Things are looking up

Hey everyone. I'm Hector.

So it's good to see all my pals on here - shout out to Uba since he was my kennel-neighbor when we were in what my foster mom calls "custody" and I call "that other place."

Things are looking up since I got to California. I went to live with some nice ladies and a bunch of dogs and they had all these crazy things they kept giving me, and I didn't know what they were or why I was getting them. It's funny now that I know that these things are called "toys" and "dog beds" and that there's a big supply of both of them for me. The dog beds were really strange to me and I used to try to eat them and then lay next to them, but one day I realized that you can sleep on top of them. That was a good discovery! It's definitely nicer to nap on them than it is to use them as chew toys.

So anyway, I'm learning lots of new things - most especially what it means to live in a house. I definitely like the house a lot better than other places I've lived, and now that I know how to use a dog bed the house is even better!

I did have one strange day where I went in for a "neuter" - I'm glad I didn't know what that was at the time, but I'm cool with it now. The best part other than all the attention from the vet staff was the awesome cone they put on my head - I think I rocked that accessory, and the great thing about it was that you can run around with it and whack it into things and it makes some awesomely loud crashing noises.

I kind of miss my cone, actually. Here's a picture of me rocking the cone look - I think it looks kind of cool. So for every dog out there who hates the cone, I'm telling you - try whacking it into things and picking up toys with it. You can make your own game!

That's about it for now. Thanks to everyone who sent nice notes when I was in the newspaper and on TV. I only wish they'd let me wear this cool cone for the press conference, because that would have been a BLAST!

Family Dog 101

Hello! I’m Ernie!

I am soooooo liking my new digs here in California!

Something tells me that there must have been a Bully goD watching over me and my pit bull pals from Virginia. We’ve all been through a lot…most of which, I, (actually, we) don’t care to ever think about again. I don’t even want to contaminate my brain thinking about stuff like that. Life was really rough for a long while there at “home” (not that I could actually call that creepy place on Moonlight Road a “home” by any stretch of the imagination). And then, we were in "custody" for what seemed like forever and ever and ever. Not exactly how I would have wished to spend my younger days.

But hey, I’m not one to dwell on the past. And thanks to some really awesome people out there who totally believe that pit bulls deserve so much better, my buddies and I headed out west for a brand new start… Yay!

I’m so excited that I can hardly stop wiggling and wagging!!! I finally get to learn what it feels like to be a family dog now; a cherished companion even...No more school of hard knocks for me and my friends….Woof!

And guess what?! I have my very own human boy, Eddy, to pal around with.
I also have a really cool canine sister named Maxine (a fellow pit mix) that I get to run around and do zoomies with, wrestle, play, and snuggle with. She makes a really comfy pillow to rest my head on when I’m tired. And, best of all, my mom says that I always make her smile! It doesn’t really get much better than that…

More about me later…but, for now, I’m really hoping that the Bully goD watches out for other equally deserving pit bulls out there.

Thoughts on Friendship

Hi! My name is Uba, and I am one of Jonny's friends and fellow survivors. I had a harder time in jail than Jonny did, so I prefer not to think about that time. You can read a little about my first experiences with people who didn't want to hurt me in this nice article . My life now is all about what's next and the new things I can see and experience. Sometimes those new things are kind of scary, but I try hard to be brave and my friends help me with that.

My mom has told me that some people think that dogs that have been abused and neglected and sent to jail like me can never, ever, be friends with other dogs or with cats. They even think that I might hurt my friends! I really don't understand why someone would think that. Why would I want to hurt my friends?? They keep me company and help me be brave when things are scary. I guess those people have just never met anyone like me. I have lots and lots of doggy friends and I get very very excited when I get to see them at pit-ed class. Sometimes I bounce so much with happiness that I lose my balance and fall over and everyone laughs at me. I have a beautiful big pit bull sister, Lulu, and we live with two cool little guys called Angus and William who smell a lot different than other dogs and don't go for walks with us. My mom says thats because they are not dogs at all, they actually are cats. Some dogs (like Jonny) think that cats are all bad news, but I like to take naps with my buddies. Lulu has shown me that scary things are no big deal and she has helped me get used to living in a nice house, and Angus and William snuggle with me when we watch tv or read books in the evening. I would be so sad if I couldn't live with my friends any more. I hope those people who think I might hurt my friends can learn about me and my friends on this blog and change their minds.

Hugs, Uba

The Cell Door Opened

On my first day out of custody, I took a road trip with some of my cell block mates and some super nice people in a giant rolling house. It was a tough trip, sneeking thru places that I overheard folks say I wasn't allowed. I didn't understand that. I'm just a dog. I can understand that some people aren't keen on dogs, but whole towns, cities and counties ??? Are these places run by cats ?? Oh' my, This isn't good. Is this the land of the free ? I was told it was so great, but sounds kinda mixed up. Free, but only in certain places ?? I dont get it. I hope my people try to fix that. But my super nice people kept me safe and prevented us from being thrown back in a cell, and a few days later we all arrived in a place called Oakland. Freedom at last !!!!

It was nice to be out in the sun, to smell grass, chase birds, and play with other doggies. It was nice to have a hand from good people to pet me. It was very strange, as good hands were foreign to me, but I sure did like it. I hope I get more. It was a long time spent in a cell. What my people tell me, it was over six months, whatever months are. I was lucky, because I am very strong, but some of my buddies had a very hard time in doggie jail. We are all different, and some of us need different types of care. Being locked up for that long changes you. But since being out, we are all bouncing back, getting our strength back slowly, shaking off the wrongs done to us, and wagging.

Wagging Lots.

Jonny-