Rescued pit bull scared of everything makes amazing progress towards healing her emotional scars when pawrents adopt her a husky sibling to give her a pack, dog mom says: ‘I think we’re making progress and she’s learning to be a dog in her new home.’

Author image for Laurent Shinar
Laurent Shinar • Writer and Editor
Mar 23, 2026 2:00 PM EDT

You might have thought it would be impossible for a fierce pit bull to be scared of anything. But as you will come to find in this story they are just like any other dog, capable of feeling fear, love, and empathy. Heck, even more so than some breeds.

It is the painfully ironic truth about these breeds that are so heavily feared. So many of them end up in good homes and are the pawfect pets, never stepping out of line, never doing anything bad to anyone, while being the bestest cuddle buddy anyone in their family has ever had. But as often happens in the minority of cases there are a few bad seeds. And these bad seeds have made a nasty name for these doggos around the world.

But as this kind dog lover came to find with her adopted pit bull, there was nothing to fear from her, but a whole lot of fear in her heart after how she had been treated. A fear that slowly left her heart as she began to feel safe and loved for the first time in her life. 
 

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    "She was afraid to go outside but now she explores and zooms all over her yard."
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    I had a 75 lb pibble who was my soul dog that passed 3 months ago. I was in no way ready for a new dog but apparently I adopted this sweet little noodle. She is
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    scared of literally everything, including my husband. When we met her at the shelter she cuddled him and it seemed like a good fit but now that we're home she is terrified of him. She will
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    follow him around and be very interested in him but then runs any time he moves or makes a noise, randomly barks and growls at him. We're kind of feeling like maybe
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    she was ab d by a man and aren't sure if she is going to be okay in a house with a man in it. She is scared to go outside, we have to carry her out. When
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  • It is such a mixed bag when adopting a doggo, even from a trustworthy source such as a shelter. You never quite know how they will behave and handle life when they are brought home, or taken anywhere. After all, difficult events can happen in any place and can be committed by any kind of person. So it is not all too surprising that this poor pupper has her emotional scars. It is a little sad though that they are showing themselves at home and with the person who she bonded with best back at the shelter. But that is the true cost of bringing home a shelter doggo, you never quite know how much work you are going to have to do in order to rehabilitate them to normal, safe life. 

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    we first brought her home we took her for a bunch of walks and she seemed like she really liked it but now she is refusing to go, laying down or literally launching her body against the
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    leash. If we try to get her to run around in the yard she just runs to the door. I don't know how to get her energy out without walking her, she doesn't really like her toys very much but she likes to chew on a bone.
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    She loves treats but when she's scared or outside she won't take them. I know time is the thing we need but I just feel so in over my head. She is such a sweet
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    little baby and she sleeps in my arms but what if she can't. get used to my husband? I don't know how we can train her consistently if she's too scared to be near him. I feel
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    like we should work with a trainer or behaviorist but I'm just feeling so hopeless right now. Any advice would be appreciated.
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    For everyone that remembers Stella and how difficult her first few days were with how scared she is of everything, she's doing much better! She is still a bit skittish but she has learned to love
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  • Now that is wonderful to hear. After all that this doggo has likely been through in her short life it is so heartening to hear that she was able to overcome and redefine what it is in her mind to be someone’s doggo. With old notions of living in fear of doing the wrong thing leaving her heart, and new notions of unconditional love, care and attention entering. She is such a lucky girl to have had this happen this way. There was more than a good chance that her fate would have her in a much tougher spot by now being the species that she is. 

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    outside and going for walks. We also just adopted this Husky (Iko) for her to play with and help build her confidence! So far they are sharing well together and love to play in the yard.
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    We're in for a lot with these two but they are so sweet and so loving, we are really lucky to have them.
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    A lot of people have told me she looks mixed, maybe amstaff but she is only pitbull! She has lots of relatives all over too
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    Thank you to everyone who was supportive when I was fr g out about being in over my head with this rescue. Previously, she was afraid to go outside but now she explores and zooms all over her yard. She
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    loves the "dog park" (it's a field where people with dogs gather but there are trails in the woods behind it) and we finally got her to go on walks. She is still growling and barking at my husband some and runs from him but
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    he's able to walk her and play outside with her and she even comes up to him outside sometimes. I think we're making progress and she's learning to be a dog in her new home.
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    ◄ Gmail 1:24 Stella About 100% Stella @ Relatives 39 60 She's one very fetching American Pit Bull Terrier American Pit Bull Terrier 100% Her age + life stage > Get even more from Embark My dog Oli Care app.embarkvet.com B
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healing everything dog mom pack husky emotional reddit story scared pit bull pawrents progress amazing dog story sibling dog adoption rescue scars
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