Toy:
he doesn't like toys

Favorite Food:
raw meat, and good quality kibble (Innova Evo, Blue Buffalo Wilderness, Orijen, etc.)

Favorite Walk:
anywhere

Best Tricks:
sit, off, jump up, pull, wait, come and he gets in my loft bed when it's bedtime

Arrival Story:
I started researching American Pit Bull Terriers or "pit bulls" very thoroughly regarding breed qualities, appearance (of a REAL pit bull), reputation, media bias, breed specific legislation (BSL), etc. I researched myself sick as I became obsessed with this breed for quite a while. I had to have one - and I'm a VERY active and dominant person as well, so the breed would fit me well. I wanted one from a rescue because there are so many in shelters and only 1 in 600 "pit bulls" survive to get good homes. I volunteer at my local shelter, and I hadn't been there in a while. I found them at an adoption event one day on a break from work and asked if they had any. The adoption coordinator told me about Lenny and showed me his photo. I was hooked. I stopped by a few days later and took him on a walk - that was it. He HAD to come home with me. I could have adopted him right then because they know me well, but I wanted to put him on a trial basis first to see how he got along with my other dogs due to his fight history. It was a tough introduction and required a lot of patience, but it all worked out. Now I can't imagine life without an American Pit Bull Terrier...

Bio:
Lenny somehow ended up in a kill shelter that euthanizes all pit bulls through no fault of his own, and not by the will of his owners who wanted to keep him VERY badly. He was very well taken care of, and I don't know exactly what happened, but they never would have given Lenny up or gone anywhere without him as he was very loved - what an unfortunate situation. So there was Lenny, on deathrow just because he is a pit bull. The shelter staff fell in love with his sweet temperament and couldn't bare to put him down even though they were supposed to, so they took him to another shelter that gives pits a chance. Lenny found himself a foster where he lived with about 10 other dogs, 7 cats and a few kids. He got along with them perfectly, but she left him out in the backyard all day. Lenny got bored and often dug his way under the fence and came back to the second shelter as if he thought it was a safe place. He did this multiple times. One day a man asked his foster if he could have Lenny (then called Titan) to go hunting with. She did not check the man's background and took him at face value - so Lenny went with the man. With this man he was chained and fought. When they got tired of him, he was hung by a grass rope around his neck and shot at with buckshot into his belly. The rope snapped and Lenny broke his pelvis in the fall and ruptured a hole in his iris (left eye) from the pressure in his head, but managed to get away and show up at that second shelter again. He was unrecognizable as he was almost completely covered in blood with chunks of flesh missing and scars from head to toe with the grass rope still around his neck. The shelter workers were afraid of him because they didn't know it was Lenny and all they saw was a bloody, battered fighting pit bull. They got him all cleaned up and recognized him, but he was put on the city side where animals are euthanized. Lenny sat in wait on deathrow for a second time. This time they came for him, but the man looked into his crooked sweet eyes and just couldn't do it - so that day he was rescued into the no-kill shelter. He was in and out of shelters for two whole years before I adopted him. When I first got him he was covered in scars, but those have begun to regrow fur and his coat is improving. He still has health issues due to the abuse, but he knows love once again now, and has no more need to fear for his life. He's such a wonderful dog that I can't imagine why anyone would want to hurt a single hair on his body. He loves people and kids, however since he was fought, he no longer gets along with most other dogs unless he has a very long and drawn out introduction/walk with a calm and neutral dog - more like a typical APBT. He has an unknown heart condition that causes him to be lethargic and sleep most of the time, but ginseng supplements seem to be helping with that a little. He's a beautiful dog inside and out, and he changes minds wherever he goes for those who seem curious about him. He's capable of forgiveness on a level I'll never understand - a great lesson to us all and for dog-kind everywhere of the true nobility that stands behind man's best friend.

Forums Motto:
Innocence is bliss

The Groups I'm In:
Dyson Dogster/Catster

I've Been On Dogster Since:

October 17th 2009