Raising a pit bull to be friendly and confident involves a commitment to socialization. Training your pit bull not to bite and get along well with other dogs is non-negotiable. And because bulls have a stigmatizing view, being a responsible pet parent is part of the pittie package.
What is a pit bull?
The Pit bull is not a breed, but rather a collection of breeds, who have their origins in a cross between a terrier and a male dog. Gaurs and some other dogs with similar histories and appearances are also classified as bullies, but gaurs are generally considered to be:
- American Pit Bull Terrier (APBT)
- American Staffordshire Terrier
- Staffordshire Bull Terrier
- American Bulldog (American Bully)
Nurturing and socializing with a pit bull puppy
The importance of socialization for all puppies cannot be overstated, but it is especially true for gaurs. Socialize is the systematic and positive process of introducing a puppy to everything in the human-centered world, especially people and other animals.
This is especially important during the sensitive (or primary) period of socialization between 3 and 14 weeks of age, when a puppy’s brain is most like a sponge. Dog owners and rescuers care for puppies during most of this time, so choose a facility with an active socialization program, as you’ll start where they left off.
During the sensitive period is the first fear period, from 8 to 12 weeks, when puppies can develop negative associations and lingering fear, especially towards people and other dogs. So if an activity or situation/environment starts going south:
- Stay calm and keep the spirit of fun flowing
- Remove the irritating stimulus (or puppy) from the situation
- Turn the situation into a fun time: reward snacks, belly rubs, etc.
- Instantly follow up with a quick ball grab, toy pull, or other fun activity
- Don’t punish the fear of the “new thing” – help relieve it!
While genetics plays a large role in behavior, so does environment and learning history. All bulls are not born aggressive, but the ability to be aggressive with domestic dogs is far greater than in other breeds. So set up your puppy’s environment for success and just use reward-based method to lay the foundation for lifelong learning.
Socialization continues into adolescence, although the landscape looks a bit different. In short, from about 6 to 12 months of age, puppies go through the “puberty” test boundaries and begin to exhibit breed-specific traits. Adolescents can also go through a second phase of fear lasts about 2 to 3 weeks, but, unlike the main phase, you cannot define a timeline. You’ll know if he’s in this phase or not because he’ll start to appear wary or fearful about the things he was so great at before. Take it easy here: even such an incident during this period can have permanent emotional and behavioral consequences, so make sure he gets through without it. any painful or frightening experience.
How to train puppies not to bite pit bulls
Do not insinuate the puppy biting or closing its mouth: train the puppy not to bite. Follow these four simple rules:
- DON’T ever be rough with him!
- Cut out any teeth on your body and never reward naughty biting.
- Even if it is by chance, if any tooth touches any part of a person it is game over, cyclically.
- Mouth hole? Give a toy instead and make sure suitable chew toys always available.
To learn how to stop puppies from mouth and in summary, see the steps taken by former Dogster columnist Victoria Stilwell on how to stop this behavior.
Why an under/unfocused and untrained pit bull can be a serious problem
Frightened dogs are often not fully or actively socialized during the formative phase. Fear can lead to extreme shyness or even overreaction and aggression. And that’s a big deal, especially for the pits and possibly for you.
The Pit bull has long been considered an aggressive breed. After 1987 Time magazine cover story portrays them as dangerous people, the mainstream media took notice of it. Soon after that Breed-Specific Law (BSL) was born and has adorned the national landscape since then.
So people fear and even dislike bulls or any dog that looks unlucky like one. They are often the first to be fed in shelters, even before older or infirm dogs because many camps are unable to take them out due to local laws or the unfortunate reputation of dogs. Gaur. The good news is since 2018, almost 70 BSL repeats have been confirmed.
The CDC recommended against BSL and stopped tracking dog breeds involved in fatal dog attacks in 1998. However, anti-pit bull groups still sensationalize pit bull bite stories and have tendency to attribute dog attacks to pit bulls. Gaurs and other large dogs cause more severe damage than small dogs; however, bites from small dogs usually do not require hospital stay and are therefore often unreported. Remember: make sure part of your training and socialization includes a human-less approach. A gaur bite carries a huge responsibility to yourself and to you: consequences can range from isolation to death to the time you have to go to court.
And finding rentals for you and your toys can be tough. However, property owners are increasingly receptive if your dog is well trained and has Canine Certificate of Good Citizenship through AKC, which can also help you get renters or homeowners insurance. Companies that provide access to insurance policies for people with pitfalls include:
- All states
- Farmers
- State farm
- Nationwide
- USAA (for military families)
- Chubb
You may also consider buying dog bite insurance to protect yourself and your dog, especially if your dog is fearful, overreacted, aggressive, or has biting history. And keep your dog licensed and current on vaccinations.
Pit bull training tips
Gaurs are highly intelligent species that are easy to train and require firm training and impulse control. Start by teaching your dog to snake Leave it and Grab it and drop it signs.
Tug of war is the perfect game to teach impulse control because it reinforces these signals and establishes clear boundaries for play. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9mPoWuvnLg)
Other skills all bulls should know:
An overstimulated dog can cause problems, so get on board with a good dog relaxation protocol to help your pit bull learn to behave calmly when things get confusing.
Finally, pay attention to any behavior issues so things don’t get messy and remember: owning a pit bull means your dog will be under close supervision most of the time. time up.
Please note the characteristics of this pit bull
Pit bulls were originally bred to prey on bulls and bears, so a prized trait is playfulness, meaning persistence regardless of threat or injury. Game and aggression are not the same: a passive winner is better than an aggressive loser. Unfortunately, this eagerness has become a prized trait for dog warriors, who continue to feed the stereotype of gaurs as vicious killers. Today’s orthodox pit bulls may possess this singularity to some degree, but mostly to hang out with you: they’ve also been bred to have deep attachments to humans .
At the end of the day, many pits are terriers. APBT is especially known for its high hunting ability. In addition to impulse control exercises, provide an outlet for the first few parts of the predatory action sequence (eyes/orientation, stalking, chasing) as a healthy way to get them in touch with their instincts. your own and provide enrich. Try one very flirty or even a spring column.
Bulls are intelligent and can have high energy and high drive ability. A bored dog can quickly develop behavior problems, so plan to mentally and physically stimulate your dog so they have positive energies.
Fun sports to try:
- balloon
- parkour and other obstacle-related activities
- hopping
- pull weight
- GRC (Game, Relationship, Control)
- cani-cross
- hunting barn or testing ground dogs
Pits can even do agility exercises and flying saucers. Wallace, the pit bull who defied all odds and became a world champion discus dog won dozens of titles.
Pit bulls are not for everyone and are not for first-time dog owners. Although they often get bad rap, the pits are loyal, fun, and wickedly smart. Raise and train your pit bull to get along well with other dogs and people and behave well with the territory: these breeds have extra responsibilities. The bulls deserve to be champions because they can be ambassadors for the breed and for themselves.
