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It’s been 5 whole years since we adopted our pitbull Chance. We can’t imagine our family without him! Since he was a rescue, we don’t know his official birthday so we celebrate his birthday and “gotcha day” (the day we adopted him) together. If you’re thinking of adopting a pitbull or adding another pet to your family, I wanted to share some general tips and things we’ve learned along the way!
We celebrate gotcha days and birthdays with lots of new toys, walks, and a special treat. Chance LOVES new toys almost as much as he loves me. If you aren’t familiar with Chance’s story, take some time to watch his videos and see where he came from. Sadly, we don’t know his backstory but I sure am glad that we’re part of his future!
At 7 years old Chance still acts like a dopey puppy, barks at pictures of other dogs (he acts like he’s mad that they won’t play with him), loves bacon, loves long walks (but not in the Summer), and most of all, loves his mama.
Tips on Adopting Pets
I am a big supporter of dog adoption and recently learned that there are some great options if you don’t want to adopt straight from the “pound”. In Phoenix we have many local rescues but there are also some rehoming sites that you can check when searching for a new member of your family.
I think the hard part that people don’t think about as much, is to understand that their personality when you meet them may not be their long-term personality. When pets settle in and get comfortable, they may get more relaxed, or more playful!
My biggest tip for adopting a dog is to make sure you’re committed. Dogs definitely take time, energy, and money. Then, spend some time with the breed(s) you’re interested in as well as ask questions from owners/experts of that breed. Ask in person or online in forums. Learn about breed mixes and what type of personality traits you might expect. Every dog, every family, and every pack is different.
Educate yourself on dog training methods, dog introduction methods, and best practices for introducing a dog to your family if you already have other pets. Find a friend who is great with dogs or who has extra knowledge. We are MORE than happy to be that friend to many so feel free to ask questions here or email me if you have any. I’m happy to help or point you in the right direction! You can check out some other posts I’ve written about Kona and Chance here.
Happy 7th Birthday and 5th Gotcha Day Chance! We love you so much! Have you adopted a dog? A pitbull? Any tips to give to others?
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