Need moral support/advice

In my experience, (i only volunteer) the breeds you listed are the most friendly dogs at the shelter. I am sure that you & the pit will get along nicely and that will help you get over your fear. Do you know if there is a local pit or rottie or chow rescue you could visit? Or do you have any friends/family who have these breeds? My best advice would be to spend some time with the breeds so you can get comfortable with them.

Sometimes people do have irratoinal fears that they know are irrational. It will just take time I am sure..

I cant wait to see pictures of the pittie though.

I am always cautious around any strange dog I dont know at the shelter, even though I know that fear is irrational as well. I know they dont adopt out aggressive dogs or dogs with temperment issues, still I get a little scared. I will stick my hand up to the cage first and see how the dog reacts before sticking my hand in there or getting the dog out. I dont really get scared but I jump when a dog barks and jumps on the cage when I stick my hand up to the cage. (But then again I have only been volunteering for 6 months now).

I am sure everyone gets bitten at a certain point, but I doubt any of those breeds who are there & adoptable is ever going to bite. I would be more afraid of a small nervous poodle than a pit or a rott or a chow.

To tell you the truth, I am less leery of the pits, but that is also because I volunteer at a local pit rescue. I admit I used to be a little leery of them, not because of their reputation but because well they are big, strong dogs with lots of energy, (*l* and they dont KNOW they are big strong dogs) now I am at the point where my neighbor's pit (who I didnt know at the time) got loose so I jumped the other neighbor's fence to catch him without any hesitation. If I get knocked over & licked to death, so be it *lol*.

I hope this helps some, I am sure after Tuesday you will feel a lot better. I know you will do a great job  

PS-that girl is beautiful!!

It's understandable. As you slowly become more aquainted with those breeds, you will find that you become more and more comfortable around them. Just takes time. No reason to be nervous though. Most are very sweet and any size dog can be nasty! LOL. I have two German Shepherds and they are the sweetest things ever (both from the shelter). Just take your time, slowly be more introduced to the breeds you are more nervous around, and you'll see an improvement.

I'm a volunteer dog-walker at my local shelter too. We're about 75% bully breeds or bully mixes (urban area) and I've never had a problem.
 
Does your shelter temperment test? Ours does, and that's my assurance that someone before me has handled this dog and put it in various situations and has made a reasonable guesstimate that they're fine to be handled. The dogs who are tough to handle but still adoptable are marked specially and are only walked by a special group of volunteers. Your shelter is very small, so I know that system's probably not feasable, but does anyone check the dogs out before they go to the adoption floor?
 
Just take it one step at a time. I'm not sure how much I buy that "dogs smelling yoru fear" thing. Sure, they may sense that you're uncomfortable, but a lot of dogs simply don't care and some even compensate for your discomfort by acting gentler. I know my dogs behave very differently (better!) when someone approaches them tentatively than when someone approaches very confidently. Work on cage behavior with the dog before taking him or her out if you're feeling uncomfy.
 
But of course, as a walker of shelter dogs, you always need to be on your gaurd more than with your own dogs. Even with non-bully dogs or dogs that have aced their temperment tests, I keep both eyes on the dog at all times when walking, and constantly evaluate their body language for signs of stress, aggression or fear. When I take the dogs off-site for an adoption event, I use a harness and 1 foot traffic loop leash to ensure that they are under my full control and can't get out of my line of site, even for a second. This is as much for the dog's safety as my own.
 
Handling shelter dogs is quite draining, physically and emotionally, but when you see your favorite get adopted, it's so rewarding!

  Annie is really cute; ShephredLuvR is right; the more you're around these breeds, the more at ease you will be. My former vet ( he retired) had 2 Rottwiellers; the male weighed 140 pounds. I met the dog once when I had Jessie at the vet and he was very sweet; my vet said that his grandchildren could take food out of the dog's bowls and they didn't care. There is a female Rottwieller in our neighborhood named Shelby and she is very gentle; kids pet her all the time when her owner is walking her. Jessie is a German Shelpherd cross the size of a Lab and has the black and tan coloring of a Rottie or Dobe. I have seen people step over to the side or lift their arms up as they pass by when I'm walking her. She is very sweet natured and loves people; she has never snapped at anyone. The pics are her with some of our grandchildren. I have seen many pitt bulls rescued on the show Animal Precinct which is on Animal Planet and the majority of them are very sweet in spite of the fact they have been abused. I'm looking forward to seeing pics of the pit/am staff and hearing about your walk with him; good luck.

When I was working at the shelter the #1 sweetest dog there BY FAR!!!  (and most well behaved etc) was a pit.  The next up after that one, a pure bred doberman.
 
Theres not really any advice I can give other than... dont be afraid.  Its that simple[].  Really tho... think of it this way... until they do something to hinder your trust, they deserve it fully.... thats just my opinion.  Most dogs are sweet angels, more so than not the breeds you mentioned are way more friendly and sweet than the ones your not afraid of.  So, I say give those dogs all the love, trust and confidence that you have to give until they prove to you that they are not trustworthy. 
 
As always, dont jump in their face etc... which I know you wouldnt.... but as long as you take all the necessary steps, I dont think you have anything to worry about.
 
Think of it this way, they need you to prove to them that they can trust you just as much as you feel that way back.[]

Of all dogs to be Leery of, the Germans are not one of them.  Sound ones are love bugs.  The ones you have to look out for...are the small ones!  I got bitten by more small dogs (Terriers and Chi mixes) than anything else. 
 
In fact, no BIG dog ever bit me!  It was those blasted aggressive ankle biters!  I was just madly in love with two dogs at my Shelter.  A Pit Bull that I actually named "Bull" that was the sweetest bugger I'd ever met, and a GREAT but BIG Sable GSD that I affectionately called "Maddox"
 
Couldn't ask for better dogs.

Theres not really any advice I can give other than... dont be afraid.  Its that simple[].  Really tho... think of it this way... until they do something to hinder your trust, they deserve it fully.... thats just my opinion.  Most dogs are sweet angels, more so than not the breeds you mentioned are way more friendly and sweet than the ones your not afraid of.  So, I say give those dogs all the love, trust and confidence that you have to give until they prove to you that they are not trustworthy. 

 
This would be my advice too. Be confident and calm and don't expect the worse. SO many of the larger breeds like the Rotties, Dobies, German shephards are used for canine companions for the disabled as well as pet therapy in hospitals and nursing homes. Sharp Coronado Hospital I am sure has pet therapy just like all the other Sharp Hospitals and many of the ones used throughout the Sharp Healthcare system are Rotties. They are so sweet, gentle and loving. []
 
Is the shelter on Coronado?? I didn't know there was one there??  No wonder there are so many seniors volunteering, Coronado is full of active older men and woman.
 
Good for you helping out! I hope things work out for you!
[] 

I own an American Pit Bull Terrier, and  I will tell you that before we got him, I wasn't overly fond of pit bulls.  Not that I was afraid of them, but I had my eye on a french bulldog or boston terrier.  Well, when I found out that my boyfriend adopted an American Pit Bull Terrier, I have to admit, I was a little hesitant...  That was, of course, until the first time I met him!!!  He is my heart.  One of the best dogs Ive ever met, and certainly the best dog Ive ever owned.  Loveable, affectionate, loyal, so funny, and just great to be around.

Pits *love* human attention.  They thrive on it.  They live for it.  Walking this dog and spending time with him is going to be the best thing you could do for him, and I guarantee, he will love you for it.  APBTs want badly to be with people, and please them.  They are not human aggressive in the least, or they shouldn't be by breed standard anyway, and he will most likely just love you up!

Its certainly a plus that you own chessies and are used to larger sized dogs. 

I really hope that when you start walking this guy you are going to fall right in love.  Im sure you will.  I cannot wait for updates.

I think that as soon as you get to spend a few moments of time walking him, your fears will disappear!

Thanks all for your reassurances.  I am still a bit nervous, but am really looking foward  to doing this. 
I'll keep you posted as my fear for each breed is conquered!
 
 

ORIGINAL: jjsmom06
Is the shelter on Coronado?? I didn't know there was one there??  No wonder there are so many seniors volunteering, Coronado is full of active older men and woman.

Yes, the "shelter" is in Coronado.  The facility used to be near the fire staion, but was torn down recently to make room for senior housing.  The "shelter" is now in the basement/parking garage of the police department.  Nice, huh?  The animals will be in a windowless, unairconditioned room for the next 3 to 5 years.

I just started working at Petsmart in the Petshotel and I'm more nervous around the smaller dogs, lol.  Seriously, you have to pick them up to get them out of their cages and some of them get pretty nippy.  It makes me so nervous around some of them.  I'm not too worried about most of the bigger dogs and have LOVED all of the pitties that have been there, they have been so much fun to play with.