Tagged!

RULES OF THE GAME:
Each player starts with seven random facts about themselves. Dogs who are tagged, need to post in their diary the rules and their 7 pawsome facts. Then choose some dogs to tag and list their names. Don’t forget to bark them a pmail that they have been tagged and to read your diary, or, send them a fun Rosette announcing they've been Tagged! And sent them these Rules.
Check out my diary

I was tagged by Monty. :]

1) Daddy has known me since I was 1 year old. Yet, I didn't become part of his pack until I was 4 or 5 years old.
2) I have bat ears! Most APBT's have drop ears; so, this is very cool.
3) My tail wags faster than my feet move.
4) I can jump above Daddy's head.
5) My favorite place to kiss is the chin.
6) I cry a lot if left alone for too long.
7) I'm the friendliest dog in town. Okay; that's a little biased; but bunches of Daddy's friends have said it!!!

I tagged:
Peanut: 41467
Bo: 170216
Yoshi: 243229
Brutus: 372646

I Want To Be Home For Christmas

Twas the night before Christmas,
and all through the shelter;
not a creature was stirring,
not even a pinsher.

The dogs were kenneled;
so safely with care.
With hopes that new families,
soon would be there.

In one tiny corner;
a brindle pup sat.
He wasn't too skinny,
too shy or too fat.

But there was something about him,
that no one admired.
So he sat and waited;
for the home he desired.

He could fetch, he could chase;
he could tug and do tricks;
But no matter how cute he was,
he was no ones first pick.

He tried to look cute,
he wagged his tail.
But for some reason,
each time; he failed.

He'd had a home once;
a family and a friend.
They promised they'd love him;
till the very end.

But something happened;
while he was growing up.
He got bigger and bigger;
and was no longer a pup.

The once Christmas present;
became yesterdays news.
And his once best friend;
was entranced with new shoes.

So off to the shelter,
the brindle dog went.
To fend for himself,
without an owner; a friend.

The shelter workers loved him;
treated him with care.
And though he adored them;
they weren't always there.

He needed a bed;
in which to lie.
He needed a home;
where he could live and die.

But as days went by,
his hope slipped away.
There was no home, no family,
no bed in which to lay.

Nobody wanted him,
for reasons so far untold.
Everyone looked past him,
because he was a pit bull.

So because of his breed,
in the shelter he stayed.
Waiting for a family,
to come take him away.

The Christmas before,
he was a present for a son.
But this Christmas,
he had no one.

His cage was opened,
and he was pulled out.
His tail thumped
as he wondered what this was about.

As he was walked down the aisle,
leash around his neck,
the others howled for him;
knowing he was next.

He looked at the man,
walking him along.
A tear rolled down his face;
the dog soon would be gone.

He pushed a door open,
and pushed the dog in.
The pup grew fearful;
this was the end.

His tail no longer wagged;
but instead hid in fret.
Something was different;
for he could smell death.

A whimper escaped him
as he was lifted up;
his ears pulled back
when on the table he was put.

He never struggled;
although he was scared.
For our hero knew that soon
home would be there.

A woman nearby,
pulled out the syringe.
And when she saw the victim,
she couldn't help but cringe.

Not out of fear;
or hate or dislike.
But because for them,
she'd alway fight.

A single tear fell
as the needle she prepared;
wanting to get it over with
so she could be anywhere but there.

She approached him slowly;
just wanting to be home.
She didn't want
for this pit bull to go.

But, she soon injected
the fluid so slow.
And, with a whimper,
it was his time to go.

Soon he was gone,
lifeless with death.
But his previous family;
would feel no regret.

Before he died;
his tail thumped one last time.
As if to say thank you for caring-
for giving me a warm place to lie.

He crossed the bridge-
tail wagging away.
He was safe, he was happy-
he had a warm place to lay.

The woman and man,
shed their last tears.
As they wrapped up the night,
to get out of there.

The woman patted his head,
and gave him a kiss.
His brown eyes, his wagging tail-
were both things she'd miss.

The man was soon gone,
and she was leaving with care.
She looked at the dog,
and spoke through tears.

"We may have lost,
this one small fight...
but, Merry Chrismas, Ringo...
and to all pit bulls, a good night."

-Benji, November 5th, 2008

My Dogster Hero

I was an honorable mention in the My Dogster Hero Essay contest!! And, I was asked to share my entry- so decided I'd post it in my diary. Here goes...

My Dogster Hero
By: Lilo

When you have so many great dogs floating around such a wonderful site, it's hard to pick just one as your hero. You have some dogs like Sedona that are always there to let you know what food you shouldn't feed and what food is the cheapest. Then, there are dogs like Bambi that are just too cute for words. These dogs always know how to bring a smile to your face and all you have to do is view their page. Then, there are the dogs like Kaluha- the ones that were rescued and are willing to take the time to inform you about rescue. These dogs seem so intelligent. You also have the dogs like Treader or Firefly- these dogs have young owners but never cease to amaze you with how responsible they are. And, with all these choices out there and more, picking a dogster hero is never an easy task.
So, when Daddy told me I had to do it, I decided to browse the pages of Dogster and try. I feel I found a few honorable mentions. Like the ones I stated above. I also feel I should mention Falcon, Nadiya and Daddy. All of whom regulary post in the Laws & Legislation forums. Without them, how would I keep up with the current laws? The current legislations? They do a great job at informing; and I thank them for that.
The next honorable mentions are Otis, Cracker and Cash. Otis is just an awesome bulldog who is always there to help. Cracker has helped me many times on many different boards. And Cash is simply the best pit bull (besides me of course) that you could ever meet. All of them are so knowledgable. So smart. They all make me happy to be on Dogster.
The next one in line is a simple one. These dogs come in small packs and they put a smile on our humans face after a bad day at work. They take time out of their days- sometimes five minutes sometimes 60- just to entertain us. These dogs are our wingmakers, our animation makers, our picture makers. These dogs are few and far between and when we come across one it's as if we found gold. There are many of them; all of whom deserve a right to be written about. They're all wonderful.
But, who is my hero? The one I feel I should write about? The one I think deserves the title?
The decision isn't easy. But, I think I finally made it.
He's always ready to inform. He corrects us when we're wrong. But, in the process, he never, never never, makes us feel inferior. Nor stupid. He is Zeppelin. The American pit bull terrier. Being a pit bull advocate, I love all pit bulls. They can always bring a smile to my face with just a twitch of their tail and that stupid grin we wear. They are such sweet dogs with an eager to please. I wonder if Zeppelin is this way in real life. Without Zeppelin, I wouldn't know some of the things I know about the American pit bull terrier. Zeppelin's human is a true pit bull advocate through and through- and that is wonderful.
Zeppelin is my Dogster hero.

Pit bull owners As Aggressive as the Media Thinks Their Dogs- Are?

There's a new trend going around in the land of pit bull advocates. I see it every day. It's sad, really- because, if this trend wasn't going around, I think I could make great friends with a lot of these pit bull advocates. But, sadly, I can't. Because, they are picking on my dogs. Not my pit bulls, now. They're directing their hate at another breed. A breed smaller than the pit bull... dachshunds. Chihuahuas. Papillons. That's right. They are literally mauling small breed dogs. And, what I can't fathom is why.

We have the same people here that tell us a dog is a dog is a dog. Train him right. Raise him right. Socialize him. You'll have a friend for life. Telling us dachshunds are more vicious than pit bulls. A dachshund is more likely to turn on you than a pit bull. Dachshunds are mean dogs. Chihuahuas are "yap yap breeds" that bite ankles for fun. Pomeranians are fucking vicious brats. Spell it with me, folks:
H-Y-P-O-C-R-Y-T-I-C-A-L

They are swearing by socialization. They are swearing by the fact that any dog has the capability of being friendly. They are swearing by the fact that every dog is a dog. Yet, they are doing exactly what the media has been doing to their dogs for years. They are making small dogs another target. And, just because chihuahuas or dachshunds or affenpinschers aren't on BSL list now doesn't mean they won't be. Hello, pugs have already made it! What makes anyone think chihuahuas or doxies will be spared? Frankly, I'm getting sick of hearing "pit bull advocates" talk down on my breed.

You wanna know a secret? Of all the dog forums I'm on; smalldogforum, pitbullforum, chihuahua-people, centralpetz and dogster; the only one I have ever heard call another breed of dog "vicious" on over and over and over again is the pit bull one. I have left that forum at least three times because of it. People have called yorkies evil dogs. They've referred to chihuahuas as yap yap breeds. They've told me my dachshund would one day bite me. It's pathetic.

What baffles me is; why are they doing this?

And, can we really blame them?

In this day in age,we; as pit bull owners; are living in fear of losing our beloved pets. I know this; I am owned by two wonderful American pit bull terriers. Every day I roll out of bed I'm fucking terrified that I'll turn on the TV and hear about BSL hitting me. I'm paranoid to leave my dogs unattended. I'm worried that one day; at the old ages of 6 and 10; my dogs will be taken away because they have no papers, they have no records- they're just mutt dogs that happen to resemble pit bulls- and get euthanized because one neighbor complained. One neighbor feared for her childs life. One neighbor worried about her yap yap breed. And, I imagine- that's where the hate rises. Pit bull owners think small dog owners walk around with pride and dignity- not a care in the world. That just isn't true. Small dogs have been banned, too. Small dogs can get banned, too. And, having two small dogs, I know the hate and fear people fear towards them. It's often that I hear "Don't go near that dog! She'll bite your ankle!" It's often that I hear "Look at that little ankle biter! She looks like a rat!" It's often. And, rather you pit bull advocates like to believe it or not- it hurts. A lot of dog lovers say that their dog is like their child. They will defend him no matter what. What do you do when you have two pit bulls, a chihuahua and a dachshund and all anyone can ever show any of them is hate? That's not just one; but four dogs you have to defend. Four dogs that are spat on because they're not golden retrievers. Four dogs that feel racism and prejudice just as much as your American pit bull terrier.

Some pittie advocates need a stress reliever. I think that might be why they pin the "aggression" on small dogs. They're stressed. They think small dog owners have it easy. So, they accuse our dogs of being vicious. Evil. Biters. Not realizing they are going to; inevitably; put our dogs through the same suffering that their dogs are going through right now. It's getting there. I wouldn't doubt if; in 20 years, chihuahuas are "talk of the media". I can see the headlines "Chihuahua mauls infant". You laugh, but pittie advocates are bringing it to that.

I hate to say it, but I think some pit bull advocates can be as aggressive as the media wants their dogs to be; which isn't helping our cause. It's making us look bad. It's making our dogs look bad. Stop being just a pit bull advocate. Be a dog advocate. After all, pit bulls aren't their own species. If you're gonna worry about them; worry about their cousins. Worry about dogs all together. Worry about the miniature bull terrier. The pug. The french bulldog. The boston terrier. They're all "bully" breeds, too. Where's their love? Where's their protection?

Overall, I prefer the company of small dog owners. Pit bull owners are always pinning them as bad people; it just isn't true. Almost any small dog owner I've met loves all dogs big and small. They rescue all dogs. Not just chihuahuas. Pit bulls, too. They care about all dogs. Not just yorkshire terriers. Mastiffs, too. They will tell you that you have the cutest dog in the world if he's 150 lbs bigger than their shih tzu.

Pit bull advocates should take a lesson from them.

I have a lot of respect for the pittie advocates that will try and defend small breeds when they're under attack. Those people have won my heart. We need more of them. Because, as a small dog owner, I know that sometimes- it's hard to stick up for ourselves.

I don't wanna lose my pit bulls. I don't want the breed to become extinct.

But, frankly, I don't wanna lose my chihuahua or dachshund, either because one pit bull advocate told someone that they bite ankles.

It's coming to that.

Is it because I'm a pit bull?

On my walks I notice how all the kids back away.
And the dog walkers walk on the other side of the street.
No one ever wants to pet me.
And, when told I'm a pit bull, people run away.
Is it because I'm a pit bull, Daddy?

I cannot lie.
It is.

No one ever wants to walk through my yard.
The water meter lady will pet my sister-
but, she never touches me.
She wants me put away.
"Restrain her." she sais.
Is it because I'm a pit bull, Daddy?

I cannot lie.
It is.

When I'm waiting in the car for you, people park far from me.
When I'm walking through PetSmart with you,
people growl and say "How dare he. That's a pit bull."
When people walk by with their chihuahuas,
I see their eyes fill with fear.
Is it because I'm a pit bull, Daddy?

I cannot lie.
It is.

I hear people talking about how you shouldn't have me.
I heard someone say I could kill a dog.
I heard you yell and scream because she'd said that.
I heard it all.
All of it.
Is it because I'm a pit bull, Daddy?

I cannot lie.
It is.

I come from a rough past.
People wanted to breed me over and over again.
And they sold my unregistered, unvaccinated puppies for 300 bucks a piece.
And, they kept me outside in chains.
Expecting me to "guard" their unfenced yard.
Is it because I'm a pit bull, Daddy?

I cannot lie.
It is.

I hear you crying at night sometimes.
Praying that you'll be able to keep me until I'm old and gray.
Sometimes when you look at me, I notice a fear in your eyes.
It's really aged you.
At only 19, you seem so much older.
So much more mature.
That look you give me is the same one you give Chance.
Is it because we're pit bulls, Daddy?

I cannot lie.
It is.

You fight to keep me.
You fight to prove that pit bulls can make fine pets, too.
You try to give me the best life you can.
You train me, you love me, you hold me when I'm scared.
You even sit with me when it rains.
And, boy do I love our games of fetch.
You've provided me the best home a dog could ask for.
You've been with me through so much.
Is it because I'm a pit bull, Daddy?

No.
It's because you're beautiful.

Rescued from Vick- Becomes Hero for Pit Bulls everywhere

"Leo — rescued from heavy chains that confined him as one of the pit bulls in former NFL quarterback Michael Vick’s dogfighting ring — is a lover, not a fighter. He now happily frolics in a clown collar as he makes the rounds at the Camino Infusion Center, where he brings comfort to cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy."

Leo is my hero.
Leo was rescued from Micheal Vick. He was trained to be a fighter. He was trained to be mean to other dogs. Some might say that he was trained to be a killer.
Most people would hear "Pit bull. Rescued. Fighting." In the same paragraph and automatically assume the dog to be a menace to society- they'd assume he's dangerous- they'd suggest putting him to sleep as soon as possible so he can't wreck havoc around the neighborhood. The town. The city. THE WORLD!!
But, this just wasn't the case for Leo.
Leo is changing opinions about pit bulls everywhere.
Leo is proving to be a pretty good guy.
Once trained to fight, Leo is now being trained to help.
Once fighting in the pits, held back from life by a huge chain- poorly trained and probably just as poorly socialized- Leo is now serving as a service dog at the Camino Infusion Center- the place he goes to bring comfort to patients going through chemotherapy.
Despite his background, despite his looks, despite his breed- Leo is adored by the patients and he easily brings them joy.

“He is wonderful, and all the patients love Leo,” said Paula Reed, the facility’s oncology director. “They really love his eyes and gentleness.”

About six months ago, the shocking truth is, Leo should've died. Officers had raided Vick's Bad Newz Kennels in Smithfield, VA- and, during the raid they found dogs chained to buried car axels. Forensics discovered remains of dogs that had been shot with a .22-caliber pistol, electrocuted, drowned, hanged or slammed to the ground for lacking a desire to fight. Vick was suspended from the Atlanta Falcons and is serving 23 months for pleading guilty in the participation of the dog-fighting operation and helping to kill as many as eight dogs. Not enough, I'd say.

About 50 dogs were rescued.

One of the dogs was put down for being too aggressive. The others were dispersed to sanctuaries and training facilities across the country. One of them was Leo. He ended up in the care of Marthina McClay. After only five weeks of intense training, Leo is now a pussy cat.

It’s the age-old story of second chances. By living his, Leo helps tear down entrenched stereotypes that pit bulls are irredeemable killers.

“Leo is definitely an ambassador to the breed,” McClay said. “The staff at various facilities will say, ‘I will never see pit bulls the same again.’”

Read more or watch the video at:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25214356/

Taking Strides

It seems that while it seems some cities and states are falling into this "BSL" bologna, other places are taking small strides ahead and forgetting about the past.
My daddy found some good news while browsing Dogster today, and he was excited to let me know all about it.
It seems, in the Netherlands a 15 year ban on pit bulls has been lifted after it was realized that the ban did NOT stop or reduce dog bites.
What erks my nerves is that it took them 15 years to realize this.
If it didn't reduce the number (percentage??) of dog bites AT ALL, shouldn't they have noticed... say... 14 or 13 years ago?? Seems that way to me.
But, hey, I'm not complaining here. This ban lift will probably save the lives of many of my bully brothers and sisters. After all, every dog should be given a chance.
It's just sad to say a lot of the pitties that were alive 15 years ago, probably didn't live to see this day. But, I'm certain they're watching the Netherlands from the rainbow bridge and their tails are thumping in joy- their eyes watching in amazement. So, all bullies from the Netherlands- this is just another battle we've won in this war called BSL!!!

Now, a different country- one closer to home- my own front yard! I'm taking small strides of my own winning people over and proving that pit bulls, American and staffie, make fine dogs, too. I think I'm finally winning the trust of my daddies family. Which, let me tell you, wasn't an easy trust to earn. They were afraid to let me inside to play with the other dogs. They were afraid I'd get loose and wreck havoc around the neighborhood. At one point, my daddy was even shaking in anger while taking me for my walk because his sister said I'd kill Sandy and Sakura and the cats!!! Why would I do that? I love the cats. I play with Sandy all the time. And, I've sniffed Sakura's butt enough times to know we trust each other. So, why would she go and say that? Also, I LOVE people! And, the people around here love me. I would never hurt any of them. But, the other day, my daddy and his sister took ALL of us doggies for a walk at the same time. Except Chance, my bully brother, but he's old and he doesn't do much walking. And, when they were done, they let us inside!!! I felt so happy all I could do was explore, my tail wagging a million miles a minute!! Since then, they've accused me of being mean less- and finally realized it's Cinnamon with the A-T-EY-TTUDE. But, they're working on training her- so, that's okay. I think if I can win over their complete trust- I can do anything!!!

Checking out again-
XoXo-
Lilo

Lilo here, first time poster; long time reader.

For the curious among you, my name is Lilo!
I am an American pit bull terrier mix in a world gone to the pot.
My daddy says Fort Bragg just recently proposed a BSL law- banning my bully brothers and sisters!- he says that the law hasn't been passed here- but Fort Bragg is right around the corner!
He worries for me- I worry for my family.
The last thing I want humans to have to do is say "Here lies the pit bull."
After all, we've had some great pitties in our world- like, the RCA dog and Pete the dog!!
My daddy loves Pete the dog.
And, then, of course there's me.

I found my way into my daddies heart during the year of 2006- but we'd actually known each other long before then.
See, when I was still young; just one years old; Daddy lived right down the road from me. He was young himself. He was only about 12 years old.
Back then I was with a family that he thought to be good people. But, sadly, they moved and left me behind. For three years he watched as I was passed from family to family; overbred, underfed, abused- until, finally, I disappeared for a while.
He didn't know where I'd went.
He didn't hear about me for a year.
Sadly, he thought he'd never see me again.
Then, his sister took me in.
And, eventually, I ended up in his families care.
Where, the inevitable happened, I claimed him.

It's funny how six years ago I was just the dog down the street and now I'm the dog in his heart.
But, it's all worth it. Because, I love him and he loves me.

And, he says that I'm the best dang dog he could ever have.
Well, of my breed- because, he has four other dogs that are also the best dang dogs.