Major, fka Jim, is a happy pup in his forever home!
Love-A-Bull is sharing the adoption story of Lauren in Austin and her Adopt-A-Bull alumnus, Major (fka Jim). Interested in adopting from us? Check out our current list of Adopt-A-Bulls here and find out more about what we ask for in adoption applications.
In Lauren’s words, her adoption story:
“It was difficult to know where to start because I can’t say enough great things about Love-A-Bull! I was devastated after the loss of my Boxer, Samson, and was struggling to cope with daily reminders in my empty house that he was gone. I wasn’t sure if I was entirely ready for a new dog in my life, but like most people, I was finding myself with extra time and less responsibilities due to the pandemic and it seemed like the ideal time to adopt. Although I would have loved to get another goofy Boxer, I felt that since I own my home, it was better to get a Pit Bull because there are so many out there that need good homes and many places won’t allow them. I’ve always had great experiences with Pit Bulls and knew that their reputation was undeserved, as most that I’ve met have been friendly, well behaved, and just love attention.
I started looking at local shelters and was completely overwhelmed by the amount of dogs that were available! I had spent hours filtering through and compiling a list of dogs that I wanted to meet to see if I could find a good fit. The biggest obstacle was that my boyfriend has an incredibly sweet 9-year-old female Pit/Corgi mix, Brena, and it was essential that the two dogs would get along since we will be combining households soon.
About a week into my search, I was introduced to Love-A-Bull through a close friend and neighbor whose friend had just meet an adorable Pit mix that his friend was fostering. After applying to meet him, I received a phone call within a couple of hours from Love-A-Bull adoption coordinator/board member Sara, who asked me screening questions to see what characteristics I was looking for and what my lifestyle was like. Having a dog is a huge responsibility and I appreciate an organization that takes that seriously and does everything they can to make sure that their dogs are going to a good home.
The meet-and-greet with Brena and the dog I had reached out about didn’t work out (he had a little too much energy for her), but Sara and fellow Love-A-Bull board member Kailyn assured me that the perfect dog was out there. My focus was always on getting the right fit for our family, and I still can’t believe how much work they put in to make sure that I got the right dog! About a week later, they contacted me about meeting another pup they had been fostering, and they were absolutely right about the perfect pup being out there!
I can’t imagine that I could have found a better dog on my own! Major (fka Jim) has been such a wonderful addition to our household! He is amazing with other dogs, kids, people, etc. I regularly get compliments on how well he is behaved when we’re out on walks! He and Brena get along great and play all the time — she had to teach him how to play tug-o’-war, and it’s one of their favorite games now! It seemed like Major hadn’t really had any experience with toys, but now that he’s gotten the hang of them, he’s super playful but also knows when it’s time to chill out on the couch.
Brena and Major enjoying their pup playtime together!
He’s such a sweet and loving dog, I feel so grateful and lucky to have him! He’s really come out of his shell in the two months that I’ve had him and his overall confidence has improved, but his core personality of being calm, gentle, and sweet melts my heart every day.
I cannot overstate enough — working with Love-A-Bull was the easiest and least stressful way to adopt the perfect dog that I could imagine! Since they rescue dogs from shelters all over Texas that might euthanize, or underfunded shelters that aren’t able to give the best of care, I have the added bonus of feeling like I saved a life (even though they really did!).
Most simply, having Major has had a positive effect on all of us. My coworkers have commented that I’m happier, Brena is happy to have a new friend that she can play and run with, and my friend who introduced me to Love-A-Bull has a high-energy rescue, Seamus, who also looks forward to play dates with us as much as Major does!
I feel like Love-A-Bull is more of a matchmaking organization than a rescue, and they are easily the best at what they do! There are so many unknowns that you might encounter when rescuing, and Love-A-Bull minimizes a lot of those factors by pre-screening the dogs they rescue and fostering each of them before introducing them to prospective pet parents. I will absolutely use this organization in the future when I’m ready to add more members to the family, and would confidently recommend them to anyone looking for a new dog. Having Major in my life has been the best gift and makes me so thankful that I was referred to Love-A-Bull!”
Thank you, Lauren, for sharing your story. We’re so happy for you and Major!
Major relaxing in his forever home!