Softies

Stella loves her softies.  She absolutely detests the hard ground.  Where does she sleep?  Where any pittie is happiest sleeping, on the bed.  If we visit friends in the evening, come 9:00 she begins her campaign to get me to leave so she can go to bed.  First, a nose bump.  Then a trip to the door with a suggestive glance my way.  Next, the whining begins - quiet at first, gathering volume when I ignore it.  When shushed, she lays at my feet, her relentless stare blasting me with pit bull mind control "home, home, home, home, home."

Having lived with Stella for four years now, she has educated me regarding the delicate preferences of her breed. 

Macho?  Oh please. She hates to get her feet wet, prefers the warm inside to the cold outside, and the comfort of my truck seat to the wilds of the general pasture. And she ALWAYS wants to cushion her naps with the softest surface available.  Dog beds?  Acceptable.  The bed?  Preferable.  Is this trait something unique to my dog?  Not even.  Here is Ben, my son's dog.  Favorite place?  The sofa.  Next favorite?  The bed.  Read pittie blogs - the softie theme is common.

Knowing this passion and longing for comfort, cozies, and softies, my heart breaks when I see the  living conditions endured by pit bulls who live in the despair of fight kennels. Chained, isolated, and forced to live on cold ground or concrete.  No comfort. No softies. Even worse, no contact, no kind touch. Pit Bull hell.   Yet from these horrific conditions - cruel for any living creature, agony for these comfort loving dogs, have come amazing survivors whose capacity to love and enjoy love somehow remained intact.  

 Learn more about the "second lives" of 10 dogs who survived the Michael Vick abuse at his infamous Bad Newz Kennels.  Visit The Vick Dog Blog.