Los Angeles Best Pit Bull Whisperer - Kyle Schwab, Smashface Rescue - Best Of Los Angeles

Comments (0) Best Pit Bull Whisperer - 2008

Kyle Schwab, Smashface Rescue

Kyle Schwab's passion for underappreciated, misunderstood canines has gotten him in trouble over the years. It started during his senior year at Beverly Hills High School, when his father kicked him out of the house for bringing home a white boxer. In the years since, the former personal trainer, who's built like a human pit bull himself, has been incarcerated 13 times — six of them for "liberating" mistreated dogs from backyards, the other seven for fights with people who were abusing their dogs.

"I've been at this so long," says the high-octane dog trainer, whose specialty is bully breeds. "I was once banned from the Laurel Canyon dog park in the mid-'80s for two years, for clocking some guy who was bringing his pit bull up there to fight other dogs."

While Schwab may have become wiser and less prone to vigilante justice over the years, he is still a godsend to abandoned dogs (his Smashface Rescue finds them homes) and frustrated owners whose lives have been taken over by their seemingly uncontrollable canines. Schwab goes in where other trainers have failed ("I'm the last resort," he says), and today he's at a house near the lowlands of Baldwin Hills, working with Anthony, a 65-pound pit bull who thankfully shows little interest in attacking the stranger — me — who has entered his domain on this clear Sunday morning.

"Before Kyle came, this would have been inconceivable," says Julie, Anthony's grateful owner.

"For the last five years," adds Julie's husband, Glen, "when we would have people over, which is rare, we'd have to sequester Anthony in the kitchen. And if they were here for three hours, he'd literally bark and cry for three hours. So the fact that he's loose and walking around with you — it's unbelievable."

Unlike some trainers, who charge thousands of dollars and insist on taking the dog from its home, sometimes for months, Schwab believes in coming to your environment. And his price is a shockingly low $135 per two-hour session. "I don't call it training," Schwab says. "My 'real-life' behavior modification and exposure is based on hikes, dog parks, car rides, cafés, street awareness and total aggression-control toward both humans and other dogs."

And just how does he get results?

"You have to build the dog's confidence," says Schwab, while munching from the box of bagels he's brought this morning. "But at the same time, claim your space, assert your dominance and let your dog know you are in charge. Training requires some physicality — because you have to dominate the dog and at the same time preserve your safety."

I ask Schwab if he ever raises his voice with the canines.

"I don't say anything," he reveals. "Sometimes I bite 'em on the face though. You have to bite 'em. That's the language they speak. But I don't recommend it to anybody."

As effective as Schwab is, this isn't even his full-time gig. For years he's built custom furniture out of recycled wood for the likes of George Clooney, Sheryl Crow and Ozzy Osbourne. He's appeared on MTV's Cribs more than a dozen times, and he once owned four furniture stores in L.A., before liquidating to spend more time on his canine rescue and rehab work.

"As much as I love dogs, though, I really do this for the people," Schwab says, as he lovingly pets Ninja, his hulking cane corso. "It makes me happy to know the owners can now do all the things they've been wanting to do with their dogs."

—Bob Makela

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KJS

re: Annie comment. (and everyone else) This dog is in an amazing home with not a single health issue, The shot records we're from the shelter sweetie. Anyone that would like the new owner's information, we will check to see if they will make it public to show the dog happy and health in her new home. We just got an amazing update with pics. The best part of this comment was this Annie woman (we have her real name, we'll post it tomorrow so no one else adopts to her) dumped the dog back at our facility in front of her two little boys who were crying hysterically. Nice lesson to teach your kids. She returned the dog because the rabies shot given by the city shelter was expired at the time it was given. She then very dangerously went and gave it another rabies shot which can actually kill a dog. According to the vet's office where she did this, this is not the first animal she's dumped, and actually said quote. "she's a nut case". There are two sides to every story. We're celebrating our 19th year. I have worked for city and state shelters as well as the police dept as an evaluator and temperament tester for aggressive dogs. I have been called in as an expert witness in animal cruelty, abuse, and dog bite cases, and have many pre med and collage students study under me. Anyone that comments on the types of venues are just trying to hurt me, like anyone else in the public eye. This is why I've turned down every contract thrown at me by every major network about the work I do. Because I'm not about the money. I'm about the dogs. I've said it over and over again, guy, girl, and or any poster. Put a pair of old dirty jeans on and come and work with me for a day ? You wouldn't last an hour, the element of people I deal with will eat you alive, as would the dogs. Keep the comments coming. Good press, bad press, it's all good to me. I love it. I have thousands of fans out there that know who I am and what I'm really about. You people are sad, but thank you for driving me to continue. Get off your lazy asses and come out and help.

Annie

I agree! Steer clear of this crook and scam artist! We had a horrific experience with Kyle and Smashface. He explicitly lied to us about every single aspect of the dog we adopted from him...including health, age, breed, background, and shot record. Plus he charged us a VERY high adoption fee, based on the specific attributes of this dog, which all turned out to be false. He continually agreed to refund monies that we should not have had to spend, but he never did; and ultimately, when we had to return the dog because of a deteriorating condition that he did not disclose to us, he even signed a contract that he would refund the adoption fee…but he never, ever did. After he re-adopted our dog to another, in essence doubling his money, he turned around and used the identical description, word for word, on another dog’s page!!! Plus he responded with the nastiest, most vicious e-mails we’ve ever read! Who in the world acts like that?!?! He's nothing but bad news!

Julie

Stay clear of Kyle Schwab and Smashface Rescue. He has scammed so many people, stealing their money, lying, signing false contracts, "selling" sick dogs for hundreds and hundreds...he's a total nut case!

pit lover

oh boo freakin hoo mauled just because you are a woosy doesnt mean everyone should be afraid of these beautiful dogs - its people like you who should be put to sleep - and if someone is mistreating a dog then good for kyle for breaking up their animal abuse - these dogs are if not the smartest then one of the smartest and loving dogs on the planet - and what business is it of yours how he conducts himself?

go back to spooning your poodle and get a life!!

marc

Yeah I hung out with this guy once - he was eating dog biscuits chasing other dogs then stopped and took a leak on a fire hydrant!!

very strange character -

JEN

HE IS ONE OF THE BEST TRAINER AND THE ONLY PERSON WHO REALLY DOES LOVE THESE BREEDS AND TAKES THEM IN WHEN NO ONE ELSE WILL.!!!

mauled

I can't believe how irresponsible you are to promote someone who has no professional experience or training.You don't bite a pit bull in the face. Just don't bite dogs. First it is dirty and gross. Second, it is not something you even want to make people think is okay. I hope he has insurance. Because the first time someone gets seriously injured, he is going to be sued.

Some of these dogs have been trained and treated poorly. That is a shame, however, when dealing with such a deadly animal the public must be protected. These dogs must be put to sleep if they cannot be helped. It sucks.If you really wanted to help you would promote stopping back yard breeding. Promote strcit penalties for anyone caught involved in dog fighting and help to fund spay and neuter programs. But there is no glory for him in the prevention.

Kyle should be arrested for trespassing if he is skulking around people property to take their animals. If there is a problem, report it, follow up, and then get the dog from the shelter that animal control has taken it to. This would cost him money. He is out to make a living at collecting donations so he can feel his compulsion to fight and be a bully and big bad ass.