A Diamond in the Ruff "O"

Ruff-O came to my mom and dad's house around Halloween last year. She just appeared out of NO where......... Margaret and Reiner said; "Absolutely Not... She is a bad dog and we don't think she would be good for anything. She should not stay......... at all!"

They where very worried she would hurt one of the children............Ruffo was worried about being hurt too.

My dad decided right away he like her.........He started feeding her cooked ground beef, eggs and milk....He decided she should have a chance. He talked to her......... and they came to an agreement......"If she was good to him and his grand children ~ He would be good to her."

He asked me to take her to the vet and let him give her a "once over"..........if everything checked out okay.......My dad wanted her to stay.

Dr. Verdin confirmed what some of us already knew...........she was a very sweet dog. He said she will make a wonderful pet.....His advice ~ "If you are good to her, she will be good to you....." He told me he thought she was an abandoned pup and was just looking for a good home. .......He told me as a pit bull she would set ground rules for the other dogs in the area and then she should settle down.....He told me how the Pit Bull has a very unfair reputation.......they are the gentlest of dogs "IF" people just give them a chance and treat them well. ..........She had her home.............

AND

My father had his first dog ever.........that was just his and not one of his kids.

......Mary Elizabeth named her.............."Ruffo"

Things where a "little" ((okay)) VERY rocky in the beginning........like with the neighbors.......she would chase the cat, beat up the dogs next door, chase the bike riders that rode past the house, chase walkers, runners and anything she saw that came with in 1000 feet of her new home..........There where many problems! The neighbors next to Margaret's kept yelling at Reiner, her and their children telling them; "If they didn't make "her" father do something about that dog they would call the police, call the pound , sue them, and maybe even shoot her.".........The talk for months was how she must go......"She is NO! good........."

...........But, still she stayed..............some of us liked her and figured she would settle down....... Then the accident happened............ Some how, Ruffo got locked into the garage and could not get out for more then half a day........my father searched for her that Friday night and most of the morning Saturday......he couldn't find her any where and thought she had decided not to stay......... He called her.........she didn't come.....He search and called.....still she did not come......

When he opened the door to the garage, she was so excited about getting out and seeing him she knocked him clear into the air off his feet causing him to hit the ground hard breaking his hip..........((Which is a funny story that I will tell you all about one day.))

Ruffo felt terrible about all of this and really does not like to talk about it much.........She stayed with her new master licking his face until she was scolded by him as he laid on the ground and shooed her away........

Bill III was going to avenge his grandfather just as Rhet Butler did in Gone with the Wind when his daughter fell from her beloved pony and was killed.

Luckily for all of us this was just a fleeting thought of passion and he was quickly discouraged.

It has been almost 9 months now that Ruffo has been part of our family and we all marvel at the way she is with each one of the children.

We marvel at the way she is with our parents and how much she loves my father. If she has her choice between hanging out with the kids or being with her master she always sits with him first.

She loves her new family and these days fits in just fine. She does not chase the dogs away anymore but stands furm that "this" is her home. For the most part, she leaves the cat alone. She does not give the people on the street a second thought ........She gets very excited when we come over "to see her".....She plays with the children wonderfully and always gently.......She is afraid of thunder storms and runs into the house for protection. She always seems to have a smile on her face and seems very happy with her life. She listens best to"her' new mom ..........When I am leaving she tries to get into my car and loves to go for a ride.....She always shows us how to get down the drive way. She pouts when she is scolded but will come out for forgiveness.. .....and a dogie cookie

She knows she is safe.....and has become quite the little jewel ~ A diamond in the Ruff - O"

((and she is quite the drum set to boot.))