Macho's story: You can't save them all but you can save one

When I first saw you my neighbor and fellow volunteer was walking you.  You seemed small enough but proved to be too much for her so we traded dogs.  I took you into the play area and turned you loose.  You ran and ran and ran some more.  I tried to get you to interact with me and all you wanted to do was jump in my face and bite at me.  You weren't mean, just annoying.  VERY. ANNOYING.  You never stopped the whole time we were out there.  You were impossible to leash and resembled the Tasmanian devil.  I labeled you " crazy" and "stupid" because you didn't listen to anything I said to you. I took you back to your kennel and told my friends that no one would ever adopt you.  Even I wouldn't want you.  You had been there since September so obviously no one else wanted you either.  You were unadoptable.... why bother?

Much to my surprise a few days later you were gone.  I was told your owner came for you.  THANK GOODNESS I thought to myself.  They must know something great about you because I didn't see it.

I didn't give you another thought.  On my next visit to the shelter I asked the staff if there was anyone new I needed to see.  "No" was the reply "but the annoying weird eyed dog was brought back".  Sigh.  This time you were in the puppy room in a tiny kennel. I walked some dogs,  I did not walk you.  I never walked you again even though I saw you looking at me through the bars of your tiny cage.

I came and went several times and you were always there.  Your annoying face barking barking barking.  Every time I said no one will ever adopt this crazy dog.  That was the consensus.

You were labeled as a pit bull which was just another road block to someone wanting you.  Who wants a tiny, crazy pit bull?  No one.  You were also labeled as "not dog friendly".  Great!  You're crazy, hate other dogs and is labeled as a pit. I'm sure I'll have people lining up for you. I'm not convinced that's what you are so I start asking some other folks. Some say you look like a pit, some say you look like a bull dog some say you look like a Boston Terrier.  The general consensus is that you most likely a Boston terrier mix of some sort.  {DNA test results confirm you are 100% Staffordshire Bull Terrier}You have some traits and characteristics of that breed. The shelter is full and you need out.

I started emailing rescues all over trying to see if by chance some special person might take you.  I asked the shelter to take your photo since I didn't have any.  This is what I got.  I emailed this to probably 20 rescues.  The shelter was ECSTATIC when I tell them that I have a taker for you in Pennsylvania.

One very nice lady says they will take you into their rescue. Against my better judgment I decided to bring you to my home because I know you will soon be someone else's problem.   I wanted to try to work with you a little so it wouldn't be so hard for the nice lady.

I took you to Jacks pets on the first day and I bought you a gentle leader.  You could not walk on leash like a gentleman so the LEAST I could do would be to teach you that.  The girls in the store helped me put it on you even though you acted like a giant, crazy asshole in the store.  I hated you.

I brought you home and you acted like a psycho.  I walked around my neighborhood with you in the freezing cold for hours with that damn gentle leader trying to get you to walk without going nuts. You got slightly better.

We came to the house and I brought you into the back yard and turned you loose.  You ran and ran and ran and ran.  I could see how happy you were to just be free of your confinements.  I think you ran around for well over an hour.  In the rare moments you were sitting still I tried to pet you without you cramming my hands in your mouth or jumping in my face.  That was mostly unsuccessful  You were a mess and I still hated you.

You were very interested in my dogs who you could see through the back door so I brought out Brutus to see if you would maybe like each other.

Much to my surprise you love him. 

I think you played and rough housed for 2 hours outside that day.  Long after Brutus was tired you were still ready to go.   You did stand still long enough for me to take a few better photos of you so that I could try to get you out of my house. I told you "NO BITES" every time you would try to nip at me and it seemed to be working except for when you were really excited. I still hated you.

When my husband came home and saw you he made it very clear that you were insane and not to even THINK about asking to keep you.  I get attached to the foster dogs but not you.... clearly I hated you.  You slept in your kennel in the garage that night.  I did give you blanket, a pillow and a toy in case you got bored.  I didn't want you eating the crate! You cried a little, I thought mostly because you were annoying.  We covered you with a blanket and turned off the light and prayed that you would just freaking sleep since we had never seen you sit still.

The next morning I let you out before work so you could run off some energy.  When I let you back in I forgot to pick the food bowl up and you growled at Brutus. You must be food aggressive.... gggrreat.

My husband called me to say that you were still nuts and he tried to take you for a "walk" around the neighborhood and you sucked.  He had your gentle leader on wrong and you hate it anyway.  It was not a good experience.

We had friends over playing darts in the garage. Everyone had left.  It's heated in the garage because even though you sucked we wanted you to be comfortable and feel safe at least until you left. I decided to get you out of your crate and see how you did.  Turns out you love treats.  You did try to nip at me and jump in my face but you now listened a little better.  You know sit and down... who freaking knew?  I was able to pet you without you trying to chew my hand off.  There may be hope for you yet.

After an hour or so I was tired. You on the other hand were ready to go.  I sat down in a chair and put my head in my hands and though to myself "how is this dog ever going to get adopted?  This rescue is going to pull their hair out with him".  Much to my surprise you jumped in my lap and laid down.  As I looked at you I thought no one who has ever met you would believe this. I took a video and I posted it on Facebook and when I watched it I realized that you weren't a bad dog and I didn't hate you.... at all.

In this moment I realized that you just needed SOMEONE to understand you. 

Something in you changed that moment or maybe it was me but I realized that you were a good dog.  You just needed the right environment.

I felt terrible and I've cried (I'm crying now) thinking of all the times I saw you in your tiny kennel FOR MONTHS and didn't walk you because you were bad or annoying.  You looked at me just pleading that someone please notice you and let you out.  I didn't.  Those images in my head will forever haunt me and change the way I think of dogs who are caged.  It's heart wrenching and I hate myself a little more every time I think about it. I didn't help you when you were clearly pleading for someone to notice and my whole purpose for being there was to make a difference in a dogs life.

I bought you a name tag in case you got lost.  It only said "I'm a foster" with my address on it but at least you belonged somewhere to someone even if just in that tiny way.

The next day we took you to doggie day care with our own dog.  You were GREAT.  You liked all the dogs and played hard.

You waited patiently for the shuttle to take you there. 

You loved ALL the doggies!

When you came home that night you were EXHAUSTED.  I let you in the house against my better judgement and you ran right for the couch where you burrowed into a blanket and went to sleep.  I couldn't believe that you weren't tearing through the house like a crazy animal.  When I sat on the couch you came right over and snuggled with me. I think at that point I started to love you. It was a good day for you and for me.

We still had plans to transport you to Pennsylvania on Saturday and when that fell through I even arranged a local meet and greet with a family for you.  They never called me to set up a time after I told them that you weren't the perfect dog.  You needed leash work and a big playmate and a dedicated owner who would exercise you.

This was the first time I'd seen you sleep peacefully.  A friend told me this was likely the most restful sleep you've had in months. 

Slowly you were growing on us.  You were content to play in the backyard and chill on your pillow in the basement or garage or wherever we put it.  You slept in bed and loved it.  You snort like a pig when you get excited and you snore as bad as my husband.

Today we took you to Jacks pets and bought you a coat, we gave you a bath and we laughed at you for being so silly in the car.

 

Macho you love car rides, snuggling, toys, running and playing.  You are FAST and would make an excellent trick Frisbee dog.  You are silly and you snort  A LOT.  You get really excited when people pay attention to you.  I can only assume because you lacked that for the last 2 years.  You aren't a bad dog, not even one bit.  You just needed someone who understands you.  I will work with you on your nipping habit and the jumping but I won't judge you for it.  It's not your fault because no one taught you.  I don't know if you will stay with us forever yet. There may be a more perfect home out there.    Until we find that you can call this home. I hope you always feel safe here, loved and well exercised.  I'm sorry for doubting you and I'm glad we got the chance to know you.

If anyone out there thinks that shelter dogs are damaged you are right.  PEOPLE do these things to dogs.  Shelters and confinements make dogs nuts.  I'm glad I took a chance on Macho and hope that this inspires you do to do the same.  Please share this with your friends.  I know it's a long read but not as long as Macho sat in a tiny kennel going nuts waiting for someone to notice.

I noticed.

Macho, who will remain named that, and I sleeping on the couch. <3

UPDATE!

Macho is living the life I wish for all shelter dogs.  He loves his doggie brother, has learned not to mouth everyone he meets and also can be trusted off leash. He loves kid and  I take him wherever I can because I want him to experience as much as his little dog heart can handle! Our 10 year old pit passed away in March and I'm not sure how I would have made it without Macho.  He was sent at the right time.  I guess it was meant to be.

We hike

I was sick for WEEKS and he was my constant companion.

Top off jeep riding

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@macho.life