About To Lose His Foster Home, Blue Island Dog Rescue Group Seeks Forever Home For Bowser

BLUE ISLAND, IL — It’s a hot and humid Thursday evening, but the weather’s not stopping a group of volunteers from the Blue Island Stray Dog Project (BISDP) from having an enjoyable time time hanging out in front of the Blue Island Police Department (BIPD) with Bowser, one of the dogs in their program.

And Bowser is having a great time out there on Greenwood Avenue, too, greeting people, showing off the commands he knows, cuddling and being affectionate, and earning plenty of treats, praise, and attention.

Since he was found roaming the streets in January, Bowser has been living as a “foster dog” with the family who found him, but that situation has not been ideal for the family or the dog and now must come to an end.

The time has come for Bowser to find his permanent, or “forever,” home, and he is actively up for adoption.

There is no doubt that Bowser will be a welcome addition to the right home, because he really is a “good boy.” He comes highly recommended by his foster family, the experienced “dog people” of the BISDP, and the professional dog trainer that works with the group.

Linda Reyes, whose family has been fostering Bowser at their house, speaks fondly of Bowser. They cannot keep him because one of their dogs will not accept him, although Bowser gets along with their other dog. Bowser has been living in the basement at their house, which is in the middle of a remodeling project.

The Reyes Family has been working with Bowser, and Reyes said they will be sad to see him leave.

“When we found him, he didn’t know any commands, so we’ve been teaching him. He’s learned so much, and he’s come such a long way since we’ve gotten him,” said Reyes. “It’s been nice learning about him and appreciating him and loving him, and we really want him to go to a good home.”

Karen Krasowski, BISDP volunteer and experienced dog handler, has taken a personal interest in working with Bowser and finding him that good home.

“He’s had some ‘meets-and-greets’ at the Blue Island Beer Company, and they said he’s welcome back any time; he had people fawning all over him and he just loved it,” said Krasowski. “He’s definitely a family dog. He had people right in his face, and he would just melt and let everyone rub his belly.”

Krasowski said that Bowser has indeed come far in six months and praises the Reyes Family for their commitment to him.

Krasowski said she enjoys taking Bowser for walks, and he loves to play Frisbee and ball. He shows his intelligence by liking the puzzle toys that he has to figure out to get to the food inside. She said he would likely enjoy learning to seek out hidden items.

“He really has so much potential,” said Krasowski. “When he finds that home that will put that time and energy into him, he will just shine. He will absolutely shine.”

About two years old, Bowser has many years of life before him. Fortunately, he’s past the puppy stage of being totally oblivious to his surroundings and chewing up everything.

He’s in adolescence now, and like all teenagers, he’s discovering the world around him.

“Bowser’s brain is firing on all cylinders right now as he is paying attention to the world and trying to figure it all out,” said Dan Bartley, the professional dog trainer who works with the BISDP.

“Investing time bonding and training with him now in his adolescence will result in a wonderful companion dog as he matures. You'll have a best buddy for life with this dog.”

Thoroughly vet-checked and deemed healthy, Bowser has had all his vaccinations and has been neutered. He’s house-broken and does very well in his crate, and he now knows the basic commands like sitting and giving his paw.

Bowser is highly motivated to learn and please people. He responds well to positive reinforcement like treats and praise. He loves to be talked to and petted.

Reyes shared a story that shows Bowser's gentle nature. One day, Reyes was sitting in the yard after an injury left her disabled, and she became tearful. Bowser, who had been exploring the yard, came over to her, looked into her face, and started to lick her to comfort her.

Despite all these documented good points, however, many people will pass right by Bowser as a potential companion because of his breed – he is described as a “pit-bull mix.”

Unfortunately, there are misconceptions about dogs like Bowser, and the rescue groups and shelters have difficulty finding homes for them. Some shelters no longer list a dog’s breed for this reason.

In reality, “pit bull mix” isn’t even a breed. “Pit bulls” are a variety of breeds recognized by the American Kennel Club that share physical characteristics and ancestry, including the American Staffordshire Bull Terrier, the American Pit Bull Terrier, and the Staffordshire Bull Terrier, descended from English bull dogs and terriers. They are muscular dogs, and their temperament is described as loyal, intelligent, and active.

There is public perception that these breeds are inherently aggressive, but that is not supported by studies.

The American Temperament Test Society, Inc. (ATTS), a not-for-profit organization that uses a standardized testing process to determine a dog’s temperament, has been testing dogs since 1977. Dogs are not tested until they are 18 months old, and they fail the test if they show unprovoked aggression.

In ATTS results that are often cited by major world animal organizations, the Staffordshire Bull Terriers earned a 91.9% rating, the American Pit Bull Terriers earned 87.6%, and the American Staffordshire Terriers earned an 85.7% score, for their temperament. Almost 2,000 dogs were tested.

The “pit bulls” scored higher than some very popular breeds – Collies came in at 80.9%, Beagles at 80.5%, Standard Dachshunds at 70.6%, and Chihuahuas at 68.8%. They even outperformed Golden Retrievers, considered one of the best family dogs, who earned an 85.9% score.

Other studies show that aggressive behavior is influenced by how a dog is treated and raised, not by its breed, and according to the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), pit bulls are the most abused dog breed in the world. The extent of abuse that pit bulls suffer leads to the incorrect assumption that they are the aggressors, when in truth, any dog, from lapdogs to Golden Retrievers, can be provoked into defensive or aggressive behavior if they are treated badly.

The Staffordshire Bull Terrier part of Bowser seems evident in his appearance. He is a medium-sized, muscular dog of 65 pounds. His coat is a brindle color, with black striping on a light reddish-brown background that looks like tiger stripes. He has jewel-like amber eyes.

Krasowski said she also thinks there may be some Labrador Retriever in Bowser, because “he reminds me of my lab pit.” Labs earn a temperament rating of 92.4%.

Bowser needs to continue training, of course, as all dogs do. He shows two very common “impulse control” behaviors, jumping up on people to greet them, and reacting to other dogs on walks. He’s shown progress in both areas.

Bowser hasn't had the opportunity to be around small children yet so the concern would be that he could knock over a child without meaning to, due to his size and strength. Interactions would need to be supervised.

A family or person with existing pets would need to discuss introducing a new dog into the mix. So much depends on the other pets' personalities and behavior. In his current situation, the family has two dogs, and Bowser gets along fine with one of them but the other dog refuses to accept him after several attempts to introduce them, so Bowser has been living in the basement.

Bowser has met other dogs that he got along with just fine.

The message today is that pit bulls can make good pets and deserve the chance for good homes like other dogs. People interested in Bowser can contact the BISDP at blueislandstrays@gmail.com or through their Facebook page, Blue Island Stray Dog Project. They can also contact the author of this article through Patch.

There is absolutely no commitment at all on anyone’s part for meeting Bowser, or any of the dogs that the BISDP volunteers are helping.

Bowser needs someone who can handle his size and strength and has the time for the care and attention any dog needs. A fenced-in yard would be great. Bowser will help a new owner get exercise, too.

Reyes has indicated she will cover the adoption fees for Bowser to go to a good home, and Bradley is offering three free one-hour training sessions when Bowser gets adopted. Both are doing this “just because it's Bowser."

The Blue Island Stray Dog Project is a not-for-profit group that started in 2018 when the Blue Island Police Department reached out for help to care for the dogs they collect off the streets.

Now there are five kennels in the BIPD garage with an ever-revolving collection of dogs of all sizes and breeds and ages, and about thirty volunteers who dedicate countless hours from early morning to late at night to care for these dogs – walking them, feeding and playing with them, cleaning their kennels, giving them medications, bathing and grooming them, and taking them to vet and other appointments such as “meets-and-greets.” The BISDP covered most of Bowser's expenses in foster care, including vet bills and food.

The goal is to place them in foster homes or other locations where they can be readied for adoption, or, preferably, to find them “forever” homes, because there is always another dog coming along that needs help.

If you're interested in a meet-and-greet with Bowser, email blueislandstrays@gmail.com

The BISDP depends on volunteers and donations to keep the project going. Financial contributions are always welcomed and can be made through Paypal or Zelle to blueislandstrays@gmail.com. There is a list of needed items, like dog food, that can be found on the Facebook page and as an Amazon wish list.

And after Bowser finds a home, there’s Marcus and Sly and Pikachu and Klaus ….