Carly (formerly Honey)
Monday, September 19, 2011
By: Jan Burtless

Adopted in August 2011

I decided I wanted to get a new dog as a companion for my 7-year-old dog Jake. When I got him from a rescue organization he was described as a cross between a Black Lab and an American Staffordshire Terrier. I was surprised when I later found out that AmStaffs are considered pit bulls. I had heard only bad things about them, but Jake is an absolutely wonderful dog and has never shown any aggression (except to skunks, but that's another story!).

I came to realize that common understandings about breeds aren't always accurate and that even valid breed characteristics may not apply to every dog in that breed. Each dog should be approached and gotten to know as an individual (just like people!). So many wonderful dogs are going homeless because people have heard and believed uninformed stereotypes. Because I was aware of the problem with finding homes for pit bulls, I checked them out first. I found several fine dogs and decided on a young dog named Honey (now Carly). I'm not saying she would be the perfect dog for absolutely any family, but she is a great dog for Jake and me. She is still learning our household rules, but she's made great progress in that and is very affectionate and gets along well with other dogs. She and Jake are becoming fast friends and having her around has been very good for him.

If you're looking for a dog you should certainly get to know the candidates as thoroughly as you can, but please keep in mind that if you eliminate all pits you might be missing out on a great companion.