When Patrick Groschan, 24, moved into a townhouse in Lutherville with his sister, he felt that something was missing. Groschan realized that things wouldn't be complete without a dog.

With that in mind, he decided to give a 5-month-old pit bull named Rex a home.

The choice of a pit bull was deliberate. “I wanted to change the stereotype,” said Groschan. “To prove it's not the dog itself, it's how they were raised.”

Groschan adopted Rex from the Baltimore Humane Society a month ago. In their brief time together, he's watched Rex, who weighs 40 pounds and is expected to reach 55, go through his awkward puppy phase. Whether it's slowly adjusting to crate training or excitedly running up to older dogs hoping for a playmate (and then getting rebuffed) — Rex is growing up before Groschan's eyes.

A friendly and gregarious puppy, Rex regularly receives compliments while he's out on his walks, although from time to time, Groschan has to deal with individuals whose behavior changes when they discover the dog's breed. “They ask what it is, and then they get hesitant,” he said.

But these things don't bother Groschan. Rex's response to seeing him when he gets home makes everything worth it.

“As soon as I let him out of the crate, he jumps on my knees and licks my face,” he said.

With so many memories to create, Groschan can't wait to watch Rex grow up. The next big step? Going to a legitimate dog park to play with all the big dogs.

Read about local pets, or share your own story. We're interested in cats and dogs, but also hamsters, hedgehogs, turtles, horses, chickens — the whole pet gamut. For more information, email pets@baltsun.com and be sure to put “Collared” in the subject line.

—?Christiana Mbakwe