(Originally written 9/10/2022 8:29 am)
A year and a half ago (or so) I adopted a pit bull mix. He’s handsome and strong and a royal pain in the ass. Shortly after adopting him, I noticed some behavioral issues. He liked me, but didn’t trust me. He’d growl and snarl. He’d guard his toys and bones. He’d bare his teeth and nipped at me once or twice. He loved to play, but most of the time, he just looked depressed and skeptical. I reached out to the shelter in Cincinnati that had sent him here to central PA. They said they found him in a parking lot. He was malnourished and didn’t trust anyone. After a few weeks of working with the shelter manager, he opened up and became a favorite with the staff. They adopted him out. Unfortunately, the new owners neglected to disclose that they had cats. I was told he destroyed their sofa trying to get to the cats. They surrendered him back to the shelter and he was shipped off to PA where I found him. His name was Gus, but he didn’t respond to that or much of anything. Initially, I thought he might be deaf… until I noticed that he could hear me open the bag of treats. I renamed him Kimbrough – he doesn’t respond to that either.
We’ve had our ups and downs. The first half-year was a challenge. He walked well on the leash, but really pulled when he saw a squirrel or rabbit. He would stare any animal down with murder in his eyes. The one time I let him in the bed at night, I tried to move him aside and he growled at me – from then on I was a little worried he might try to kill me in my sleep. For all I know he might have worried about the same thing. If people came to the house, we had to meet them outside so that he wouldn’t growl and bark at them, and even sometimes he still did that. One time in a park, we walked by an African-American man who waved hello and Kimbrough did a little lunge and bit the air… I don’t think the guy saw it, but I thought great, I have an unpredictable dog, and he’s racist. He also nipped the air towards a a kid that rode by on a scooter.
I took him to 7 or 8 training sessions, spent a lot of time working with him on the leash, and took him to the park a lot so that he could get used to seeing other people and dogs. He’s a lot better now. I can’t remember the last time he growled at me or another person. He still has some issues with other dogs, but he’s learned to ignore a lot of them. Some people still cross the street when they see him. Pitties are intimidating meatheads. Most people comment on how beautiful he is and how well behaved he is.
All of that said, I still worry about him on walks and I worry about how he would be in a different environment (city streets, or sitting at an outdoor pub that allows dogs). I also feel bad for him quite a bit. He seldom seems overjoyed. I wouldn’t describe him as a happy dog.
Early in our relationship, he got into a fight with the neighbor’s dog. It was awful. Pitties have a reputation, and I saw the worst of it. Kimbrough was gashed on his flank and his cheek and had left deep scars on the other dog’s head. He is strong – 70 pounds and almost all muscle. I often worry that he’ll attack some small animal or a person. Walks can be stressful. The fight was with another pit bull that came into our yard.
I got a pit bull because they are so much better than their reputation. An ex had a pittie, Zelle. She was a sweet sweet pup and we got along really well. One thing pitties are known for is their woo woo woo – a vocal sound they make when excited or happy. Zelle would woo woo at me when she’d see me walking down the street. I think that’s what I was expecting when I adopted Kimbrough (Gus).
Today, for the first time, Kimbrough let out a woo woo. It’s been a year and a half of working with this dog, building trust, and trying to make him feel happy and safe, and today he woo wooed.