PAWsitive thoughts

By Lexi Leddy – Rye, NH – Owner of Lexi Leddy Real Estate

“What, are you crazy?” This was the statement my husband made when I showed him a picture of Coco, a pit bull mix I had experienced love at first site with on Petfinder.com. After meeting her for an hour and a cuddle session on the couch, he was hooked; and we never looked back.

I didn’t realize at the time what a bad reputation pit bulls had. Coco had been found roaming the streets of Harlem and was taken to a kill shelter. The day she was supposed to be put down, a wonderful family from Maine swooped in and fostered her for 8 months until we came along and adopted her. Coco is now 15 and has won the hearts of everyone she meets and has been a true advocate for the breed and has changed several minds which felt negatively towards pitties.

A few years later, I found myself at Mary’s Dogs about to adopt a puppy when I walked by a room with a 2-year-old eye-patched brindle pit bull mix, which again, was love at first sight. Petey was found down in Mississippi wandering the streets and was emaciated. The now near 60-pound pit bull was a meek 25 pounds. A local rescue took him in and brought him back to health after a few months. He was then transported up to New Hampshire where fate struck.

Petey the pit bull – or as I like to call him “Peteball the Meatball,” won the hearts of everyone he met. His comforting nature, personality and sense of humor, despite his rough beginning in life, was incredibly endearing. A year later, I adopted another pit mix – Bub - this time a puppy – that was abandoned on the side of the road with no water and no food in a crate. A big thanks to Lexi Leddy for writing this wonderful article! Lexi, a New Hampshire native, is passionate about her real estate career and has enjoyed educating her clients for over 7 years. She recently started her own brokerage firm, Lexi Leddy Real Estate. Lexi prides herself on her high level of client service utilizing her listening and communication skills and keen attention to detail. She has an innate ability to build trusting relationships while always practicing integrity, honesty and transparency.

I think it’s safe to say, most people know what it’s like to be judged. I am no exception. Despite the terrible starts these dogs have had and the judgment that is cast on this breed, having the joy and unconditional love they have brought into my life has made me an advocate for not only rescuing dogs, but rescuing pit bulls. To say, watching people’s faces (and subsequently opinions) change before my eyes (over and over and over again) about their preconceived notions of pit bulls after spending time with mine has been heartwarming is an incredible understatement. When not spending time with her clients, Lexi enjoys spending time with her two pittie rescues, Petey & Bub, and writing in her blog, "What Would You Do If You Weren't Afraid?" She is also heavily involved in the community, an active member of Portsmouth Rotary, SMART Women's networking group, and is a Co-Founder of Catapult Seacoast, the Seacoast's Young Professionals Networking Group. Second to giving Petey and Bub the life of their dreams, she is most proud of having started her Moving Communities Campaign in 2017 where a portion of her commission for each home sold is donated to a local charity. To date, because of her clients' trusting in her with their real estate needs, over $60,000 has been donated back to their communities. Lexi’s energy and positivity are truly contagious…so writing this article on PAWsitivty is simply a natural for her! Phone: 603-828-2601 Email: lexi@LexiLeddyRealEstate.com

Conor joined the Knowles team last February when Donny Knowles, who he’d known for years, reached out as they needed some extra help. “I joined Knowles simply as a short-term job, and here I am almost a year later, and I love what I do!”

Your job at Knowles? I’m a grounds man. We do all the work on the ground once a tree comes down. The trees are connected to a cable, and then lowered once cut to be fed into a chipper. Big branches have to be cut off, and then we guide them into the chipper. I also do stump grinding. Every Saturday I join Donny to make mulch. You know, our “Outta My Tree” mulch, which is entirely natural and totally safe for homeowners with pets; no chemicals. Best part of your job?

Honestly, I love all of it. I love the smell of wood chips. I love the adrenaline rushes you get when trees come down. Donny and Tara are awesome. My brother has worked for them for years. A bit about Bria?

Bria is a 4-year-old Chesapeake Bay Retriever & Pit Bull mix. She’s actually my brother’s dog, but I’m the best Uncle ever…and think of her as mine too! She looks more like a Pit with a magnificent tail. Being a retriever, she chases almost anything and brings it back! Throw a ball…she’ll bring it back. Though, if she sees a chipmunk, she’ll chase it without a chance of ever bringing it back! Of course, she loves to swim. That’s the Chesapeake in her. The ocean, rivers or even a swamp… she simply jumps in. Does Bria have any annoying habits?

She’s just so perfect! There’s really only one I can think of. Sometimes she goes into the paw-licking-zone; incessantly. Until we tell her to stop! What do you love most about her?

Bria is the most loving, adorable dog ever. I absolutely adore her. I know everyone says that, but it’s true with Bria!