She's got the look

I admit it. There are some dogs I am drawn to because of their looks. Sometimes it is because they are cute, sometimes because they are well proportioned or are a breed I am interested in. And sometimes it is because they are absolutely hands down, drop dead gorgeous. Just take a gander at this beautiful girl at my local shelter. Her name is Isis and she is a blue American Staffordshire Terrier.

It is probably a good thing that I am at my house limit because she tempts me.

My biggest worry with a dog like her is that she will attract the wrong sort of adopter. I don't mind people being attracted to her because of her look, heck that's why I noticed her, I am only concerned that the people will want the look and not the dog inside. She deserves a great life, not one as a trophy to parade around for macho points. And heaven forbid she gets an idiot that tries to make her aggressive to make themselves look good.

There is a new show I've watched a few times called Pit Bulls and Parolees. I am a little conflicted about a few things on the show but one of the things I like is how they handle adoptions. They bring out 3 dogs that might be a good match for the person looking and let them chose from only those 3. I think this is a great idea. For one reason this ONLY gives the adopter choices from dogs that should be the best match for their situation. One of the issues with people choosing dogs from a multitude is that they go for a certain look. To many people chose looks over the behavior of the dog and the fit for their family. They think they can change the dog or change their lifestyle to suit the dog. Unfortunately that rarely happens. The dog goes home and reality sets in and the sometimes the dog gets brought back to the shelter. (in the best case scenario with a good shelter or rescue) I also like that they have said no to certain situations while educating the people why a pit bull isn't in their best interest.

I like the idea of a slumber party trial for dogs. Seeing the dog in a shelter environment and how they are in a real home can sometimes be a night and day difference. There's always a courtship and engagement before a wedding right?? No one should jump blindly into a long term relationship. (This is also the same reason people shouldn't try to pick pets for another person. Would YOU want someone picking a spouse for you?? To me it is the same idea.) You need to either know about the behavior of the breed or the specific dog you are interested in before you can make an informed decision.

I worry for her and other dogs like her. Her beauty is it's own danger.

(**Photos taken through fence only because it was my lunch break and I was wearing light colored pants. I didn't know if should would spread some of the mud in her kennel on me or not. She took all my treats super gently.**)