For as long as I can remember I have loved dogs and have devoted a huge part of my heart to loving them. As I grew up everyone told me I would lose interest in dogs and become more interested in typical teenage girl things like boys and makeup and clothes. Surprise! I still love dogs just as much and that is never going to change.
For the last two weekends I have had the chance to take out a beautiful boy named Sterling. Sterling is a 1 year old teenage dog and he has endless amounts of energy and love to share around. The first weekend I took Sterling out it was a beautiful spring day and we went for a long walk around a fielded area. Sterling was a bit cautious and loved to take his time to take in every single scent around him. This last weekend it was cold and rainy with some snow but that didn’t stop him! He walked beautifully for a 3 hour on leash walk, still taking some time to sniff and smell the roses but also getting some good momentum going. I think he’d make a great hiking partner as long as you shower him with some good cuddles and treats after. Sterling is young and still jumps up out of excitement but he’s a smart boy who knows how to drop the toy when playing fetch and at the end of the day just wants to be close to his humans. He also likes to think he is a lapdog and will take every opportunity to come and sit directly on you and maybe sneak a kiss or two in.
Sterling is a mixed breed between Labrador Retriever as well as American Pit Bull. I’ll be honest growing up I’ve been bombarded with images and stories of Pit Bull attacks and injuries. When I found out his breed I felt a sense of uncertainty wash out some of my excitement but after spending these two days with him, as well as some additional research, my views have been completely transformed. Sterling has proven to me that Pit Bulls with proper care and training can be incredibly loyal, loving and energetic dogs. He is no different then any dog I’ve loved and encountered in my life. It also made me think of my preset judgements and how I’ve been conditioned throughout my life to believe that Pit Bulls are inherently bad, but in reality no human or animal is born inherently bad. Pit Bulls like most dogs require proper training and care to ensure that they are the best they can be, just like humans. So instead of judging a dog because of it’s breed, take the time to do some research and open up your heart. You never know what you’ll find.
Lessons From the Shelter 