MY TWO BULLY-BREED SERVICE DOGS (Part-1)

       I don't know how many times we have to be told that Pitbulls are more than just a dog. These tactile, caring, ever so eager to please dogs have been discovered to make excellent therapy dogs as well. Such is the case with Samantha & John Schwartz of Long Neck, Delaware, USA. They both suffer from certain "Anxiety Conditions."Samantha herself suffers from "Bipolar Depression" but that's not all, chronic migraines along with a social solicitude condition.
        Sadly, Samantha was hearing voices in her head, and finding ways to harm herself, even by cutting her wrists! She felt by harming herself the voices would go away because subconsciously she was hearing that she wasn't worth living and she was a waste of space.
        On the advice of her doctor, she was advised to get a "Therapy Dog" however these dogs ranged in prices up to $20,000. Sam decided why not just go and rescue a dog that needs a good home. This dog would be her long-term friend and companion, someone she could confide in. Thus, Sam began an intensive search online for such an animal but to no avail did not find what she was looking for.
        In 2012, Samantha and her husband John came upon two "therapy type dogs" themselves to alleviate some of her on-going medical-related problems.Fate smiled upon them when they decided to move from their flood-ravaged mobile trailer, and found two Pitbulls named "Abby" and "Dylan." this idea just seemed to be the anecdote to both of their issues.
        Their landlord at the time, owned two very well trained Pitbulls, as he had been a police officer himself at one time.He gave them to the young couple, due to the fact where he was moving, did not allow dogs. He felt that due to their medical issue and whatnot, these special dogs could have a new forever home with them and a real purpose in their family.
        In the state of Delaware, the bylaw regarding service dogs, is such, that you don't have to have them trained by a professional, but that you can actually train them yourselves.So through very little time, working with "Abby" and "Dylan" it just seemed that they were naturals for the enormous task.Not only were this Pitbulls receptive to a little bit of tender loving tweaking but they excelled in areas never even dreamed of. Abby an amazing "service dog" is now half of the Schwartz family nanny, babysitter, pet, along with therapy companion.(Dylan is discussed in Part-2 of the blog next week)
        The results speak for themselves, as Samantha has become more confident in talking to people, making new friends with "Abby" always by her side. Basically, she assists Samantha in maintaining a normal life, instead of being a "shut-in" which she was prior to "Abby's" arrival.
        This caring dog pushes Sam when she needs it most. Especially, when she is throwing up in the bathroom from her constant chronic migraines, this Pitbull is there laying beside her, helping her get through it.
         As she visits her doctor, not only is "Abby" allowed to go in with her but participates in the examining process with Samantha. The result is that Sam doesn't take as much as the anxiety medication she needed before. As for "therapy councilling" that is pretty much non-existent now due to the fact this lady has someone she can confide and talk to.
        When she was going through a very difficult pregnancy for fear of losing the baby, from a possible miscarriage, Abby was there to nurse her through it.Back then, Samantha was to abstain from sudden movements and resolved to bed-rest due to her maternal condition. Abby lay beside her, on her lap almost the whole time. If she had to get up, her ever-so-faithful therapy dog was there, walking right beside her. The only time they were separated was when she gave birth to her son.
         After eight days of being away from home, it was a welcome relief to find her Abby waiting for her when she arrived. It didn`t take this dog very long to jump right back into her "service dog role"
        When the clocked ticked to nurse the newborn baby, Abby was once again positioning herself on Sam`s lap. This dog was actually sitting in such a way to enable herself reinforcement beneath the baby, should Samantha fall asleep while nursing.In fact, this did happen quite a few times, but again Abby assisted in keeping the baby in her arms.So as it was, this dog became a "Nanny dog" of sorts into her many roles involved in the family.
         Then tragedy struck, in the Schwartz family on two occasions which added to even more stress in Sam's life. Her favorite aunt had been diagnosed with "Stage 4" Lung Cancer but Abby just seemed to sense her anxiety once again. Add to that an even more emotional state of uneasiness when her sister was diagnosed with NMO.
         Neuromyelitis, also known as Devic's Disease or Devic's Syndrome is a heterogeneous condition.This consists of the simultaneous inflammation and demyelination of the optic nerve.(optic neuritis) Unfortunately, it also includes the spinal cord (myelitis) and can be monophasic and recurrent.
         Although the inflammation can also affect the brain, lesions are different from that of Multiple Sclerosis.Spinal cord lesions lead to varying degrees of weakness in the legs and arms.There is a loss of sensation, including blindness.Sadly, another condition immediately occurs in the loss of bladder and bowel control.Simultaneously, this disease attack the brain and immune system.Thankfully, Samantha's sister Essie is now getting chemotherapy for her condition.Nonetheless, although her condition is stable, and the fact she has lost all her hair, the chemo will not take it away. Despite all of the bad luck that has befallen

them, the Schwartz are so very grateful for their true therapy Pitbull dogs "Abby and Dylan"

     
       The first pic is Samantha along with Abby. The second pic is "Dylan" with Samantha.The third pic is Dylan laying on top of Abby, The Fourth pic is Abby is front and Dylan in the back. The fifth pic is the same.These amazing "therapy Pitbull Dogs are "Dylan and Abby" from Long Neck, Delaware, USA



















     

PITBULL OWNERS SPEAK

         This week I decided to do something a little out of the box. I am the administrator plus half of the founding originator of Pitbull Trucking (my wife Teryl is the other half) I often get little stories sent to me from true Pitbull owners.
         For instance, Maggie Santiago from Richardson Texas recently wrote to me about her experience with the "Bully Breed" Apparently her oldest daughter breeds and shows American Pitbull Terriers. Not only that, but she is a judge as well for the ADBA sanctioned shows. Her youngest daughter, as well as herself, has helped with the fitness training for confirmation shows along with weight pulling competitions.
         Maggie has also assisted in the whelping and caring of multiple litters. Since moving to Texas, three years ago, she has found herself enlightening people on responsible ownership of dogs in general. However, there is always some uneducated, ignorant person, commenting to her on the misinformation about Pitbulls.
          Tracy Rehmel recently sent me an amazing story of her Pitbull dog "Junior" They recently saved a "Korean Jindo" who was rescued from a "Korean Dog Meat Farm" They used Junior for this to teach her, with his calm disposition and gentle personality. Junior showed this rescue dog how to be a real mutt. Tracy walks with them together on a leash with Junior by her side.
          Unfortunately, like all rescue dogs of one sort or another, Hope has quite a bit of trauma due to the previous torture, she sustained at the hands of Korean dog handlers. This is because these dogs go through such a large amount of trauma due to the fact they are about to going to be slaughtered!

It seems that Junior is teaching Hope to not be so afraid of things, plus he shows a real interest in her and protects her.

Robert Lower is 68 years old from Warren, Ohio is a Vietnam War Vet from 1969 and 1970. Surprisingly, he not only owns 5 dogs but one of them is actually a Pitbull! he adopted his "Sleepy" as another one of those ill-forgotten rescue dogs. She was used for dog fighting and her face was all cut up when he got her. He is proud to say that he has had her for about 10 years now and of all the dogs he owns, she is his favorite.Sleepy is very tactful and of course, always has to be beside Robert or touching him. Robert was heavily involved in combat in the Vietnam war and was subjected to the dreaded "Agent Orange" which occurred in Saigon. His story is one of many, where he had met a Viet Cong girl that he fell in love with. Unfortunately, due to the war at the time, he lost track of her, from being stationed elsewhere. Despite it all, Sleepy has been there for his emotional torment and trauma he endured for the last decade. Sadly, like a good many "War Vets" Robert lives in the basement of a home, where in talking to him, I am afraid to say the accommodations are less than adequate.

Robert has even run a marathon back on December 1, 1991, among his many accomplishments. He even received a medal of commendation after he returned from the war as well.

Regrettably, Robert lost his own Father to "Agent Orange" suffering from Alzheimers and Parkinsons Disease. At the time, he was a nursing student, who found a lot of the medications that the VA prescribed as complete useless bullshit! in his words.

The first pic is of Robert Lower's pitbull mix, Sleepy rescued from a dog fighting ring.The map clearly shows where Robert was stationed during the Vietnam War of 1969 and 1970.

This picture is from the 1991 Marathon Robert ran in Memphis, Tennessee at a time of three hours and fourteen minutes. Robert for all you have done, and in great service to your country of the United States of America, Pitbull Trucking, salutes you!

DOG FIGHTING EXPOSED!

         Finally, I found a topic related to the whole pitbull thing that I am very passionate about. I wrestled with this thing for quite a few weeks, but then I decided it needs to be said. In fact, if this was never found out, I truly believe the whole negative stereotyping of the "Bully Breed" would not have contributed to all the additionally horrifying propaganda out there of the Pitbull.
        We can thank that retired "has been", former NFL Football Player, Michael Vick for bringing dog fighting to the forefront of the international news. Back then, the Atlanta Falcons were involved in a huge scandal involving their highly touted quarterback, Michael Vick. Eventually, Vick admitted to his involvement in an illegal dogfighting ring.
         These Pitbulls and a substantial amount of evidence of a large-scale dogfighting ring were discovered in a wooden barn behind Vick's home. Atlanta Police had rescued these dogs from the "Bad Newz Kennels on Vick's property. These dogs were never born fighters but were instead manipulated into this.Vick's handlers used treadmills, whips, and even chains to get these poor dogs to fight! Not only did the Investigators find real evidence of dogfighting equipment but also the remains of eight executed dogs. These were dogs that had lost in the fighting pit and were either shot, hanged, drowned or electrocuted.
         For weeks, Vick denied knowing anything about it, but on April 25, 2007, Animal Control Officers seized 54 Pitbulls from Vick's 15 acres, Virginia property. The evidence in question was alarming. Shed and walls of these barns had been painted black to keep the compound hidden from view during nighttime dog fights. When the public found out about the atrocity done to these animals, the only question that remained was could these damaged dogs be rehabilitated. Unfortunately, most of the general public saw the Vick's surviving dogs as a dangerous threat to safety. Even prominent members of Animal Rights Groups believed they were too damaged to be saved. They advocated that these dogs needed to be put down so they could not harm anyone.
         Best Friends Society decided that the canines in question could be rehabilitated, even if they had to be taught to be trained to kill. Campaigns were started in the United States to save these dogs from euthanasia.After hearing both sides, the courts decided to save the controversial dogs. As for Michael Vick, he eventually did admit his part into the dog fighting ring and was convicted on all counts of the dogfighting charges. He was sentenced to 23 months in a Kansas prison for running a cruel and inhumane dogfighting ring and lying about it. In the end, it was discovered this piece of human excrement not only financed the diabolical venture but took part in the gambling of these defenseless animals.It absolutely astounds me though that Vick only ended up doing 18 months and actually got to play football again in the NFL. Not only that, but he recently was allowed to purchase a dog for his kids.
          It's a horrific thought to take a dog that is so loyal and willing to please to put them in a situation where they have to fight for their life! If you ask me, it's not only sickening, demented but it angers me to know what these dogs were put through.
          On an episode of "Houston Animal Cops", they rescued about 15 Pitbulls from another one of the many dogfighting rings in that city. The unnamed animal shelter there murdered each and every one of them for the reasons that they were extreme fighting dogs, that posed a real threat to society. Despite conversations with Animal Control Officers stating the dogs were real sweet and loveable. The behavior
of the A.S.P.C.A. was at the very least, unconscionable, that they would euthanize these dogs without even a thought of rehabilitation. Even PITA, the so-called most extreme animal lovers campaigned to have every Pitbull from that fighting ring put down. Funny, how after the terrible deed was done the A.S.P.C.A. called it "Humanely Euthanised." This was a nice way to disguise senseless murder of these animals. At no time, after the dogs were seized, did they show any signs of human aggression towards their so-called saviors. Despite the fact,  there were various foster organizations willing to step in to save and rehabilitate these dogs.
        On a lighter note, here is an excerpt taken from my fourth book "The Final Mile" Here we relive some of the best moments with our dearly departed red-nosed merle Pitbull, Sampson. Enjoy and have a great week!

        The next day I left for what would become a very long trip to “The Big Easy.” It started out okay and despite Sam’s missing Carol, he too seemed to enjoy the journey. Most of the time he would sit in Carol’s seat just gazing out the passenger window as the miles went by. I would stop by and park at rest-stops as well as truck stops and let Sam out for short walks. We met many dog-lovers who also owned Pitbulls, and there was not a single dog that Sam could not interact with socially. Every dog that our “laid-back Sam” met seemed to like him, and he just gave the impression to everybody that nothing ever bothered him. However, Sampson would carry himself like a dog on a mission when you walked him, he was forever sniffing everything in sight and very calm around other people near him as well.

         The next day I had made good time in getting to my first drop in Denver Colorado, but this time I didn’t have to break down the different flavors of the gluten-free cookies. Our next drop was going to be in Cleburne Texas which was a few days away. However, when I had made it just about an hour past Childress on US 287 South, all hell broke loose. I was shifting down to get on another different route according to my GPS in the truck. Shockingly, when I went to shift down, I couldn’t, the shifter had interlocked itself and here I was doing a good 100 miles or so. From my time long hauling I didn’t panic, but just applied direct brake pressure to slow Barney down.  I cautiously pulled over to the side of the road and put on the four-ways cursing at this truck I was driving. I immediately called D & P Truck lines but the dam answering machine recording came on. I left a message and waited for somebody to call me back. About an hour went by and my cell phone began to ring, furthermore it was Stan Deman calling me. He asked me a bunch of useless questions and said he would call the nearest tow truck company in the area where I was stranded. It took another couple of hours until I finally saw the amber and blue flashing lights of a rather large tow-truck. The tow-truck driver told me Sampson would have to stay in the truck that was being towed as his boss didn’t allow Pitbull-type dogs in their truck. I put it quite bluntly to him, that if Sam wasn’t riding in the front of this truck, I wouldn’t ride with him either. Well, the tow-truck driver said that wasn’t allowed as it was company policy and my rebuttal to him was screw the company policy! So, in the end, he let Sampson ride up in the front with me, as we headed for their yard at Wichita Falls which was about 45 minutes away. He dropped “Barney” there, as well as the trailer and took us to the nearest place to stay for the night. I ended up checking Sam and me into a Best Western Hotel, where I used Stan’s credit card number he had given me. The next day it was a sweltering 106 degrees Fahrenheit in Wichita Falls Texas, even too hot for Sam to even go outside and do his business. Mostly for the day, I kept him inside the motel room I was staying in. I did let him out in the afternoon, but within a matter of minutes he was panting, and much overheated. Even though dogs were not allowed in the swimming pool there, I defied the sign and placed him in the cool inviting water. I’m sure the various tourists vacationing there were not amused, but I truly didn’t give a flying crap! My dog was too hot for his health so I did something about it. Approximately 15 minutes later, I was told by some motel worker that I had to get the dog out of the pool immediately. There was Sampson dog-paddling around an empty pool as everybody was afraid to go into it with him just because he was a Pitbull, go figure? Now to say getting Sam out of the water was easy would be grossly underestimated. I had to go back into the pool after him, and literally drag him out of the water.  when I would finally get him out of the water, he would shake himself off, run around the opposite end as I was running after him, just as I thought Sam was going to stop and wait for me to take him out of the pool, he would run down into the watery steps and walk right back for the third time.  I had to repeat the same process once more when I went to go get him out of the water, again he would shake himself off. Then he would run around the opposite side now when I would be chasing him to come back to me. However, Sam would run back down the steps, flipside into the water at least until I finally grabbed him by the back of his neck and dragged him out of the water and out of the fenced area. I grabbed a towel and dried him off as best as I could.  I led him back to our hotel room, where he proceeded to mess the bed, rolling around in the blankets like he always did after his baths at home. That evening I would walk over to the “What-A-Burger” drive-in restaurant next door and ordered Sampson up a small cheeseburger and fries. I did the same, only my burger was much larger with a large Strawberry Milkshake. It didn’t matter much because when I got back to my motel room, not only had Sampson wolfed down his food but he still wanted some more of mine. You know, of course, I didn’t deny him some of the burger and in the end of the evening; he chewed up another quarter of my meal.

   

                                                 A FORMER PITBULL OWNER SPEAKS

   

         I am new to this group but wanted to share a little of my Story...This is my Whitey aka White Man..He crossed over the Rainbow Bridge 12/29/16.He was my Baby and was 11yrs old and had some major health problems that he couldn't overcome. His pitbull fighting spirit was to fight, so we obliged him but in the end, we couldn't save my Whitey. He tried and fought and we fought to save him, but alas he could not get past it, so he had to go and we had to let him go. Even in his darkest hours, you would have never known he was sick just by looking at him because he didn't want you to know and most of all he didn't want to hurt us.He was the epitome of "The best dog ever and the dog that anyone would want to have".He was kind, gentle, loving, goofy, and funny. He loved his Human Mommy and Daddy and Brothers but most of all he was protective over his Family and he WAS MINE..He had my heart and I had his.When I lost my Daddy a little over a year ago on Oct 25th he was always there to lick my tears away then on Nov.25th exactly a month later I lost my Momma from a long battle with Cancer and once again Whitey was by my side. Never once did I have to hear him say "dry your tears up and move on" he was there and that was just it .He was there showing me nothing but unconditional love and never judged me for the all the tears that fell daily he would just sit there beside me until he knew I was ok and even then he didn't want me to move...I miss him so terribly bad my heart hurts but I know he will be there to meet me when I am called leave this earth. There with the unconditional love my boy had for me as I did for him and there to give me the best sloppy doggy kisses ever that only he could give to me and he will not ever have to lick my tears away again because we will never have to cry or cry for each other again...RIP MY BIG BOY!!

         The story you just read is true, and just like thousands of Pitbull Owners/ Bully Breed lovers out there, we all mourn for our lost family members. There is not a day that goes by that my wife Teryl and I do not think of our Sampson, one of the most humanistic dogs I have ever known. In fact, we still have his ashes on top of the fridge in a silver colored box with his name on it. But I cannot help but think about our original Pitbull and Black Lab cross mix, Shadow, who really was the grandfather of Pitbull Trucking, our site as it has come to be.It is simply amazing and extremely real how a canine can touch you very soul and heart. I wanted to post that, because as we were picking the music for our upcoming musical tribute memorial of the pitbulls my followers have lost, this struck a chord with me.

         When I see these pictures everyday that come across my desk, I wish people like Mayor Dennis Codere of Montreal, could read and see these photographs of true bully breed people. I wish the Mayor of Dallas Texas, could see the pain on all those people on Dowdy Ferry Road that find dead animals mutilated and killed for no apparent reason, to actually tell the truth for one bloody single moment in their pathetic materialistic lives. I wish that every good Torontonian in Ontario, could own these wonderful dogs without persecution because of the way they look. I wish the media would stop glamourizing another dog attack and label it a pitbull attack. I wish all those ridiculous BSL areas in the whole dam world, would stop and change their archaic anal laws towards this breed. I wish all those people out there torturing animals, would suffer a slow painful, agonizing death, and end up in Hell, where they truly belong. My hope is the `Michael Vicks`of the world that promote dog fighting are brought to justice and incarcerated forever. We need to change all laws involving the cruelty and inhumane ways animals are treated, with larger fines and longer jail terms.

          People often ask me, why we are called Pitbull Trucking, and let me tell you folks, it has really nothing at all to do with trucking. Ironically we started this thing, over 5 years ago, when I trucked with our dog Sampson. We used to come across many of our fellow truckdrivers that owned the pitbull breed dog. At first, we would post various pictures on our site for Sampson`s friends, brothers and sisters. We would post pictures of the latest big rig, or show truck parked in a truckstop we went by. Many truckers, we would friend on facebook and they in turn would go to our site, and post their pictures of pitty comrades on the road. But then something unforseen happened, Sampson`s Pyodermas flared up, and he would break out. We tried to combat the disease with special mediacted shampoo and shots of Covenia which were very hard on his heart and liver. On Jan 23, 2014, we said goodbye to our dear Sampson as his liver finally gave out. Unfortunately, I was up north of Fort McMurray running a crew bus, for the oilpatch when I got the phone call from my wife that we all dread.

          By the end of the day, I had driven through a stop sign, with passengers in my bus because I was devastated of losing such a beloved family member. I wept uncontrollably for that week, and finally by the end of the month, I was off to another job closer to home. As for my wife Teryl, she grieved for two years, until she could finally open her heart to another pitbull that so needed our help, love and attention.Yes we have lived it, and understand all the pain and loss a bully breed owner is going through. That is why we honor Sampson, by calling our site Pitbull Trucking. The only thing I can say is never ever say you`ll never get a pitbull again after he or she passes away.Honor your pitty dog by getting another one that can love you as you love it.

I am going to include another excerpt from one of my upcoming books `The Final Mile`` I wrote and yes a great many of those chapters involved our Sampson, have a great week!        

       When we had made it to the Florida state line, I stopped into a nearby rest-stop that was just off the I-95 Interstate.The first thing we both saw was a long chain of larger fresh-looking palm trees surrounding the whole area.I saw this oversized  “Welcome to Florida, The Sunshine State” sign near the entrance of the rest-stop as Carol handed me Sam’s leash along with him. He jumped down off the steps of the truck along with my help and shook his head like he always did when he began to walk. It didn’t take Sam long to find out where he wanted to be either, as his yellow mural eyes set their sights on a smaller lake nearby. Sam quickly started prancing towards the waterline just off the grassy shore. That dog immediately made a bee-line into the smaller lake oblivious of to what was beneath it.Sam started ruffling around with his front paws at the rocks he could see through the clear blue water. As for me, I just continued to hold his leash from the shore because he was so wrapped up in moving the small rocks and pebbles around with his front paws. That was Sam’s thing; he loved walking around in the water digging out the rocks as he would find the ones he was specifically enthralled with. After about 45 minutes had passed, I pulled him back in, removed his collar and the leashAfterall, I knew Sam just wanted to explore further, so I let him have his freedom. Even though the lake was situated very close to the interstate, I wasn’t worried about Sam swimming off anywhere either. He was too immersed with his rocks, mud and pebbles to care about anything else. That dog was now in his seventh heaven as he was the happiest I had ever seen him that day. I filmed some of his best moments, doing what he loved best, playing in the water. When Carol had got back from the washroom, she too watched Sampson with awe and wonderment. Finally we had to get going, so I rinsed him off and towelled him dry at the truck. As usual after every type of bath, when he got back into “Barney” he jumped back on our bed in the sleeper. Then he did what he always had done, and that’s rip, snort rolling around madly in our blankets. After we were on the road, it didn’t take Sampson long before he had fallen fast asleep sprawled out on the sleeper bed. That dog could snooze for hours as long as he could hear our voices while he slept.

        You could sure tell we were getting closer to “the magic city” too as I would drive by the large walls full of overgrown lush dark green foliage. Not to mention, Carol taking snapshots of the sights of Miami on what had become a very dark, dreary and overcast morning. Just after one o’clock in the forenoon, the sun began to shine, and I couldn’t help but stop by one of the roadside stands. I think the giant stuffed man-sized alligator in the cage on a wagon first caught my eye. There was this huge Orange and Blue sign underneath the enclosure that said “We Ship Fruit” Now Taking Orders” Well the first thing I did was take a picture of what was packed to the gunwales in the confine. You better believe we took additional photos there too, but inside was even better.  A ways in the back, there was this 13 foot, 6 inch alligator perched way up on an enormous platform. At one time this gator was alive weighing in at a startling 800 lbs. His age when he had been killed was somewhere between 40 to 50 years old. This gator had been caught near Orange County Florida on the outskirts of the city of Orlando. Also with this display was all these smaller tiny alligator heads, key chains of gator claws, as well as a collage of touristy t-shirts on the back walls. It was definitely worth taking pictures of for future memories. Now you may think that all those dead gator heads, as well as the stuffed gator was inhumane, but as a matter of fact the Florida Game Commission supports it. 

       The gator population is so out of control that every September annually; they allow people to hunt these reptiles for sport and food due to the overabundance of them breeding in this large sparse area. Not only had the American Alligator become a threat to itself, but also an extreme risk to people living in Florida, as well as Louisiana too.

       Later I stopped by to fuel up at a local truck stop for the night as well as rest and food until the next morning. I took Sampson on a walk in his new orange and black booties, due to the pavement being still quite hot for his pads on his paws. It was a bit comical to see him try and walk with these things, but after about five or ten minutes, he was starting to get the hang of it. I think in another life Sampson must have been a bloodhound because that dog would just about sniff everything in sight. After about an hour or so, I picked him up and placed our dog in the truck for a nice long nap. 

        In the morning we headed for the Port of Miami to deliver these gluten-free cookies to “Disney Cruise Ship Lines” there. Both Carol and I were absolutely shocked to find the extremely tight and dirty looking docks at one of the buildings I was to parked at. Next, I had Carol go inside the warehouse with me to stack various flavors on separate pallets. It seemed like we were forever plagued doing this with this new company I was working for, so it became a real pain in the ass! Surprisingly, you could not imagine more deplorable conditions to house these special gluten-free cookies. Surprisingly, we actually saw these rather large rat traps that were situated in the corner floors of the warehouse. Carol just looked at me and I shook my head in complete disgust. After a good hour came by and went, I was off to my next drop off in Tampa Bay which was about a four hour drive Northwest of Miami.

      If there was a city that I would ever live in Florida, Tampa Bay was definitely it. Not only was it clean, but the architecture was modern but also Spanish flavored as well. I ended up driving over to the main “Port in Tampa Bay” there and parking “Barney” into a dock. While we waited to get unloaded, again I took Sampson out for a walk along the pavement of the port. Once again I had to put on his booties due to the scorching heated pavement

. He didn’t seem to mind though as all he wanted to do was get out and prance around in them. Sampson had quite mastered walking around in the clumsy booties and actually seemed to be enjoying the crisp clean ocean air as well. The water was a spectacular sapphire blue as the hot Florida sun shone upon it. There were all kinds of seagulls flying in and around there, but Sampson didn’t seem to mind. Carol stayed busy making herself a coffee and rolling some cigarettes back in the truck, as well she had purchased a book at a truck stop awhile back so she started reading it being content for now.

        

A PITTI-FULL THING COMES FULL CIRCLE

       What a year 2016 has been, I can't say it was good, but then again, I can't say it was all bad either. I'm sure you can all agree, that it really sucks when you lose a job, through basically no fault of your own. You do everything you can to possibly avoid an accident, but some crazy Somalian out there decided to tangle with a fully loaded B-Train of livestock.So what can you do, well you sure don't wallow in depression, that's for sure. Besides the "Truck Gods" have other plans for me. I can tell you one thing, dumping waste at a landfill sure ain't one of them. Nonetheless, we should be talking about everyone's favorite bully breed, the pitbull, or the Staffie, Staffordshire bull terrier and the American Bull Terrier.
        When January of 2016 came around, Pitbull Trucking was still just a site where lonely truckers came to view and post pictures of their Pitbulls that they had either seen at various truckstops or owned themselves
         My wife Teryl and I had started Pitbull Trucking in honor of our beloved Sampson who passed away Jan 23,2014 from kidney failure. In fact, we get comments of why we are called "Pitbull Trucking" when truly, we really don't have much to do with the trucking field as such. Oh sure, I am a truckdriver and have been one for almost 15 years now, but that's not why we call it that.
         Our boy Sampson was a red-nosed merle purebred Pitbull that traveled Canada and most of the United States of America in his big rig home. Teryl and I met so many Truckdriver who had companions for Pitbulls and there wasn't one of them, that Sampson didn't meet and interact with either.
          What we started as a basic site as just trucking pictures with our fellow truckdriver's became something for Sampson's new found "pitty friends" Then as I left the long haul trucking field in 2013, our site kind of took a back seat, for awhile and pretty much remained dormant. After Sampson passed away, early in 2014, my wife grieved for two years on his loss, and I continued with mainstream trucking life. I was into hauling recycling, dabbling in the Oilpatch, hauling cement to rig sites, and most recently hauling chickens for the last year and a half.
          After Sampson, passed away, I started writing my life story again, as I knew after the last six years of  toiling away, 500,000 words later, something had to give and it did.Not only did I write a book on my life, but I discovered that to my ultimate surprise, I wrote five books, broken into various stages of my life. Most notably books three, four and the fifth and final one involve stories of our dogs, including pitbull mixes like Shadow, who really started the whole pitbull thing for us. However, Sampson and his sister Brodi were a very large portion of the last 14 years of our lives, so yes there are stories of them as well. I should mention Brodi is a brindle pitbull that had sired two litters of puppies, and still is very much alive, living with my stepdaughter Teal in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada. So what changed everything, you ask, why is Pitbull Trucking becoming such a strong entity now on facebook.
          Well to answer that question, it basically came about with the arrival of two rescue bully bred dogs. There was my rescue Pitbull/Whippet mix female six-year-old dog Oklahoma, or Okee as we now call her, and we can't forget our newest member of the family, Julips or just Jewel. Ironically both dogs were rescued from Ardmore Oklahoma and Sacremento California in the USA.
          In the last six months or so, Pitbull Trucking has acquired almost 1,200 true followers.We have seen over 6,000 views come through our site alone, and we presently enjoy a stellar rating of 4.5 or better. In early summer, we were one of the lucky people that were recently interviewed for the documentary filmed by Brian Barnhart called BSL Montreal. We are strong advocates and fully support rescue societies like "Lauri Restad and Just One more Animal Rescue and Recovery of Swan Hills, Alberta, or Brian Ferreira of Rescue Foodie in Ontario.Recently we started our first home visit in helping people like Lauri, in the interview process of rehoming a rescue or shelter dog, most notably a pitbull breed.
          This site has become a labor of love for my wife Teryl and I and I definitely could not do it without her constant awareness and various postings of bully breed paraphernalia. Our aim is to make people aware of what is going on with the plight of this wonderful breed of dog. They are one of the most humanistic, tactile dogs you will ever own.Unfortunately, the media has almost destroyed the bully breeds reputation, to the point where people like Mayor Dennis Coderre of Montreal has instituted a complete ban on not only Pitbulls but any dog over 30 kilograms. It is ignorant, uneducated assholes like him, and others out there, that our aim is to bring the awareness of BSL (breed specific legislation) that it does not work. In fact, if you look at all the scientific data that supports this, it will never work. Yet many provinces, such as Ontario, Manitoba and soon to be Quebec enact it, thinking they are doing the right thing. Not to mention, countless cities and states of the USA that have the same stupid ineffective BSL laws, sentencing thousands of pitbulls to a needless death.
           That's where sites like ours come into the picture, to bring awareness and educate the ignorant and truly not knowing out there in internet land that really don't have a clue what a Pitbull is. I maintain until you have owned one, you cannot possibly make an informed educated opinion on this breed.
           Our plans for the future include merchandising things like calendars, tee-shirts, coffee mugs etc, with our new upcoming logo on them. I will be marketing my books I have written, plus hopefully getting more involved in home visits to know we are making a difference in a Pitbull's life someway, somehow. You can better believe, we will also be giving back, by donating funds to rescue centers, and societies as well. Maybe if we win the lottery or the book sales become a success as I hope, we too can start our own rescue society. I don't know where the future will take us, but I do know that Pitbull Trucking will continue to be a voice for this breed, to support Sampson in his memory, we will keep on trucking against canine profiling and BSL. Sampson did not leave this world for nothing, for us he will live on through our Pitbull Trucking site!
           Once again I will post an excerpt of my book for your reading enjoyment and we wish all of you a very merry Christmas and a joyous New Year. Here's hoping 2017 will be your year full of love and happiness. This was taken from Book 4 titled "Road History"
       The dawn’s fingers were fumbling into a spectacular Texas Sunrise, so I left there after my “short-lived camel adventure” and headed down the highway. Nevertheless, I was free for the rest of the day so I came across an idea that day when I was listening to my satellite radio. It seemed the Anaheim Ducks were in Dallas to play my favourite team, the Dallas Stars, as it was game 6 of the conference finals. Afterall it was April 20, 2008 and I had an opportunity to get a ticket to watch the Stars take the ducks out of the playoffs, so why not.

        About 3 hours later, I dropped off the trailer in Cleburne and bobtailed my way to American Airlines Arena where the Dallas Stars play there. I was surprised to find I could even still get a ticket at that, but it only cost me $80.00 to go to a playoff game here. I was pleased to find the temperature in Dallas that day wasn’t too bad, only 78 degrees Fahrenheit, which would be about 26 degrees Celsius. Well that much I was happy with, as it was my main concern for Sampson, leaving him parked in the truck, while I would be watching the game later that evening. Well I could idol the truck at least and keep the air conditioning on so he would be more than fine. However, when I got to the game which was a couple of hours away, the parking lot attendant told me that I could not idol the truck. So once again, my plan was side-tracked, so I came up with another ingenious idea. I decided to take Sam on a good long walk, hoping I would find some water fountains for him to cool off in. I parked “Barney” in a double-parking lot, paid twice the fee, and began to walk Sampson around downtown Dallas, where we were situated at. It was probably one of the best walks Sam had ever had, as he did indeed locate some tall cascading water fountain at a large office building near the Arena. I took off his collar and leash, sat down on a city bench and watch the dog play and frolic in the water. He especially liked moving the rocks and pebbles around with his front paws, while a showery mist of water cascaded down the wall. Sampson was jumping back and forth, and would shake the water off him literally every 3 minutes, as he was having one whale of a time. He must have been in those water fountains for a good hour until I realized I had to get him back into the truck. I made sure he was still a bit damp, when he got back into the truck, as the Wabasto stationary AC was working okay, but I still didn’t trust it. I made the decision to run all the ways back to the truck after every period to check up on Sam, despite the fact I would have preferred to stay for the whole game, including intermissions, but that’s the kind of pet owner I am. I pretty much will do anything for the care and comfort of my dog, that’s just the way I was raised, I guess.

       So, I finally get into the American Airlines Arena, and it is without a doubt, the largest indoor arena, I have ever been to. Nothing compares to it, not even the Saddledome back in Calgary which I had been in a few times to watch my Stars play the Flames. As I was reading the program, I had specifically purchased for the game, I came across a section on the American Airlines Center. It stated that this place was in Victory Park which I knew was near downtown Dallas. This venue also serves as the home for the Dallas Mavericks of the NBA and of course the Dallas Stars of the NHL. This arena is also used for Rock Concerts with the Eagles being their very first concert here back in July 28,2001. In point of truth, this facility opened on July 27, 2001, with the largest ribbon cutting ceremony ever performed. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, it set a record just for that. It cost just about 420 million dollars to pay for this center, with the American Airlines Corporation acquiring its naming rights at a cost of 195 million dollars. I could not believe the seat I had purchased as it gave me a good view of center ice as well as both end zones. I just couldn’t believe I was finally here in Dallas of all places about to watch my Stars take on the Ducks. Not only that, they had a chance to go on and meet the Detroit Red Wings, should they win this game tonight, so a double whammy in store for me, I thought to myself. As it was by the first period the teams were both scoreless, so I rushed my ass back to the truck where Sampson was sitting in the passenger seat pining for me to return. I quickly let him out to go the bathroom, returned him back into the truck, and checked on the AC back in the sleeper. It was all okay, so I locked up the truck and headed back to the game. By the time, I got there they had already started the second period, in fact, I probably missed about five minutes of it, if I can recall. All I know was the Ducks were leading one to nothing and for the rest of that period, there was no more scoring by any of the teams. So again, I quickly exited out of the building to get back to Sampson at the truck, to make sure, he was okay. Just as I suspected, he was asleep, when I woke him up, but now it didn’t really much matter as the sun had gone down and it was dark outside. However, it was still warm out, so I opened a good many of the windows for him.  I gave him an Alpo dog treat, which he just loved, and assured him, I would be back in about another hour. When I had got back Dallas had scored to tie the game, along with another minute when I had just sat down, they scored again to go ahead in the game 2-1. By the last 3 minutes of the game Dallas had scored two more goals with a commanding 4-1 lead, thus winning the game and the series. I cannot say enough of my evening that night. Just watching all the celebrations from all the Stars fans was so exhilarating for me and you can better believe I took as much camera and video footage as possible. When I got back to the truck, I pretty much let Sam have all his head out the passenger window.  I just blared on that air horn, leaving the arena to many Dallas Stars fans delightsome things happen in your life and that night was no exception for me, as I would never forget it.

A PITBULL RESCUER POEM

A Pitbull is your forever dog
They will walk through rain, snow, ice & fog.
This breed is so often misunderstood
Its because of idiots who use them to fight, the "Boys in the Hood!"
This is a dog that is even more human
and they sure ain't like Seinfeld's Neuman.
A Pitbull will get right into your heart and soul
When they eat, they tip the water and their food bowl.
They will lay on the floor, the rug, couch, and even your bed
Pitbulls come in all sizes and colors, browns, golds and red.
They will knock you down and lick your face
Our dog runs out the porch door, jumps in the air, like its a race.
They generally don't attack and their jaws do not lock
You might even find them jumping over the ocean's waves or even by the dock
They are named bullies, terriers, and even a staffy
You can feed them apples, pears and maybe some salt-water taffy
I have heard them called Sampson, Brodi, Okee and Copper
When you come home, they knock you down but make a great short stopper.
They chew on furniture, socks but their favorite is a stuffy
Their fur can feel like velvet, and smooth, it sure ain't fluffy.
They will dance, jump and run around your yard like it's the first time
I hope you like this poem on them as it seems to rhyme.
A Pitbull will look at you in awe and affection
They will jump and crawl over you, so you need to use your arms in deflection.
They love walks, the outside, and even rides in your car.
You must walk them on a leash at all times so they don't get too far.
There is no more love in this world that a dog like this can give
They will always be your buddy as they sure know how to live.
They drink lots of water, love treats but are sloppy eaters
However when the door bells rings, sometimes they aren't the best door greeters.
They will watch in the window and wait until their master comes home
When they see you, they'll jump on you, messing your hair, so you'll need a brush or a comb
Why they are banned in so many cities and towns I do not know
 It's sad to see so many in shelters row upon row.
 For certain reasons they have become such a hated breed
Buts its not the Pitbull, but mostly it's owner that does the bad deed
So yes, you could say I am biased but not all these dogs are good
It's the lonely, deprived unsociable ones that are often misunderstood
In fact, I have owned many of these wonderful dogs
Some were black and white,with brown spots that could have resembled hogs
It really doesn't matter what they look like, this bully breed has something for you
They can make your bad day go away, so your not so blue.
They will cuddle with you, lie beside and even fight for you until their dying breath!
They have names, like Jack Sparrow, Dancer, Fire, and even Beth
Sadly, their life expectancy is around 8 to 15 years.
So let's raise a glass to the Pitbull, they deserve our cheers.
They come in all sizes and shapes, and yes they have a loud bark
They love to hide under your covers, as some are scared of the dark.
They have big heads, and a large furry body.
They look colorful, in their golden hues and browns, this dog is such a hotty.
So nothing more about this wonderful breed needs to be said.
In fact, my dogs just went to sleep on my bed
I so needed to write these things about this wonderful Pitbull, dog
If you ever own one, you'll thank me for this blog.
Some of you have been asking about my upcoming book "Sidewinder" so in that spirit, I have taken another excerpt out of this book. This was when we first got out Pitbulls Sampson and Brodi.
         In the meantime, I was reduced to the role of “Mr. Mom” at home, which was also good for my step kids. I was also missing my dog Taro so much too, that it was suggested to me to go to this place called “Klassic Kennels” just outside of Red Deer to look at some dogs. Reluctantly I did this on my own and came home with what I thought, was my new friend.

        Her name was Tasha, a beautiful white Sheppard, a bit shy but I thought she had potential, to be a good pet for me. However, after that winter we had, it was quite apparent that Tasha was no Taro, so we weren’t bonding that well either. I mean she wasn’t vicious or anything like that, she just liked being outside all the time. I mean I had tried to spend time with her but due to my ongoing job search, I was so immersed in finding employment once again.

         Now also in that period, unbeknownst to both Carol and I, that Skyler had been searching for dogs on the internet on our home computer. Not just any breed of dog but the breed of dog commonly hated by the media, at that time, known as Pitbulls!

         I sure don’t need to get into the semantics of what a Pitbull Breed Dog is, as we have all heard through the media as to the temperament of these dogs. In additions to that very thing law enforcement agencies had reported these dogs were being used for nefarious purposes in the past. This activity included guarding illegal narcotic operations which were being used against the police, as well as drug enforcement agencies. I truly believe when a great number of these attacks started in different states, back in 1979 to 1988 there was more media scrutiny to corroborate this.

         First of all, I would like to say most of the negative stuff you hear about these wonderful dogs is pure “Bull Shit!” They are without a doubt, one of the most tactile dogs you could ever own, and mainly I say this from experience having owned these wonderful animals. Their jaws do not lock up like you have heard, it is just that they can exhibit a bite, hold or “shake behavior” and yes even at times refuse to release whatever is in its jaws. These animals have wide skulls, where the brain has room to develop with complete space, well-developed muscle and of course very strong jaws.

         In point of truth, when you hear of a “Pitbull Attack” for no apparent reason it is usually those of a “Mixed Breed” In other words, as their skulls develop this usually puts pressure on their brains, causing enormous discomfort and even pain. You have all heard the phrase “the dog just attacked that person and went mad!” That is what is meant by that but more importantly and I cannot stress this enough, it is how they are raised from birth! All you must do is show an animal, no matter what breed it is, complete love, nurturing and respect!  Now as they grow up to from puppy to an adult dog, they most likely will act that very way. There’s an old saying, “Punish the deed, not the breed!” You can’t tell me there are not German Shepherds, or Akita, maybe Rottweiler or even Black Lab attacks going on in this world we live in. It is more often the owners who train these dogs to be aggressive and non-responsive to human kindness. Naturally, if any dog is placed in a situation where it must fight to survive, it’s their very nature to fight if it’s cornered or threatened?  Today in the day and age, tell me why Pitbulls are now filling roles as companion dogs for the elderly. They also make great police dogs, along with therapy dogs for the blind or those with other health issues. That’s kind of my rant and rave on this subject for now. We got off topic there for a bit but now back to my story at hand.

        So now October of this same terrible year rolls around and my stepdaughter Skyler had decided to purchase two Pitbull Puppies from a breeder in Mackenzie British Columbia. The problem was she didn’t have any money so she came to me with her baby blue eyes and pleaded her case. I was to send $200.00 to someone I don’t even know on the internet for the purchase of two puppies, I mean we might as well black and white it right? Did I fall for the presumed scam, or did I deny Skyler the opportunity to own this controversial breed of animal? Well, on a whim and a prayer I sent the money to the breeder, on my stepdaughter’s belief that everything would work out fine. After a week went by, I became a bit worried as I felt maybe we had been ripped off! My fears regarding that were overcome when the following week, I received a phone call from security at the Edmonton International Airport. They stated on the phone we had a package that arrived from Mackenzie BC in the form of two small puppies. So the kid's Dad, Hank travelled out to Edmonton and brought home for us, two additions to our family. Skyler named the small brindle brown and white “Pitbull-Pup Brodi” after a punk rock chick in a rock band she liked. She was white with brown spotted markings and very petite and lady-like. The other pup that was a bit larger but had really cool markings too, including mostly white fur to start off with.

     However, he did have brown markings in spots on his rear end even browner spots on the right side. The larger pup also had a larger brown patch that wrapped around behind his neck and down to his left paw. The right side of the pup’s face was darker brown patched as well as around his right eye, a remarkable array of markings! Skyler named him mighty Sampson or just Sampson for short, but later we ended up calling him Sam. The funny thing was that because I had Tasha now, Carol had decided it best to give Sampson up to one of Jack’s best friend Canton. Ironically, this kid had a very sordid past of drugs, booze, plus his Dad and Mom weren’t any better at the time either. Obviously, we both had grave concerns about giving Sampson to Jack’s friend Canton.
      Furthermore, Tasha seemed to enjoy the new pup’s company. I mean she wasn’t playing with them that much, but she wasn’t hurting them at all. I don’t know what it was, but Tasha changed her attitude towards our family, as she became more reserved, plus she always wanted to spend time outside. She sure wasn’t an indoor dog, probably more suited to live out on a farm somewhere. Moreover, we still had to see if Canton was going to take Sampson and give us the hundred bucks for him. After a couple of weeks went by, Carol seemed to get quite attached to Sampson and I as well. When Canton decided he couldn’t take Sampson, we both made a decision to keep him but take Tasha back to “Classic Kennel” where I had got her from. The story did end well for Tasha, too though as she got what she wanted, a new farm setting, just outside of Sylvan Lake. 

TWO MORE GREAT PITBULL STORIES

                   ANOTHER PITBULL RESCUER SPEAKS FROM THE HEART
     This week we revisit another wonderful "Pitbull Rescuer Families" who opened up their heart to give a forever home to one of our own, the pitbull known as Hooch. Just recently they moved from the unfriendly BSL state of Kentucky to the recently denounced anti Non-BSL state of Arizona to the friendly confines of the great city of Phoenix.
      Hooch was born December 10, 2009 and came to Brenda in the form of a cute adorable puppy in her daughter's Stacy's purse. It was on Valentine's day of that year of all dates that this loveable guy, wiggled his tail into their hearts and his new home.
       As any bully breed owner will tell you, it was love at first site, according to Brenda as the tiny pooch cuddled with her on the couch while watching TV, as the kids attended a church function. Hooch the pitty puppy was very rambunctious at first, destroying Brenda's almost new livingroom suite, the kids's Michael Jordon Nike Sneakers, as well as a pillow-top mattress on her bed.
       He was a bit of a klutz too, tumbling down the stairs on his way to greet her kids, when they came home that evening. Brenda says "he is the greatest love of her life", next to her kids of course.
       She also goes on to tell me that she wouldn't own any other breed as she feels safe with this dog in her kids sites. Not only that, she feels quite safe with Hooch, knowing this protective dog will not let anyone harm her family.
       He has taught me to love again in a different way, she quotes. Also a more and better positive way, he has also taught me many things about myself. They deserve to be recognized for what they are, not all the rumors and negative innuendo that stereotypes them as bad attack dogs, she finishes telling me. Brenda Withrow, like all new pitbull/bully breed owners, have once again, discovered the unconditional love and affection that a pitty can bring into a family.

    PITBULLS FROM SHELTERS AND POUNDS NOW BEING TRAINED AS POLICE DOGS

       After 9/11 there was quite a shortage of qualified detection dog prospects in America. So Europe became involved with very expensive bred 10 to 15,000 dollar police dogs, trying to fill that very important policing void. Nonetheless, these dogs proved themselves to be washed-out and harder to train.
       Next came an effort from the Animal Farm Foundation from Bangall New York with help from the Austin Pets Alive Shelter out of Austin Texas. The idea was to introduce and train North America's first dog detection handler. In fact, these dogs were selected because of their sheer intensity,  and their ability to be rewarded for a job done right, such as a stuffy or Kong toy. The American Pitbull is of a medium size, doesn't shed or drool like their former German Sheppard and Belgian Malinois Police Dog counterparts. These "pitbull type dogs" now serve as narcotics and explosive detection dogs. They are seen at US Ports of entry, the Washington State Ferry System, Washington State Patrol, along with other county K9 detection units.
       Training shelter dogs to perform police work is a cost effective measure. Police Department in North America will no longer have to spend excessive amounts of money purchasing their 4-legged furry officers. Although money is the major issue here, it is very important to note how many hundreds of "Pitbull Dogs" will be saved from euthanization in shelters due to overcrowding and breed stereotyping.
       The Pitbull as a police dog is tough, able to withstand extreme cold and warmer temperatures in various parts of the United States. They are fearless, where they won't back down from someone with a gun or a knife. They are loyal to the death if need be, to protect an officer in harm or a dangerous situation. They are smart, where they actually scored as smarter than other former police dogs used in bomb detection, missing children, and even adults.
       These shelter Pitbull type dogs are getting a second chance at life where normally a great many of them would be spared the "death needle
       Shaka is another "Pitbull Hero" who was rescued by an advocate being found in a city pound in New York. When her rescuer found Shaka, she had a great deal of determination. This advocate contacted the Washington Patrol Academy and thus began 18 weeks of training for this amazing dog.
        Shaka began serving on the force in the Washougal Police Department. She was only there for 4 years before transferring to another Police Agency in Oregon. Now her handler encourages people to come up and pet her when she isn't working, such as elementary schools. This way they can get to know and understand what Pitbulls are truly like.

Another impressive Pitbull Police K9 is Libby. She was also a graduate of the "Universal K9 Program." This dog was only days away from being euthanized at a high kill shelter when she was rescued. Libby made headlines in 2015,upon investigating a drug house. There she found 3 mason jars, a food bag full of marijuana, steroids and painkillers.    
Ruby is yet another pitbull who was found by Animal Farm Foundations efforts. She was picked up as as a stray dog from the streets of Austin,Texas. Prior to that, she spent 220 days in a shelter before she was finally accepted by the "Universal K9 Program." Ruby is now a member of the Chattahoochee Hills, Georgia Police Department. On her first night on patrol, she sniffed out about half a pound of marijuana, 8 grams of Meth, and numerous percocet pills.

 So there you have it, words from a true Pitbull Rescuer, thanks, Brenda Withrow for your story and now Pitbulls being used a fantastic police K9 officers. If you have a great story about your Pitbull, Staffy or Bully Breed, I want to hear about it. Send it to me on messenger or email me at bws_bearholdings@yahoo.ca  Remember, some bad things happen for a reason, although we don't understand it at the time, the answer will appear to us soon. Have a great week!