Advice please

Hello everyone need some advice please.
We rescued a 3 yr old staffy bitch a while ago and she can be quite anxious, she has come along way since we got her but there is one thing we can't seem to do. She loves to snuggle up to us but as soon as you stroke her or touch her she shoots straight up quickly and sits facing away from us. She also gets very alerted moving her head suddenly very quickly towards your hand  (no aggression or shaking during any of this)
She likes to be stroked because she nudges your hand but again all this happens.
We've tried stroking her for short periods up to long periods but no change
Any ideas why she does this?

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Hi & Welcome to the Forum from Flo and me

Well done on the rescue, she looks fab. Bit of a strange reaction there, does she react to touch at any specific place or is it completely random? I'm thinking she maybe sensitive in a particular spot or something.

If it's random I'm not sure what to suggest other than perseverance and reassurance, maybe the reaction is something to do with her past life.

Thank you, she is stunning
It's completely random, any area, if I stroke her first and if she comes and nudges my hand for a stroke.
I too think it's something to do with her past

Hello and welcome from us.
No advice to give though I too would have thought that it’s related to her past.
Lovely photo

If it is something from her past then I think all you can do is play this at her pace and wait for her to realise that nothing nasty is going to happen, just cuddles and love.