he Pit Crew is a volunteer-based pitbull training group that started back in 2007 and has been a big hit ever since. The group meets twice a week at the Mendocino County Animal Care and Control, where the dogs listed on this site currently stay at. The Pit Crew is organized and led by Leslie Dodds, who has been trained by the nationally recognized group, Bad Rap. Her goal of the Pit Crew is not only to teach the pitbulls at the shelter good manners and prepare them for outside the shelter, but also to educate people about handling and training their own pitbulls . People who join the Pit Crew will learn how to walk their pitbull on a leash, how to retain the attention of their pitbull, how to handle their pitbull around other dogs, as well as how to form a trusting bond with their pitbull. The Pit Crew is a great way to learn training techniques and to help out a pitbull in need at the shelter.

Maybe you don't have a pitbull at home and are looking to adopt one? Well, you've come to the right place... The Pit Crew has been great for the pitbulls at the shelter to get some time out of the kennel to learn manners and commands that will be very helpful in their new home. All the dogs in the Pit Crew are up for adoption and looking to share what they have learned with their new family. So, if you're looking to adopt, to see all the pitbulls at the shelter, click here! Not only is the Pit Crew here to educate, it's here to find these pitbulls some good homes!!

I, personally, haven't worked with the Pit Crew, but when I sat in to take some pictures, I was amazed by how well-mannered and how attentive the pitbulls were with their handlers during the whole session. Whether it was another dog walking by or a stuffed raccoon on a leash passing, the pitbulls kept their attention on their handler. Plus, all the pitbulls looked super cute the entire time! And at the end of the session, it was time for some tricks and fun. Some dogs were too tired to learn much more, so they spent their last few minutes being loved while other dogs were learning how to shake, rollover or even chase their own tail! Now, of course, none of this happened in just one night, it has taken weeks and for some dogs months of training, but the end result is definitely worth it and I'm sure it's very rewarding for all the volunteers to see their hard work has paid off...

As the Pit Crew expands, so do the goals for it. One day, the Pit Crew hopes that the Mendocino County Animal Care and Control can offer free public pitbull training sessions and it would be great to see more Pit Crews, like this one, expand into other shelters and rescue groups. Many places right now don't have a lot to offer for pitbulls and Pit Crew is just what some places need. So, if your shelter or rescue group is interested in starting a program similar to this one, the Pit Crew would love to help you start it off in anyway they can! But in the meantime, volunteers for the Pit Crew are needed...

While your waiting for your email response or you just want to see what a PIt Crew session is like, take a look below! Can you get much cuter than these pitbulls? I think not... Enjoy!!!