Sad today for a silly reason....OT
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| Thu, 03-04-2004 - 1:56pm |
Jersey the Wonder Dog is my puppy. Okay, she's actually 2 years old and weighs 50 lbs, but she'll always be my puppy. I got her when she was 6 weeks old because my brother's friend told him he was going to have the whole litter put down because he couldn't afford to have them. My brother brought me one and said HERE! Rob was in Florida on business at the time and I KNEW he was gonna say no (I had already conned him into letting me have Dixiecat, and the man DOES have limits....). I bought her a blue collar and for the next four days worked on her so she'd be as irresistible as possible. The cat helped, since at that time she was bigger than the dog. We didn't name her- just called her puppy- because I figured that would be a selling point with Rob. He didn't like Dixie's name when she got it, but it has grown on him. He walked in the door and she turned on the charm. After some well-planned pleading, he was hooked. We named her Jersey Girl (after the Jersey Devils). She has been spoiled ever since. She was 'supposed' to sleep with my son (because the cat sleeps mostly with my daughter) but Jersey was often discovered in the morning wrapped around Rob's shoes at the side of the bed. As she got older she started making rounds- she started out in the kids' rooms and ended up in ours by dawn.
One weekend when Jersey was just 3 months old, Rob had drill with the National Guard and my kids were playing with her in the yard on her leash. After a bit I heard strange noises from the backyard and ran to see what was going on. A stray dog had jumped our fence and had cornered my daughter. It was snarling and looked terrifying. Ramey was screaming at the stray and trying to get Rina to come to him. Jersey was still small but she stood in between that dog and my little girl. The other dog scratched and bit her, but every time it tried to get to Rina Jersey jumped back at it and scratched it back. I had to go through the neighbor's gate and lift Rina over it to safety, and send her and Ramey into the house to call the police. Then I thought I could save Jersey from the bigger dog. She was bleeding and limping and I was so scared for her. I came back around and grabbed her leash and yanked her to me so I could grab her and run into the house. It didn't work out the way I planned. I lifted Jersey up into my arms, but I am not tall. I couldn't hold her out of the other dogs reach, and while it tried to get to her I tried to get back to the house. In the process I was scratched a lot. When the dog latched onto Jersey's tail I swung it into the fence and it let go, but I grabbed the fence to keep from falling and it grabbed my hand. I lifted it with one finger because it was latched onto me so tightly. I was screaming like a banshee, I know. I was bleeding and hurt and so was my dog, and my kids were watching me from the porch window. I was afraid if I fell down it would kill me, so I tried to keep my balance but I was stumbling alot. FINALLY two of my neighbors from around the corner heard the screaming and jumped 4 fences to get to me. One grabbed me and wrapped his arms around me and Jersey and then turned so that the dog could only attack his back. The other grabbed the dog and finally subdued it, mostly by laying on it and holding a stick in it's mouth. When the police and animal control and the fired dept. and ambulance (LOL! talk about overkill!) came I was still crying and had to have lots of bandaging to my arm that hadn't been holding Jersey. I had nerve damage on my hand from the stray's grip. The firemen made Jersey a makeshift bandage for her wounds and pointed out to me that the other dog had bitten her throat and we were lucky she'd gotten free. My kids called my friend Teresa who came with her mom to help take care of my kids and Jersey. We all felt that Jersey had protected my kids. We all consider her to be our heropuppy, and we love her SO much.
Now why I am sad- I JUST found out that the area we live in has a law against pit bulls. Jersey is part pit bull, part german shepherd, and part chow. I have contacted city hall to see if this applies to her because she's only part, but they haven't gotten back to me. I will move before I will get rid of this dog. I mentioned the dilemma today to my kids' grandmother (their biomom's mom, whom I love very much) and SHE even said she doesn't understand why we take the risk of having a dog who's part pit bull around the kids. She feels she's a danger! She knows the story, and she knows WHY I feel like this dog should have a halo! This dog treats my kids like her own puppies! She swims with them, she walks and plays with them, they lay on her like she's a giant brown rug. And she protects them. I have seen her stand between a stranger and my kids and kinda look at them like Don't touch. When I raise my voice at the kids she comes in and stands between me and the kids and I swear she's saying- do what you have to, but don't touch my kids. When the kids have to stand in the corner she stands WITH THEM! She's friendly, loves children, and has never bitten anything other than that dog that wanted a piece of my little girl. Oh, and she eats bugs, but I don't think that makes her dangerous. Just weird. She plays with the cat and they sleep on the couch together. When he's upset my son will lock himself in his room and cry into her fur. She's SO not a threat! It breaks my heart that the kids' grandmother who KNOWS what she's done for the kids could suggest that we shouldn't keep her. So today is a sad day for me. I am sad for my puppy who is being judged by one of her grandparents' breed instead of on her own considerable merits. I love her so much, and I just wish I could make everyone else see her like I do.
Okay, enough sappy puppy story. Just had to share.

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AWWWWW BIG HUGS MELLIE AND JERSEY GIRL!!!!
I can relate somewhat I have a boston terrier and she is my daughter LOL..I swear she thinks she is human and has every right as I do !! Joe refuses to pay the 400 pet deposit so she is at my moms untill we either get as house or I leave JOe lol....but I can feel your loyalty issues witht his dog Mel.she is a part of your family..Im sorry your having a sad day..BIG HUGS TO YOU..I hope you get good news from the city !!!
I'm so sorry about the city's ordinance.
BIG HUGS TO YOU!!
I don't find your sadness or the reason behind it to be silly at all. I can totally relate to your feelings for your puppy. DH and I have two dogs ourselves and would go to the ends of the earth for both. They are part of our family . . . in fact, sometimes DH complains that I spoil them more than I do him (of course, he's full of it, but hey, they are my puppies ;) ).
I hope everything turns out very well for you, your family, and Jersey Girl. Kodi, Dolly and I will be pulling for you!!
Keep your chin up and think happy thoughts.
Shannon
Pitbull is kind of a blanket term, but Jersey is so mixed that I don't know which more appropriate term would apply to her.
She's not "trained" the way some dogs are, but she will sit and heel, shake, roll over, and go to her room (which is my son's room). She does make a good hockey goalie- if you can convince her to stay where she's supposed to the puck doesn't get by her. But she always delivers it to me or Rob no matter if we're playing or not. LOL.
Thanks for letting me vent everyone. Jersey turned 2 years old on Valentine's day and I can't imagine anyone not loving her. *Sigh*
I'm sorry you're so sad today. I gotta tell ya, I'm a huge fan of pitbull's and their counterparts. My sister and brother in-law have an Amstaff that we lived with for 8 months when we relocated to CA. My children instantly fell in love with Remy (As in Remy Martin cognac! LOL) and he became a playmate quickly. He came to love us as much as his own "mom & dad"...I feel like he's an extended part of our family- I call him my nephew!(they don't have kids yet). NEVER in my life have I wanted a dog so bad! LOL... all this coming from a girl who couldnt fathom having a dog ever! So dh has made a deal with me...I get to my weight loss goal and I get MY puppy!!! LOL..how's that for bribery?
My mother FREAKED when she found out that I was interested in a pitbull breed. Typical of someone who's uneducated and unresearched. Her very own dog, who's a mix of spaniel and god knows what..has bitten my daughter twice and my husband once...but yet *I* am making a horrible mistake in choice of dogs! Her words were, those dogs are SO dangerous, and how can you put my grandchildren in such danger?! *rolls eyes*..
So hon, I am real sorry your down and feeling misunderstood. I hope good things come from your call to the city! We're all pulling for ya!
hugs,
~danielle~
Hope everything works out and comes out well!
Hugs ~
Kerry
good luck!
Everyone always
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