'Vicious Dog' Takes Adorable Ride In Cop Car

TEXARKANA, TX — When police in Texarkana, Texas, got a call about a vicious dog, they approached the situation with caution. And when they arrived at the scene of the call on April 29, they found a stout, golden American Bully on someone's front porch.

Officer Travis Frost, who responded to the call, felt a natural apprehension when he spotted the dog.

As he left his cruiser, Frost made a point to leave the door to the vehicle open. He knew he could need a place of refuge if the dog turned aggressive.

Police said in a Facebook post that as Frost began to move toward the dog, he let out a whistle, which caught the dog's attention.

"He whistled at the dog, who then came trotting over to him with his tail wagging," Texarkana police wrote on Facebook. "After [Frost] pet the dog for a minute, he went right up to the patrol unit, jumped in the front seat, and just made himself at home."

Noticing the dog's friendly disposition, Frost joined the dog in the car while the pair waited for an animal control officer to arrive.

Frost and the dog developed a friendly kinship, eventually snapping a selfie together. The photo, shared on Facebook in late April, warmed the hearts of pit bull lovers.

"Pit Bulls have a bit of a bad reputation," the department said. "[Frost] said that, while you should always be careful around any dog that you don’t know, you shouldn’t automatically assume that all pit bulls are bad dogs. They might be really loving like this guy was this morning."

An update shared on Facebook the following brought good news about the dog's future. The American Bully had a name and, even more, a family.

"GREAT NEWS!!!" the department said. "We just learned that Gold, the dog we encountered yesterday, was picked up this morning by his owner at the Animal Care & Adoption Center, Texarkana, USA."

Gold's owner recognized him and came in to claim him, police said.

He was identified as an American Bully, the department said.

"Several people have pointed out that Gold is not actually a Pit Bull, but rather an American Bully," the department's Facebook post read. "While I can tell the difference between a Chihuahua and a Great Dane, I don't always know all of the nuances that would allow me to distinguish between breeds that are much closer together. Please forgive my error."

UltimateHomeLife, a website dedicated to all things dogs, describes American Bullies as "full of life, happy, playful and friendly dogs."

And while they are often large, muscular and confident, UltimateHomeLife warns not to mistake their confident personality for aggression.

Bullies first emerged in the 1990s and are bred by mating Pit Bull Terriers and American Staffordshire Terriers, UltimateHomeLife states.

All images via Texarkana Police Department