Angel City Pit Bulls - Foster Friday

When I think about Dove, I think words like "success", "resilient", and "inspiring". These are nice words to think but even better to live, and thanks to Dove, I have been living these words for the past four months. Dove came into my house on his belly, with his tail tucked all the way under and his eyes firmly on the ground. When I looked at him for too long he would shake; when I talked to him he would curl into a ball. He exhibited all the signs of abuse. These days Dove wags his tail every time I talk to him, runs to the door when my husband comes home, and is just starting to understand the love of belly rubs.

Dove tackles each new challenge with determination. You can actually see him preparing himself to try something scary, refusing to give up. When he finally mastered the dog door he spent the entire evening running in and out, in and out - so happy with his new skill! I find it kind of funny to say about a dog, but he has the most courageous spirit I have ever met.

Other than a lot of patience, Dove comes along with some very specific requirements for any prospective family. While he still has some trust issues with new humans, he views all dogs (and even our cat) as his best friend. He needs another dog to lead the way in most everything he tackles. He also needs canines for playtime – you have never seen a dog play with such happy abandon! I am not sure if he would do well living with young children, however, as his ideal home would come without loud noises, sudden movements, or high-volume voices.

Dove also requires a lot of snuggling. Be prepared to administer hugs, back scratches, kisses, and belly rubs. The more confidence he gets, the more affectionate as well. Who knew such a timid boy had so much love to give? Dove is about eighteen months old, 50 pounds, microchipped, crate-trained, house-trained and is learning his commands at Turnaround Training's puppy class. He will need to continue obedience class once he is adopted as well, to fully master his commands.

There is an astonishing amount of joy that comes from being a part of Dove’s world and watching him “unfold”. I like to think I am helping Dove to be a better dog; the reality is he is helping me to be a better person. He is the most amazing success story. Are you ready to be part of it?

Elizabeth
Dove’s Foster Mom

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Foster Friday: Doggie Street Festival

jenny — Fri, 22 Jun 2012 16:31:18 +0000

Friday, June 22, 2012 - 9:31am

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Foster Friday

Adopt

Doggie Street Festival

This Sunday we are heading to Century City to participate in the Doggie Street Festival. We are very excited to be taking some of our dogs to the event with high hopes they will meet their new forever families. In honor of our inaugural presence at this big event, we thought we should feature our foster dogs who will be in attendance.

Let us begin with Annie. What more can we say about our lovely Annie that hasn’t already been said? She is a great companion, incredibly connected to people, smart and respectful. Her energy can easily match yours; she is happiest just being by your side. Whether its a nice run around the neighborhood or simply lounging by your side on the couch, Annie is happy just to be with you. She is three years old, house-trained, crate-trained, micro-chipped and good with other well-matched dogs with a proper introduction. Annie is a beautiful girl with a lot of love to give; once she finds her family, they will realize how lucky they are to have her!

Next we have Hanna, our giant baby. Hanna is a total sweetheart who is very connected to people. Her flexible energy makes her adaptable to any situation; she loves to go for a nice walk, a brisk jog or even a hike, however she is also a perfect couch companion if you just want to relax. Hanna goes to daycare at Cagefree K-9 Camp, and absolutely adores playing with any dog she can get her paws on. She is three years old, house-trained, crate-trained, micro-chipped and will soon graduate from obedience class at Zoom Room, in which she is excelling. Hanna will bring tons of love to your life!

Then come meet sweet Rosie! She is our newest girl and is the total package: sweet, mellow, obedient and playful. Rosie is the type of dog who would run errands with you all day without a complaint. She also likes to play, is very dog-social and easily connects with people. Rosie is also two years old, house-trained, crate-trained, micro-chipped and ready to go to her forever home. Rosie is a true gem of a dog!

We also have Grace, another newbie to our program. Grace is a petite, quiet, sweet, and gentle girl. She has a nice low energy and loves to relax at home. She is good with cats and may even be a little afraid of them. Grace is also a little afraid of other dogs but we believe that she will do well with a patient and slow introduction to a well-matched, polite dog. Grace is about five years old, crate-trained, micro-chipped and will start obedience training very soon. Come see this petite girl and get some kisses!

Last, but certainly not least is our boy Disney. He is fun-loving and playful, not to mention a little goofy. He is most definitely an enthusiastic guy who truly appreciates a structured household. Disney does very well following rules and keeping his manners when he is given clear, consistant leadership. He is dog-social and loves to play with his playgroup buddies. Disney is about eighteen months old, house-trained, crate-trained, micro-chipped and looking to find the right match for his forever home.

Come meet all our adoptable dogs on Sunday - they have a lot of love to give!

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Foster Friday: Everybody Loves Rosie

jenny — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 16:54:05 +0000

Friday, June 15, 2012 - 9:54am

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Before adopting my first dog a couple of years ago, I used to be very afraid of wagging tails, from tiny Chihuahuas to larger breeds. Even after adopting Max, a Pomeranian mix, “bully breeds” continued to frighten me. That was until Rosie, a 6-month old female, pink nosed pit bull, interrupted one of my morning runs.

I had barely started jogging when I saw her; she was on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood, looking lost and tired, trying desperately to find a new human friend. After clinging to another man there for miles (as he explained to me), and passing me in my frightened state, she located an old lady across Fairfax Boulevard. Perhaps she was operating on a wisdom, thinking an older soul would be more likely to help her.

As I was watching the scene unfold, I honestly felt a moral dilemma unfold as well. I had little experience with dogs - and, absolutely none with larger ones. Since dogs feel emotions, I fancied that she would sense my nervousness and react to it. The thoughts started cascading through my mind ... how would I keep her at my house? Would my landlady be cool with it? Wouldn't it maybe just be easier to bury my head in the sand and forget all about it? Despite my fears and lack of experience, I just could not fathom the idea of a neglected animal - so I decided to do what seemed to be the right thing.

I crossed Fairfax and cautiously walked up to her. Her sweet but worried eyes connected with me immediately, as if she knew she had found help. I was relieved. I called her "Rosie". Because Rosie and I walked for a couple of hours together, we quickly bonded. Even without a leash, she obeyed all my commands. I remember running into people walking their dogs - reading their faces, seeing their concern that Rosie was off leash. I, too, wasn't so sure about how she would react to other four-legged companions. But, everything was fine ... not only was Rosie obedient, but to my greatest surprise, she was also very sweet. On leash, she was great to walk; she did not pull at all.

Rosie cured a lot of my fear of pit bulls and larger dog breeds. Not only did she cure me ... she captured my heart as well. I fell in love with Rosie

Unfortunately I could not keep her. My landlady refused to host a pit bull on her property, and I couldn't find anybody to foster her that day. I was facing the fact that I would have no other choice but to take her to the local animal shelter. My beloved wife, who was helping me in the process, had the great idea of asking the owner of our doggie daycare, Karen, if she could help. Karen usually does not accept such requests; however, her having a pit bull herself, and hearing about how great Rosie was, she made an exception and offered Rosie a temporary home.

In the mornings, Rosie would hang out with Karen and other people at the coffee shop, eating prosciutto for breakfast. Then she would play with other dogs at daycare. And at night she had Karen, who quickly fell in love with Rosie, too.

The neighbors loved Rosie. The staff at the day care loved Rosie. Everybody loved Rosie. But Rosie had still not found her forever home; that is where Angel City Pit Bulls came in. Karen and I agreed that Rosie becoming an Angel City pit bull would be the best way to ensure she would be adopted into a loving family. Just like everyone else, the folks from Angel City Pit Bulls fell in love with her, too.

For me, I feel cured of my fear. When dropping Rosie off at her new Angel City Pit Bulls' foster home, I met another delightful pit bull - Rosie's new foster home friend - and experienced no fear at all.

I saved Rosie. But in so many ways, Rosie saved me, too.

Olivier
ACPB Volunteer and Rosie's Guardian

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We Need Foster Parents!

jenny — Fri, 08 Jun 2012 16:26:13 +0000

Friday, June 8, 2012 - 9:26am

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Angel City Pit Bulls is exclusively a foster-based program. Without a shelter or boarding facility, every dog we take in must have an individual foster home. As one can imagine, this make foster parents vital to our mission.

Simply put, by providing a transitional home for a rescue dog, foster parents save the life of a dog. For those who cannot adopt or are not ready to, it is the single greatest way to make an individual impact to the systemic problem of shelter overcrowding. While there are more benefits than we could ever list, perhaps the biggest one is your knowing that without you, your foster dog may not be here today.

We are seeking homes with and without other dogs. It doesn't matter if you have a house or an apartment, children or no children, cats or no cats; we will match you with a dog that fits your home and lifestyle. The average length of time for a dog in our program is about two months from shelter to adoption. If you are worried that it will be too hard to part with your foster dog, we understand. Foster parents reserve the right to adopt their foster dog. ACPB fully supports our foster dogs; we provide all expenses as well as volunteer support, transportation, and training resources.

We are actively seeking foster homes for our some of our current foster dogs so that we can bring new dogs into our program.

DISNEY
Around a year old, Disney has a nice flexible energy. He loves to play, but is also great at relaxing. He can be fostered with other well-matched dogs, as he gets along very well with them. We are specifically looking for a structured household with well-defined leadership for Disney, as he could use some consistency and work on his manners.

GRACE
Recently came to us by way of the West LA Shelter, Grace is a sweet, friendly, 2 year old girl, who loves everyone she meets. She was found as a stray with evidence of some type of altercation with another dog(s). Not surprisingly, she is fearful of other dogs and a bit defensive around larger ones. Grace will need socializing to help her trust other dogs. She did remarkably well with cats at the shelter and should be able to coexist peacefully with a feline friend.

JUNIOR
We gave Junior his name because he is the spitting image of ACPB alumnus, Henry! In fact, Junior is currently fostered with Henry and they have already become fast friends. He is around a year old, sweet, smart and has a flexible energy. He likes other dogs and has a well-mannered play style.

ANNIE
Annie is about 3 years old and very ready to be adopted. She would thrive in a home without another dog, or with a submissive male or smaller dog. She gets along wonderfully with children and loves people. She has a flexible energy level, and can go on a run or is happy just relaxing by your side. Annie thrives with clear leadership, knows her manners and is very well behaved.

Please visit our foster a dog page for more info and please email foster@angelcitypits.org if you are interested in becoming a foster parent.

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Foster Friday: Irvine Super Pet Adoption

jenny — Fri, 01 Jun 2012 16:11:32 +0000

Friday, June 1, 2012 - 9:11am

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This Sunday we are heading south to Orange County to participate in the Irvine Super Pet Adoption! We are very excited to be taking some of our dogs to the event with high hopes they will meet their new forever families. In honor of our inaugural presence at this big event, we thought we should feature our foster dogs who will be in attendance!

Let us begin with Annie. What more can we say about our lovely Annie that hasn’t already been said? She is a great companion, incredibly connected to people, smart and respectful. Her energy can easily match yours; she is happiest just being by your side. Whether its a nice run around the neighborhood or simply lounging by your side on the couch, Annie is happy just to be with you. She is two years old, house broken, crate-trained and good with other well-matched dogs with a proper introduction. Annie is a beautiful girl with a lot of love to give; once she finds her family, they will realize how lucky they are to have her!

Next on the list, we have Luna. She is one of our newer members to the Angel City Pit Bulls family, and we absolutely adore her. When we met her at the Best Friends Super Adoption, we knew immediately that we wanted to take her under our wings, and so we pulled her from the Baldwin Park Shelter that very day. She is sweet and loving, but most of all, this girl is very smart. She’s very quick to learn new tricks and absolutely loves her toys ... especially a tennis ball! Luna is always up for a game of fetch, and will eagerly go bounding after a ball whenever she gets the chance. Luna is just one year old, house broken, crate-trained, good with other dogs and people. She is very easily adaptable and mellow, and we think she could thrive in just about any household. Her pictures do not do her justice; come and see how beautiful she is for yourself!

Last, but not least, we have our loving, sweet, silly girl, Georgia. She has the most infectious personality and can bring a smile to everyone who has the pleasure of meeting her. This active girl loves to play, but is very flexible with your choice of activities. Georgia knows her basic commands and walks wonderfully on a leash with a little bit of help from a Gentle Leader™. From her silly wookie-like sounds to her constantly wiggly back end, you just cannot help but love Georgia. She is two years old, house broken, crate-trained, and would do very well with another dog or with a family with kids. She is currently being fostered by a family with a four-year-old girl, and they've become the best of friends!

So, what are you waiting for? Come and meet our sweet dogs this Sunday in Irvine - you won't want to miss it!

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Foster Friday: Hanna the Love Bug

jenny — Fri, 25 May 2012 15:30:24 +0000

Friday, May 25, 2012 - 8:30am

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Foster Friday

Hanna

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I have been a volunteer with Angel City Pit Bulls for well over a year, and shortly after getting involved with the organization, I joined the team as Volunteer Coordinator. I have always been interested in animal welfare, and have a history of sponsoring rescue dogs as well as volunteering at local rescue organizations. Being a part of ACPB has given me a strong feeling of purpose, and makes me feel like I am truly helping homeless dogs. However, there has always been a piece missing.

No matter how many hours a week I spend recruiting volunteers, organizing events or working on social media, I have always felt that I could do more. I eventually realized that I needed to become a foster parent. The ways I was contributing to the organization were somewhat indirect; yes, my efforts helped the dogs, but what could be more beneficial to a rescue group than opening my home to take in another dog in need?

Once I decided that I wanted to try fostering, I needed to convince my husband…and then our own dog and cat. My husband eventually agreed and we notified ACPB that we were ready to foster the right foster dog for our household.

Then came Hanna. From the first time I saw her photo I knew she was our foster dog. I admired the way her smile spread from cropped ear to cropped ear. She exudes happiness and unconditional love.

Hanna is one of the most affectionate dogs I have ever met. Nothing makes her happier than cuddling with me and giving me kisses. She has to earn her belly rubs, but when she gives me a proper “sit”, “down”, and “watch me” her reward is certainly worth it.

Hanna is about 3 years old, but she has the spirit of a giant puppy. She adores play; whether it is with my dog Sadie, with a tennis ball or simply rolling around in the grass, I experience nirvana vicariously through her during playtime. She is also extremely talented at fetch.

I have never known a dog more excited to hop into her crate and relax, especially when it involves peanut butter. Her flexible energy makes her very adaptable to any household dynamic. Hanna is house broken, crate-trained and is quickly learning several basic commands, as well as a few fun tricks.

Hanna is enrolled in Obedience 1 at Zoom Room Hollywood, and is already excelling. She gets along wonderfully with any dog, and she loves people too. We are working on her relationship with our cat, and are optimistic that she will be able to cohabitate amicably with a cat as well.

For as much as I have taught Hanna – and am still teaching her – she has taught me even more. Hanna has helped me realize the rewards of fostering a dog, and teaches me more about patience and adoration every single day.

Jenny
Hanna's Foster Mom

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Foster Friday: Meet Luna

admin — Fri, 18 May 2012 16:47:36 +0000

Friday, May 18, 2012 - 9:47am

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Luna is a sweetheart who seems relaxed and happy with every person and dog she meets. Luna is about one year old, and came to Angel City Pit Bulls from the Baldwin Park Shelter, at the Best Friends Super Adoption. Upon first meeting, she is quick to sit down and command your attention, but once you’ve shown her you’re watching, you’ll find her flopping over onto her back, with a smile that begs for a tummy rub! That action sums up this beautiful girl’s silly personality; she is sweet and loving, but very smart and clever too, with just a hint of goofiness that always seems to leave us smiling.

Although content with relaxing on her bed and keeping herself occupied with her toys, Luna loves the opportunity to chase after a tennis ball, and always welcomes the chance to go bounding after it. Although not often vocal, she does seem to enjoy “chatting” with us from time to time, especially when we put on her leash for a walk.

Above all else, Luna is affectionate, and always up for a cuddle. When given the opportunity, she will happily lean against our legs as we sit on the couch. My personal favorite is her reaction to when I lay down on the floor with her. She walks over and sits down next to my chest, lowers her head in my face to give me a sweet little kiss, then collapses on top of me. In addition to her desire to cuddle, Luna is fantastic with kids, always gentle, and willing to let them pet her for as long as they want, which normally ends with a few “thank you” kisses.

Luna is house broken, crate trained, and knows basic obedience. We are working on clicker training with her and she seems to be picking that up quickly. Luna is great around other dogs and children, and although she hasn't met a cat just yet, with a proper introduction we bet Luna would get along with just about anyone.

Jason
Luna's Foster

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Foster Friday: Sweet Mz. P

admin — Fri, 11 May 2012 16:33:58 +0000

Friday, May 11, 2012 - 9:33am

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Foster Friday

Adopt

Penny

Imagine being a sweet little puppy full of hope, so excited to be adopted by your new family. Riding in the car to your new home with visions of playing catch, going for walks, and just being loved. To your new backyard you go ... and unfortunately, there you stay. It’s raining, it's hot, it's nighttime … your only bond with your "family" is watching them through the windows.

You would think after years of that kind of life you'd give up or get angry - but not Penny, or as we call her “Sweet Mz. P”! Clearly, she knew that one day her luck would change - and the life she's always dreamed of and deserves would one day come. Thanks to Angel City Pit Bulls - it has!

Penelope - or Penny for short - has blossomed. All she needed was some good old fashion TLC, proper nutrition and a soft bed to lay on. She went from being overweight and sluggish to playful, with a thick and shiny coat; she’s well on her way to being bikini ready, just in time for summer.

She is currently living with two small dogs and my son, a 16-month-old toddler. She is so gentle with my son; the first thing he does when he wakes up every morning is to go straight to her kennel for his morning kisses. He'll bring Penny her toy for a game of tug o' war, and then cuddle up with her in her bed while he looks at his books. He's learned how to say 'Good Girl', or should I say 'Goo Goo' because of Penny. It is hard not to constantly praise her - and apparently we say it often enough that now he thinks that is actually her name. As for my dogs, she is happy being a part of the pack, chillin’ with them outside in the shade or exploring together in the backyard.

Penny is happiest when she's included as part of the family. She enjoys when we all go on walks together, and really loves laying at our feet when we're hanging out in the living room after work or on a lazy weekend morning. We entertain quite a lot, and we allow her to be right there in the middle of it all because she is such a well-mannered little lady. She never begs or barks, is very social and always becomes the talk of the party. Her sweet grin, beautiful light brown eyes and gentle soul win everyone over.

She is crate trained, potty trained, stays right by your side on walks, is great on car rides, knows the basic commands (sit, stay, lay down) and will give kisses and high fives whenever asked. She is eager to please, to love and to be loved. Sweet Mz. P truly makes an awesome and valued member of the family. We all love her so much … with a heart and soul like hers, how could you not?

Mishelle
Penny’s Foster

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