How It All Began, Sweet Pelona

PELONA…….Pelona started my absolute passion for pit bulls. So, here’s the beginning. 1998. I was working with repeat juvenile offenders in a pilot program. The probation officers, drug and alcohol counselors, teachers, guards, and therapists to see if an all-inclusive day treatment program could reduce recidivism, drug use, and gang affiliation. These teens had all these elements. One of my clients was a target of a drive-by shooting. He was in danger, thus we needed to get him out of the country. I knew that he had a 1-month-old pit bull puppy that he got with the intent to fight. I was told that he was beating her, giving her crystal meth and alcohol, and starving her. They felt that this was the best way to make her crazy, a better fighter. They were uneducated about the true nature and heart of a pit bull. I saw her when I showed up at his house to help get him out. While I was there, he tried to strangle her, slap her across the face and the last straw was kicking her across the room. I told him he could not have his dog. I took shoelaces out of his shoes for a collar and his mom’s purse strap for a leash and said goodbye. I had no knowledge about pit bulls nor what I was in for.

It took 3 months to get Pelona medically stable. She had rickets from malnutrition, rotten teeth, and parasites when she came home. She was also terrified she was going to get hurt or die so she was on high alert and aggressive. It took 6 months of positive reinforcement training and help from a mama pit bull to get her to trust and acclimate into our family. I was in love.

Pelona instigated my research, education, and promotion of pit bulls. I had no idea people were scared of them, used for fighting, horrifically abused, and euthanized more than any other breed. I did know that pit bulls were incredibly intelligent, loving, goofy, loyal, playful, and loved to eat. In addition, they require covers, constant contact, belly rubs, and their favorite treats, and each has its own personal quirks. They are absolutely the best. I was impassioned to show all that pit bulls are the sweetest little nuggets of love imaginable. They are intoxicating.

One of Pelona’s quirks was her need to be walked down the stairs and tucked under the covers. If I was already downstairs, she would stand at top of the stairs looking down at me, and say, “Uff…Uff..Uff’. In other words, Mom, come up and get me. It’s time to go to bed. I’m scared to walk down the stairs alone. Only you can lift the covers so that I can climb under and nestle into your arms to go to sleep.” Aw! The best!

She also had food preferences. If you tried to feed her a veggie she didn’t like, she would literally spit it out of her mouth and look at you as if saying, “That was disgusting.” “I know you have something better.”