I have had Duke since he was a puppy, he is going to be 3 years old in November.  He grew up with his sister from another litter.  He is neutered.  Duke is a full blooded pitbull and is from the Carvino bloodline.  He loves to be around people, especially kids because then he gets to run and play.  He loves to go for walks, but sometimes he will take the lead and try to run.  He is a really lovable dog and I would love to see him go to a good home.  Please contact me @: sarah.pullen@everestest.edu if you are interested in adopting Duke!

Originally published in the Arlington Citizen Journal

After her daughter went to a pet-grooming class this summer, Dunn Elementary special-education teacher Amy Yancey had an idea. Why not see whether she could get therapy dogs to visit her young students, most of whom have been diagnosed with autism?  She contacted city community services educator Chris Huff, who told her, “I know exactly who to talk to for that.”  The result was a special visit last week by Deacon, a friendly golden retriever owned by Susan Waits, and Leroy Brown, a playful English bulldog owned by Kristie Miller.  The mostly kindergarten-age students in Yancey’s class are involved in the ABLE program — Applied Behavior Learning Environment.  Students diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder typically experience impairments in three areas — communication, social or work behavior, and imagination or abstract thought — according to the district website.  Yancey hoped the dogs, accompanied by their owners and Huff, would help the children put together things they’ve been working on, including verbalization and appropriate behavior. The lesson was also meant to teach them how to approach a dog.  “This is a way to get them to socialize in a good way and to bring out interaction with each other and other people, facilitated by the dogs,” she said. “Even after the dogs are gone, the children will remember it.”

ABLE program

Khang Nguyen was in a group of kids caressing Deacon.  “The dog is being petted,” he said, a big smile on his face. “Ruff, ruff.”  Across the classroom, student William Craig rolled a tennis ball to Leroy Brown. Each time the dog picked up the ball, Alphonse Rollins jumped up and down, his arms raised.  “This is exactly what we were looking for,” said Yancey, surveying the activity. “This room is buzzing.”  In the Arlington district, 11 schools offer the ABLE program, including Bailey and Ferguson junior high schools and Arlington and Martin high schools.  About 1 in 110 children has autism, according to the latest estimate by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Expanding definition

Doctors do not know what causes autism but have been investigating possible genetic and environmental triggers.  Autism is diagnosed by making judgments about a child’s behavior; there are no biological tests.  For decades, the diagnosis was given only to kids with severe language and social impairments and unusual, repetitious behaviors. The definition of autism has gradually expanded, and autism is now shorthand for a group of milder, related conditions.  Health officials have urged stepped-up screening for autism, saying early therapy can improve how well children develop.  Last week’s therapy dog visit was the first of its kind in a partnership between the city and the district. Such visits are also done at nursing homes, Huff said.  “This serves a functional purpose, too,” she said. “It’s not just teaching them how to interact. It’s letting them do it in a natural environment.”

This report includes material from the Star-Telegram archives.
Patrick M. Walker,
817-390-7423

Registration ends June 10th.

Free to the first 50 pit bulls!

Thursday, June 16, 2011

• Free Rabies Vaccine
• Free Microchip
• Available to Irving residents with proof of residency

Mandatory Class: 2 – 4 p.m. Saturday, June 11, 2011 at Irving Animal Care Campus Training Center

By appointment only: 817-487-2226 or fixabull@aol.com

Drop-off time: 7:30 – 8:30 a.m.

Pick-up time: 1-4 p.m.

Location: Irving Animal Care Campus, 4140 Valley View Lane, Irving, TX 75061

Download the Flyer (English and Spanish):

Free to the first 50 pit bulls!

Thursday, April 21, 2001

• Free Rabies Vaccine
• Free Microchip
• Available to Arlington residents with proof of residency

Mandatory Class: 11 a.m. Saturday, April 16, 2011 at Paw Paw’s Dog House

By appointment only: 817-487-2226 or fixabull@aol.com

Drop-off time: 7:30 – 8:30 a.m.

Pick-up time: 1-4 p.m.

Location: Paw Paw’s Dog House, 1906 W. Park Row Drive, Arlington, TX 76013

Download the Flyer (English and Spanish):

My cell phone number is 661/618-9188 (California number that hasn’t been changed to Texas yet, but I will wait until we find this precious guy a family before I change it).

Melissa Pearson

His Story:
This beautiful brindle intact male pit bull mix was found roaming the streets for several days in a residential neighborhood in mid-November in Waxahachie, Texas. Unfortunately, on 11/18/2010 (the last time my family saw him) he was without a collar and there was a serious wound (believed to be an animal bite, perhaps a coyote according to the vet) under his ear which was severely infected and he was shivering so we took him home to recover while we tried to locate his family. Several attempts have been made to locate a family that may be missing this beautiful, sweet lovable young dog but unfortunately one cannot be found. My employer, Cushman & Wakefield of Texas, Inc., sponsored a visit with the vet who completed a minor operation to clear out the infection and provided him with the necessary medication. He also provided him with a rabies shot, preventive heartworm medication for the next six months, and a de-wormer.

After three weeks his wound has healed completely with some scaring left on the neck, which will probably be covered when his hair grows back. Through this ordeal, he has been an absolute joy to have as his temperament is loving, gentle and playful (even before his operation). He enjoys being with people and continually wants to play (loves toys) or be petted. He is house trained (not even one accident yet), but could use obedience training as he lacks self-control when it comes to food (not aggressive, just struggles to wait for you to say “Go”) and playtime (“No” is heard as “Play”). He comes when you whistle or call his name, and additionally thinks he is a lap dog, he just loves to be cuddled and petted, and he rubs his head against you when he just wants attention.

Due to his attention level his ideal family we believe would be a family experienced with pit bulls, or a family with larger dogs that love other dogs. My family has a pug and chihuahua mix so his playfulness is sometimes a bit much for such small dogs, only because of the size they get scared (but he does not even bark at them when they growl at him). He loves attention from our family (ages: 16, 13) but smaller children may get knocked over accidentally as he will jump to get toys or food from you. Serious inquiries only, as we do not wish for Big Dog to become a Christmas present that someone may later regret and then this precious dog might end up on the street again.

This guy is still recovering from the awfulness in his life.But a home or a reputable rescue would be a great Xmas present to a dog who has known nothing but pain for his entire short life.This guy is still a pup. He’s suffered at least 2 major injuries that were left untreated and had to heal on their own. He will probably display those scars his whole life. A large hard lump on his head and another boney lump from a back injury.
He plays so good with my cattle dog it’s a miracle to see him so kind and careful in play when he is still healing from bite marks from a bigger dog as well as the embedded collar he once wore.

How someone wouldn’t want to protect, and provide the best for, this very loving dog with one blue eye and one brown eye is beyond my understanding.