Content

• Steps
• Method 1 of 3: Caring for the Wellbeing and Health of your Pit Bull Terrier Puppy
• Method 2 of 3: Taking Care of Your Pit Bull Terrier Puppy's Physical Activity
• Method 3 of 3: Socializing and Training a Pit Bull Terrier Puppy
• Tips
• Warnings

Many dog ​​breeds, having fallen under the influence of the prevailing negative stereotype, began to be considered aggressive, but this unfair and incorrect categorization simply stuck to Pit Bull Terriers. In fact, any breed of dog can be potentially aggressive and dangerous to humans and other animals. When properly raised from puppyhood, pit bull terriers often grow up to be extremely affectionate and loving pets. Caring for a Pit Bull Terrier puppy is basically the same as caring for any other puppy and involves feeding, raising and training properly. If the Pit Bull Terrier puppies are looked after correctly, then they grow up to be excellent companion dogs who constantly try to please the owner and know how to communicate with other people.

Steps

Method 1 of 3: Caring for the Wellbeing and Health of your Pit Bull Terrier Puppy

1. 1 As with any puppy of any breed, start training and socializing immediately. If you are acquiring a puppy from a breeder, know that a good breeder will begin the training process before selling the puppies and introduce them to the various objects, sounds and situations within the home environment. Many breeders sell puppies at the age of 8 weeks, but in some places on the planet (for example, in the USA in California) puppies are legally prohibited from selling before the age of two months.
   • The period of primary socialization of the puppy begins at 3-5 weeks and lasts until it reaches the age of 14-16 weeks. This is the time during which it absorbs everything like a sponge, so it is ideal for the pet to get acquainted with other animals, people, children, loud noises and the like, so that later in life it will not be afraid of them.
2. 2 Make sure your private yard is securely fenced in, ideally with a solid fence at least 1.8 meters high. The chain-link fence can be easily overcome and does not represent a visual barrier against external stimuli that bother the dog. In case of escape, be sure to microchip your pet and hang a tag on the collar with the owner's contact information. This will give you a significantly higher chance of getting your dog home.
   • In view of the particularly advanced escape skills and the considerable cost of the pit bull itself, microchipping is perhaps more important for pit bull terriers than for other dog breeds. Chipping your pet can be done in most veterinary clinics.
3. 3 Treat your pit bull puppy well and responsibly. Demonstrate your kindness to your pet, then you are more likely to receive it in return. This also applies to the training program you are using. Use positive incentives to learn effectively. For most dogs, the clicker is very effective in training.
4. 4 Monitor your puppy's health. Show your Pit Bull Terrier puppy to a veterinarian immediately after purchase, and then take it to the clinic as needed and for annual routine check-ups. Ask your veterinarian when you can neuter or neuter your animal if you are not going to become a breeder.
5. 5 Feed your puppy high quality food. This means that it must contain a limited amount of low-quality ingredients such as organ meats and cereals. Check with your veterinarian about your puppy's diet if you have any questions about this.
   • There are independent sites out there that can help you weed out all the marketing gimmicks and make smart decisions about your specific feed.
6. 6 Remember that training and raising a pit bull is no different from what other breeds require. Do your own research and learn about the training system based on the use of positive incentives. Spend productive time with your pet every day and prepare it well for the long life ahead.
   • Hire a qualified and experienced dog trainer to help you learn how to handle your dog and teach him good behavior. It is a good idea to contact your local kennel club for advice on finding a good trainer.
   • Read the training information before purchasing a puppy. Here are some good books on dog training: Dog Training. Theory and practice "EN Gurnakova," Course of the theory of dog training. Military dog ​​”Yazykova VS,“ Basics of training ”Utkina KA,“ Theory and practice of dog training ”Araslanova FS,“ Training of service dogs ”Bocharova V.I. and Orlova AP, “Psychology of the dog. Basics of dog training "Leon Whitney," Technique for training service dogs "Sakharova NP

Method 2 of 3: Taking Care of Your Pit Bull Terrier Puppy's Physical Activity

1. 1 Exercise your dog regularly. Make sure you have enough space to exercise your dog - it's a good idea to have your own private yard, but since pit bulls require a lot of exercise, take your pet outside (even as a puppy) for at least 1-2 once a day. A tired dog is a good dog as it does not have the excess energy for bad behavior. Playing fetch is a great way to burn off extra energy from your puppy.
2. 2 Fight boredom. Pit bulls, like many other breeds, are highly intelligent and can exhibit destructive behavior when left alone with no entertainment. Don't leave your puppy alone for long, and if you need to leave, place it in a closed space like a cage or playpen with lots of toys.
   • Consider feeding your puppy instead of providing an easily accessible food bowl by placing food in a puzzle toy so that he has to work hard to get his own food.
   • Many trainers advocate that puppies earn every bite of food with a certain amount of physical effort. If you are a supporter of such views, then in this case, you can try to bury toys and treats in a certain place in your yard. Excavation and hunting is a great way to apply puppy energy and exercise your mind.
   • Various puzzles for dogs can be found and purchased online.
3. 3 Supervise your puppy while interacting with other dogs. When playing with other dogs, pit bull puppies, like puppies of any other breed, should always be supervised. If any problems arise, they should be stopped immediately. Learn to notice the harbingers of conflict and inhibit them, preventing them from developing into something more. This is the moment when the play of the dogs can turn into a fight. If one of the dogs begins to grab the other by the skin, then the game has gone too far and is approaching a fight. This is especially true in situations where the bites are accompanied by shaking the head and pressing the enemy to the ground. Stop this behavior and then praise the dogs for calming down.
   • When the dogs are completely calm, let them play again.
   • The long leashes on the playing dogs allow excellent control of the situation. The presence of a sound horn or a spray bottle with water at hand will also allow, if necessary, to promptly interrupt any unwanted behavior of any dog.
   • You don't even have to wait for the escalation of the conflict, you can practice defusing the situation even when the dogs are just playing. Get the dogs' attention by calling or tossing them a toy, and praise them for their reaction. If your dog comes to your call, it earns a generous reward in the form of treats and praise!

Method 3 of 3: Socializing and Training a Pit Bull Terrier Puppy

1. 1 Combat negative stereotypes around pit bulls through proper dog training. An impressive way to combat prejudice against Pit Bull Terriers is to bring up a breed that is fully socialized and trained. Having an affectionate and friendly dog ​​on the other end of the leash in a crowded place, who happily greets people and other dogs, is the best method to debunk the pressure of negative opinions about this breed.
2. 2 Socialize your puppy immediately. Introduce him to a variety of people, friends, and family. The sooner you start, the better. This will allow you to take advantage of the puppy's primary socialization period, ranging from 3-5 weeks to 14-16 weeks, when he is most receptive to understanding different situations.
   • Train your puppy to communicate with a wide variety of people: large and small, men and women. Always carry a treat with you and reward your puppy for welcoming other people kindly. Allow people to give the puppy treats so that the puppy develops positive associations with them.
   • Treats can also help you keep your puppy's attention when there is a noisy or potentially intimidating environment, such as cyclists passing by. Don't let your dog freak out. Demonstrate by example that everything is going well and that you should remain calm.
   • This socialization period is critical and has a positive or negative effect on the rest of the dog's life. Start approaching frightening situations from afar and gradually close the distance until he remains calm. If the pet starts to worry, try again on another day and at a different time.
   • Once your dog has become restrained within the confines of the house, start taking him to public places. Let her see the world! The more a young dog sees, the less cowardly and defensive it will become.
   • Remember that it is better to walk with slow steps than tossing the poor animal headlong into the pool.
   • You will continue to introduce the dog to the world throughout its life after the period of primary socialization, while the dog will be much more receptive to new things if at an early age it had a chance to learn not to overreact to various phenomena of this world.
3. 3 Before completing all vaccinations, talk to your veterinarian about the schedule, as well as about safe exercise and socialization of the puppy. Puppies are usually given a series of distemper / parvovirus vaccines at intervals of 3-4 weeks, starting at 7-8 weeks of age and ending at 16-18 weeks, to develop the necessary immunity. The period of this vaccination coincides with the period of socialization of the puppy, therefore it is important to find at this time a safe way to avoid contact with sources of diseases like parvovirus and at the same time to socialize. It is a good idea to start by involving relatives and friends with children, with healthy and vaccinated pets, with motorcycles and bicycles, and so on, to communicate with the puppy.
   • Sometimes socialization classes are also organized for puppies that have not yet been fully vaccinated. If you cannot find information on these activities on the Internet, try asking your veterinarian if they know about the existence of something like this in your area.
4. 4 Don't let your dog bite while playing. Otherwise, she may think that biting is perfectly normal. Many puppies have a tendency to grab anything with their mouths when playing, so they need to learn the correct behavior from humans and other dogs.
   • You can bring up a dog in various ways, but often a simple loud cry of “ah” and stopping the game after the puppy touches your skin with his teeth is quite enough to explain to him that such behavior is unacceptable.
   • To get your hands out of the game, you can use toys and teach the puppy to let go of toys to continue playing together.
   • Taking breaks during which the puppy is placed in the cage will also help to calm him down.
5. 5 Train your dog to tolerate your paws, ears, tail, and any other part of the body. The puppy needs to get used to the fact that you have complete control over him. If your dog is comfortable with touching him anywhere, then it will be easier for you to do his grooming.
6. 6 Maintain a positive attitude during training sessions. Never get angry while training. The puppy is just learning new things, just like us, and therefore has the right to make mistakes. Treats and lots of your love are great to let your dog know that it has performed well.
   • The repeated request to do something tells the dog that he was wrong about something. Let your dog rest when he is close to accomplishing what you want him to do. Remember, the steps in training should be small and gradual.
   • Always try to find an excuse to praise your pet, even if it is making “little” progress. For example, praise and treat your puppy for staying calm.

Tips

• Join a group of pit bull lovers and become an active member. Such groups can meet in large cities and have their own social movement to protect this breed.
• It is highly recommended to go with the dog not only a general course of obedience, but also extended training, so that it becomes the most educated representative of the breed with good manners.

Warnings

• Never hit your dog. Violence against your puppy will only make him fear and lose confidence in you. In this case, you will most likely end up with a dog that tends to defend against you and other people, which entails possible aggression problems.At the very beginning, resort to the help of a professional trainer, and then remember to ask questions if necessary and learn how to communicate with your pet in order to avoid problems later. Humans are not born as dog trainers, it is an acquired skill, and everyone can have difficulties.
• Always keep a close eye on any dog ​​that plays with children. Always keep your dog on a leash so that you can interrupt any of his actions and make him pay attention to you. Teach children (at the right age) how to pet and play with your dog properly. The puppy can get very excited when the child starts squealing and waving his arms. Teach children (again, at the right age for this) not to run away from the puppy, as he will chase and can knock the child over. NEVER leave your dog or puppy alone with children unattended.