Gertie + Vinnie

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Gertie + Vinnie Sharing how amazing it is to love and be loved by pit bulls!

This sweet, sweet boy. He sleeps in a lot more these days. I try to enjoy him as he is, right now, because he’s here and...
14/01/2025

This sweet, sweet boy. He sleeps in a lot more these days. I try to enjoy him as he is, right now, because he’s here and he’s pure joy and love… I don’t want to waste a moment grieving his loss while I still have him. But the thought tries to creep in when his age shows.

So I smooch his big ole face and tell him how much I love him. Then he usually gives a sigh of comfort or licks my entire face in one swoop, and we enjoy each other until he hints that I’m smothering him 😆

A little late to the request, Chris, but some additional deer pics of Gertie thanks to 😍
13/01/2025

A little late to the request, Chris, but some additional deer pics of Gertie thanks to 😍

We put the phone down today to hang out with each other… snuggled reading, playing, walk by the lake, hide and seek trea...
13/01/2025

We put the phone down today to hang out with each other… snuggled reading, playing, walk by the lake, hide and seek treats, and now we’re cuddling back up again for some TV. It was a nice Sunday, pals 🥰

Sometimes you can’t be bothered to take the steps to the bowl when climbing the ottoman is direct, and he also can’t be ...
12/01/2025

Sometimes you can’t be bothered to take the steps to the bowl when climbing the ottoman is direct, and he also can’t be bothered with your judgment of that 😂

It’s a cuddle with your stuffies kind of snow day 🥹
11/01/2025

It’s a cuddle with your stuffies kind of snow day 🥹

Little less sad I took Gertie in the car without him (nail trim) since we came home with treats!
09/01/2025

Little less sad I took Gertie in the car without him (nail trim) since we came home with treats!

Work break to watch squirrels repeatedly fall off the bird feeders 🥰🐿️
08/01/2025

Work break to watch squirrels repeatedly fall off the bird feeders 🥰🐿️

Busted! 😆🥰
08/01/2025

Busted! 😆🥰

07/01/2025

Vinnie was on fire today! He didn’t slow down from start to finish, and was speedier than normal. He’s going to sleep hard tonight 🥰

“It is merely a coincidence I want to get to the couch right here by Vinnie’s peanut butter ball, Mom… swear!” 😂
06/01/2025

“It is merely a coincidence I want to get to the couch right here by Vinnie’s peanut butter ball, Mom… swear!” 😂

06/01/2025

Just learned of this local service that found a dog who had been missing for a week (alive, broken bone and in surgery, but ok). This is incredible and I had to share immediately!

Kat Cavanaugh: Certified drone pilot specializing in thermal imaging. Servicing Lake Villa and surrounding areas.

When you think you’re sneaking in a walk before it gets dark and end up looking like a two-person night parade between t...
05/01/2025

When you think you’re sneaking in a walk before it gets dark and end up looking like a two-person night parade between the cow snood, light up collar, and cart 😂 safety first! And then snoozing hard 💛

She requires an electric blanket under her, a big blanket on top, and to be next to me for my body heat (and cuddles, of...
04/01/2025

She requires an electric blanket under her, a big blanket on top, and to be next to me for my body heat (and cuddles, of course)… but today she wants to be outside in the sunshine while it’s under 30° 😂

We are all very happy to see the sun shining so bright 💛

This guy is full of (extra) sass today! 😂 When he didn’t get his requested second breakfast he snubbed me by going to th...
03/01/2025

This guy is full of (extra) sass today! 😂 When he didn’t get his requested second breakfast he snubbed me by going to the sun room. Sorry, Bubs, you and I can’t eat like Gertie and magically stay the same size 💛

This nugget! She did sooo good during the NYE fireworks. When they were far off she yelled at them to go away, which I e...
02/01/2025

This nugget!

She did sooo good during the NYE fireworks. When they were far off she yelled at them to go away, which I encouraged. When they got too close she started shaking but allowed me to cuddle her into comfort. They were loud enough that Vinnie even joined the cuddle in concern.

I hate fireworks. They scare way too many pals.

Gotcha day walk!
01/01/2025

Gotcha day walk!

Seven years ago today I drove to meet up with your foster parents, Amanda and Chris, and officially brought you home! On...
01/01/2025

Seven years ago today I drove to meet up with your foster parents, Amanda and Chris, and officially brought you home! One of the two best days of my life.

Thank you for making me laugh daily, for having soooo much to say, for being the big spoon, for being my walking bestie, and for teaching all of us that challenges don’t mean you stop loving every day. I love you, Bubs. 🥹

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Hey, pals! A behavior question for those who have possible experience with this… Gertie has always done this a little bit in the morning as a form of play but the last month (maybe more?) she does this for a really long time (currently, for about 15 minutes straight) multiple times throughout the day. I can tell it’s a form of self-soothing, and she does seem to be behaving with more confidence (plus there’s less time licking her paws in the ongoing battle with her allergies). I’m curious if anyone thinks there’s another behavior here I should be concerned with? She does recognize I only want this behavior with certain items (her toys and this blanket… she’s not nibbling on everything in the house). Additional info: teeth look good, a new CBD oil was added to her diet (which I think is the first one actually helping, after trying multiple brands), all other activities are normal… a little more playful, a little less snapping at me (old age crotchety meets skin sensitivity and not understanding I’m accidentally touching spots that feel weird).

As a single mom, the balloon foot covers are a nightmare to put on/take off, but these were very easy and warmer. Bonus, they were still on when he came back from chasing that squirrel (no 🐿️🐿️ were harmed in the making of this video 💛) #vv167 #gg147

We didn’t go to swim last week, and since then I’ve been sick (aka too sick to take him on his walks)… so he about lost his mind when we pulled into the parking lot for The Doggie Paddle! Happy boy, happy mom 🥰 #vv164 #gg144

That time of night when he gets antsy but doesn’t know what he wants to do. Well, short of knowing he doesn’t want to relax with me 😂 #vv163 #gg143

You all know how much we love Ms Laurie at The Doggie Paddle, and we want to express our gratitude for Ron, too! He helped Vin to swim all the way across the pool to get his toy, yesterday, when Vinnie wasn’t too sure about that. 💛 Thanks, Ron! #vv151 #gg131

She gets so excited after her bath is done, but capturing how she looks at me after I smooch her 🫠🥹 #vv146 #gg126

It’s *always* a good day when it includes Ms Laurie at The Doggie Paddle 🤿 #vv139 #gg119

Mister Vinnie absolutely showing off! He was very happy to be swimming at The Doggie Paddle and burning off some extra energy while I was sick and not walking him 😂😍💛 #vv133 #gg113

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#shotgunGertie #inVinniebull

Gertie was adopted from It’s a Pittie Rescue on June 11, 2014 — where she was estimated to be 6 months old. I gave her the birthday of November 30, 2013 (tribute to my first cat, Qi, who passed on that day a year earlier — sometimes I wonder if they share parts of the same soul). When she came home she had just had knee surgery and was on crate lockdown for her first 6 weeks with me. They didn’t know her back story, and I hope it wasn’t horrible — but how you part ways with this little beauty is beyond me. Once she was fully healed, we walked everywhere (it is normal for us to do about 5 miles a day walking or hiking or running). She is one of the sweetest dogs I’ve ever met. She’s tiny but mighty. She’s funny and sassy. She’s smart and loving. She’s the full package. Three and half years later Vinnie was adopted from Players for Pits on January 1, 2018. He was a 90 lb, 4 year old (born September 11, 2013), black pit bull covered in scars from his mast cell tumors being removed. Needless to say, he was hard to adopt out. But those were the reasons that attracted me to him. And then once we met, well, it was all over. He came from a hoarders house and was never really trained to be a dog. The work Players for Pits did with him, especially his first foster Becki, was incredible. He still has a lot of things to learn — he just gets so excited to meet new people or do new things, and that’s a lot to calm down in a 90 lb pup — but he learns so fast and really just wants to be acknowledged for his efforts by his parents. This page is to share their story — to show you how wonderful pit bulls are as companions. The stereotype given to them, the horrible humans who abuse them, and the breed-specific legislation created against them is pure ignorance. So we’ll also share news pieces that keep us all up to date on what is happening, and share with you the efforts and needs of the non-profs like It’s a Pittie Rescue and Player for Pits who are working tirelessly to improve the world for these pups (and us too).