This is Zander.

My family adopted Zander from the ASPCA in August of 2015. We’re not sure how old he is or what his life was like before we brought him into our family, but we instantly fell in love with him.

It was a difficult decision for my mom, deciding that she was ready for another dog after our first dog, a fluffy cocker spaniel named Rusty Bear, passed away.

But something was missing in our household, and Zander perfectly fit the role.

Zander is some sort of mixed breed, clearly showing some pitbull-terrier features which, unfortunately, is a breed with a very bad reputation.

I remember the night before we adopted Zander, I researched the pitbull-terrier breed late into the night. I only found terrifying stories of dog attacks and haunting images to support it. I was skeptical about Zander joining the family, and definitely nervous.

It took a bit of time before Zander trusted us. He was timid and shy at first, only sleeping downstairs in his caged home. Now, he prefers sleeping in my mom’s bed every night, and he has no problem making himself right at home just about anywhere in the house.

Our first instinct when we see a dog is to run up and pet them. It’s hard to explain to people that Zander needs more time; he has to trust you before he lets you pet him.

After three years with us, he still gets excited everytime we walk into the room, and he does everything he can to look out for us (despite how small he is).

Every time I came home from college, Zander was right there by the garage door, prancing around in excitement, tail whipping back and forth. Honestly, it’s my favorite part about coming home.

Zander is not a dangerous dog.

Zander is a huge goofball who often forgets how little he is, and we love him through and through.