Unknown History

KJ adopted our big black and white "holstein"/loveable pit bull from the junior surgery ward at school where he was neutered. Exactly two years ago, he came into our lives and I've been in love with him since then. I sometimes wonder about his history, since they (and we) estimated his age to be about 2 or 3 years old before he found his forever home. He has a calm, gentle disposition - he wants nothing more in life than to snuggle on the couch with you and grab a few rays of sunshine in the backyard on a beautiful day. He is moderately leash aggressive, but at the farm where he gets to play a few times a month, he gets along with everyone and does his own thing (mostly grazing and half heartedly running after other dogs). He is a little frightened of water deeper than a foot. He loves everyone and greets every visitor to our house with a big toothy grin and a wagging tail that resembles a helicopter... but where did he come from? The other night, we were sitting on the couch watching a TV show and the doorbell rang on tv. Ben shot up like something had bitten his butt and ran to the door. We don't have a doorbell, nor has he been in any homes that have one/use one. Usually he'll check out the window first if he hears something, but this time he ran to the door. Apparently he must have lived somewhere with a doorbell... in a house. Which makes me sort of happy because I hope that he was treated nicely before he found us. His rare and random aggressive tendencies (on leash ONLY) make me wonder how he came to be that way or if that is just how he is. He is completely fine with dogs smaller than him, but if they are his size or larger, he is not a dog I would go nose-to-nose with, especially if that other dog postures in an aggressive or challenging way.

I'll never know where he lived before he came to us, but I like that if I am perceptive enough, I can pick up on small details about his previous life. He's my good boy now, but I thank the people before us who took care of him and shaped him to be the dog he is today. He's an incredible dog and it is because of him that I am in love with the breed.