StubbyDog of the Week: June

By dad.... Ben

I find it interesting that things just “happen” the way they do. For me, the thing that happened was a dog named June. My first introduction to a pit bull was through an old roommate. Her name was Zara; a beautiful white female that wanted nothing more than to have a place on a couch to curl up and sleep.Then Bruiser, a goofy male puppy with a personality like no other. As I watched Bruiser and Zara play, my breed of choice became clearer. A pit bull is the type of dog that fits me.

I wanted a dog to go fishing,camping, and other outdoor activities. I also wanted a dog with a great personality, fun to play with,obedient, and trustworthy. Pit bulls have all these characteristics and more. In December of 2008 I began my search for the perfect outdoorsy dog. The search process was tough. I wanted a certain type, and color of dog; the two combinations are not easy to find. In February of 2009 I was given the contact information to a breeder that recently moved to my area from South Carolina. This is where things just “happened”. He had the exact dog I was looking for; a sweet, mild mannered eight week old female brindle pit bull with eyes that can melt the toughest of hearts.

When I first saw June I knew in an instant that she was going home with me. The first six months of June’s life were eventful. Plenty of fishing, tripsto the beach, car rides, socialization, the works. I took June to the local dog fanciers club just looking for basic obedience training when she was eight months old. Little did on know that June’s purpose in life would start on that day. June and I impressed the search and rescue trainer at first sight, and after a quick assessment and a practical test, we were invited to train for search and rescue. After 14 months of training and a few months shy of her second birthday, June has certified nationally with the National Association for Search and Rescue to detect the presence of human remains. We volunteer our time with the local Sheriffs Dept Search and Rescue team, as well as other law enforcement or Search and Rescue organizations in North West Florida. June has also passed Canine Good Citizen testing and works as a therapy dog. My basic training with June is no different than with any other type of dog. But for some reason, people still stereotype her as a vicious breed, unable to do anything but be chained to a tree in a backyard. I continue to work every day to change the minds of doubters of the breed. Everyone has their opinion as to what the best type of dog there is. For me, the Pit Bull is by far the best dog around. :dogkiss:

 

We feature pit bulls each week to promote a positive breed image by showcasing wonderful family stories that may help people to see pit bulls in a new and positive light. We hope that this will encourage more families to adopt pit bulls an...d/or be supportive of pit bull families they know.
We featured June because she's an exceptional breed ambassador - she is a certified Search and Rescue Dog!