PIT-BULL, NO BULLY, “Alpha” – The Real Leaders

PIT BULL NO BULLY

ABC & PATTY

PATTY - ALPHA LEADER

PIT-BULL, NO BULLY

From a personal perspective .

By ABC

On the weblog banner at the top of each page of this website is an avatar women, which represents me “ABC”. Beside me is an avatar dog. That dog represents a real dog, who died this past Saturday, the day before Easter Sunday. This article is in memory of her.

Patty was her name. Half Pit-bull, half yellow Lab. She was a year old when we got her at a shelter for unwanted dogs. She had been there for over 3 months after found running loose in the woods. The family who called about her were her suspected owners who just didn’t want her anymore. We found out why..

Patty was very destructive in her early years, eating just about everything in the house that was wood or leather.  She was resistive to correction until we found the magic solution.. a tiny dab of hot pepper sauce applied to her mouth and a firm “no” while pointing out the latest destruction. This being recommended by an old-timer Vet.. the only thing that worked like a dream. Patty then became the pet of everyone’s dreams, soon, not needing the hot sauce at all.

Patty was the most cuddly dog I have ever owned. She would sit on my lap contentedly for hours, all 80 pounds of her. I often woke from a dream that I was suffocating, straining for every breath, waking up to find her lying full length across my body, the heaviest part, her big old head, on my chest.

I remember the many times she sat beside me while I wrote my anti-bullying blogs. My Pit Bully dog that wasn’t a bully at all. She was what literature describes as a true “Alpha” not the “bully” her breeds’ name suggests. “Alpha” means leading but not in an aggressive way. It’s a quiet command of strength and respect. Strangers at our door respected her fully, just her presence put the look of fear upon any intruder’s face. My true guardian.

After 8 long years that didn’t seem long at all, Patty developed breast cancer. She never complained during the several months it took for the cancer to ravage her body. During the morning of her last day she bled profusely through the wounds the cancer had made as she lay weakly on the couch we covered for her in the living room. While watching this transformation I came to the sad conclusion that it was time to put her down. I quietly sang her the songs I had made up for her throughout the years, then told her she would see Heaven today. I took last pictures. One of the best pictures I have of her, I printed for you at the top of this page. Then off to the Vet we went.

It’s ironic how she seemed to spring back to life as she saw me with the leash. The leash and the walk outside that it always promised, her favorite thing, gave her a strength I didn’t think she had left. Out to the car, she agilely hopped into the car, her second most favorite thing. She happily looked out the windows on the way to the Vet and kept her nose to the ground hungrily sniffing every animal who had ever been at the Vet’s, once there. So many smells.. She was enthralled. She didn’t seem to notice my tears nor that of my spouses nor that we were hugging her and saying goodbye. She followed the Vet tech away, out of sight without even looking back. Off to the Kingdom of Heaven. Goodbye for now, until we meet again!

—-“ALPHA” LEADER OF THE PACK, A REAL LEADER”—-

READ THIS INTERESTING ARTICLE ABOUT THE ANIMAL KINGDOM, ALSO A PLACE WHERE  BULLYING IS NOT ACCEPTABLE. READ ABOUT THE “ALPHA” LEADER OF THE PACK, A REAL LEADER!

CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW.

http://insidetoronto.com/news/Column/article/33266