Written By Wendy Wenners
Occupation: Lawyer
Description of your Dog(s):
Occupation: Lawyer
Description of your Dog(s):
Preston is a male heading up to 7 years old and was born bilaterally deaf (deaf in both ears). He is all white with dark brindle ears (like Mickey Mouse), has dark brown eyes with a cute black rubber stop nose. He’s weighs about 75 lbs. He knows and understands sign language and hand commands. He was found wandering the streets in NYC and was saved by a rescue group literally minutes before being PTS. I adopted him 6 years ago. Titan is a 3-year-old male, light brown with a white stripe down the center of his forehead to his nose. He has white paws (as if dipped in flour). He is about 58 lbs. He was tied to a pole in GA, beaten, starved, covered in motor oil and spray painted purple. He had severe mange and was completely bald with bloody scabby skin. He also had severe pneumonia from which he almost died. I rescued him when he was a few months old.
How has a Pitbull impacted your life?
Preston has impacted my life in so many ways! He has taught me the true meaning of patience, commitment and dedication. He was returned to his foster home 3 times before I adopted him due to his interesting behavioral issues. He had severe abuse issues as well as deaf issues which made him a handful. It took us a solid 7 mos. to be able to communicate easily and trust one another. (We are both fluent in sign language). It was the toughest 7 mos. for both of us, and I had several days and nights of tears, frustration, doubt and an overall sense of “what have I gotten myself into with this dog?”
But we never gave up on one another and we are both so much better having stuck it out with one another! Having Preston in my life has forced me to drop any sense of judgment and that anything worth doing or having is never without its challenges! He is a special boy with special needs and I love that he allows me to love him and that he can love me back.
Titan has taught me to be silly and happy no matter what else is going on in my life. He came to me from GA, after enduring being tied to a pole, beaten, starved, covered in motor oil, spray painted purple and with a severe case of mange and pneumonia. He almost did not make it. For the first few weeks we had Titan, his paws were so mangled he could not walk and we carried him everywhere. His paws and skin would constantly bleed and our house looked like a crime scene while he healed. Despite the horrific abuse he's endured, he has not one emotional scar...he still loves everyone and everything. He had weekly vet appointments complete with skin scrapings and other painful procedures for an entire year, yet he still can’t contain his excitement when we go the vet because he loves people so much!! He would find a way to wag his tail from the second I brought him home despite the physical pain. He was still happy to be with people! The only word in his soul is LOVE! He's just happy and playful all the time. I think about Titan’s outlook on life when I'm having a bad day...and remember that it could be so much worse and to be grateful for all that I have...especially my dogs!
What do you love most?
What I love most about Preston is that he is deaf and has the funniest quirks that not everyone understands. He chases shadows, lights, blinking lights and anything reflective. He HAS to sit in the front passenger seat if he's in the car w/ me and I'm driving…..he will actually push anyone else out of the seat. He is hysterical over cats and he's scared of people who look, smell, or move oddly. But we have our secret language and understanding of one another. I’ve been asked on countless occasions if I was sure he’s deaf! I love that he will always have some "issues" but that he tries so hard to always be a good boy but manages to be naughty now and again. I love that he can stay sound asleep while I bring in groceries (unless I drop something or he gets a good sniff of me.) I love that he's able to trust me and that he knows I'll never give up on him or leave him and we deal with his double "stigma" (being a deaf pitbull) together as a united front. I love that he chose me!
What I love most about Titan is that he is a fighter and a survivor! He makes it impossible for me to ever be mad at him for anything! He has not one malicious thought or bone in his body and his capacity to make your heart melt instantly is amazing! His only goal in life is to love and be loved. I love that he TRULY loves EVERYONE and gets insanely excited when he sees a human!! Nothing else matters to him, but getting a belly rub or sitting in someone’s lap. I love that he loves blindly, forgives quickly and has an innocent soul.
What would you like the world to know?
I would like the world to know that handicapped dogs have just as much potential as full functioning dogs and the reward of owning a deaf dog is even greater! I would like the world to know that there is no more appreciative, more loyal, more loving, more tolerant dog than a rescued pitbull. I would like the world to know that rescuing a pitbull makes you a better person to the core of your soul. I would like the world to know that owning a rescued pitbull teaches you about baseless discrimination, stereotypes and unfounded hatred and makes you rethink your own actions and thoughts. I'd like the world to know that pitbulls are not the vicious, baby-killing, savage and unpredictable animals portrayed in the media and that their respective owners are not gang-banging thugs...rather, we range from housewives to executives and professionals holding every type of job imaginable. I would like the world to know that not every tattooed covered pitbull owner is a “tough guy” with bad intentions. I would like the world to know that there is always time to learn the truth about pitbulls and to change their minds about the breed. I want the world to know that handicapped dogs have every bit of potential of leading a full life (and more) than a non-handicapped dog. I would like the world to know that pitbulls deserve better treatment, as do their respective owners. I would like the world to know that discrimination, ignorance and intolerance is simply not acceptable. I would like the world to know that the word pitbull is synonymous with love!
How has a Pitbull impacted your life?
Preston has impacted my life in so many ways! He has taught me the true meaning of patience, commitment and dedication. He was returned to his foster home 3 times before I adopted him due to his interesting behavioral issues. He had severe abuse issues as well as deaf issues which made him a handful. It took us a solid 7 mos. to be able to communicate easily and trust one another. (We are both fluent in sign language). It was the toughest 7 mos. for both of us, and I had several days and nights of tears, frustration, doubt and an overall sense of “what have I gotten myself into with this dog?”
But we never gave up on one another and we are both so much better having stuck it out with one another! Having Preston in my life has forced me to drop any sense of judgment and that anything worth doing or having is never without its challenges! He is a special boy with special needs and I love that he allows me to love him and that he can love me back.
Titan has taught me to be silly and happy no matter what else is going on in my life. He came to me from GA, after enduring being tied to a pole, beaten, starved, covered in motor oil, spray painted purple and with a severe case of mange and pneumonia. He almost did not make it. For the first few weeks we had Titan, his paws were so mangled he could not walk and we carried him everywhere. His paws and skin would constantly bleed and our house looked like a crime scene while he healed. Despite the horrific abuse he's endured, he has not one emotional scar...he still loves everyone and everything. He had weekly vet appointments complete with skin scrapings and other painful procedures for an entire year, yet he still can’t contain his excitement when we go the vet because he loves people so much!! He would find a way to wag his tail from the second I brought him home despite the physical pain. He was still happy to be with people! The only word in his soul is LOVE! He's just happy and playful all the time. I think about Titan’s outlook on life when I'm having a bad day...and remember that it could be so much worse and to be grateful for all that I have...especially my dogs!
What do you love most?
What I love most about Preston is that he is deaf and has the funniest quirks that not everyone understands. He chases shadows, lights, blinking lights and anything reflective. He HAS to sit in the front passenger seat if he's in the car w/ me and I'm driving…..he will actually push anyone else out of the seat. He is hysterical over cats and he's scared of people who look, smell, or move oddly. But we have our secret language and understanding of one another. I’ve been asked on countless occasions if I was sure he’s deaf! I love that he will always have some "issues" but that he tries so hard to always be a good boy but manages to be naughty now and again. I love that he can stay sound asleep while I bring in groceries (unless I drop something or he gets a good sniff of me.) I love that he's able to trust me and that he knows I'll never give up on him or leave him and we deal with his double "stigma" (being a deaf pitbull) together as a united front. I love that he chose me!
What I love most about Titan is that he is a fighter and a survivor! He makes it impossible for me to ever be mad at him for anything! He has not one malicious thought or bone in his body and his capacity to make your heart melt instantly is amazing! His only goal in life is to love and be loved. I love that he TRULY loves EVERYONE and gets insanely excited when he sees a human!! Nothing else matters to him, but getting a belly rub or sitting in someone’s lap. I love that he loves blindly, forgives quickly and has an innocent soul.
What would you like the world to know?
I would like the world to know that handicapped dogs have just as much potential as full functioning dogs and the reward of owning a deaf dog is even greater! I would like the world to know that there is no more appreciative, more loyal, more loving, more tolerant dog than a rescued pitbull. I would like the world to know that rescuing a pitbull makes you a better person to the core of your soul. I would like the world to know that owning a rescued pitbull teaches you about baseless discrimination, stereotypes and unfounded hatred and makes you rethink your own actions and thoughts. I'd like the world to know that pitbulls are not the vicious, baby-killing, savage and unpredictable animals portrayed in the media and that their respective owners are not gang-banging thugs...rather, we range from housewives to executives and professionals holding every type of job imaginable. I would like the world to know that not every tattooed covered pitbull owner is a “tough guy” with bad intentions. I would like the world to know that there is always time to learn the truth about pitbulls and to change their minds about the breed. I want the world to know that handicapped dogs have every bit of potential of leading a full life (and more) than a non-handicapped dog. I would like the world to know that pitbulls deserve better treatment, as do their respective owners. I would like the world to know that discrimination, ignorance and intolerance is simply not acceptable. I would like the world to know that the word pitbull is synonymous with love!
