Chubbs

So my roommate, Iowagirl, rescued a Pitt Bull about a year ago. Iowagirl named this dog Chubbs. Which of course was paradoxical to the state this poor canine was in when Iowagirl found her scavenging through trash in the streets of South Philly.

Chubbs typifies the stereotypical Pitt. But the thing is, she's "special". Special, in the sense that she has "special needs". My other roommate, PAgirl, and I tend to compare Chubbs' behaviors to the foster children we work with. Needy. Attention seeking. Mental health Issues. Developmental delays. Self-harming behaviors, or in Chubb's case it would probably be the opposite. Don't worry, she hasn't bit anyone. Yet. One thing about Chubbs is that she is freakishly protective of our place. Every time the doorbell rings and someone new enters into our lovely abode, the dog goes absolutely ballistic. Although, by the time our visitor crosses the threshold into our home, Chubbs can be seen donning a lovely black muzzle.

Also, if you've ever owned a Pitt Bull, I would assume that the term "pitt-fit" is quite the familiar term to you.

What I find absolutely comical are the things that terrify this "ferocious" canine. Allow me to expound a little bit on the top three items that frighten Chubbs:

1) The kitchen broom - while in use, this quiet, yet harmless piece of stick will have Chubbs' tail between her legs, running for the saftey net of her crate.

2) The vacuum cleaner - so, when the rug is being vacuumed, Chubbs has this tendency to bark a duet along with the vacuum cleaner's melodious sounds.

3) My exercise ball - with great trepidation, Chubbs will slowly walk towards it, push it with her paw, then quickly back up. She'll do this a couple of times until I get tired of watching her push the ball, which then I'll pick up the ball and chase her around the house with it

Tonight, however, I learned of one more thing that may put this poor dog over the edge. Chubbs is completely terrified of paper shopping bags. TERRIFIED. I made this discovery while carrying some Banana Republic shopping bags to my roommate's bedroom to help her pack for her trip home to Northern Ireland. Of course, being the curious canine that she is, Chubbs pranced around me, practically begging to be part of whatever I was going to do. She was annoying me to no end and so naturally, I began to shoo her off with the shopping bag. As soon as I brought the shopping bag down, she bolted out of my way. And it wasn't because I was merely shooing her away from me. With a gleeful laugh, I decided to test out this assumption. I ended up spending the next few minutes waving Banana Republic shopping bags in front of Chubbs' face, while chasing her around the house.

It really doesn't take too much to keep me entertained.