Name/Age: Molly - 3 y/o & Stella - 7 y/o
Family Members: Justin, Jacob - 16 y/o, Jared - 14 y/o, & Izzy (Shih-tzu) 6 y/o
How long have Molly & Stella been in the family? Molly for 2.5 years & Stella for 2 years.
Profession: College professor and retired Army veteran.
Location: Savannah, GA.
Nicknames: We just call them by their names but affectionately call them the Chongos. It is a nonsensical word but fits their goofy personalities.
5 of the best words that describe Molly & Stella?
Smart
Loving
Playful
Loyal
Talented
What makes Molly & Stella unique? Molly is one of the smartest dogs I have ever seen. She can learn very quickly. She can do the obstacles at the dog park and will jump up or down from them on command. She also loves swimming and is a bit of a water queen when she can show off to other dogs or people.
Stella is a lover. She is also one of the strongest pound for pound dogs I have ever seen. She loves to give hugs and licks to everyone. She is also very athletic, so she will prove to you that she is the star in any type of physical activity.
Molly
Stella
Rescue Story: Being a single parent, I wanted to add an additional member to our family. We already had Izzy and had a family dog pass away in October of 2019. I wasn’t entirely sure what the best way to go about finding a new dog was. I also wasn’t sure what breed to get. So, I researched. The more I researched, the more I found problems and became aware of the problems with dogs. I learned about backyard breeders, puppy mills, and dog fighting. To be honest, it kind of scared me to think that I could be contributing to a larger problem inadvertently. I then found Renegade Paws Rescue, which was a new organization, but one that seemed to be ethically sound from what I read. I didn’t have a specific breed that I had my heart set on but when I saw Molly’s photo and read her story, I thought that she was perfect for my sons and me. She was, as we found out, severely neglected and malnourished when she was surrendered to the Chatham County Animal Services. She has gained 25 lbs since I adopted her from Renegade Paws Rescue. I had never owned a Pit bull before, but I had watched shows like Cesar Milan and Tia Torres who were breed ambassadors. I trusted that the breed was largely misunderstood, and Molly proved that exact thing to us. My mother even stated after a visit to my house that her whole perspective on the breed had changed after meeting my dogs. She said everything that she had heard in the past was wrong about them.
Plus Molly makes 5.
After rescuing Molly, my sons asked if we could adopt another dog. They loved Molly so much and she fit in so well with our family that I looked for another. Stella was also with Renegade Paws Rescue but she was a little older than Molly. Like Molly, she was severely neglected and malnourished. Stella had some pretty decent scars and cropped ears. She had been in some fights it appeared in her past. This is pretty shocking to think about, because she is one of the most loving dogs I have ever met. She is my little shadow following me around the house making sure that I am ok. She also checks on the boys regularly to make sure that they are ok. You can tell that she truly appreciates her life now. I am not sure what she went through in her past life, but I am sure that it was not good. I am thankful that she came to us, because she is the absolute perfect pet.
Add Stella and you have the perfect 6 pack!
What is your favorite pastime as a family? The girls absolutely love to run, walk, and explore. I take them on daily walks and runs through our neighborhood and Renegade Paws Rescue also does Pack Walks on the weekends at Skidaway Island State Park with rescues both past and present. The girls know that when we hit the city that we are most likely heading that way. They start getting super excited that they are going to see their friends and get to walk the park with them.
What is life like since you rescued these two girls? We always lived a pretty active lifestyle, but having the girls only helped with that. They love to get out and walk or exercise. When we first got them, this was also an essential part of their training and discipline regimen. Once we were able to tire them out, the more receptive they were to commands and learning the rules of the house. They passed with flying colors and have melded into our lives perfectly. They add their own goofy charm into our lives at the perfect moments. They are waiting to greet the boys as soon as they come home every afternoon from school.
Photographers Note: These two definitely love their adventures. They were so excited to explore the park and I am pretty sure Molly would have liked to go swimming if Justin let her. Stella wasn’t overly thrilled with the process of having her photo taken but I think she was ok with the treats and attention! Unfortunately Jacob couldn’t make the outing due to another commitment but it was really sweet to see these two girls with one of their boys. When we were headed back, Jared was walking ahead with Molly and she just kept looking back at us and then up at him, making sure she was keeping track of her family & what a great family you have Molly!