Featured Happy Ending: Bodie

Bodie makes you feel contented and secure, just being near him. My college-aged daughter Natalie, our other two dogs, and two cats adore him. Friends and relatives ask about him. A few weeks ago, my eight year-old nephew, Henry, met him and
said he loves Bodie and wants "to go on adventures with him every day." Now, when we skype with Henry, we have to include Bodie. Bodie loves kids too. When we have kid visitors, he is in heaven.
Strangers pat his head and say, "Hey Boy!"

Bodie looks at me often to see that I think about a situation. It's a quick, endearing glance. He knew very few words in the beginning, but now understands a lot. His intelligence is astounding! He has a good sense of humor, and, now that he trusts us, he loves the silly games we play. If he does something that we don't like, we just tell him to stop, and he does. Skilled at diffusing a situation, Bodie is the perfect friend for our other pit mix, Violet, who is younger and can sometimes be a bit bossy.

Bodie is very strong and seemingly spring-loaded. When the leashes come out, it's hard for him to be polite. He's a very physical guy, and it takes a strong person to handle him when he gets excited and forgets not to pull when he sees a squirrel. We're working on that.

Bodie loves sitting in the front yard while I work in the garden. He is a great companion for errands or to meet a friend at an outdoor cafe. When we're leaving the house, he places himself in a strategic position near the door, in hopes of being asked to go along. When we can't take him, he's crestfallen!

Bodie's success story helps me forget that he probably spent his first two years chained, until his family moved away and abandoned him. The family moving was the best thing that could have happened to him because after that things got better. Compassionate people intervened and made sure that Bodie was taken care of, starting with a good Samaritan neighbor whose good deed led to Carolina Care Bullies (CCB). Volunteer Renee fostered Bodie. In the beginning he was afraid to even cross the threshold into her house.

I met Bodie in Chapel Hill when attending a CCB adoption event to see "Poca," a puppy (who we adopted a few weeks later). Poca wasn't there that day, so I took the opportunity to learn more about pit bulls, and talked to Renee. I was actually a little afraid of Bodie because he was so still and quiet. He looked unhappy to be there, but compliant. When I took him for a walk outside, he was stiff. All he wanted to do was get back to Renee. After only spending five minutes with him, something about him seared into my heart. I didn't know what it was, because he showed no affection and revealed almost no personality.

Two months later, I still couldn't stop thinking about Bodie. He just got to me. I surprised myself and asked to adopt him. By this time my daughter, Natalie, was back at college, and she was surprised when I signed her birthday card with all of our names, including Bodie's. She had never even met him.

On his first day at our house I gave the dogs a great one-hour walk in the woods. After arriving at home, Bodie ran up and gave me a quick little thank you kiss. It didn't take long for him to get used to the good life, but he is grateful every day and often gives thank you kisses. For the first whole week he pulled me out to the spot in front of our house where Renee said goodbye, to look for her. He really loved her, which endeared me him even more. He and Natalie are fast friends; Bodie jumps into her bed every day to snuggle and say good morning.

We are so thankful to the unnamed good Samaritan and especially to all the people at CCB that made it possible for Bodie to live a happy life, and for us to share our time together! All the work and compassion that it takes to do what CCB does is truly meaningful. We are smitten, and thankful that Bodie brings so much sweetness, fun and love to our family!