By nature the American Pit Bull Terrier (or Pit Bull) is friendly toward humans, which is enhanced by proper training. Socialization of your Pit Bull is of utmost importance.
Bobbi-Jo - 2008-07-10 Hey my name is Bobbi-Jo and my boyfriend & I have a beautiful pitbull named KOBE! He is amazing in every way possible! HE is extremely loving and well behaved! We also have cats-which he loves too...we actually raised kittens with him around all the time! In fact the kittens preferred to sleep with him! He played with them and watched over them! Anyways I would love to help you with your fight against PITBULL HATERS-as the saying goes people are scared of what they don
lindsey e. - 2012-08-02 You know what always pisses me off, when people start saying that pitbulls or rottwielers (sorry dont know how to spell that) ect. are mean and aggresive dogs, because the truth is any dog can be aggresive. It's all based on the owner. I mean you don't see people bad-mouthing wiener dogs or yorkies when they bite someone. Anyway didn't mean to yell at anyone just wanted to express myself
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Charlie Roche - 2012-08-03 Some dogs are easier to train than others. Some humans take the necessary time to train their pups and some don't. Different breeds of dogs are know to have different dispositions and maybe because they are hunters, or fighters, or just larger - they need a human that is able to provide quality training. Many humans can train a poddle for example as they are eager to please where possibly a pitttbull needs a firmer or more experienced trainor. Parrots have different personalities and some are just so easy to have as pets and require no training to speak of. Some are a little stubborn. So yes, it is based on the owner and it is also based on the personality of the breed or species.
Tabitha Boggs - 2012-11-23 You are right when you say any dog can be aggressive. But what a lot of 'pitbull' owners don't understand is that terriors are naturally dog aggressive. It does have a lot to do with how the dog is raised. But 'pitbull' owners need to always be aware of the terrior in them and understand their dogs body language to hopefully prevent any negative reactions from their dog.
Laura - 2010-04-19 My daughter has a 2 year old pitbull and she loves everyone but my husband. My husband has been loving toward her dog. The dog barks and is afraid to go near him for some odd reason. We have him feed her, walk her and everything else to help the dog stop barking. She will only get as close as an arm length from my husband and then runs scared. He has never raised his voice or hit her. We are bewildered. Before my daughter got the dog she was raised by a man that scolded her a lot. Does she remember this when it comes to a male figure although she loves other men/ boys just not my husband. Do you have any thoughts to the situation? Thanks
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Dave B - 2010-06-07 Wow... this is a really odd situation. Especially since your husband feeds, walks, plays with him. It may be that the dog really thinks he is her former owner but that is hard to believe. I wish I had an answer and Im very interested if you do. If you find an answer please let me know.
Laura - 2010-06-06 Please respond to my question if you have a solution for me!
leona - 2010-08-01 You really need to contact cesar millan. He can help anybody. Dogs live in the moment. He will tell you that. He will tell you that she does not think of her past owner as your husband.
Miles Cabrera - 2012-09-15 I recently adopted a 5 year old male pit bull mix ( I think he's mixed with a lab) he's well behaved and shows manors. I walk out the door first and got him to stop tugging the leash on our walks by simply pulling the leash up instead of back ( thanks to the dog whisper). He's a friendly dog but I feel he may be to friendly. How do I know if he will protect my family if we are in danger? There are also sometimes where I'll give him a tug and and he doesn't respond, I've asked how to change this and people have told me to hit him hard. Is there another way to get this pit to respect and listen without beating him? I don't want him to become vicious I have a 4 year old and I don't need dog to attack. I just need him to respect what I say and protect my family. Are there any other methods ????
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Charlie Roche - 2012-09-15 I do not know how you train a pitt bull - I do know that you should never hit or beat a dog -
Anonymous - 2012-09-16 Thanx but that really doesn't help much. Does anyone else know what to do ?
Robert - 2012-09-16 Many say they have a pitt bull lab mix - and I am not quite sure if I believe there are that many pitt bull lab mixes running around. In any case - you are saying you do not have complete control of the pup - then I would under no circumstances have him around a 4 year old child. Kids play, they make noise, they throw stuff animals for fun, and you do not know what will set the pup off - too many articles with these dogs hurting children. In some cases killing them. They are all friendly - till they are not. They require a strong, knowledgeable consistent trainer with a lot of experience.
Tabitha Boggs - 2012-11-23 I personally use a 'pinch collar' to walk my pitbulls, both my pits are males, one neutered ones not. And without a pinch collar they pull me all over the place. With a pinch collar, it does not choke the dog in any way if fitted properly, and causes no harm IF used properly. It just causes a 'pinch' to the neck of the dog if they are pulling, 9 times out of 10 one little 'tug' (PLEASE never ever yank or pull extremely hard on the leash when using a pinch collar as it could cause damage to your dogs neck) a quick snap of the leash always puts my dogs right back at my side. Without having to use any type of 'hitting' your dog, you should never hit your dog, that will only cause him to become afraid of people and possibly even aggression. Hope this helps. Literally the first walk with a pinch collar had an amazing difference my dogs, Blade and Kadar now enjoy daily walks, and I now enjoy them as well because I'm not being pulled every which a way. :)
Tabitha Boggs - 2012-11-23 As Far as protection goes a 'pitbull' or 'pitbull mix' become very attached to their owners. And though they may never show any signs of aggression or protection once your dog has had time to bond to you and your family I can ensure that he will protect you and your child. My dogs have had no training other than basic training (sit, come, stay, heal basic stuff) and I have no doubt in my mind they will protect me and they have proven it time and time again. 'Pitbulls' are naturally protective, but it would be wise to be extremely aware of your dogs body language around other dogs, no matter how friendly he seems with other dogs, some dogs can be fine with 100 dogs then for no reason whatsoever attack the 101st dog. If you don't put your dog in a situation to fail then he can't fail. Example: Pitbulls especially males can be dog aggressive so for obivious reasons my dogs don't go to the dog park. If you don't put your dog into a situation where something bad could happen and cause more people to fear the breed then you should have no problems with your new dog. I'm not saying keep him away from every other dog, i'm just saying it is wise to very slowly introduce your dog to any other dog you'd want them to play with. You need to be very aware of your dogs body language as almost always they give warning signs before they bite/attack.
Nora - 2012-01-25 We have a 5 year old male pitbull (Fatmeg). He's so lovable that we treat him a family member, even included him in our family calendar... He sleeps on our bed with his own pillow and blanket... He's intelligent that he knows his own toys, pillow and bag of his biscuits / denta stix... He sits with us during TV time and would nudge our fathers hand to signal us he's sleepy...He's indeed aggressive to people not familiar to him. The only problem is we can not leave him alone at home even with the radio on as we used to do when he was younger... So when there's a family outing, one of us has to stay with him, haha!
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lora proctor - 2012-09-24 I have owned a beautiful (and intellignet) brown red-nosed pit bull terrier ( the imperial breed) for 8 years. He is smart, protective and very loving to all members of our family and knows all of their names. I am a firm believer that if you do own a pit bull-PROTECT THEM. They have had enough bad press. Walk them on a leash as much as possible and socialize with them one on one and give them lots of loving affection. They are the BEST breed of pup-EVER!!!! Also. do not let strangers (especially unknown kids) come up to pet them, they are very protecive of their family. Let's give them a chance to have owners who lovingly want to give them GOOD PRESS-they deserve it!!
Mad Mike Black - 2012-04-27 We have a 4 month old female Americian Pitbull Terrier. By far one of the smartest dogs I have ever owned. Sleeps with our mini Rex rabbit.
Leila - 2011-08-13 I once had a neighbour who owned a pitbull. Although he said it never bit anyone it was extremely vicious. This owner never beat up the dog and it was behaving normally with the owners. But whenever it heard us neighbours even though it was in their house it would go mad and bark furiously. Even when it was fast asleep next to our yard the moment he would sense us he would spring from his sleeping position only to bang against the fence and bark with such fury. I was terrified that it shouldnt someway get to the kids. These kids never ever teased the dog.
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Orlando - 2011-12-18 Your dumb just saying nobody here thinks of pitbull the way you do loving dog you can make any dog aggressive. My opinion is that's what most people get dogs for is to guard their home and protect their family.
aliza - 2011-11-02 Excellent Post! I just noticed this change a few minutes ago and made a short post about it. I will include your post in it. Thanks for the suggestions
Rockie'snaturalgoodies Natural - 2011-03-26 We own 6 beautiful dogs 3 of them are pit Bulls, it is true that they can be aggressive towards other dos and animals, however when introduced properly the are very receptive and friendly, most people don't understand how the owner is the one that holds the key in having a well mannered PitBull. As an owner you must be totally dedicated to be constant and have a keen sense for being a responsible owner, Pit Bulls are the most amazing dogs they have a humanlike way for understanding and learning, they are extremely faithful and loving, however you must always stay as the pack leader, when you lose that place they will take advantage of their higher power and control. I invite anyone who wishes to know more about their pittbull to contact me through facebook and or post comments and concerns in this forum.
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Kathy - 2011-08-04 Hi I have so many questions I have a male pit. My husband got him at 2 months old. The previous owner beat him kept him caged and who knows what else. He is now 17 months he still cowards and he pees on himself and he goes thru boughts where for a week he pucks and has the runs then ok for one or two. This has been going on for a few months. We have changed his food he does not listen at all when he is called and I need help getting a grip on him since he i such an misunderstood breed. I love him but he sheds so bad his breath is aweful and I feel bad I hope you can help me Thanks sadly confused by this breed Kathy
Abbie - 2011-10-06 Hello, I am so happy you took in this dog rather than purchasing one from a breeder. When a dog is abused it can take a very long time for them to learn the proper way to do things. One of our pits was chained to a tree and abused for the first 8 months of her life, after that she spent time in a foster home that wasn't any better. We got her at 11 months and it took a VERY long time to get her turned around. We had to hand feed her, she constantly had bowel movements in her kennel and she was extremely fearful. We've had her 4 years now and she is excellent with people, animals and fabulous with children, but to this day she still cowers down and pees if I walk past her quickly with a broom because it brings her back to when she was a puppy and what happened. The first couple years with her was so extremely frustrating and I never thought we would see any results, but I promise if you stick with it and have a routine your dog will come around. Have you had your dog checked for worms? Or any other health problems by chance? I also highly recommend getting some professional obedience training for him. Whether it be a place you take him or have someone come to your home. Make sure they have experience with pits. They are absolutely amazing dogs. It's terrible what man has done to them. Another thing I recommend is buying books about pits. I have about 6 or 7 of them just because I wanted to be educated when I got my first pit due to the reputation these poor dogs have. I hope some of this helps you and I wish you the best with your pittie!
Rudel Grant - 2011-06-11 I have had pit bulls in the past, and still own two now. They are the epitome of what a dog should be. I encourage anyone that is interested in a dog that is loyal, energetic, and a good protection and family dog to get one.
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Charlie Roche - 2011-06-13 I think pitt bulls need and want very consistent and caring humans. They want to be with their humans but their humans need to teach them. They are energetic and full of vigor and strong and they need a human that is very consistent in expectations, training and loving. I think they got a bad rap (just like the dobie) but they need attention and care.
By nature the American Pit Bull Terrier (or Pit Bull) is friendly toward humans, which is enhanced by proper training. Socialization of your Pit Bull is of utmost importance.
Hey my name is Bobbi-Jo and my boyfriend & I have a beautiful pitbull named KOBE! He is amazing in every way possible! HE is extremely loving and well behaved! We also have cats-which he loves too...we actually raised kittens with him around all the time! In fact the kittens preferred to sleep with him! He played with them and watched over them! Anyways I would love to help you with your fight against PITBULL HATERS-as the saying goes people are scared of what they don
You know what always pisses me off, when people start saying that pitbulls or rottwielers (sorry dont know how to spell that) ect. are mean and aggresive dogs, because the truth is any dog can be aggresive. It's all based on the owner. I mean you don't see people bad-mouthing wiener dogs or yorkies when they bite someone. Anyway didn't mean to yell at anyone just wanted to express myself
Some dogs are easier to train than others. Some humans take the necessary time to train their pups and some don't. Different breeds of dogs are know to have different dispositions and maybe because they are hunters, or fighters, or just larger - they need a human that is able to provide quality training. Many humans can train a poddle for example as they are eager to please where possibly a pitttbull needs a firmer or more experienced trainor. Parrots have different personalities and some are just so easy to have as pets and require no training to speak of. Some are a little stubborn. So yes, it is based on the owner and it is also based on the personality of the breed or species.
You are right when you say any dog can be aggressive. But what a lot of 'pitbull' owners don't understand is that terriors are naturally dog aggressive. It does have a lot to do with how the dog is raised. But 'pitbull' owners need to always be aware of the terrior in them and understand their dogs body language to hopefully prevent any negative reactions from their dog.
My daughter has a 2 year old pitbull and she loves everyone but my husband. My husband has been loving toward her dog. The dog barks and is afraid to go near him for some odd reason. We have him feed her, walk her and everything else to help the dog stop barking. She will only get as close as an arm length from my husband and then runs scared. He has never raised his voice or hit her. We are bewildered. Before my daughter got the dog she was raised by a man that scolded her a lot. Does she remember this when it comes to a male figure although she loves other men/ boys just not my husband. Do you have any thoughts to the situation? Thanks
Wow... this is a really odd situation. Especially since your husband feeds, walks, plays with him. It may be that the dog really thinks he is her former owner but that is hard to believe. I wish I had an answer and Im very interested if you do. If you find an answer please let me know.
Please respond to my question if you have a solution for me!
You really need to contact cesar millan. He can help anybody. Dogs live in the moment. He will tell you that. He will tell you that she does not think of her past owner as your husband.
I recently adopted a 5 year old male pit bull mix ( I think he's mixed with a lab) he's well behaved and shows manors. I walk out the door first and got him to stop tugging the leash on our walks by simply pulling the leash up instead of back ( thanks to the dog whisper). He's a friendly dog but I feel he may be to friendly. How do I know if he will protect my family if we are in danger? There are also sometimes where I'll give him a tug and and he doesn't respond, I've asked how to change this and people have told me to hit him hard. Is there another way to get this pit to respect and listen without beating him? I don't want him to become vicious I have a 4 year old and I don't need dog to attack. I just need him to respect what I say and protect my family. Are there any other methods ????
I do not know how you train a pitt bull - I do know that you should never hit or beat a dog -
Thanx but that really doesn't help much. Does anyone else know what to do ?
Many say they have a pitt bull lab mix - and I am not quite sure if I believe there are that many pitt bull lab mixes running around. In any case - you are saying you do not have complete control of the pup - then I would under no circumstances have him around a 4 year old child. Kids play, they make noise, they throw stuff animals for fun, and you do not know what will set the pup off - too many articles with these dogs hurting children. In some cases killing them. They are all friendly - till they are not. They require a strong, knowledgeable consistent trainer with a lot of experience.
I personally use a 'pinch collar' to walk my pitbulls, both my pits are males, one neutered ones not. And without a pinch collar they pull me all over the place. With a pinch collar, it does not choke the dog in any way if fitted properly, and causes no harm IF used properly. It just causes a 'pinch' to the neck of the dog if they are pulling, 9 times out of 10 one little 'tug' (PLEASE never ever yank or pull extremely hard on the leash when using a pinch collar as it could cause damage to your dogs neck) a quick snap of the leash always puts my dogs right back at my side. Without having to use any type of 'hitting' your dog, you should never hit your dog, that will only cause him to become afraid of people and possibly even aggression. Hope this helps. Literally the first walk with a pinch collar had an amazing difference my dogs, Blade and Kadar now enjoy daily walks, and I now enjoy them as well because I'm not being pulled every which a way. :)
As Far as protection goes a 'pitbull' or 'pitbull mix' become very attached to their owners. And though they may never show any signs of aggression or protection once your dog has had time to bond to you and your family I can ensure that he will protect you and your child. My dogs have had no training other than basic training (sit, come, stay, heal basic stuff) and I have no doubt in my mind they will protect me and they have proven it time and time again. 'Pitbulls' are naturally protective, but it would be wise to be extremely aware of your dogs body language around other dogs, no matter how friendly he seems with other dogs, some dogs can be fine with 100 dogs then for no reason whatsoever attack the 101st dog. If you don't put your dog in a situation to fail then he can't fail. Example: Pitbulls especially males can be dog aggressive so for obivious reasons my dogs don't go to the dog park. If you don't put your dog into a situation where something bad could happen and cause more people to fear the breed then you should have no problems with your new dog. I'm not saying keep him away from every other dog, i'm just saying it is wise to very slowly introduce your dog to any other dog you'd want them to play with. You need to be very aware of your dogs body language as almost always they give warning signs before they bite/attack.
We have a 5 year old male pitbull (Fatmeg). He's so lovable that we treat him a family member, even included him in our family calendar... He sleeps on our bed with his own pillow and blanket... He's intelligent that he knows his own toys, pillow and bag of his biscuits / denta stix... He sits with us during TV time and would nudge our fathers hand to signal us he's sleepy...He's indeed aggressive to people not familiar to him. The only problem is we can not leave him alone at home even with the radio on as we used to do when he was younger... So when there's a family outing, one of us has to stay with him, haha!
I have owned a beautiful (and intellignet) brown red-nosed pit bull terrier ( the imperial breed) for 8 years. He is smart, protective and very loving to all members of our family and knows all of their names. I am a firm believer that if you do own a pit bull-PROTECT THEM. They have had enough bad press. Walk them on a leash as much as possible and socialize with them one on one and give them lots of loving affection. They are the BEST breed of pup-EVER!!!! Also. do not let strangers (especially unknown kids) come up to pet them, they are very protecive of their family. Let's give them a chance to have owners who lovingly want to give them GOOD PRESS-they deserve it!!
We have a 4 month old female Americian Pitbull Terrier. By far one of the smartest dogs I have ever owned. Sleeps with our mini Rex rabbit.
I once had a neighbour who owned a pitbull. Although he said it never bit anyone it was extremely vicious. This owner never beat up the dog and it was behaving normally with the owners. But whenever it heard us neighbours even though it was in their house it would go mad and bark furiously. Even when it was fast asleep next to our yard the moment he would sense us he would spring from his sleeping position only to bang against the fence and bark with such fury. I was terrified that it shouldnt someway get to the kids. These kids never ever teased the dog.
Your dumb just saying nobody here thinks of pitbull the way you do loving dog you can make any dog aggressive. My opinion is that's what most people get dogs for is to guard their home and protect their family.
Excellent Post! I just noticed this change a few minutes ago and made a short post about it. I will include your post in it.
Thanks for the suggestions
You are welcome
We own 6 beautiful dogs 3 of them are pit Bulls, it is true that they can be aggressive towards other dos and animals, however when introduced properly the are very receptive and friendly, most people don't understand how the owner is the one that holds the key in having a well mannered PitBull. As an owner you must be totally dedicated to be constant and have a keen sense for being a responsible owner, Pit Bulls are the most amazing dogs they have a humanlike way for understanding and learning, they are extremely faithful and loving, however you must always stay as the pack leader, when you lose that place they will take advantage of their higher power and control. I invite anyone who wishes to know more about their pittbull to contact me through facebook and or post comments and concerns in this forum.
Hi I have so many questions I have a male pit. My husband got him at 2 months old. The previous owner beat him kept him caged and who knows what else. He is now 17 months he still cowards and he pees on himself and he goes thru boughts where for a week he pucks and has the runs then ok for one or two. This has been going on for a few months. We have changed his food he does not listen at all when he is called and I need help getting a grip on him since he i such an misunderstood breed. I love him but he sheds so bad his breath is aweful and I feel bad I hope you can help me
Thanks sadly confused by this breed
Kathy
Hello, I am so happy you took in this dog rather than purchasing one from a breeder. When a dog is abused it can take a very long time for them to learn the proper way to do things. One of our pits was chained to a tree and abused for the first 8 months of her life, after that she spent time in a foster home that wasn't any better. We got her at 11 months and it took a VERY long time to get her turned around. We had to hand feed her, she constantly had bowel movements in her kennel and she was extremely fearful. We've had her 4 years now and she is excellent with people, animals and fabulous with children, but to this day she still cowers down and pees if I walk past her quickly with a broom because it brings her back to when she was a puppy and what happened. The first couple years with her was so extremely frustrating and I never thought we would see any results, but I promise if you stick with it and have a routine your dog will come around. Have you had your dog checked for worms? Or any other health problems by chance? I also highly recommend getting some professional obedience training for him. Whether it be a place you take him or have someone come to your home. Make sure they have experience with pits. They are absolutely amazing dogs. It's terrible what man has done to them. Another thing I recommend is buying books about pits. I have about 6 or 7 of them just because I wanted to be educated when I got my first pit due to the reputation these poor dogs have. I hope some of this helps you and I wish you the best with your pittie!
I have had pit bulls in the past, and still own two now. They are the epitome of what a dog should be. I encourage anyone that is interested in a dog that is loyal, energetic, and a good protection and family dog to get one.
I think pitt bulls need and want very consistent and caring humans. They want to be with their humans but their humans need to teach them. They are energetic and full of vigor and strong and they need a human that is very consistent in expectations, training and loving. I think they got a bad rap (just like the dobie) but they need attention and care.
agreed!