Patchouli the pitbull

[Evilguppy]

In the early spring I adopted a pitbull.
I walked in the Humane Society to get “a dog” for companionship and my life changed in a way I could have never imagined before.
See, Patchouli was the very first dog I saw.
And with one head tilt and one tail wag, he had me.

Keep in mind I knew nothing of the breed, save for the usual horror stories.
“Pitbulls are vicious”
“Pitbulls have locking jaws”
“Pitbulls turn on their owners”
Etc.

On top of it, Patchouli is one of “those”: forced to fight, then used as bait, beaten, tortured with cold water, left out in the elements in a cage with a heavy chain, then used as bait.
Eventually dumped on the side of the road in a plastic bag.
Somehow landed at the HS.

Adopted by a guy who tried to make him fight again, abused him some more and returned him. (The dog is “no good” he said )
Adopted again by a family who couldn’t handle his trauma so they returned him... again.
By then he was scheduled for euthanasia.

Patchouli is reactive to other dogs and he’s afraid of men. It took him a month to learn to trust my better half.
But...
I haven’t had a single nightmare since I got him March 23rd.

I have severe PTSD and when I’m not ok, the whole world falls apart, I lose all my bearings.
Patchouli knows, if we’re out, to either walk me home or to the car.
He can even pull me down, sit on me and calm me down if need be.
And he has already protected me several times. (#metoo)

I do not treat him like service dog because he is too nervous for that, but since he came into my life, I only use cannabis (California: legal) for physical reasons, rarely for PTSD freak outs because he calms me down faster than my vaping pen.

So... for almost 6 months: no nightmares. I can’t tell you guys how awesome that is after 50 years of daily nightmares. I now sleep a full night sleep... at 53 years old

So we moved out of the city into a cabin on 3.5 acres of land, so secluded you need a P.O box.
First neighbor is a mile away.
All we hear is wildlife, we see maybe 2 cars per week.

And now I have blissful peace and quiet, long hikes and nothing but wildlife.

And none of this would have happened if not for Patchouli the pitbull, super cuddle monster who viciously demands his share of belly rubs and kisses, wags his tail at hummingbirds and destroys a tennis ball in under 7 minutes .

I know many here will tell me of the dangers of that vicious breed. But to me, he is the difference between a good productive day and cowering in bed stoned off my socks unable to put 2 thoughts together.

So, first, if you’re going to get a dog... please ADOPT. The dog overpopulation is becoming a serious problem. Puppy mills are atrocious. And in those shelters, you never know, but you might find the one dog who will click with you and change your life forever.

And that is the story of Patchouli the pitbull.

 

[TwitchyPuppy]

Welp, you guys definitely saved each other

Pitbulls are big babies, as far as I’m concerned. I’ve been bit twice in my life.. by ankle biters

 

[Evilguppy]

Actually... I was about to delete this thread.
On Friday we took Patchouli for a full exam because we were going to have his elbow surgically repaired. So he was put under total anesthesia and got everything X-rays, blood work, etc because we knew very little of his actual health other than he was getting cranky, showing signs of pain, so it was time to get it fixed.

The exams revealed a plethora of old injuries especially head injuries as well as a brain tumor.
The vet said he’d likely been in an awful lot of pain and it wasn’t going to get better, both shoulders and elbows, both knees and his spine had a lot of damage.
But the tumor was the dealbreaker.
Because Patchouli was still under when I found out, I made the decision to not wake him up but to instead let him go.

Patchouli died peacefully in my arms, he never felt a thing.
And I am beyond gutted, I’m completely destroyed over this.
The Humane Society had grossly understated his issues, there is no way their vet didn’t know.
They misrepresented Patchouli to get him adopted out and make room for another dog.

But in spite of everything, and the fact that he’d never been socialized and had been so severely abused, he was my champion.

I will never trust another shelter. Patchouli fulfilled a very specific purpose in my life and I can no longer function without him. I know I will need another dog but I will never trust another shelter, I can’t afford to get emotionally gutted and destroyed every 6 months, never again.

My prince is dead.

 

[nikkisharif]

Actually... I was about to delete this thread.
On Friday we took Patchouli for a full exam because we were going to have his elbow surgically repaired. So he was put under total anesthesia and got everything X-rays, blood work, etc because we knew very little of his actual health other than he was getting cranky, showing signs of pain, so it was time to get it fixed.

The exams revealed a plethora of old injuries especially head injuries as well as a brain tumor.
The vet said he’d likely been in an awful lot of pain and it wasn’t going to get better, both shoulders and elbows, both knees and his spine had a lot of damage.
But the tumor was the dealbreaker.
Because Patchouli was still under when I found out, I made the decision to not wake him up but to instead let him go.

Patchouli died peacefully in my arms, he never felt a thing.
And I am beyond gutted, I’m completely destroyed over this.
The Humane Society had grossly understated his issues, there is no way their vet didn’t know.
They misrepresented Patchouli to get him adopted out and make room for another dog.

But in spite of everything, and the fact that he’d never been socialized and had been so severely abused, he was my champion.

I will never trust another shelter. Patchouli fulfilled a very specific purpose in my life and I can no longer function without him. I know I will need another dog but I will never trust another shelter, I can’t afford to get emotionally gutted and destroyed every 6 months, never again.

My prince is dead.

Oh no!!! Sending prayers your way. I hate that you experienced this, but I am glad you had Patchouli in your life & were able to have an enjoyable 6 months with him. Hopefully you’ll be able to find another companion. I know you said you can’t trust shelters because they didn’t tell you everything, but would it be possible to have a dog examined by the vet of your choice, prior to adopting?

 

[MooMooPrincess]

Actually... I was about to delete this thread.
On Friday we took Patchouli for a full exam because we were going to have his elbow surgically repaired. So he was put under total anesthesia and got everything X-rays, blood work, etc because we knew very little of his actual health other than he was getting cranky, showing signs of pain, so it was time to get it fixed.

The exams revealed a plethora of old injuries especially head injuries as well as a brain tumor.
The vet said he’d likely been in an awful lot of pain and it wasn’t going to get better, both shoulders and elbows, both knees and his spine had a lot of damage.
But the tumor was the dealbreaker.
Because Patchouli was still under when I found out, I made the decision to not wake him up but to instead let him go.

Patchouli died peacefully in my arms, he never felt a thing.
And I am beyond gutted, I’m completely destroyed over this.
The Humane Society had grossly understated his issues, there is no way their vet didn’t know.
They misrepresented Patchouli to get him adopted out and make room for another dog.

But in spite of everything, and the fact that he’d never been socialized and had been so severely abused, he was my champion.

I will never trust another shelter. Patchouli fulfilled a very specific purpose in my life and I can no longer function without him. I know I will need another dog but I will never trust another shelter, I can’t afford to get emotionally gutted and destroyed every 6 months, never again.

My prince is dead.

Reading your story I’m so sorry for your loss. He lived a great life with you only if for such a short time. I will say if you don’t trust a shelter maybe try a pit bull/dog rescue. They tend to let you know what issues the dog has (and do thorough health checks). I hope you’re doing okay now. Please check in with us from time to time!

 

[Evilguppy]

Thank you both.
It turns out I am unable to manage my ptsd without my dog. I have spent the past 6 weeks crying myself to sleep, waking in tears, I cannot function.
I reserved a puppy with a reputable breeder : this coming Saturday, I will be welcoming a Cane Corso puppy girl.
I chose this breed because after much research (and the fact that a good friend is married to one of the top breeders of CCs in the country) I learned that the Cane Corso has the ideal temperament for my needs.
They’re Italian Mastiffs, bred for protection and guarding but NOT to fight, so their temperament is loyal, they don’t panic, they have a “wait and see” attitude similar to Rottweilers and they are highly trainable, very smart.

When grown, a Cane Corso resembles a giant pitbull especially if their ears are cropped.
About that...
She will be an outdoor working dog when she’s grown and the breed gets frequent ear infections when not cropped because the ear flap is too thick and heavy to allow sunlight and air flow, so unlike illegal backyard jobs performed with rusty scissors, my pup will be professionally cropped by a skilled surgeon and receive all the pain control necessary to keep her comfortable.
Because we live 90 minutes from the closest vet, I cannot risk subjecting her to chronic ear infections, so her appointment is tomorrow morning.

Her name is Néroli.
It is the name of the orange blossom fragrance, named after an Italian princess who loved the scent.
I chose the name to complement her late older brother Patchouli while honoring her Italian mastiff ancestors.

It’s a little weird right now: I still grieve for Patchouli something fierce, yet I am preparing to welcome this little one.
She will receive consistent training from the start because she will eventually become my ptsd service dog.

I have washed Patchouli’s old blanket because he loved puppies and was so kind and sweet and gentle with them that I just know he would have happily shared his blanket with his little sister.
I have all the toys, everything she will possibly need or want, I even found a new butcher who does big and wild game who will reserve marrow bones and organs for her every week, and a farm who has organic eggs .

I have even switched my own personal products for the same as the breeder’s because I don’t want to upset all her senses at once.

... and the cutest little training collar.

5 days. My prince is dead. Long live my princess.

Please meet Her Royal Highness Princess Néroli who will officially become my baby girl this coming Saturday.

 

[anon(50597)]

First of all, I am very sorry for your loss. I know you did the right thing but you, and your prince, should never have been put in that position. Very sad.
I am glad you have found a princess though! Happy times are ahead and she will help heal your wounds.

 

[nikkisharif]

Thank you both.
It turns out I am unable to manage my ptsd without my dog. I have spent the past 6 weeks crying myself to sleep, waking in tears, I cannot function.
I reserved a puppy with a reputable breeder : this coming Saturday, I will be welcoming a Cane Corso puppy girl.
I chose this breed because after much research (and the fact that a good friend is married to one of the top breeders of CCs in the country) I learned that the Cane Corso has the ideal temperament for my needs.
They’re Italian Mastiffs, bred for protection and guarding but NOT to fight, so their temperament is loyal, they don’t panic, they have a “wait and see” attitude similar to Rottweilers and they are highly trainable, very smart.

When grown, a Cane Corso resembles a giant pitbull especially if their ears are cropped.
About that...
She will be an outdoor working dog when she’s grown and the breed gets frequent ear infections when not cropped because the ear flap is too thick and heavy to allow sunlight and air flow, so unlike illegal backyard jobs performed with rusty scissors, my pup will be professionally cropped by a skilled surgeon and receive all the pain control necessary to keep her comfortable.
Because we live 90 minutes from the closest vet, I cannot risk subjecting her to chronic ear infections, so her appointment is tomorrow morning.

Her name is Néroli.
It is the name of the orange blossom fragrance, named after an Italian princess who loved the scent.
I chose the name to complement her late older brother Patchouli while honoring her Italian mastiff ancestors.

It’s a little weird right now: I still grieve for Patchouli something fierce, yet I am preparing to welcome this little one.
She will receive consistent training from the start because she will eventually become my ptsd service dog.

I have washed Patchouli’s old blanket because he loved puppies and was so kind and sweet and gentle with them that I just know he would have happily shared his blanket with his little sister.
I have all the toys, everything she will possibly need or want, I even found a new butcher who does big and wild game who will reserve marrow bones and organs for her every week, and a farm who has organic eggs .

I have even switched my own personal products for the same as the breeder’s because I don’t want to upset all her senses at once.

... and the cutest little training collar.

5 days. My prince is dead. Long live my princess.

Please meet Her Royal Highness Princess Néroli who will officially become my baby girl this coming Saturday.
//uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20181029/aecd91844387ae39ea4ff17f9a2aec2f.jpg

She’s absolutely beautiful I use to have a Cane Corso. I became familiar with them because a family friend is a breeder. They are amazing companions and extremely loving & playful. I wish you nothing but blessings and great times with this beauty Please keep us posted as she grows Congratulations

 

[iPutz]

At least, Evilguppy, you gave peace and love to a soul that showed his appreciation of you and your efforts. Peace and love to you both.

 

[bakron1]

Dogs are part of the environment they are raised in. If you raise them to be kind and gentle, they will be loving animals.

My nephew had a pit bull named Hercules who was a lover dog and didn’t have a mean bone in his body and lived to be almost 14 years old before cancer caught up to him. He was a good boy and a great doggie.