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How to Train Your Pit Bull Puppy

Pit Bulls

First of all, yes, it is true that Pit Bulls, or Staffordshire Terriers, were bred to fight and kill. That is the history of the breed and how it originated, we cannot deny it. Society has officially labeled these dogs as “mean” and “scary. Hmm… let’s see, in reality, there are tons of other breeds that are mean and they attack people and hurt their owners and bite other dogs (for example: the beloved Chihuahua–it’s true!). The secret is raising and training your dog right, and if these dogs are not raised with aggression and fighting, they are simply the best breed you can ever ask for!

My dog is a Dogo Argentino, which is a form of a pit bull breed. She is three years old and a little bit over 50 pounds full grown. We’ve had her since she was seven weeks old. The best way to go with these dogs (and, actually, any breed) is to get the dog at an early age and train it the right way, because just like a kid, the older the dog gets, the harder it is to change previous habits. Here are a few suggestions if you are thinking about getting a pit bull and want to make sure that you train it right:

1. Start potty training your pit bull early, and most important, be consistent! That means take the dog out frequently during the day, and do not use the correction method–meaning do not yell or scream at the dog (that can bring out some hostility later), don’t get mad or upset, remember, dogs can feel everything! You don’t need to rub it’s nose in it’s mess if the dog went in the house, because think–it will not change anything! Your puppy will not understand that and next time just hide somewhere from you, because it’s scared, and still go in the house. Just stay calm and take your dog outside, and I say this again–be consistent, because that is how dogs learn.

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2. From the dog’s early age, get it socialized around people. This will prevent awkwardness around others, which is believed to result in outbursts of unexpected behavior. Pit Bulls are generally hyper and active dogs, and they get excited easily. In order to prevent excessive jumping on others, teach your dog early with an assertive “No” and a pull down at the leash. Some people like to use the clicker method but I never liked that noise. The more people you dog encounters from an early age, the easier it is for it to fit in with any crowd later on and know what you expect from it.

3. Besides socializing with people, your dog will need to socialize with other dogs. This is when it gets a little tricky. I would not recommend the dog park right away. The best thing to do would be to take your pit bull to a place like PetSmart, and sign up for a puppy class. It doesn’t cost more than $100 and it’s once a week for a couple of months, and your dog is taught basic training among a group of different other dogs. At the end, there is a graduation and if your dog does not pass you get to go to class over again at no cost until the dog learns all the basic skills, however long it takes. The instructors are professionals and you are learning as much, if not more, than your dog, so it’s good for both of you! For pit bulls, this is better than the dog park, because they learn to behave among a small group of dogs before going out into a bigger crowd. This way they slowly get used to stay calm and in control around a variety of other dogs.

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4. No matter what, always keep your dog on a leash! Remember, pit bulls are not your regular dogs. They are, naturally, more active than others. Before you even choose to adopt or buy a pit bull, make sure you are ready to take it on frequent walks, and I’m not talking just to go to the bathroom outside for 5 minutes–I’m talking at least 20-30 minutes a day, to keep the dog healthy and happy! I take my dog on at least an hour walk 5-6 times per week.

5. Patience is the main thing when it comes to training your pit bull. Sounds quite simple, right? Pit bulls are more active and excited than other dogs, generally. Take is slow, don’t expect to teach your dog positive behavior overnight, it’s not going to happen. Dogs are creatures of habit so it will take time, patience, control and consistency to get the results you want from your pit bull.

Good luck!