"It is true that Pit Bulls grab and hold on. But what they most often grab and refuse to let go of is your heart, not your arm." -Vicki Hearne
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Note: Throughout discussions of the
Pit Bull breed, you will notice two words repeated
over and over again: Responsible Ownership .
With media hysteria and BSL looming closer every day,
we good owners, find ourselves endlessly having to
defend our breed. Every bad story and headline damage
our dogs even further. Irresponsible and ignorant owners
have done almost as much damage to these dogs as dogfighters
have. The Pit Bull is an exceptional breed that requires
exceptional dedication and ownership.This page may
seem to paint a grim picture of Pit Bull ownership,
but the breed's very survival depends on new owners
knowing what they are getting into, and ALL owners
being responsible and protecting the breed's reputation.
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"What did I get myself
into?"
 Pit Bull Breed Info By: Susan Thompson Edited version
"The
following information is based on my personal knowledge,
extensive research, and experience in the breed.
It is intended primarily for the first time or potential
pit bull owner who needs to know what to expect from
their dog, both positive and negative. This page
will give information on the proper temperament of
this breed, typical behavior, proper toys, and training
info. This page is intended as a brief overview of
the breed, and should be only one of many sources
the new or potential pit bull owner should investigate
in order to understand the responsibility of owning
this breed. Unlike almost any other breed, pit bull
ownership comes with some unique responsibilities.
As the owner of an American Pit Bull Terrier, your
actions and those of your dog will affect not only
yourself, but EVERY owner and EVERY dog of this breed.
If you are thinking about getting a pit bull, please
think about that before committing yourself to an
American Pit Bull Terrier."
-Susan Thompson
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In the following sections I will discuss aggression
in the American Pit Bull Terrier. It is VERY important to note
that, in dogs, and especially with this particular breed, aggression
toward humans (called human aggression) is a COMPLETELY separate
trait from aggression toward dogs (dog aggression) and/or other
animals (animal aggression). While a dog may be both human
and animal aggressive, the presence of one kind of aggression
DOES NOT mandate or exclude the presence of the other.
Simply put, temperament
is those behavioral traits and mental attitudes shared
by canines and combined with the special characteristics
proper to a certain dog breed. Newfoundlands for example,
like water and love children, that is part of the breed's
temperament. A Newfoundland that hates to swim or growls
at a child is showing improper temperament for the breed.
When a person talks about the temperament of their chosen
breed, they are describing those traits which most good
examples of the breed will have, rather than describing
a specific dog. A dog who posses all or most of the characteristics
expected for their breed is said to have a proper temperament.
This is why it is very important to know about your chosen
breed's temperament and research its specific traits, preferably before you
commit to a dog. You may find out that eventhough you like
the "look" of a certain breed, the temperament is not for
you.
 This bit of history will help explain much of the apparently contradictory traits (to novices) common in this breed.
Much of a dog's temperament relates to
it's breed history and genetic inheritance. I won't
go too deep into the history of the Pit Bull as there
are many good books and websites that cover the origin
and history of the breed. It is common knowledge however,
that the Pit Bull breed was developed for blood sports:
Bull baiting, bear baiting, and later, dogfighting.
What is not common knowledge is that in the days of
organized dogfighting, the handlers of the combatants
were habitually IN THE
PIT with the dogs for the duration
of the fight. They were required to pick up and separate
the dogs several times while the dogs were in full
fight frenzy. Before the fight, the handlers were required
to wash each other's dogs, and after the fight, the
badly injured dogs were often treated at ringside by
strangers. Any dog that attacked or bit a handler (even
if it was the other dog's handler) or anyone else at
any time was culled, often on the spot, and would never
have been bred.
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As
with all breeds, the Pit Bull has positive and negative
traits in their temperament. Their breed history
has led to a dog unlike any other in the history
of purebred dogs. What can you expect from an APBT?
First and foremost, memorize the following: THE
GOLDEN RULE OF PIT BULL OWNERSHIP- NEVER TRUST YOUR
PIT BULL NOT TO FIGHT!!!!! This breed is descended
from pit dogs one way or another, and, given the
right circumstances, most Pit Bulls will fight and
against any other breed, they will win (you really
don't want to see that!).
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Scared yet? You should be. Remember, as the owner of a Pit Bull everything you or your dog do will affect all members of the breed and their families. Pit Bull owners have to be extra vigilant 24/7, period. You need to be receptive, have strong leadership, and be able to read canine body language to recognize signs of tension between housemates. You need to be prepared to separate the dogs if tensions develop. You need to know when your dog may become aggressive and you need to have control of your dog under any circumstances. |
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Summarize the Proper Pit Bull Temperament
1. Pit
Bulls are often dog-aggressive to one extent or another
(this often shows up at or near sexual maturity).
A dog that was previously non-dog aggressive may "turn-on" and
suddenly doesn't like other dogs of the same sex,
or, for that matter, any dogs at all, even housemates
they have been raised with. Adult Pit Bulls should
NEVER be left alone with other dogs and require proper
supervision.
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2. Pit
Bulls may exhibit intense "prey drive", leading
them to "stalk" small animals such as cats, rats,
chickens, livestock, or other pets. 3. Pit Bulls are precocious and incomparable escape artists, who will often seem to squirt right out of a supposedly secure yard or enclosure. When coupled with # 1 and # 2, you can see why a responsible Pit Bull owner is a vigilant pit bull owner. 4. Pit bulls are intelligent, and most enjoy training, if it is done properly. This makes them excellent prospects for dog sports such as agility, obedience, weight pull, and Frisbee competitions. |
5. Pit Bulls tend to LOVE people. All people. This makes them a poor choice for a "guardian breed". Most of them are simply too friendly to protect a house against strangers. A Pit Bull that shows unprovoked human aggression (puppy play nips do NOT count) is showing BAD temperament and in most cases should be put to sleep. Such a dog should obviously NEVER be bred under any circumstances. The breeding of dogs with bad temperaments is one of the largest problems the breed faces today and fuels the fire of breed specific legislation. 6. Pit bulls tend to be very "soft" with their family, meaning that they are eager to please their humans. They should not have to be "shown who's boss", but will thrive under "positive leadership". A Pit Bull of proper temperament is a devoted and loving family member, inspiring immense loyalty to the breed. You will often hear a Pit Bull's owner tell you that after owning one, they will never own any other breed. |
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Built for performance, the pit bull is a medium sized, very muscular, short coated breed. The head is bricklike, the jaws strong and wide, the ears may be cropped or not (I prefer uncropped dogs for several reasons). The body is typically very strong, with a deep chest, powerful and proportionate hind end and solid legs. The overall impression should be of power and athleticism. This is not a dog for couch potatoes, as they require A LOT of training and exercise.
With this breed
it is important to remember to exercise both the
dog's body and mind. Remember, a tired pit bull
is a happy pit bull and a bored pit bull is NOT
a good thing! They will find some very inventive
ways to entertain themselves that the owner may
not like (often involving the garbage can, kitchen
counter and cabinets, feather pillows, dirty laundry
and various items of furniture).
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Remember
also, that this is a VERY enthusiastic breed that
may very well overwhelm young children or older people
with it's affection. This breed needs to be taught
to sit and greet people calmly as it's natural inclination
will probably be to climb into their lap, put a paw
on each of their shoulders, and attempt to wipe their
face off with it's tongue. Attempts to convince a
full grown pit bull that it is too big to be a "lap
dog" will, more often than not, fall on deaf ears
if it was not taught "manners" as a puppy. Do not
allow your puppy to do anything you don't want your
adult dog to do (eg climb on the couch, sleep in
the bed, invade your lap, etc.).
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First of all, for
anyone asking the question, "Do
I need to train my pit bull?", the answer is a resounding YES! As
with very young children, dogs need guidance and structure,
and should never be left to make decisions on their own.
Training teaches the dog and owner to understand and communicate
with each other and prevents misunderstandings. In the
case of the Pit Bull, training also prevents the kind of
headlines that make all good Pit owners cringe.
How should a pit
bull be trained? The most important thing is to find
a method that works for your dog, and stick with it.
There are almost as many methods for dog training as
there are dog trainers. Most of those methods fit into
one of two categories: Positive training methods or aversive
training methods. Positive methods include using food
rewards, toy rewards, pure praise, gentle leaders, and
clickers. Aversive methods include using praise/correction,
choke chains, prong collars, and/or shock collars. Both
types of training, done correctly, will result in a trained
dog. It is a matter of how you want to get there. As I
said in the temperament section, Pit Bulls tend to be very "soft" with
their families, and it is very possible to ruin a good
dog by "over correcting" with a choke chain, prong collar,
and particularly a shock collar. As a very good positive
trainer I know put it, " Aversive training is something
you do TO your dog, positive training is something you
do WITH your dog ".
Finding a good trainer
can be a bit of a challenge, depending on where you live.
Some things to look for are: Experience with the breed
(or at least no breed prejudice against Pit Bulls and
a good understanding of the breed's nature), what methods
are used (and are you comfortable with them), recommendations
from former students, and, last but not least, take a
look at the trainer's own dogs (are they well behaved).
The best way to assess a trainer's methods is to ask
to "sit in" on a training
session. If the trainer refuses to let you watch, look
elsewhere.
As a special note
for Pit Bulls: I would avoid any class that has "forced socialization" between
the dogs, particularly adult dogs. Any trainer that wants
to muzzle a dog-aggressive pit bull and force it to "socialize" with
other dogs is not knowledgeable in the breed , and can
actually make dog aggression worse.
Credit: Turnaround
Dog-Training
If you enjoy off-leash dog parks, you don't
want to hear this. But I am going to tell you anyway. If
you choose to become the owner of a Pit Bull, your dog
park days are almost surely over, at least when the dog
is somewhere over 8 months old. Accidental dogfights in
off-leash parks are common, but when a Pit Bull is involved,
they are headlines. Following Pit Bull Golden Rule #1 " NEVER
trust your pit bull not to fight ", you can see
why off-leash parks are a very bad idea for our breed.
As a Pit Bull owner, you have certain responsibilities.
Your responsibility to your dog (to keep him/her out of
trouble), your responsibility to other dog owners (to keep
their dogs safe from your dog), and your responsibility
to your breed (to keep your dog OUT of negative headlines).
Even pit bulls that have never exhibited dog aggression
may fight back if approached by the wrong dog in an aggressive
manner. I will repeat this for you. As the owner of a pit
bull, any fight will always be your fault, no matter who
started it.
1.
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Thou shalt NEVER trust thy Pit Bull not to fight |
2.
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Thou shalt contain thy Pit Bull securely when not supervised by an adult |
3.
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Thou shalt NEVER leave thy adult Pit Bull alone and unsupervised with another dog |
4.
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Thou SHALT attend obedience classes most faithfully with thy Pit Bull |
5.
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Thou SHALT keep thy Pit Bull socialized with ALL KINDS of people |
6.
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Thy Pit Bull wilt NEVER be allowed off-leash in a public place |
7.
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Thy Pit Bull wilt NEVER be allowed to roam free in thy neighborhood, EVER! |
8.
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Thou SHALT take thy well trained Pit Bull out in public and show him/her off - on leash for good breed PR! |
9.
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Thy Pit Bull shalt go forth into the world as an ambassador of the pit bull breed |
10.
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THOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY WRONG DONE BY THY DOGS! |
