Woman adopts black pit bull because no one else would

Transcript

00:00 a black pit bull. Her chance of finding a home was so slim. They're not a popular dog to adopt.

00:04 So I figured why not give her a home. You're safe with me.

00:08 I'm Caitlin and this is Sweet Pea's story for GeoBeats. She was found as a stray.

00:14 She was severely underweight. Her stomach was very saggy and hanging low.

00:18 She had been used for breeding. It's okay. You're safe now. Her ears are bent backwards and stuck.

00:25 I'm not sure if someone had tried to crop them and messed up and they healed stuck backwards.

00:31 When I went to pick her up, she sat in the back seat and her eyes,

00:34 just these big whale eyes popping out of her head. She was terrified.

00:37 This is going to be your room, sweetie. She would not leave the house. She would not go for walks

00:45 until I started bringing Tater Tot on the walks with us.

00:50 Tater Tot is my dog that I've had for about three years. He is dog selective,

00:55 but he fell in love with her. They help each other through their anxieties.

01:00 Yes, big girl. Even to this day, she doesn't go for walks unless the three of us are together.

01:10 It doesn't matter if the TV is on. It doesn't matter what's going on as long as I'm with her

01:15 or Tater Tot is with her. She's the most loving dog. She loves to keep her little paws on your

01:20 hand and just get pat on the head. If you cry, she will come sit directly on your lap and lick

01:25 the tears off your face. We're kind of like a train. I'll go somewhere. Tater Tot will follow.

01:29 Sweetie will follow. No one initially looks at her and says, "Oh, she's adorable." Except for me.

01:40 I said that. I've never gotten anyone complimenting my dog other than our dog groomers

01:47 and the vets. But I would say people at Dunkin' Donuts are always like, "Oh my gosh,

01:52 your dogs are so cute." These dogs are very misunderstood. They aren't always given a

01:56 chance. And I know that it takes a lot of patience and it takes time, but a lot of their behavior I

02:03 have learned is really just based on the environment and the person they are with.

02:09 So when I am calm, my dogs are calm. If I'm not calm, the dogs aren't calm.

02:13 Over the course of having her, she came to me in April. Until October, she had five surgeries and

02:19 there were days I didn't know if she would make it. I remember crying in the vet's office saying,

02:23 "Do you think that she will overcome this infection?" But she never gave up on herself.

02:28 I would tell her, "Thank you for being such a tough dog after all you've been through."

02:33 I bring Tater Tot and Sweet Pea to my mom's work. You should have left that at home.

02:37 They have a huge field out there. Sweet Pea will play for a little bit with Tot and then stand

02:42 directly next to me or my mom. She will not leave us. Even off leash, she doesn't want to leave your

02:47 side. Now I get to carry it. See that? She had a hard life. She isn't up for adventure. She really

02:53 is like a retired old lady. She's just very happy laying outside in the sunshine.

02:59 [Music]