I have a staff/pit mix. She's great, got her at six months old from people who saved her from an abusive situation. We're basically on a permanent walk which will make an excellent dog out of any dog, but treating your dog like a friend and socializing it a lot is the best thing you can do. If you're a shit owner who doesn't spend time with their pets you could try some dominance theory Caesar bullshit, but you sound like an alright enough person so just introduce the dog to as many people/situations as possible as early as possible.
My dog is almost two now, only problems are getting too excited and scaring the shit out of strangers unfamiliar with dog body language, and the fact that she barks at practically anyone who greets us or acknowledges us.
That's not so much a problem since she's essentially a caricature of 'all bark, no bite' and it's her letting me know that someone is paying too much attention to us in a strange way if she keeps barking. If someone pays attention to her but in a way exhibiting nervousness or weird whatever she really hones in on that. It usually drives up the nervousness of who ever, causing her anxiety to go up. I generally don't let her sit and yell at someone, I'll hush her. I understand her pretty well at this point, we've met thousands of people and dogs, she's been traveling since day one with me, sleeping in the sleeping bag practically every night.
She does better walking inna city when I don't hold her leash, not as prone to trying to wander the end of her leash or greet other dogs. In extemely crowded situations I can drop her leash and she'll mingle through people staying by my side. Innawoods she stays within earshot of my call, usually sticks with my regardless. We've met plenty of cops in several states and she's even jumped up on a few when they were trying to play with her. Going to be a sad night in prison for me if some faggot shoots her one day for being a pit mix.
