Name: Tillie - 1 y/o
How long has Tillie been in the family? 5.5 Months
Family Members: Jennifer, David, Lauren (13), Charles (12), Olive - Golden Doodle (5), Percy - Cat (12), 3 Chickens (3)
Professions: Jennifer - Speech Pathologist, David - Attorny
Location: Atlanta, GA.
Nicknames: Tillbilly, Tillbird, Tillyboo
5 words/phrases that best describe Tillie?
- Happy
- Eager to please
- Goofy
- Smart
- Loving
What makes Tillie unique? Tillie smiles with her eyes when she greets us.
Tillie taking a little break from ball playing.
Rescue Story: I first saw a video of Tillie on Thanksgiving, 2015 that was posted by her foster Mom at BullsEye Rescue , who happened to be a friend of my sister. I had been interested in a rescue for over a year. but had not come across the right dog and situation. When I saw Tillie in the video, despite having no hair due to mange and being severely malnourished, I could see something so sweet and special about her right away. As I watched the video, I knew in my heart this was the dog I wanted to save. I contacted her foster and setup a meet and greet with Tillie.
I will be honest and say I did my research about pit bulls. My family and friends were shocked that I would consider adopting a dog of this breed. But as I learned the facts, I became more certain that I wanted to give this breed a chance.
When we met Tillie, she was so shy and would hardly come near us, but I could see her potential immediately. We sat on the floor with her and her foster Mom Ellie, for over an hour giving her treats and toys. Eventually she let us touch and pet her, and her gentle playful nature was apparent. I knew more then ever that this had been the situation I'd been searching for. I wanted to help a dog/breed that really needed it. I decided that moment that I wanted to do something that would make a difference. Several weeks later, she came to our house to meet the rest of the family and our dog Olive. She and Olive were instant playmates. It was obvious that Tillie adored other dogs and pets, and although she was a little timid with the kids at first, she would learn they too were playmates. After that visit, we met one more time at the park and moved forward to adopt her.
Once we had Tillie at home with us, she instantly became part of our family. Her playful and loving nature were a little slow to surface, but once we gained her trust , she became more comfortable with us. We don't know her history, but assume it was full of neglect and lack of exposure to many things. Initially, she relied heavily on the reaction of our other dog Olive (and still does sometimes), to see if situations or people are safe, but over the past few months, she appears to be realizing that she doesn't need to be afraid. She now greets are friends and family by licking their toes and wagging her tail. We love watching her see something for the first time! Her reaction is that of fun-loving silliness and curiosity. As she has become more confident, she's willing to go outside by herself and investigate things, get on our bed and snuggle with us, play "zoomies" with our kids, and gives us lots of kisses. One of the things we love about her most, are her smiling eyes when she greets us. Her tender nature and eagerness to please has endeared her to us, and we are so grateful that we found her, and she us. She brings so much joy with her happy attitude; it's almost impossible to resist adoring her once you've had time with her. We can't imagine our life without her. We love Tillie so much and hope that our example will encourage others to see that this breed has been terribly mistreated and misunderstood.
Tillie's Gotcha Day! You can see she made her self right at home...using Olive as a seat cushion!
What is your favorite pastime as a family? We take Tillie in the car with us, play outside in the backyard, snuggling on the bed, rolling around the floor with her, playing tug-of-war with toys and playing chase with her.
What is life like since you rescued Tillie? Our life is full of joy and happiness that we not only have a wonderful addition to our family, but that we are helping with a cause that needs us.
Photographers Note: There are two big reasons I love this story so much. First, they chose a dog that was not immediately beautiful or exuberant and affectionate. They chose one that needed to understand what it means to be loved and what it means to trust. They were willing to take the time to do that with Tillie. For the record, I didn't see much of the shy dog she use to be when I met her and she is absolutely beautiful with those gorgeous smiling eyes. The second reason, is because this family was so dedicated to learning everything they could about Tillie before bringing her home. Whether we like it or not, the stigma around these dogs exist and if you only look to one source for your information, that information may not be correct. This family did their homework and Tillie is in a home now that knows what it means to own and love her! Those who love these dogs long for a day when research is not needed, when all people will walk into their local rescues/shelters and choose a dog based on their personality, their energy, their sweet face....their individuality.
Now I would bet those friends and family members that had some misgivings about this family bringing Tillie home, have now met and fallen in love with this sweet girl. Just like that, perceptions start to change. It only takes one!!