Why "Pit Bulls"?

Every day thousands of dogs across the country are discarded, unwanted into the streets or at the doors of a shelter. Dakota was one of those dogs. She was just another pup, among a litter of pups that was probably going to be discarded or destroyed. But instead, Dakota found a safe haven in her new handler's life. Her handler raised Dakota and nurtured her to be a strong gentle dog.

Dakota started very early in life working as a Therapy Dog and after years of grueling training and a lot of hard work, she is now a respected Search and Rescue Dog. Dakota not only saves lives by searching for missing and abducted children or Alzheimer's patients who have wandered off, she helps bring closure to families by finding their deceased loved ones. Even bringing closure to a grieving nation, when she was called to help search for the seven astronauts that perished in the Columbia Shuttle disaster.

There is no denying the stoic spirit, stunning grace or absolute courage so evident in Dakota when she works. She is a powerful dog, built to work and programmed to please. Dakota reigns supreme at her job, the job of saving lives and finding the lost and it is her absolute tenacity to the task at hand, together with a natural gift for her trained craft and complete confidence that can create awe in the observer. Dakota takes this gift of tenacity and applies it to her job as a search dog, never giving up and never giving in while in the field. It is almost as if she understands that someone's life might hang in the balance of her decision to continue and, indeed, she is correct.

Watching Dakota work is a remarkable sight, and she loves to work. Her eyes shine, her tail wags with emotion, and she moves with purpose. More interesting than that though, are the subtle things that might be overlooked. Like the smile that reaches the eyes of the elderly person's face that Dakota has stopped to visit at a local hospital, or watching 200 children learn life saving skills during Dakota's Hug-A-Tree or Safety Around Dog demonstrations. And then seeing Dakota, sitting with perfect manners, take a moment with each child as they pet her. Dakota's humble beginnings and her success in overcoming obstacles in her life often inspires physically and mentally challenged children, encouraging them to overcome their personal obstacles, or work past their own disabilities.

The most touching moment is often the most difficult to see. After Dakota has worked as a Search and Rescue dog to find a lost loved one and, regardless of the outcome, Dakota's small show of affection, a gentle nudge or the lick of a hand, as she tries to console the distraught family.

Why "pit bulls"? Because they can change minds, touch hearts, and save lives. They can be heroes...if someone will just give them a chance.