My Buddy, Bud.  Yes, he is a Pit Bull.  And  yes, he has that  really big head that I am told is desirable for a Pit Bull.   I know nothing about what characteristics a 'good Pit' should have, but isn't he handsome? 

In fact, he is so much better looking than  other  Pits I've seen, that I thought he might be a mix.  My Vet says "No, he's one hundred percent Staffordshire Terrier...and that's a fancy name for Pit Bull."  :o)

But, it isn't his good looks that won my heart.  It is his loving, caring , loyal heart that makes me love him so much.

My oldest son brought one year old Bud to me as a gift.  My husband had died three months previously, and Les felt  that I needed this dog that he'd had for almost a year.  I didn't want him.  The dog appeared well-mannered and sweet, I told him, but I didn't need any pet, and certainly not a Pit Bull.  I intended to do a little traveling, and the dog would just be a responsibility I didn't need.  What old woman in her right mind would want a Pit Bull?  Everyone knows what a dangerous animal they are...right?

"Mom", my son said, "I am going to leave him here.  I will be back in two weeks, and if you still think you don't want to keep Bud, I will take him then."  And with that he left.  Just walked out the door and left his mother sitting there with that dangerous Pit Bull sitting next to her....licking her feet.

Needless to say, if  Les had tried to take Bud  back with him  when that two weeks ended, we would have had the biggest fight of our lives...and we've had a few. :o) 

Bud has been my constant companion for six years now.  And I do mean constant.  He is beside me every step I take.  Even when he's relaxing and sound asleep, if I try to tip toe quietly from the room, he is instantly awake and trotting along behind me.  At night, he either sleeps on my bed, or on the floor  next to the bed.  But he takes nothing for granted (how many people do you know that don't begin to take you for granted?), and always waits for permission before doing anything.  Even though he has shared my bed for six years, he still waits for me to tell him it's okay before he jumps up.  

There have not been many times that my car has left the drive-way without Bud as a passenger in the back seat....yet he still waits for me to tell him to get in the car.  When I do go somewhere without him, he's okay with that, too.  I can tell him an hour before leaving that he won't be going this time and he fully understands.  When it's time for me to leave and I get my car keys, instead of following behind me, he goes and lays down on his bed in the family room...and just looks at me as if to say, "I know you'll be back, so I'll be waiting." 

He never gets on the furniture, never gets in the garbage, never digs holes in the yard, never barks unless someone is approaching our door(and he stops barking then as soon as I tell him it's okay, and acknowledge that I know someone is there.) or we are playing, doesn't jump up on people (okay, maybe I lied just a wee bit.  He's all over my daughter and one of my sisters when they come to visit, and doesn't pay any attention when I tell him to stay down...but does when they tell him) and never leaves our property...except that one time that a neighbors golden retriever got frisky and came to visit.  He did start to follow the hussie home, and was more than reluctant to return to our yard without her. :o)

We have a very large fenced backyard, with a half acre of woods beyond that for Bud to run free in. (That is also where he takes care of his "personal business".  How great is that...no mess in my yard!)  There is a place in the wooded area that is not fenced, and he could get on the neighbor's property...but he doesn't.  Our front yard is not fenced, but Bud  somehow knows our property line, and does not go beyond it, even though other neighborhood dogs freely run the street.  To me this is nothing short of amazing, for he has never had any formal training.  All it requires is to tell him in a normal voice...as if you were talking to a child...what he can or cannot do...and that's the way it is.  Plus he doesn't argue about it the way my grandchildren do. <LOL>

He gets along well with the neighborhood  dogs, although I don't give him much opportunity to play with them.  He's fine around the other dogs when we go to the Vets.  I really worried about that the first time...he passed the test with flying colors. 

He LOVES people, and the only worry I have  concerning human visitors to our home is that he might lick them to death if I didn't tell him "No licking".  During our six years there have been a few people he seemed to take an instant dislike to, and he has just frozen at a distance from them and growled a warning.  He seems pretty smart, so I pay attention to his warning when this happens.

My daughter and her children lived with us for eighteen months. He loved them all so much,  but they have now returned to the west coast.  The first couple of weeks without them were tough for him.  He slept in front of the door, as if waiting for them to come home.  He didn't eat right, and in general just moped around.  But he's fine now, and seems contented for it to just be the two of us again. 

We have traveled by plane four times across the nation, drove from Washington state to Florida and numerous shorter 300 mile car trips.  He thinks planes, cars and motels are great fun, and always gets excited when he sees me packing a suitcase.  He knows then that we are heading away from home.  He has proven that my concern about wanting to travel was not valid.  He's a better traveling companion  and less trouble than most people. 

I often joke that I have been married three times, but Bud is the best companion that I've ever had.  He showers me with affection, listens when I talk as if I'm saying interesting things,  never complains or gets mad at me, and loves to just be near me.  What more could a woman ask for?

It breaks my heart to know that the few people who have abused these dogs, training them to fight and be aggresive, have caused many to fear them, cheating them out of owning one of the best pets a family could have.

The Pit Bull is very intelligent, easily trained, and will behave in any manner his owner chooses. They are powerful, and can do much damage when they know that is what is expected of them. They are courageous and loyal, and I am told, will fight to the death to gain their masters approval. And I belive that is what the violence and aggresion  is about...not "I want to hurt and kill", but "I want my master to love and approve of me...regardless of the price."

My son gave me the best gift I have ever received from anyone....truly a gift of love.   All seventy-five pounds of Bud is just one big lump of love and adoration.  And all one hundred thirty-two pounds of me loves and adores "My Bud."