Tuckered Out Pittie Pup Enjoys A Cozy Car Nap With His Fave

Aug 27, 2021

Pit bulls, and offshoots of the breed, get a bad rap. Not only do many people think of them as dangerous, but some animal lovers simply dismiss the breed as ugly. In the end, the stereotype of a pit bull is a big, muscular and violent dog that parents ought to keep away from their children. But as is the case with almost all stereotypes, it turns out that pit bulls’ bad reputation is largely undeserved.

Pit bulls can be beautiful, sweet and loving despite their reputation. In fact, there are dozens of stories on the internet about wonderful pit bulls who consistently brighten the lives of their owners.

One such story comes out of Brazil, where Nino, a type of pit bull, lives with his Kamilla Ferreira and her teenage sister, Carol. Nino went viral back in January 2021 when Kamilla captured a video of the pit bull puppy adorably napping next to Carol in the car. In the short-but-sweet video, which is fittingly set to Fleetwood Mac’s “Dreams,” Carol and Nino cuddle while snoozing in the back seat on the way back from the beach. The video blew up on TikTok, where it has accumulated millions of views. Similarly, Nino’s Instagram has gone viral. As of August 2021, the dog has more than 13,000 followers.

Viral stories like Nino’s are good, as they help to show the world that pit bulls and related breeds are not always dangerous. Instead, it’s often the way that they are raised that determines their temperament. Read on to find out more about Nino and his adorable videos.

In an interview with The Dodo, Kamilla explained that people on the street were afraid of Nino when she adopted him.

“People sometimes get scared of his tough looks, but a couple of minutes and they're enchanted,” Kamilla told The Dodo. “He welcomes people on the street with such happiness … People know him by name in our neighborhood.

Nino is an American bully, according to his Instagram profile. The breed is an offshoot of the American pit bull terrier.

Despite his intimidating looks, Nino loves to cuddle. In fact, Kamilla says that whenever he’s with Carol, they are always snuggling.

“They have a strong bond,” Kamilla said. “She is like a sister to him, too, and Nino is a professional cuddler.”

The pit bull breed and its American bully offshoot’s bad reputation is largely a historical phenomenon, according to Browney Dickey, an American journalist who wrote a book about pit bull stigma called “Pit Bull: The Battle over an American Icon.”

The dogs were quite popular during WWI and the Depression. At that time, the breed was representative of all-American, blue-collar workers. However, the post-WWII boom began to change that. The economic momentum led to a greater interest in kennel club breeds, and thus pit bulls fell out of favor. And one of the biggest shifts in public perception came in the 1970s when the humane movement began working to crack down on illegal dog fights.

And since then, pit bulls haven’t really been able to shake their bad reputation. But stories like Nino’s are helping to change people’s perceptions of his breed and similar ones.

What do you think of this adorable video? Do you think that pit bulls and American bullies are inherently more dangerous dogs? Let us know — and pass this sweet video on to others.