A Little Update on Our Dogs

It's been a little over a month since Maven died. For the first few days after she passed I was second guessing my decision. Had I really tried everything? Should I have been more patient with her, or maybe looked into some classes? Draco would lay down at the door, or he'd still be a bit skiddish. Jumpy even. It wasn't until about a week after that started to change as well. But in the opposite direction than Maven. 

I guess we never saw how much Maven's behavior was really affecting our other two dogs. We had an idea, and I was always concerned about what happened when we weren't at home. Did they fight? Did Violet ever end up hurt? I hated being gone for too long because I was afraid of what could happen. Now, with Maven gone those worries were gone too. And with that, I started to see the changes in both Violet, and Draco a lot more clearly. Draco started to become more playful, and he was running around the way he did when he was a puppy. He didn't flinch, and he spent a lot of time playing with the little weenie dog. He was back to being a confident puppy. However, Violet decided she was going to start being the boss around here. She's become our little guard dog. She no longer darts straight to her crate like she used to do. And she's become the 6 lb dominate little pack leader. Which Draco has no issues rolling over for, and allowing her to dictate how they spend their time. 

So those two are doing well. It's helped me find peace in my decision to let Maven go. It's helped me to truly realize that we did do everything by the book. I made sure that we tried everything, and that's all that I could do. Our other two dogs are back to being happy, and my daughter isn't ever worried about going outside to play anymore because she knows that the dogs won't be fighting. That peace of mind made it very clear to me that it was the right thing to do. That even though I loved my dog so much, I couldn't allow her behavior to escalate. I couldn't allow her to hurt the other dogs anymore. But most importantly I couldn't allow the risk of her accidentally, or even purposefully hurting Emery. My child, and her safety came first.   

Goodbye My Little Maven

I had wanted a dog of my own so bad, a female puppy, and I was so excited when I got her. My little Maven Monroe. I could hold her in the nook of my arm, and she would cuddle with me. That lovely little puppy breath, and tiny tongue that would stick out when she would sleep. She rounded out our family, and everything was as it should be. As she got a bit older she became our protector. She always stood between my daughter, and anyone who entered our home. She would look up at us for the okay anytime someone came in before she'd resume her place; gently laying her head down on her bed and closing her eyes. She would bark, and growl in warning if any strangers got too close to our fence. She was a true companion, a perfect example of a guard dog, and one that I was looking forward to having at our side as we got older. As Emery grew up. Whatever may come. 

Recently, within the past four months actually, Maven started to change. Not towards us, but towards our other dog Draco. She would snap at him. Small subtle warnings at first. Then it became fights. Usually pulling them apart would break things up, and she'd apologetically nuzzle against his side and lick his ear. I'd see Draco sigh, and all was forgotten. Then it got more intense, and we'd have to take the end of a broom, shove it between their snouts in order for it to stop. We'd separate them in order for them to cool down. Every time this would happen it was always instigated by her. Normally Draco would just submit, and allow himself to be bitten without fighting back. But I guess he got fed up with being hurt so he stopped allowing it. When the second to the last incident occurred I ended up getting a muzzle. I didn't want to, but I felt like I needed to protect my daughter, and our other dogs. I didn't want to re-home, or send her to a shelter so this was the alternative I chose. Part of being a pitbull owner is knowing that sometimes you have to take these measures in order to prevent something bad from happening. And though I feel in my heart that neither of my dogs would ever intentionally hurt Emery, I couldn't deny that there was a possibility that she could get caught between them. So, we muzzled her, and everything worked well for about two weeks. No fights, and she was very submissive. Even towards Draco. So I believed that this was a good sign.

However, this past Sunday was a tipping point for me. Maven attacked, even while muzzled (it came off at some point), and it was bad. It took taking a bat to both of their snouts three times for them to let go. But by that point the damage was done. Blood on our walls, the bathroom, the furniture, and floor. Both of them panting, exhausted, and dripping in blood. And the worst part is that someone could have seriously been hurt. In fact, they came close to it. So, I spoke to a few rescues about surrendering her to someone who had experience with handling a dog that was- dog aggressive. Maybe finding a foster that would be able to take her, provided they had no other animals or children. Unfortunately, we were unsuccessful so I spoke to someone at our vet's office. They told me that based on her actions, how quickly they were progressing, it didn't look good. They believed, that her behavior would get worse. More aggressive, and possibly towards humans. So for the second time I had to make a choice. And though it completely broke me, I decided to have her "put to sleep". I took Monday off, and I bought her favorite treats. I put our other two dogs outside, and I brought her inside. I gave her a warm bath, and I placed blankets on the couch for us to lay on. I gave her treats while she sat with me. Then I brought her up by my side, and we took a nap together. I told her how much I loved her, that she was a good dog, and then we went outside for a little walk. When we came back in we resumed watching TV, and snuggled on the couch until it was time for us to go.  

A picture I took of us on her last day. 3/20/17

I kept telling myself that I was out of options. My dad met me outside of the vet clinic with the truck, and told me he'd carry her out. She was so swollen, and still had some blood matted on her face as I grabbed her leash. She wagged her tail, tongue hanging out, and strutted into the office like she always did. I signed the paperwork. I spoke with the vet who told me that I was doing the right thing. My child's safety was what was the most important thing. And I told him that was the only reason I was able to walk through those doors. Because I couldn't imagine something bad happening to my little girl. Or anyone else's for that matter. I wouldn't be able to live with myself. So, as they came in with the shot I slumped to the floor, and I held her head in my lap. In between the tears I whispered in her ear: "I love you. You're such a good girl. It's okay...I love you Mae Mae. You're my good girl. I love you." All the while her tail thumped on the floor; first in excitement, and then slowly after a minute...stopped. And that's how I said my goodbye. It hurt, and I cried so hard my body shook as I sat on that floor. I sobbed, and I felt like I had failed her in some way. That I was officially a part of that dumb statistic that anti-pitbull people use in order to claim that this breed is dangerous. FYI: The vet told me that he's seen it in every breed; ours is just larger in size than some of the others. Afterwards we took her out to my parent's land, and my dad buried her. I went home to a house that felt a little empty. Draco hasn't stopped laying by the door since we left on Monday either. But as the day drew to an end I knew in my heart that I did the right thing. I knew that I had tried everything; every alternative in order to avoid having to put her down. They just didn't work.  

Now, I know some people don't understand. They're just "animals" some say. And I get that mentality, because they are animals. It's not the same as losing a child, or a family member. I would never compare it to that. But our dogs are treated like members of our family to an extent. They lay on the couch/bed with us, and spend a good amount of time at our side. They take adventures with us, and go for car rides. They're great listeners, and Maven was my snuggle bug. I had also had her since she was eight weeks old, and I was really attached to her. So, I struggled with the decision, and it made me sick to have to go through with it. Having to walk out of that room without her trotting beside me was rough. I still have her collar, and leash sitting in the passengers seat. And even with all of this I don't regret getting her. I don't regret defending this breed either. I still believe they are great dogs, and make some wonderful companions. It's just that sometimes bad shit happens, and unfortunately it happened with us. So, that's why I let her go...

Go Away Winter

Lately, I've been having this TINY little thought in the back of my mind about jumpstarting this space again. I've been looking at updating the design, and making some changes. A lot has been going on in my little corner, and I've missed the ability to have those few moments to just sit and write about it. That said, it's also been a very crazy busy time around here. As some of you know I work full time, have a family, and I go to school. Clearly it's proving rather difficult to fit all of that in, plus household chores, work outs, and homework. Anytime I feel like sitting down to type up a post I get distracted by something else I need to do or finish up. But this doesn't mean that I won't try to get things back in running order soon. Fingers crossed. Until then, here's a little update for y'all. Warning: This will be really random. :) 

I am over winter. I am really over this wet winter. I am really really over this back and forth bull that Texas is seeing this year. Last Friday we had a wonderful sunny 76 degree day and we were in tank tops. This week we've had an ice storm and snow with the temperature never going above 30 degrees (with the exception of today because randomly it decided to reach 50 before plummeting again). Yup, really over this stuff. I'm ready for shorts and flip flops. So so so ready.

My husband ended up not taking that other job in the oilfield. He wanted it, but as soon as we made the decision to get things in motion in order to accept it, the market went down. Hundreds of people have been laid off since then. Then the person who had originally offered it to him retracted the offer, and so we were kind of left out to dry. It was a bit frustrating because promises were made, and things were really talked up to us. We were pitched a wonderful opportunity that wasn't all there. So, we were excited for this change, and once it fell through we were kind of heartbroken over it. My husband more so than I. Thankfully, my husband hadn't put in his two weeks notice. So he's still working and for that we are really grateful. 

Over Christmas we added a new fur-member to our family. As some of you know we had a string of bad luck with two of our previous dogs which left us really heartbroken, Then Draco entered our lives and we were so excited to be able to give that love we had for our former dogs to a new member. But just like we get baby fever I got doggy fever. We looked into adopting some young, grown dogs, but it turned out that Draco was just...too much. He would get really excited and hyper around them which would only annoy the other dogs. This eventually just lead to one or the other snapping, and becoming territorial. So after many tries we were told that we'd have to crate and rotate for anywhere along the lines of a few months to a lifetime if we were to adopt an older dog. That's when someone told us that our best bet was to get a puppy. Mind you, I swore off puppies because of the hassle. I was really really hesitant about it, because I hadn't forgotten about what a pain in the ass it was to house train a dog. I had told my husband before that I did not want to go through that again. But then...someone found her and sent me the link. And we fell completely in love. We set up a time to go see her (just to see), and that same day she came home with us. Two days later we settled on a name: Maven (in honor of my love for "Whip It"). She looks a lot like our first dog, Sampson. And there were a lot of emotions in regards to him when we got her. I didn't want to say anything about her until we passed a certain point in her age because of how susceptible pitbull's are to parvo. Now that we're here I'm glad I can finally share her!  

On the day that we brought her home. 12/20/2014

Something else that's been on my mind lately is this need for change. I kind of feel like that's my "word" for the year. I'm wanting to finally start losing the weight I've been talking about for the past year. I'm constantly talking about wanting to go here or visit there. This year I'd like to really put that into motion. I feel like I need to spend more time focusing on what I want to do in the future too. As awesome as everything is for us here...I feel like I'm tired of being still. We always put things off for one reason or another and I find myself saying "NO" a lot. I really want to change that. I also want to start getting our finances back on track. And we'd really really like to take a vacation this year. That means saving a lot though. Not saying it can't be done just that it will be hard. We kind of got screwed on our taxes this year so using that money won't really be an option. But, I'm working on a plan. Hoping it works out for the best. Until next time, I hope everyone is having a wonderful year so far!

Introducing Draco

Well, we did it. We adopted a puppy. After all the bad luck we've had with dogs, I was completely terrified of getting another one. I didn't know if I could go through bonding with a puppy, only to have it taken from me, again. But then, I realized that I couldn't look at it that way. We'd never have another pet, ever again if I kept that mentality.

Then, I had five friends announce pregnancies. Two friends recently gave birth. And three more are due in the next few months. So yes, I was having some MAJOR baby fever. I still do. But, adding another baby is just not in the plans for us. So, I figured this would be the perfect time to add a four-legged baby to our family instead. We contacted someone about possibly adopting, and within a few days, we were told to come and look at some puppies.

If I could have taken them all, I would have. Literally, my heart melted at the sight of them. I eventually left the decision to my husband because I couldn't leave the room with just one. Once he picked one, we brought him home and the naming processes began. Unfortunately, I had no say in it, because my husband already had a name that he refused to budge on. Since I was given the honor of naming Gotham, I figured I'd let him have the honor with our new puppy. More like I pouted and sulked for two days because I didn't like the name before I finally gave in and admitted defeat.

I've been overly cautious with this little guy. I have his vet dates already set and he's not going to be allowed out to parks until he's all caught up on them and de-wormed. I'm not taking any chances, people! I want to make sure that he's protected, and doesn't get sick. So now, it's my pleasure to introduce you to, Draco. Our newest addition.

Introducing: Gotham

It's been over a month since Sampson died. Emery still asks for him. Occasionally she cries for him. I still tear up just thinking about him. He's missed so much. Sometimes I wake up and for a second I forget. But then the absence of his presence is pretty loud. Thankfully we have a lot of happy memories. And even though it saddens us sometimes when we're reminded of him we can't help but smile at the thought of our goofy boy. For those animal lovers out there who understand what I'm talking about, isn't it the worst? The emptiness and the hurt that you feel mixed in with the gratefulness of having had them at all in the first place. For those that aren't as in love with animals as we are, well in a way you're lucky. In others, I feel sorry for you.

After Sampson died we started looking into adopting an adult pit bull, and we even visited that shelter I told y'all about. But we didn't "click" with any of them. And the one that we were considering completely ignored us the whole time we took him out. It was disheartening. I know this might sounds silly but I wanted that connection. Maybe it wouldn't be as strong as the one we had with Sampson, but I knew that it existed and I wouldn't settle for anything less when it came to adding a fur-baby to our family. So as we were heading home empty handed I questioned whether or not we were even ready. Maybe I had too high expectations? Maybe we were rushing it? Maybe we'd never find another dog because none would ever compare to our Sampson?

Well that same day a cousin of a friend contacted me on instagram about this little puppy they had. She was the last puppy they had, and it didn't look like anyone else would be taking her. She was a pit bull, three months old, and needed a good home. They had recently heard about what happened to our Sampson and were willing to just let us have her if we were interested. They told us to stop by and just play with her a bit, get a feel for her, and see if we even wanted a puppy. So, we decided to go for it. 

The minute I saw her, I fell in love. It was that thing, you guys, that connection. We were bonded. She was black, with floppy ears, and a big head! She was very interactive with us and I knew right then that she was coming home with us one way or another. Before I even expressed my opinion my husband voiced what I was thinking. He wanted her too. She was perfect, and she'd grow up knowing us. Emery asked if we could keep her (as well as the puppy's mom who was playing fetch with her). So it was settled! We were getting a puppy. The only thing left to do was pick out a name! Which we argued about for two days. Eventually, my husband let me have my way and she was officially named "Gotham".

The first week was spent allowing her to get settled in with us and her new surroundings. It was a bit stressful for me at first because it's been seven years since we've had a puppy. The accidents, the jumping, the nipping, and hardheadedness. I had completely forgotten how much time and work goes into a puppy. But, we've come out the other end completely in tact. She's doing really well with Emery and learning commands. She's such a smart girl, and has a lot of energy which we take care of by going for walks (and before the snow- runs). She's put a smile back on our faces. She's helped us keep busy, and given us an opportunity to share our love with her. I only wish that Sampson were here for it.

Until we see you again big guy! We miss you! 

Adopting A Pitbull

Since Sampson's passing, we've talked a lot about whether we wanted to get another dog or not. When he was still apart of our life, we had discussed adding another puppy to our family either around Christmas or for Emery's birthday. Then, Terra came into our lives, and it seemed like we had our answer given to us. Well, a week into her arrival Sampson was shot and we had to find Terra another home. Sampson wasn't able to be as active as she was and he needed some extra attention and help. We didn't feel that we'd be able to give 100% of what Terra needed to thrive and that wasn't fair to her. So, I interviewed potential adopters, and I had them come meet her. We finally found a home I was comfortable letting her go to, and soon after Sampson's accident happened. Since then I've felt conflicted about adding another dog to the mix. It felt like we were just trying to replace Sampson. As if any other dog could ever compare to him. At the same time I felt like having another dog would help us move forward from our loss.

After much debate we've decided to adopt another dog in the near future. We know the stereotyping that comes with pit bulls. I've seen, first hand, the discrimination towards this breed. I've seen the fear that our Sampson caused people, just because of his looks. Recently, we went to cheer on my cousin who flew in to do a local color run, and people would literally go out of their way to walk around us. Some lady even had the audacity to yell at us "You should put a muzzle on that dangerous dog!" I couldn't believe she had said this because Sampson was quietly and calmly sitting at our feet. He was not lunging towards anyone, because he'd never do that, and he wasn't barking. The picture in that last post is from that morning, and it was taken just a few minutes before the lady passed by. We've also been asked about how we could in good conscience allow "such a dog" around our daughter? Weren't we afraid that he'd turn on her? The answer has always been a firm "No." He's been nothing but a sweetheart towards her, and we've raised Emery to know boundaries (ex: don't pull on ears or tails). We also gradually introduced the two of them, and Sampson became very protective of her. So, I'd allow him around her before I allowed a strangers chihuahua to come anywhere near her.

Unfortunately, the media and crappy people give this breed a bad name. And sadly that is a reason why many shelters will put them down before taking them in or trying to find them homes. This makes me really sad because all any of these dogs want, is a chance. They crave the exact same attention and love as any other breed. And it's because of this that we've been watching a local shelter's available list for a pit bull. So far I've seen that many of  their "bully breed" dogs keep getting passed up simply because of what they are. We have a few in mind that we'd like to meet, and we've been in contact with the shelter. We're hoping to do a meet and greet this coming weekend to see which would be a better fit for us. I wish I could take them all in, but I know it will all come down to which one we bond with the best. Emery's excited about the trip, and she keeps asking for one like Sampson. I've showed her pictures of other dogs at the shelter and allowed her to point at some that she likes. Just like her parents she hasn't shown interest in anything other than a pit bull. So, that's what we're hoping for.

I know this might sound awful, but I can't ever see us owning any other breed. I fell in love with Sampson, from day one. The more I educated myself about his breed the more comfortable I was about them. I love their big heads and wide smiles. I love how loving and loyal they are to their family. So, I think for us, it will always be a pit bull. And if all goes well, we'll have ourselves a new member by the beginning of next week. It's bittersweet and yet very exciting. I feel sad that we lost Sampson, but I feel good about giving another dog like him a loving home.

Sampson Simpson (2006-2013)

On Halloween morning we were all up by 6 am talking about how excited we were to go Trick or Treating that afternoon. I was talking to my husband about getting Sampson a last minute costume so he could come along with us. Emery and Sampson went outside to get his bowl, and they came back in because it was a bit chilly. She poured his bowl of food, and we all started to get dressed. Before we left, Emery attached his leash & I kissed him on the nose. I told him to be a good boy for daddy. My husband walked him out, and waved us off at the end of the drive. Thirty minutes later I had just dropped Emery off at the sitter when my husband called. Someone hadn't seen them walking on the side of the road by our house, and they swerved hitting Sampson.  My husband told me that Sampson seemed fine, a little sore, but he wanted me to meet him at the vet anyway. When I saw Sampson, I thought the same thing my husband did: he'd be fine. He was walking around, maybe a little out of it, but nothing that some rest couldn't fix. The X-ray's came back with a completely different story though. He had concussion and they thought there was swelling. The tiny bone on his hind leg was shattered, and there was internal swelling. The vet told us that we could pay $3,000, and have him sent to an emergency facility in Dallas, but there was no guarantee that he'd make it.  The vet gave us the numbers and covered every single possibility. They were super nice and told us that they understood what a hard decision this was for us. In the end, they simply said that Sampson's quality of life, if he even survived, would drastically go down. He'd pretty much have to stay "in bed" for the rest of his life. They highly recommended that we put him to sleep. And so after a private discussion, we decided to let him go.  We cried, and they let us say our goodbyes in the kennel. I was allowed to hold him, and cuddle with him while the procedure took place. My husband and I told him how much we loved him,  how he was such a good boy. He licked my tears, and let out a little whine. About that time a lot of the technicians came into the room to tell him that he was loved, and messaged his back. A few minutes later he was gone. It took two shots before he finally passed, and those were the hardest 20 minutes of my life so far. I'm thankful for the staff, and the vets that showed us such kindness that morning. There wasn't a dry eye in that room, and that showed us just how much our Sampson was loved & appreciated. I am so grateful to those people.  Our house feels empty now. I know that some people don't get why we're so emotional about this, because he was a dog. Not a child, or relative. But Sampson had been with us for seven years. He was my fellow exploring companion when I moved to California. He was our road-tripping buddy when we moved back to Texas. He was our snuggle buddy on cold nights. When I was pregnant with Emery, I spent a good amount of time in bed with his head resting on my belly. When Emery got older, he was her friend and playmate. Anywhere we went, he came along. He was the biggest baby, and lapdog you would ever meet. So his passing, effects us. All of us. It's like taking a huge part of our every day life and ripping it out. And that will take some getting used to. "Dad, I think it's time for Sampson to come home now.  He's tired of Heaven. He wants to come back to me." - Emery 

Our Tri-Pawed Dog is Home!

Sampson came home last Tuesday, and he's bouncing back wonderfully! The vet told us that animals don't have as big of an attachment to their limbs as humans do so they adjust a lot faster. And Sampson is doing just that! He's jumping in and out of the vehicles, and he's even attempted to run. He's "steering" isn't quite on point but that could also be due to the pain meds they have him on. He does get tired a lot faster but they told us that will change once he gets his strength back. He also get's his staples out this week so I'm pretty excited about that too!  Our Terra did end up having to be given to another family, and I did that first thing this morning. The lady is super nice and was completely in love with her. We originally did a "home check" with another family to see if she'd get along with their kids on Friday. Turns out the little ones weren't really ready for a puppy. This lady was actually a friend of their's and she was at their house with her kids. When she found out the original couple wouldn't be taking her she told me that she'd love to have her. She showed me their house, and her kids had already been introduced to Terra so we knew they all got along well. So now I'm happy to say that Terra is going to a loving home with people who can give her the attention she needs. I'm sad to see her go but I know it was the right thing to do. Now we're off to a new week that holds two exams in one day, a four page essay, a vet visit, some job news (fingers crossed), and hopefully have our electrical issues at home finally fixed. It's going to be busy for us! Hope y'all have a wonderful Monday!  

Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday

Sampson Safety

I've mentioned before that we have a dog. I also mentioned that I felt we weren’t doing a very good job at giving him the attention he needed. Our life had been flipped upside down when we found out I was expecting, and then we moved right next door to my parents who aren’t big “dog lovers”. After that he killed the cat which made my family a bit angry with him. Ok, a lot angry with him. So he was turned into a permanent outside dog. Well, as we all know, life got even more busy once Emery started walking AND once I started school. So, I really had no idea if we could keep the promise to spend more time with him.

But, we’re making the effort. We aren’t giving Sampson up and we want him to be a part of this family. Well, as much of a part as a dog can be. So, my first step in that direction was to officially bring him back to being an indoor dog, part time. When we’re home he comes in, when we’re out he stays in his outdoor pen. We’ve gotten a few protests from my family due to “safety” involving Emery. I’ve taken everything into consideration and as I’ve stated before that no matter what breed a dog is, they’re still animals. I’m fully aware of this, and I’ve taken some precautions to try to make sure that nothing ever happens.

• Emery is never alone with Sampson.
• He’s not allowed near her when there’s food involved.
• She’s not allowed to hit, bite, or pull on any part of him.
• And we have his crate ready for when he needs his “alone time” to relax without having a toddler running around wanting to pet him (so long as his pillow is in there he usually refuses to come out at all anyway)
• We’re also recently showed Emery how to pet and not slap at him. 
• She can give him kisses, one is usually enough, and there’s no grabbing his mouth.

Now, I know that this isn’t a 100% secure plan that he won’t ever do anything. I’ve read all of the horror stories, all of the accidents, and I know that tragedies happen. But I feel like I’m taking all of the right steps when it comes to having any kind of pet inside the home. Sampson’s personality has always been gentle and laid back (until we go outside and he wants to play). He’s always wanting his belly rubbed, and he LOVES to cuddle. But I understand that we won’t ever know him 100% because, well...he’s a dog. Still, Sampson was always a part of our lives, and I don’t want to change that. I want him to feel like he’s truly loved, because we do really love him.

Just because we had Emery, doesn't  mean that we can't still have Sampson as our pet. It just means that we have to be more disciplined, and responsible. So, I’m really looking forward to these changes. I’m looking forward to having Sampson back in our daily lives. 

Our "First Born"

Yea...for those that don’t know, we have a doggy! All my life I’ve been the type to let in strays and randomly adopt more than my fill of animals; from dogs to rats (yes, rats). I’ve had a variety of dogs and cats. Some have passed, or have been passed on to other good owners. But, I’m literally hopeless when it comes to animals. They’re all so cute in their own ways, and I was never one to turn them away! This is where Sampson came in.

Sampson Simpson was originally our room mate’s puppy. His job was pretty demanding and he didn’t always have time for Samp. My husband was completely in love with Sampson so he didn’t mind looking after him when our roommate was gone. Every once in a while we’d let him sleep with us in our room, and he just LOVED to cuddle. My husband trained him, played with him, took him out on walks, and eventually, the neighborhood kids would come to ask if we could bring Sampson out to play. He’d go on runs or walks with me. We took him on outings every now and then. He was becoming our baby, and we were falling in love with him!

Then it came time for us to move, and my husband was heartbroken. So, I told him to ask our roommate if we could take him. I even told him to offer up some money if we needed to. The worst he could do was tell us no. So, my husband approached him with the idea, and he told us to give him a day or two to think about it. He truly loved Sampson just as much as we did, and he'd had him since he was a puppy. After a few days, he finally came to my husband and told him that Samp was ours. I know it broke his heart a bit, but I think deep down he knew that his life was about to get even more hectic and he might not be able to give Samp the attention he needed. So a few days later we were all packed, heading to Texas, and Sampson was in tow (he sat in the back seat).

Now I love dogs, and I firmly believe that they will act the way they are brought up. Sampson was always around kids, and not once did I ever see him even snap at a child. But, I do understand that no matter what breed, they are still animals. So, we’ve always had him in his halter or we’ve made sure there were no kids around when letting him run loose for a bit. He has never ever snapped. Still, our little town is not big on bully breeds and it was hard finding a place that would take us. We eventually did but it had no yard, so Samp became a full-time indoor dog. Not that he minded one bit. I’ve never seen a dog hate going outside as much as he did. We’d open the door, he’d look outside, then back at us, and finally just go back and lay in his bed. We’d literally have to pick him up and put him outside. He was a total diva. LOL! He did love car rides, and playing tug-a-war with ropes though. He loved to just cuddle and lay on the couch too. Such a laid back dog. Eventually, he gained the title of “Our First Born”. 

Then, I got pregnant. Which was probably Sampson’s worst nightmare. He was still an indoor dog, but I had talked about starting to transition him into an outside dog at least a month before Emery would arrive. We were due to move out about 3 weeks before Emery was born and I didn’t want him to be howling and crying all night once we moved next to my parents. Plus, I was already obsessed with bringing a baby into a healthy, clean, sanitized, non-dog smelling home. Out he went. Those first few nights were brutal. He cried and cried. But eventually, he realized he wasn’t coming back in.

Once we had moved, we quickly realized that he couldn’t be let loose to run around. I few other dogs had been shot for just roaming in others yards, and he started trying to go after our neighbor's chickens. Then one day, he killed my dad’s cat. So, we built him a fenced in pen. And that's where he stays for the majority of the day (while we're at work). I feel bad sometimes because Beau and I don’t always get to give him the attention he deserves. Emery’s just a handful already, and she demands our full attention. So unless we all go out for walks (one of us leading Samp, the other walking with our tot) it’s hard to always let him out to play around. Still, we try our best to at least bring him out once a day. He’s even been allowed to sleep in our room when it got really cold, and a few days that it got really hot.

Now even though things have changed, and he’s kind of lost the title of “Our First Born”, he is still that lovable goofy puppy. He gets so excited when we get ready to let him out or when Emery goes to pet him. He is always in the mood to play, or cuddle. He has been such a great companion, and from this point on I’m going to try and make more of an effort to spend time with him. Especially now that Emery’s a bit older and I don’t have to carry her everywhere. It’ll be good for all of us to get to spend that time together. He deserves for us to be good owners and show him we still love him. 

p.s Happy Friday everyone!! 

Hope you have an awesome weekend!

Today we head off to Austin, and I'm a bit queasy with anxiety. 

Wish me luck! 

Babies and Pets

Oh man...I read this story today, that made me really sad. A couple left their newborn in the room with their family dog for a "second" and the dog killed the baby. Unfortunately, it was my favorite breed that did this.  

Dog Attacks Newborn

I swear things just look worse and worse for these dogs every year. I am a "Proud Pit Bull Mommy". I love Sampson. He was our first "child", and sometimes I feel bad for not having as much time for him as I used to. But, my EMERY comes first! Still, I feel that these dogs get such a bad light cast on them, and I am blaming the owners. Lousy dog ownership.

I do NOT leave Sampson alone with Emery. EVER. In fact, he became an outside dog three month before Emery was born. And my mother won't even leave Brinks (the Boston Terrier) alone with her either. There is a reason for this. Emery is a baby. And no matter how nice or friendly our dogs have been or are, they are still animals. Sampson has been wonderful around other children, and we take him for walks with us when we take Emery out in the stroller. But he's always on a leash. When he was being introduced to children, and to Emery he was always supervised and on a leash. So, this brings me to ask,

WHAT WERE THESE PARENTS THINKING?!?!

I know that we LOVE our pets, but when it comes to our BABIES (& children) we should all start being a bit more careful. More responsible. When we decided to take Sampson I did my research on the breed, and I always took precautions. With ANY dog, you have to be cautious. They lack that control that most of us humans have. I say most because we as humans also have our bad guys out there. If something makes us mad, annoys us, looks at us the wrong way, or smells funny WE can control how we react/act out on this. Animals are a bit different. Their reactions involve being protective, or violent. You can see this with any animal! Even if you have an amazingly well-trained dog, in one second he could just as easily disobey you. They all at one point or another act out, Samp does it when he's annoyed with us (ex: chewing on clothes, jumping on you repeatedly, or ignoring you altogether -- kinda sounds like a teenager--). And that's why I believe that when it comes to CHILDREN and PETS you must be extra careful. No matter what the breed.

It's like I always say, EDUCATE yourselves! I'm not perfect, and I know we all make mistakes, but had these parents been more cautious. Had they taken the "animal instinct" these dogs have, more seriously, they might still have their little one. And this makes me even sadder. This baby only had four days on this Earth. Four days of life, and it was taken away, just like that.

So when it comes to your children, and your pets I'm urging you to read up on the breed and to be careful! Never leave your little ones alone with the pet(s). I'd rather we be too careful than to see this happen again.