UPDATE: As of yesterday, 4/1/14, Pretty Mama has been adopted. Her new family is a very lovely couple who also happens to be our neighbors and now our friends. Mama and her new parents have been spending a lot of time together getting to know each other and it seems to be a perfect match. Her official move in date will be in May and we are all very excited for this next chapter in her life. Thank you to everyone who helped and supported us through this process!!!

My name is Pretty Mama and my parents have made the very tough decision to try and find a loving, permanent home for me. I have lived with them for two years but they are moving and unfortunately cannot take me with. Although they would love to keep me forever, they decided that it would be best to find a stable, loving home that I so very much deserve. I am asking you for your help in finding me this home. Whether it is with you or with someone that you know, I am just looking for someone who loves Pit Bulls and who will give a girl like me a chance.

Here is my story.

I came into their lives unexpectedly in 2011 and they lovingly took a leap of faith and invited me to live in their home. I showed up on Rickie’s neighbor’s porch on a cold November day. It was in the middle of the night when he emerged from his home to get a book out of his car that he first discovered me. I was sleeping in a recliner chair on the porch and we both noticed each other. At first I was very uncertain of this man; I had been living on the streets for a few weeks and was tired, cold and scared. He tried to talk to me and help me but I very gently told him that I did not trust him and that I didn’t want his help. However, he did not give up. He kept checking on me every hour to make sure that I was okay and brought out fresh water for me to drink and pizza to eat (my favorite food). Throughout that night and the following day, Rickie started to show his love and compassion for me and my situation and eventually I started to trust him. When I was still on the porch the next evening, he decided to call his girlfriend to ask for help. He explained that I had been sleeping on the porch in the cold all night and that I needed to be saved. They checked with the local shelters and unfortunately all of the no-kill locations were full and couldn’t take me for another two weeks. With no other option, they decided to take me to the local SPCA so that I could have a warm place to sleep, food and could get checked by a vet. When Nicole showed up I allowed the both of them to attach me to a leash and I got into their car. The drive was long and I was car sick but eventually we arrived at the SPCA. I was very scared but I trusted them and knew that I was getting the help that I needed. As the staff took me to the back I turned around to get one last look at the loving couple who saved me and thanked them, they were crying.

The staff at the SPCA gave me a bath and made sure I was okay. And luckily, two days later, Nicole called to check in on me and to see how I was doing. I was checked out by the behaviorist and they determined that I was adoptable. I guess she couldn’t stop thinking about me because the next day she came by with her brother to see me and I was so happy. I was able to play with them outside and got lots of belly rubs which are my favorite. This must have won over their hearts because before I knew it I was getting picked up by Nicole and going to her home. It was the best day of my life and ever since then I have been a part of her family and given more love than I could ever imagine.

Over the next few months I felt safe and comfortable and I let my personality shine. Here is a little bit about me and my likes and dislikes.

Breed: I am a Pit Bull Terrier. Unlike most Pits, I have a beautiful soft coat of fur which I get compliments on regularly and I haven’t had any skin issues. I like to keep myself looking pretty which is how I got my name, Pretty Mama.

Size: I am a medium to large dog and weigh a healthy 65 pounds, a perfect weight for my size!

Sex: I am female, you can easily tell by looking at my belly. I have had at least one litter of puppies.

Age: Like most ladies I don’t like to tell people my age, however, the vet estimates that I am around 5 years old.

Temperament: I am very sweet, extremely affectionate, playful, funny and I have a big personality which shows through my expressive eyes.

I would describe myself as a lover of all humans, old and young. I love lots of attention and my absolute favorite things to do with my human companions are snuggle, cuddle and receive belly rubs. However, I do not get along with other animals especially dogs. According to the many trainers that I have worked with, I am leash reactive and after many attempts I just can’t be around other dogs. My parents do not know exactly why I am the way that I am but have learned to accept my limitations and I hope that my new family will be able to do the same.

Likes: Here are some of my likes…

Belly rubs. All day, all the time from whomever wants to give them to me

Snuggles, cuddles and hugs. I can’t express enough how much I love to be close to other people to receive and share love. And yes, I give great hugs!!!

great hugs!!! Play time. I like to pull my rope, chase balls and chew on my bones. However, I don’t usually play for longer than 10-20 minutes. After that, it’s time for a nap!

Baths. Yes, I love to get baths! At first I was unsure and had no idea what a bath was. But then, once I realized it was a nice rub down in a warm tub of water, I started to love them!!!

Walks. Even though they can sometimes be stressful because I see other dogs which stresses me out, I love to be outdoors. I really like to sniff and explore and meet other people. I am very social so walks give me a chance to say hi to the neighbors and to let others rub my belly. I’m not shy and I love introducing myself to new people, belly first. I am especially excited and gentle when I meet kids. They sometimes are afraid of me because of my size, but once I lie down to their level and let them pet me we quickly become friends.

Being in my backyard. Although I live in Philadelphia and my back yard isn’t large, I really like spending time out there alone and with others. It gives me a chance to be off the leash and outdoors to explore. I am totally cool if I see a dog through a fence, knowing that there is a barrier helps me to feel more safe and secure. I used to have a friend next door and we would run back and forth chasing each other and sniffing each other through the fence. He unfortunately moved away and now I just bark at the stray cats that like to torment me.

Sleeping in on the weekends. I love to sleep in bed with my Mom; sometimes I sneak all the way up to her face and share her pillow with her while she is sleeping. I again love to be warm and snuggled and I usually like to sleep in with her on the weekends. I try not to wake her up too early for my morning walks.

Protecting the ones I love. I love my family very much and I would do anything to protect them. Although I would never attack someone unless provoked or if they were hurting my family, I do like to give out some warning barks when someone comes to the door. Once I see that they are a friend or neighbor I love to great them and welcome them into my home.

unless provoked or if they were hurting my family, I do like to give out some warning barks when someone comes to the door. Once I see that they are a friend or neighbor I love to great them and welcome them into my home. Treats. My parents don’t like when I beg so they taught me early on that there are certain foods that they eat that I am not allowed to have. I am very respectful during meal time and I may attempt to investigate what they are eating but as soon as they let me know it is not for me Iquickly go away and let them enjoy their meal in peace. I love dog treats, peanut butter in my kong and occasional steak and chicken that my parents give me with my regular food.

Dislikes: There aren’t too many things that I dislike. I am a very happy dog and love most things in this world, but if I had to describe some of the things that I don’t like they would be the following…

Other dogs. Like I said before, I don’t get along with other dogs which means I can’t live in a home that already has other animals, large orsmall. I also have to be kept away from other dogs when in public; my threshold is about a ten foot radius. This means that I am not the type of dog that can be taken to public places like parks and cafes. I would really love to be in a home that has a nice fenced in backyard that I can play in and not have to worry about other animals.

Car rides. Until my parents adopted me, I had never been in a car. I usually get car sick but the vet said that if I am taken on enough car rides I will probably get used to them and this problem will go away.

Hard rubs. I don’t like when people rub me hard especially near my back end and tail. I had some traumatic experiences on the streets which led to a small injury on my tail, it is healed but still sensitive. Also, the place that I was at before my current home was not a stable environment and I was abused. I have learned to trust people again and I do loved to be touched, just gently please.

I really hope that I can find a loving, forever home that I can finally call my own. I have had some tough times in my past but I beat the odds and persevered and my family helped to rehab me into the loving, wonderful dog that I am today. Although I will be sad to leave my family, I understand that it is the best decision for me. So please consider adopting me or helping to find someone who would want to adopt a dog like me. I will bring so much love and joy into a person’s life and I just want to share my love with my family.

Love,

Pretty Mama

P.S. If you are interested in adopting me please send my Mom a message below and she will get in touch with you.