Pitbull Training Tips

by Mike Worthington

Just like humans, dogs need to follow some rules around the house. As house and dog owner, YOU need to set these rules and ensure their enforcement through proper dog training. Dog training proceeds in a different manner, depending on factors like dog breed. Each dog breed has a unique temperament and must be handled uniquely.

For Pitbull owners,here are a few Pitbull training tips that can help you raise a well-mannered dog.

One of the most basic parts of Pitbull training is establishing your role as the leader of the household. The best way to make a dog understand and accept your leadership is to teach him to "say please" everytime he wants something. Here's how:

Set up a specific feeding schedule. A dog understands that whoever has control over the resources is the boss. Therefore, if you allow your dog to have his food bowl anytime he wants, then he will get the feeling that HE is in control. Rather, offer him food only at the appointed feeding time and give it to him only when he sits and waits for it calmly. If he jumps up to try and get the bowl from you, walk away and simply offer the bowl again at the next feeding schedule. Holding back a reward is a useful tool in Pitbull training, which helps make the dog understand that being rowdy at mealtime holds no rewards.

Give praise when it is earned. Positive reinforcement such as praises and treats is also a very powerful tool in Pitbull training. However, it is important that your dog EARNS these rewards. Otherwise, it will not hold much value. For example, do not praise and cuddle your dog as soon as you get home simply because you missed it while you were at work. Rather, praise the dog if he calmly gets up and greets you at the door, but ignore him if he jumps around and barks excessively at your arrival.

Always be in control of the situation. A dog will always try to test your leadership. This is why consistency is very important in Pitbull training. You should enforce the rules you set at all times, without exception. And you should always be the one who has control over any situation, not your dog. If the dog jumps up into your lap in order to be petted, do not give him what he wants immediately. This will make him think that he can have your attention anytime he wants it. What you should do is stand up in order for the dog to get off of your lap and then give the command for him to sit. Only when he has sat calmly for a few minutes should you start petting him.

The Pitbull training tips discussed above are all based on mutual respect. It is not much of a hassle for you to perform, and it does not employ cruelty to your dog. Instead, it works under the premise that just as you work to earn your keep and follow some general rules in life in order to live peacefully and happily, then your dog will also be much happier once he has learned to follow the basic house rules that you have set.

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Is The Pitbull The Right Dog For You by Steve Rankin

The pit bull is probably the most misrepresented breed of dog there ever is. People generally think of pit bulls as overaggressive mutts that attack people without even the slightest provocation and have the capacity to maul them to death, dogs that are good only for engaging in dog fights. This image of the pit bull is nowhere near to being accurate; they are very much maligned by the public in general.

Pit bulls are actually very different from the way they are often portrayed. Sure, they look strong and scary, being well muscled and stocky for their size, with their barrel chests and brick-shaped heads, their thick necks and their powerful jaws. Pit bulls, however, are very sociable and affectionate dogs, especially if they are properly trained. Pit bull lovers value these dogs not just for their strength and courage, but also for their caring and protective nature.

With proper training and socialization, even pit bulls can be the gentlest of dogs. Their affectionate and caring nature makes them perfect companions and housemates. And because they have a high tolerance for pain and rough play, pit bulls can be great playmates to small children.

If pit bulls are so great, how come there are stories of them attacking other dogs and people? While there are stories of pit bulls being aggressive enough to hurt animals and people, those incidences are in truth few and far between. More often than not, the media just blew the story out of proportion or did not get the facts right. There are times when the dog involved is not a pit bull at all and only looks like one.

A pit bull that shows aggressiveness towards other dogs and other animals is a dog that has not been socialized properly. A pit bull that attacks people is a dog that has been abused to the point that he has become mentally unstable. When a pit bull, or any other dog for that matter, goes berserk, it is the fault of the human owner, and not the dog himself.

It is true, however, that not all people can own a pit bull for a pet. To be the master of a pit bull, one has to be prepared to meet the demanding responsibilities of owning such a pet. To be the master of a pit bull, you have to be a person who really is capable of loving one. If you are looking into owning a pit bull just because you want to impress people, forget it. You will only end up doing the dog a huge disservice.

A pit bull is an athletic dog that requires a lot of exercise. It would be great if you have a big yard where he can run around to his heart's content. However, if you live in an apartment, it is still okay to own a pit bull if you really want one, as long as you take him out for long walks every day. Long walks with your pit bull would be good for your health too.

You need to have your house or your property secured and fenced if you decide to own a pit bull. Pit bulls can be willful and mischievous; he will try to jump the fence or slip through the door if he can. Also, if you have a malicious neighbor who has an irrational fear towards pit bulls, having your house or property secured will keep your dog from being hurt by your neighbors or from being stolen.

Caring for a pit bull can be pretty expensive. Before you get a pit bull, be sure you can afford his upkeep. You will need to give him proper dog food, fit him with a good leash and collar, take him to the vet for regular checkups, feed him with heartworm medicine every once in a while, build a dog house for him, and other such things. Dog food alone can amount to around $800 a year. If you do not have that much money to set aside for caring for a pit bull, shelve your plan for a while until you can afford having one around.

Pit bulls also need to be trained. Training a dog takes the entirety of his lifetime, not just in the early years. A pit bull also needs to be controlled all the time, simply because other people are afraid of such dogs. If you do not exert the proper control on your pit bull, you might end up with him being taken away from you. It is a heartbreaking experience that you would not want to have.

Lastly, but most importantly, you must love your pit bull. Pit bulls are very caring and loving dogs that are very loyal to their masters. If you love your pit bull, he will love you too.

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Training Pitbull Puppies- The #1 Mistake In Pitbull Puppy Training by Michael Hutchins

My wife Laura and I had to take a "crash" course in training Pitbull puppies. Our 8 month old Pitbull,"Rocco", was a muscular 82lbs, and he was becoming a holy terror! Not in a vicious sense, mind you, rather in an "obnoxious" sense. He was non-stop barking, jumping on us constantly, etc.etc. After being educated by a professional Pitbull handler, we discovered that we had made the #1 mistake in training Pitbull puppies!

My wife and I both work outside the home, so we decided early on to build "Rocco" a pen in our relatively small backyard. We equipped it with a spacious enclosure, to protect him from the elements. We would only allow "Rocco" inside our home on a very limited basis. We would try to give him attention, especially when we got home from work, however it probably wasn't enough.

We noticed that "Rocco's" barking and jumping gradually became worse as time went by. He really was over excited when we entered the pen upon returning from work.

When we took him on walks, he was pretty much out of control. He would "dart" all over the place, in an effort to expend energy. Upon seeing other dogs, he would bark violently. At 82lbs, he was very difficult to control!

When we were just about to put "Rocco" up for adoption, we ran across some training tips from a professional Pitbull handler. We soon discovered that we had broken the 3 most important rules in training Pitbull puppies.

1) Train your Pitbull puppy at the youngest possible age, BEFORE they get big.

2) DON'T isolate Pitbull puppies for lengthy periods of time. They are loving and social animals.

3) Allow them AMPLE opportunity to expend energy

As I mentioned earlier, training Pitbull puppies was a nightmare with Rocco. Laura and I had waited until he was almost an adult to start. At that point, he was stubborn and "set in his ways".We almost had to put him up for adoption. We discovered a guide written hy a Pitbull handler that helped us finally understand what makes a Pitbull "tick". We found it to be the only reliable source of training Pitbull puppies

About the Author

Laura and I finally discovered a guide written hy a Pitbull handler that helped us to completely understand what makes a Pitbull "tick". We found it to be the only reliable source of training Pitbull puppies