Xander

Xander was dropped off at Peaceable Kingdom shelter.  PK had no available puppy fosters and reached out via Facebook for help. Serena and I had just adopted out our previous foster and we had room. We are fosters for Sunrays Pitbull Rescue.  Sunrays took over responsibility for Little Man Xander and we welcomed him into our home. I mention all this because I feel proud to be part of an organization that exists solely to help a dog in need and not for personal gain, credit, or ego. Rescues and shelters need to work together and this is a perfect example of how that works in the dog's best interest.
Back to Xander.  This cute little guy with the big ears stayed separated from my dogs for a period of time to decompress from his journey. During that time we were able to do some training, start housebreaking, and give lots of love to the little guy.
Soon he was introduced to our other dogs and immediately bonded with our young female and later our young male. They all became best friends and playmates.
Xander's personality is as unique as his look. He is such a little love bug. The hardest thing for me is teaching him not to jump because he will wrap his front paws around your neck and give you the biggest kisses and hugs. It's so hard to tell him that that is actually rude behavior.  His loving nature is perfectly balanced with his no nonsense approach to the other dogs. Despite being the smallest and youngest of the pack, if the others get too rough he will calmly and assertively tell them to back off. And they always listen.  
We always say when fostering, we will love them as if they are our own, but we know they aren't. We are merely a loving "pit" stop on the way to forever. Yet with every foster, we give a piece of our hearts to them, and when they move on, they leave a piece of their heart with us. I'm hoping someday to have the heart of a Pitbull, strong, loving, confident, and loyal.
Xander's story isn't overly exciting. I don't think he was abused. I see no reason to think he was bred to fight or be a bait dog. He was just a little guy who found himself in a shelter where a rescue stepped up and helped him out. Frequently this is what fostering/rescue is. It's not dramatic like TV.  It's picking up a stray dog, it's pulling a dog from a kill shelter, it's helping out a dog who just doesn't have a home...yet.
Xander doesn't have a crazy heart wrenching story of neglect and abuse. He's just a goofy 5 month old puppy with big ears who likes to chase his tail who needed a place to crash until he finds his happily ever after.
Xander seems to have found a permanent home. I have a few more days with him. I will cherish them. Am I going to cry my eyes out when I take him to his forever home? You bet. I'll miss the hugs and a kisses. And those big ears.  But I know it's the right thing for him. And I know I'm one step closer to having the heart of a Pitbull.