Need Advice/Tips for Adopted Pit Mix

[amelha]

Hey everyone! I am in need of everyone/anyone's helpful hints or tips for our gorgeous baby girl Kayla. We got her in March from a "rescue" & I use that word very loosely. We got a very tangled story about her history & what her breed was. We found out later the lady running the "rescue" here in SC wants to win some kind of award for the most amount of dogs rescued in a month/year or some twisted thing like that, but whatever...

The point is, as you can tell by her picture, Kayla is not a Boxer/Mastiff mix as we were told & honestly we don't care a twit. (We love her & spoil her rotten!) We are her third home & don't know what our poor baby has had to endure other than finding out things that scare her or bother her through day to day activities accidentally. She is scared to pieces by brooms or anything long & skinny like that. Goes nuts when it is dark & bright lights (like a flashlight) are nearby.

She is the best natured dog! Very social with both humans & other dogs except for small female puppies. She is very "willful" when outside and around squirrels or rabbits; actually she's willful period, but that's ok too. She's 68 pounds of muscle & power, but the biggest lover. She wants to be a lapdog & will sleep next me any chance she gets.

I'm asking any of you for any pointers you have in rehabbing & helping her have the life she deserves. We are moving to TX in under a month & I want to make sure we do everything possible to make this as smooth a transition for her as possible. The moving boxes are stressing her beyond imagine already & I know it will get worse.

Thanks in advance!! Amy, Lee & Kayla

[Sporatica]

Give her lots of love, discipline, security, and boundaries. This will lead to trust and respect - Once that happens, she will want to please you and you will have a loyal and well-behaved girl. It takes time and patience (lots of time and patience) But, it's definitely worth it.

[HappyChick]

I know it doesn't matter, but she looks 100% APBT to me in that picture. My Vinny is APBT and weighs in at close to 70 lbs. His breeders were trying for the bigger pits. Anyway, obedience training would be the way to go if you can afford it and can find a good trainer. I will PM you some additional information about where you can get some really great guidance. Good luck with your move to TX.

[tearXawayXsmiles]

I had the same type of problems with my dog and any loud bangs. basically what worked for me is not fussing and saying "it's ok" because that does not help. I forced my dog to deal by repetition of the source of fear and not displaing any emotion. If the dog does not feel your anxiety or worry then they will be able to cope. It takes time, but you have to let the dog conquer their own fears or they will never really feel safe.