All of my furbabies are rescues.
Lily Belle was my first, the sweetest little black puppy thought to be a Border Collie mix. After a few months, my sweet little puppy grew into anything but a Border Collie. She is more like a Lab-mix, but mixed with what? Who knows? I've heard every breed imaginable, including possibly Border Collie.
My fear was that part of her lineage may include some Pit Bull. According to Laura, her Pet Smart training instructor, Pit Bulls have historically been a very popular breed on the farms in middle Tennessee, and she sees a lot of Lab-Pit mixes in the training classes.
THUD!
That was the sound of my heart sinking the first time I heard the words.
"No!!!!" was the scream of my inner voice. How could Laura suggest my precious little puppy possibly be part Pit Bull? She's sweet, loyal, smart and well-behaved. She is amazing around children and older folks, gentle and attentive. And what a lover!
I frantically started researching Pit Bulls, like a new momma trying to understand a disease in the realm of potential diagnosis for her baby.
And this is what I found...
"In the early twentieth century Pit Bulls were so respected for their loyalty, determination and bravery that they were chosen to represent America in WWI on posters used for recruitment and to sell war bonds.
The first decorated canine war hero and the only dog to be promoted to sergeant was an American Pit Bull named “Stubby.” Born in 1917 Stubby wandered into a Connecticut National Guard encampment on the Yale University campus. He was a scrawny little pup of about four weeks old, found there by John Robert Conroy who smuggled his beloved companion aboard the troop ship, the SS Minnesota.
Stubby learned to salute and his military career began. He served beside Conroy in the 102nd Infantry 26th Yankee division, during WWI, in the trenches in France. There Stubby would seek out wounded soldiers, which were significantly less, because Stubby could hear the whine of incoming artillery shells before the humans, and became quite adept at letting his unit know when to duck for cover.
After being gassed, Stubby began warning his unit of poison gas attacks. There is no way to know how many American soldiers this Pit Bull saved, but the respect he was given by the U.S. after the war is a clear indicator of how valuable Stubby was to the men of his unit. During his Military career, Stubby aided in the capture of a German spy, was severely injured by shrapnel, sent to the Red Cross hospital for surgery, awarded the Purple Heart and sent back to his regimen.
After the battle for the French village of Domremy, the grateful women of the township fashioned a hand sewn chamois coat, to display Stubby’s service chevrons, metals, pins and buttons, this became his recognized trademark, and is now on display at the Smithsonian Museum.
In his lifetime Stubby was invited to the White house by three Presidents, Woodrow Wilson, Warren Harding, and Calvin Coolidge.
In 1921 John Conroy and Stubby headed to Georgetown to enroll in law school where Stubby became a practicing Hoya, he served several terms as mascot to the football team. Between halves, Stubby would nudge a football around the field with his nose to the delight of the crowd. His performance is deemed the inspiration that started elaborate half time shows at football games across the country.
Until his death in John Conroy’s arms of old age on April 4, 1926, Stubby was a “True” American Staffordshire (Pit Bull) Terrier." (research excerpt reprinted from Pit Bull Awareness Coalition)
I still have a Lab-mix puppy. Mixed with what? Who knows? But I'm proud of her, regardless of her lineage. Yes, even that little piece that might even be American Staffordshire Terrier.
She's still 100% my sweet, sweet Lily Belle.
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