Name/Age: Stella - 14 y/o
Family Members: Diana (human mom), Hunter (human dad), John (human brother, 3 years old), Haynes (human brother, 2 years old)
How long has Stella been in the family? 12 years
Professions: Diana – admissions consultant; Hunter - CPA
Location: Atlanta, GA.
Nicknames: Stelly, Hambone (when she is acting like a goober)
5 words/phrases that best describe Stella?
Loving
Sweet
Best Friend
Lazy
Nanny dog
What makes Stella unique? Stella loves to be hot. She begs to sit in the sun on our back deck on 95-degree days, and in the winter we have to put up a barrier so she doesn’t sit in the fireplace when the fire is going. Stella also has an obsession with licking belly buttons. As soon as she sees one, she goes right for it. It was a funny party trick when we were in our early 20s, and now it’s a big hit with the toddlers.
Beautiful Stella in her favorite grass bed.
Rescue Story: I (Diana) rescued Stella from a kill shelter in Virginia when I was fresh out of college and looking for a companion. When I walked down the row of kennels, every dog was barking—except for Stella. When she saw me, she smashed her face up against the chain-link fence so I could pet her through it. When I did a meet-and-greet in one of the shelter’s rooms, Stella acted like we were long-lost friends and sat right in my lap. It was then that I noticed her blocky head and her pit bull smile, and I got nervous about adopting her. (she is half pit, half lab/bichon frise according to DNA test). I hadn’t had any exposure to pit bulls besides the negative press I’d seen on the news, and I was worried about getting kicked out of my apartment complex for having a breed that wasn’t allowed. I’m not proud to say that I left her there at the shelter after that initial visit.
I proceeded to visit three more shelters that day, but I did not find any dogs that even came close to Stella’s gentle, loving demeanor. I decided then and there to take the risk on this dog that came with no known history—or even a name. I’m so glad I did. Stella has been my loyal best friend for 12 years, through cross-state moves, breakups, getting married, and starting a family.
While most people worry about their dogs when they decide to have children, I had zero hesitations about Stella when I brought each of my two sons into the world. Stella loves nothing more than being around babies and children. There’s a reason pit bulls used to be known as “nanny dogs,” and Stella is a shining example of this.
Stella settling in and already getting spoiled with a fancy bandana!
What is your favorite pastime as a family? Stella is—and always has been—our “lazy dog.” One of her favorite activities is lounging in the long grass in our yard on a sunny day. My two young boys collect sticks for her to chew on, and she doesn’t have to move a muscle. It’s her version of a spa day, and you can see in her face how happy it makes her.
What is life like since you adopted Stella? Stella is a member of our family, and we treat her as such. We include her in all family celebrations and bring her with us almost everywhere we go. Each May, we celebrate her birthday on “Cinco de Stella” and throw her a party. Stella’s been kayaking in Virginia, attended football tailgates in North Carolina, and has even tubed down the Chattahoochee.
Social Media: Instagram: @stellygrams
Photographers Note: First things first, many people will look at this beautiful senior pup and say no way is she a pit bull. She has a thick soft coat ( I mean you want to bury your face in it soft), with a very fluffy tail and a longer snout., what says pit bull in that? Well a DNA test says otherwise. Stella is yet another great example why BSL legislation doesn’t work (among many other reasons), as it’s based on visual assessment of a dogs breed.
Now onto the sweetness of this girl. Seeing her with her boys, is just heart warming. There is really nothing better when kids get to grow up with a dog that loves and adores them. When we did their family shot, Stella was so funny. She didn’t really want to cooperate, instead she rolled in her favorite grass, gave kisses to John and then finally decided to come front and center, as if to say…this feature is about me, right? Big bonus for the boys, they have a live in belly button cleaner! LOL
Kisses, Kisses, Kisses