Dear Mama.

Did you ever listen to the lyrics of the Tupac song, "Dear Mama"?  It is an apology and love song tribute Tupac wrote to his mother in the form of a rap song.  This song doesn't have anything to do with pit bulls. However, yesterday when I met Mama, the foster pittie, out at Nashville Pittie's meet and greet, this song kept running through my head.  Now, it might seem like a stretch to compare a dog to a human mother, but the sentiment I felt was the same.  So, please read me out.  

The first line is "You are appreciated" and if there was anything in the world that I could convey to this little mama dog, it is that very thing.  You, sweet girl, are appreciated.  Mama is a sweet little black pittie who struck me immediately as a wise old soul.  As the dogs gathered the excitement level started to rise among them, you could feel the energy.  However, little miss mama hung back, she took it all in, she watched her back, and I even caught her looking out for young spry Porkchop, her foster brother.  She looked deep in reflection as she skirted the excitement, assessing the situation calmly, making sure everyone she loved was accounted for and safe.  She took her cues from her foster mom and eventually really warmed up to the other people and dogs at the farm.  

Obviously because Mama is a rescue dog, we will not know how many times she was bred, or how she was treated on the short chain she lived on (cruelty in of itself).  But there is a calm and wise air about Mama that resonates with my idea of what it means to be a good mom.  A person (in this case a dog) who sacrifices self  for the betterment of others.  Someone who stays positive and trusting despite what has been done to them, but one who is resilient and strong because of it.  One who bares the scars of life and wears them proudly, as if they are not there, not afraid to say to the world, I am here and these scars do not represent who I am.  


In Mama's foster home she gives love openly and affectionately with her foster parents.  She took her time learning to trust because that is what a strong person who has scars does.  However, she holds no grudges against animals or people for her previous mistreatment, a common trait in pit bulls, not so common in human beings.  Her foster mother thinks she would be best suited with perhaps some empty-nesters, a 1 or 2 person house hold that would let mama watch over them and could give mama the life she finally deserves, as the Tupac chorus says,"Lady... Don't cha know we love ya? Sweet lady, Dear mama,Place no one above ya, sweet lady You are appreciated, Don't cha know we love ya?" 
Mama is content with other animals, as you can see she connected with Donkee, but she might be happiest with someone (or 2) to call her very own, to finally get all of the love she finally deserves and to have people to watch over because it seems very much like her calling.  
And finally she deserves what Tupac recognizes every good mother deserves:
There are no words that can express how I feel
You never kept a secret, always stayed real
And I appreciate, how you raised me
And all the extra love that you gave me
I wish I could take the pain away
If you can make it through the night there's a brighter day
Everything will be alright if ya hold on
It's a struggle everyday, gotta roll on
And there's no way I can pay you back
But my plan is to show you that I understand
You are appreciated

Could you be that person or couple? The ones to show Mama that she is appreciated and be blessed with the fact that she will treat you the very same way.  I hope so.  

Peace and Love,

Kris 

Click Here to reminisce with Tupac's "Dear Mama"

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What I Love about my FEROCIOUS(ly loving) Pit Bull

Frankly, I am tired of the inaccurate accounts and pictures of pit bulls in the media, battle-weary, if you will.  But that does not mean that I can stop fighting for the breed that I love.  So, today I just wanted to tell you about some of the best things about my dog-which-as much as I would like to believe is special and unique about my dog (after all, don't ALL parents think THEIR kid is the smartest, best, most well-behaved kid in the world?), as it turns out, are just traits of pit bulls in general.
So, I approach this post in a personal voice, but it is less bragging about my specific dog, and more of a general statement about this breed, even though I still want to think my dog IS the best.  But honestly, doesn't everyone?
Here is what I love about my pit bull:
He does a military crawl!  He slides around on his belly with his legs out behind him like a frog and scoots.  Usually this is done when he knows he isn't supposed to move (like at dinner), he pretends to just be laying there being a good dog, and then when he thinks you aren't looking, he uses his stealthy soldier skills to scoot forward.  When spotted, he stops and puts his head down, as if his movement was my imagination!  You can't tell me that isn't smart.  It is rascally, no doubt, but darn if it isn't cute.  And I go along with it, kind of like when you let your kid beat you at Go Fish because you love them.
He guards my front door like the soldier that he apparently is.  If there is an imminent threat he runs to me, crying, CRYING. This cracks me up.  At the front door he puffs up and gives his big dog warning bark, and then he runs to his momma, with his whiny voice, looking to me for reassurance.  How is THAT for a "Ferocious" pit bull?!
He doesn't realize that he is 77.5 lbs.  And I mean that as in he throws his body around with no regard for his heft and block head.  Sitting on the couch he really believes that he fits in the crux of my lap (not even close to possible) but he tries with the determination of the soldier that he is.  Bless his heart, as they say in this here south.  And mostly I let him, even though I have come out with a few "love scars" where his nails or weight is thrown around with his enthusiastic love.
He loves to spoon.  This is one of my most favorite parts about this breed.  This trait has been in every pit bull I have ever known.  I know other dogs like to snuggle, but pitties snuggle into you.  If my legs are in the shape of a C, Kao fits the curve of his back perfectly into that space.  I love that. 
While I sleep he is always watching over me and touching me in some capacity.  Perhaps this is for his own benefit, but it really feels like it is so that I know he is always there.
And the best part of all was something I thought was a simple fluke.  Sometimes, in the depths of sleep I have nightmares.  These nightmares are so detrimental to me that I wake up either crying or screaming.  I know, not cool, but maybe not uncommon either.  Every time this happens, I am gently awoken by Kao who sweetly takes his paw and places it on me so that I know that I am not alone.  I realize this might be giving him too much credit.  But how else can it be explained?  He does it EVERY TIME.  And it immediately helps me get my heart rate under control and reminds me that I am not alone, and I am safe. 
Which leads me to the best part of owning a pit bull.  The companionship is unparallelled.  He follows my lead on everything, meeting new people, tolerating small children, and how to behave when out and about.  And as much as I know we have a special bond, he loves everyone that will come into our house and who gives him a smidgen of attention.  Although I must admit that his snuggling does seem abrasive at times, but even that I find down-right adorable. 
He is my little (ok, big) soldier, he is my protector, he is, as cliche as it sounds, my best friend. 
Peace and love,

Kris and Kao

We love new beginnings!

Kao

     Who doesn't love new beginnings? After all, anyone who has lived a full life appreciates the opportunity to start anew when given the chance.  The people here at Nashville Pittie have been kind enough to ask me to start a blog and I am thrilled to represent this compassionate, hard working, and let's face it, kick-ass group of people and their furry, rescued or otherwise, beloved pitties. 
     I am relatively new to this group, but I am enthusiastic and at the ready to help the breed of dogs that are diabolical, loving, intelligent, and so misunderstood.  Fortunately, there are lots of people out there, like myself, and the people in this group, who are on a mission to change the negative perception of pit bulls and rescue as many as they can along the way.
     I am a proud pittie mamma and have been now for 4 years here in Nashville.  Yes, I am one of those people that considers my dog "my child" and I don't apologize for it.  However, my history with the breed began in 1991 at the naive age of 18.  
     My pit bull story started when my high school boyfriend and his friends all got pit bulls, at the time I didn't have an impression of the dogs one way or another, I had not heard the horror myths that circulate now in the media.  To this group of young men, the pit bull seemed like a complete representation of them.  They wanted the dogs to be big and strong, to look intimidating, to be well trained and loyal, and yet love on them at the same time.  This was certainly accomplished.  
     During this time my boyfriend had his own dog (Dante), and a female puppy (Alexis).  Dante accomplished his role as a representation of all the things they wanted, he was show boy if I ever saw one.  But it was Alexis who stole my heart.  At just a few months old she was just as well trained and behaved as her older big brother.  I spent a lot of time with Alexis, snuggling, walking, I would take her home to my parent's house, or even to the store.  She was my companion and she wasn't even my dog.  I adored her.  I didn't know that puppies were so smart!  It was my time with Alexis that made me realize how special this breed was.  It was as if she understood every word I said, I had no experience with dog training, but she just did everything she was supposed to.  I suppose it is like being a parent for the first time and having a baby that just sleeps through the night and the parents have no idea how easy they have it.  And as an independent 18 year old, I was ripe for that type of naivete. 
     Alas, Alexis was not my dog, and as my boyfriend and I drifted apart, as young love is oft to do, I saw less and less of her.  Somehow, and I don't remember exactly how this went down, in the midst of our breakup I gained a rescue red-nose pittie named Akeel.  My very own dog.  Akeel took up right where Alexis left off.  He was another golden child, and as I learned, just another true representation of his breed. He followed my lead, listened to every word I said.  He obeyed on command, and at night he literally slept with his paws around me as if they were human arms.  And yet again, I gained an immediate companion, he went everywhere with me. He was a gentle, affectionate soul, who watched over me day and night and helped ease the pain of a relationship break up.  
     In hindsight I see how odd we must have looked to others.  A seemingly stereotypical blonde girl from the suburbs of Baltimore and Washington and her big, fierce looking pit bull. We defied the stereotype. At the time, I had no idea. 
     It wasn't until I had to move back home (living on my own without a college education didn't work out so well for me) that I suddenly realized that people were TERRIFIED of my dog.  I was clueless.  I remember my mother gently suggesting that people might be afraid of Akeel, or that they might make judgments about me because of his breed.  I thought she was over-exaggerating, being a mom, and as the wise young adult that I was, I ignored her. 
     However, it was not so easy to ignore the neighbors who made gross generalizations about Akeel without ever having met him, or even attempting to find out his temperament.   And as I settled back into my parent's tiny house with my 5 siblings, people in the neighborhood got increasingly vocal about their distrust and dislike for my dog.  It made no sense to me.  My big baby, who snuggled with my younger brothers, who was bossed around by the family cat, who showed everyone in the house what wonderful manners he had; this same dog was being relentlessly complained about in our neighborhood.  It infuriated me, and it broke my heart. 
     Ultimately, my neighbors with small children refused to let their kids play at our house, or even go outside if Akeel was near.  This caused a great disturbance in my family life, and as an 18 year old with nowhere else to go, it came down to me or the dog that had to leave the neighborhood.  My parents just did not want the trouble the neighbors perceived my dog was creating.  He was completely innocent.  Not like the neighbor's poodle who snapped at little kids and barked relentlessly.  He had never shown a hint of aggression, but the verdict was in, and they wanted my dog out.  It was Crushing.  I became one of those people that I hated, I had to give away my baby to someone else.  It was my first feeling of loss, of grieving over a loved one that I could no longer be with, it was out of my control.  And it sucked. 
     Throughout the years, every time I encountered another loss or difficult period, I longed for Akeel; and I knew that one day, when all the factors lined up, I would have another dog, and I knew it would be a pit bull. 
     Thankfully, I am now in such a place with my love-a-bull Kao. I am single woman with a house, a fenced yard, a school teacher's schedule, and a lake in my neighborhood (Kao is an avid swimmer).   He is a big fellow, and he is a mamma's boy, the ultimate snuggle-bug.  He watches over my foster daughter and my nieces and nephews with the diligence of a soldier, and he makes me smile EVERYDAY. Sometimes he snores, but hey, we all have our endearing flaws. 
     I dedicate this blog to the plethora of people who have had similar experiences.  People who are loyal, smart, socia-bull, and just plain loving; who advocate, rescue, and educate tirelessly.  I am proud to be a part of Nashville Pittie because the people in this group have all the same traits as the breed they champion for.  It is with great pleasure that I start this new beginning and hope that many of our pit bull friends will have a chance at their own new beginning with every new reader that comes across this page. Welcome to our new feature, and I hope you return again and again.  Or better yet, I hope I see you out in the trenches with us, doing this beautiful breed their due justice. 
Peace and love,
~Kris