Hello, Handsome.

Islanders, I have some exciting news.  I also, however, kindly request that you check your judgment at the door.

I've spoken many times about PeePuppy... you know, how I gave him away and how he's very happy with his new home.  I like him.  I love him.  He just wasn't a fit for our life at the time.

Recently, my friend posted a picture of a dog at the local shelter where she volunteers.  I called Hubbs and told him our next dog will be a rescue.  He agreed and said that he was just thinking about a dog. We spoke that evening and decided to find a dog that fits our lifestyle.  For Hubbs, the perfect dog was a bull terrier.  Ya know, the Target mascot.

While I too have always felt that was a beautiful breed, I wasn't sold on their energy level... not sure it was a fit for our family.  Hubbs switched and decided he wanted to rescue a pit bull.  Again, my experience with terriers is that they are high energy, require a fenced-in yard and plenty of exercise.

I wasn't sold.  I continued to research the breed to learn more.  I started to fall in love but, after a month, I still wasn't certain they were the breed for us.  Hubbs sent me a photo of two brother pit-mix puppies for adoption.  I read their description and they weren't right for us either. I searched the same site for a dog with the right description and sent one as an example saying, "THIS is what you need to be looking for!"

Hubbs fell for him.  Brock was  his name and he is a beautiful brindle pit (think brown with stripes similar to a zebra).  We spoke that afternoon and decided to submit an application to adopt.  The director agreed to open on Sunday for us to meet him, to interview as candidates for his adoption and, if we all got good vibes, to leave with Brock.

On our way home from the Football Shower, we stopped in Delaware to meet Brock.  He was handsome - small, lean, athletic, strong.  He was also really shy because he didn't know us and he was strong on the leash... strong enough to make me nervous if the right cat came by, ya know?

I really liked him and was convinced he was the one.  While the director interviewed us, Hubbs kept glancing at another dog in the kennel area.  He asked, "is that a pit?... he's huge!"  The director offered a tour and we accepted.

The facility was clean and the dogs were very calm.  I promise you when I saw the dog Hubbs was talking about, he was huge - big head, muscle back, short and wide, really wide.  I wasn't interested.

I was sold on Brock, remember?

We returned to the office area and I continued to talk about Brock.  I wanted to be sure that he was good with babies (my Littles, hello?!), he would chill out as I watch my trash TV, etc.  Hubbs asked if we could just SEE the big man.  I agreed and they brought him out.  He entered the area with his tail wagging so hard it made his bottom half shake!  He greeted each person with a hug and face dive to the belly.  Munch pointed out that he had a cute spot on his back:

It's shaped like a heart!  OMG!  It's the only spot on his back and it's SO cute!  He was such a happy, friendly, loving dog that he stole our hearts.  He is bulldog-pit mix.  He has the legs of a bulldog and the same goofy happy-go-lucky disposition.

He also snorts and grunts like a bulldog but his face is all pit.  His build is more muscular like a pit and he is amazing.  The kind of amazing that lets you yank his tail and ears and put your hands in his mouth without the worry of any aggression.  He came from a family with babies and is extra gentle with little ones, his bulldog frame doesn't require the long walks of other terrier breeds, he is the perfect mix of lazy-friendly and ring-my-doorbell-if-you-dare appearance!  Islanders, meet our new furbaby, Nuke:

Don't ask about the name.  He was a UKC show dog and the full name on his papers is Nuclear Dynamite.  He's 4 years old and knows his name so we stuck with it; Nuke it is.

The best part? He's potty- and crate-trained and doesn't care for the outdoors.  Sounds like a perfect fit for me, right?!

O and, while I was there, the director offered me an opportunity to partner for her first ever formal event, a Bully Ball, scheduled for May!  Look out for more on that event soon!