Poor
Maddox was used as a bait dog, and still has the ability to LOVE other dogs, even the mean ones!! He seems to have a huge appreciation for life, due to his horrible beginning. He was covered in scabs, cuts, and wounds, but is now healing nicely!
Here is the story, from the woman who found Maddox. "On the way home one day in July, my husband and I stopped to help a bloody, emaciated, small, delirious male pitbull mix who was wobbling down the middle of a busy road. Cars and trucks were whizzing by. Two other cars stopped when we did, but they both wanted me to call Animal Services to come and get him right away. We all know what that means... A man on a a bicycle told us that he'd been wandering in that area for 2 days -- bleeding -- and no one stopped to help him. :-( We took the dog to an Emergency Vet and had his wounds cleaned and bandaged, and he was given pain medication for days, put on antibiotics, tested for heartworms, and boarded there for a few days while he healed. (He had no microchip, collar, or tags, by the way.) He interacted with so many people and dogs at the emergency vet, and it was great for his personality. (He'd started out as a cowering and fearful little guy -- and now, he's a gentle, smiling, tail-wagging machine who loves everyone and all dogs! He loves to do the "downward dog" pose! Don't know about cats or birds or horses...) The emergency vets agreed that he'd been used as a bait dog. He had so many bites and punctures, and the wound on his leg was SO deep. He was very very gentle, and even when they gave him shots for pain, etc., he didn't react. He seemed to be giving up. We visited him every day at the vet, and his transformation was amazing. They had him on "weight gain" food (disgusting beige paste-like food) that would help him recuperate, and he loved it. (That's how we calmed him down when we caught him on the street -- bottled water and canned food!)
Once he was stable at the emergency vet, we moved him to our vet's office (less expensive), where he's now been boarded and recuperating for 3 weeks. His largest wound (the huge chunk taken out of one leg) healed enough "from the inside out" to be stitched up, so our vet did that when he was neutering him. He also gave him all of his vaccinations and treated all of his other wounds (punctures in lips, ears, eyes, etc -- scabs everywhere). Maddox is between 1 and 2 years old. He weighs just 36 lbs. He's up-to-date on all of his shots, has been neutered, is negative for heartworms, and has a brand new leash and collar He has natural ears and a long tail, and he's a medium-sized brown and white dog. He sits OCCASIONALLY, and he is learning. He is SO gentle when he eats. On the first day that he was at the vet, I decided to try a "trust exercise" with him, and I put warm roast beef hanging out of my mouth, and he GENTLY took it. There was not a mean bone in his little body - from day 1. Our vet told us that he has a Grade 4 heart murmur, so "when he starts coughing" (someday), he'll need to be put on daily medication. The heart condition may shorten his life (to 7 or 8 years old). We HAVE found that he enjoys being inside (air-conditioning), and likes to go for short walks and come back in and play. I don't know if the air-conditioning is important for his heart murmur. (We had a chihuahua with a Grade 4 heart murmur who lived to 23 years old - but he lived inside. Living inside would surely be best for Maddox.) We visit him at the vet every day and take him for walks, take him for rides (he's great in the car), and bring him to our house, but pitbulls are illegal here, so we need to get him out of Miami-Dade County. (People see him and are leery -- yet he's the gentlest, most loving little guy in the world!) It's the "pitbull stigma." We are concerned that someone will call Animal Control on him, even though he's the sweetest, happiest, smallest, gentlest little guy who loves all people AND DOGS, despite what was done to him! (He came face-to-face with a GIANT, aggressive American Bulldog at the vet the other day, and he just wanted to play!! The Bulldog wanted no part of it - but Maddox was ignorantly playful!)"
Maddox is absolutely adorable, and just so so so sweet!! He is such a calm boy, that does need a boost of confidence but would LOVE to come home with you! He is SOO tiny!! He looks like he weighs about 30 lbs! Hes petite and adorable!! Maddox has the CUTEST little wrinkles on the side of his mouth, you just wanna squish and kiss his face!
Please contact Heidi at
Helnc5313@aol.com. Adoption application, references, and home visit required. Adoption fee is $200
At 7 years old, he's mature and mellow, and it's about time this gentle giant finds a home where he can live out the rest of his life in safety and comfort. He weighs about 90 lbs., maybe a little on the chunky side, but he looks healthy; and who doesn't have a few extra pounds these days? Bear deserves to go onto the next leg of his journey with someone who will truly care about him this time.
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