Pit bull (American pit bull terrier) - description of the breed, character and care, photo

Origin story

The breed dates back about 300 years, and was bred precisely as an ideal fighting unit. Presumably, the ancestors of pit bulls were brought to America from England and Ireland. Already there the breed was improved and used in dog fighting due to its amazing combination of strength, endurance and reaction speed. Because of this, terrible myths about terrible killing machines appeared.

For some time, it was even forbidden to breed pit bulls, and their numbers were strictly controlled. But now the situation has returned to normal, and the breed is again very popular in the USA and Russia. By the way, pit bulls are successfully used by the police to search for explosives and drugs. The menacing dogs have become excellent companions and rehabilitation workers.

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Pit bull: breed standard

Although pit bulls seem powerful, they are not too large - up to 27 kg and up to 53 cm at the withers. There are two main subspecies of the breed - terriers and bulldogs. Because of this, we can vary in appearance and even in size – from 12 kg.

Pitbulls have short hair of any color except merle. It fits tightly to a strong body with pronounced muscles, without undercoat. The large head looks like a wide wedge, and the tail tapers and hangs down. The almond-shaped eyes are set wide and the jaw and cheeks stand out. Ears can be cropped as desired.

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Games after six months

After six months, endurance training should be longer and more regular. The pet can be asked to run next to its owner. Every year, a dog can accompany you on a bike ride.

Puppies love to play catch. A rope and bait on it are tied to a long stick. These could be pieces of fur, old toys, etc. To play, you must choose a flat area with a non-slip surface (sand, grass or earth). Up to six months of age, you need to be careful with pit bulls so that they do not damage the ligaments. Therefore, it is proposed to introduce more active games gradually and carefully.

Pit bull character

In real life, a pit bull is a cheerful and cheerful dog. But they are very active, so you need to exercise them regularly and for a long time, because an ill-mannered and bored dog can be really destructive.

Traits and Temperament

American pit bulls are very smart, although they are stubborn and capricious. They are hardy, courageous and self-confident, and cowardice is considered a breed defect. At home, a socialized dog is affectionate and playful.

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Attitude towards the owner

A pit bull will be loyal and obedient, but only if its owner is a strong and strong-willed person. Such dogs are suitable for active and self-confident people who have enough free time. Socialized pit bulls are friendly and won't cause trouble.

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Attitude towards children

Pit bulls, despite their formidable reputation, get along easily with children and will not offend the baby. So you can safely have a dog even in a large family, but there must be only one main owner.

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Relationships with other animals

Pit bull terriers do not get along well with animals and most often see them as competition. This can only be avoided if the puppy grows up with other pets from the first months. For the same reason, we do not recommend keeping two dogs of the same sex.

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How to teach basic commands

The main stage of training a pit bull is learning the various commands that the owner gives to the dog . This is the most difficult stage of training, requiring patience from the owner and his pet.

If basic commands are performed correctly, with the exception of “Foo,” the dog should be given a treat.

To get an obedient defender, you need to teach him the following commands::

"To me" . Adult pit bulls often become aggressive and try to dominate when they see other dogs on their daily walk. To prevent the pet from harming a weaker animal, it must be stopped in time. The command “Come to me” must be pronounced in a commanding tone, loudly and clearly. In this case, a special gesture is performed. To do this, the owner turns to face the dog at a short distance, his arms should be straightened along the body. Then you need to raise one hand and sharply lower it to your thigh. You can lightly pat your leg. The dog should run up to the owner and sit at the left leg.
"Voice" . The exclamation is combined with a gesture: snapping fingers over a sitting dog. Before teaching this command, you should not feed your pet. As soon as the animal barks, you should give it a treat.
"Sit" . First, the command is given by voice, after which the pet should be taught the gesture of raising a finger. You can hold a treat with your other hand to encourage your dog to follow the command.
"Lie" . It is necessary to pronounce the command and lower the hand, palm down, previously raised to shoulder level, by 10-15 cm. The command is considered completed when the dog lowers its body to the ground and straightens its limbs parallel to the body.
"Stand" . Helps stop a running animal in critical situations, prevent hesitation during a veterinary examination, cleaning or putting on a collar. The command is given with an exclamation and a gesture. You need to stand facing the dog and sharply bend your arm at the elbow with your palm facing forward.

When studying the prohibiting command “Fu”, a different educational method is needed . First, a command is given, followed by punishment of the animal.

This should not be violence accompanied by pain. After the exclamation, you should jerk the leash or throw some object towards the dog.

Moreover, learning this skill should occur only at the moment when the dog performs a prohibited action . You can't encourage your pet.

Dog handlers recommend replacing the generally accepted “Fu” for pit bulls with a more complex word, for example, “You can’t” or “No.” Dogs of this breed understand long words more easily.

Pit bull care

Caring for an American Pit Bull is not much different from any other dog. They are not capricious at all, especially if you accustom the puppy to procedures from childhood.

Conditions of detention

A pit bull can be kept in an apartment, but it definitely needs regular physical and mental exercise. The dog should not be left outside, because without undercoat it easily freezes or overheats. If a pit bull lacks activity, it becomes anxious, spoils things, and may even become aggressive.

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Hygiene

You need to bathe your pit bull less often, except in cases where the dog is very dirty. Usually it happens once every 1-2 months, but it is important to control the water temperature (38 degrees) and then not go outside for at least 3 hours. But it is advisable to brush it regularly.

A couple of times a week you need to brush your dog’s teeth, starting with the far ones. Clean your ears every week and check your skin frequently for mites. Eyes are washed as needed. It is strictly forbidden to use products containing alcohol or salt to care for your pit bull.

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Walks

The Pit Bull Terrier must be walked at least twice a day, and at least one walk must be more than an hour. He needs to run, play and solve different problems. Keep in mind that due to physiological characteristics, an adult dog does not empty its bladder at once - it needs time.

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Education and training

The first and main rule: it is forbidden to train a pit bull to show aggression towards a person. It is best to work with such a difficult breed with an experienced dog handler. Pit bulls are not recommended for beginners because they are difficult to handle without experience. Otherwise, they learn easily when they clearly understand what is wanted from them. What is important here is not training, but education and socialization.

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Waitpulling

You can also offer your pit bull training with a harness and weights. Waitpulling can be practiced after a year. This sport will not only build muscles, but also continue to develop the dog’s strength and agility. Waitpulling is very popular in the West. But gradually the fashion for it reached Russia.

Currently, this sport is included in the dog show program. Training equipment must be purchased in specialized stores. The essence of the process itself is that the load will slow down the dog’s movement, forcing it to exert more effort.

Weightpulling plays an important role in the pit bull training process. It is impossible to prepare a dog for fights without strength training.

What to feed a pit bull

Pitbulls grow very quickly and gain muscle mass, so the nutrition is appropriate. Small puppies are fed 6 times, after six months - three times, and from 8 months - 2 times a day. Be sure to change clean filtered water twice a day.

Every day a puppy needs 100 g of meat and the same amount of vegetables, some offal, about 50 g of cottage cheese and milk. Rice, millet, buckwheat or oatmeal with milk are suitable. At 7-8 months, much larger portions are needed: 600 g of meat per day. When the dog stops actively growing, this amount can be reduced to 450 g.

When choosing a ready-made food, pay attention to the percentage of proteins in the composition - it should be less than 25%. It is imperative to control the balance of calcium and phosphorus, because their excess is just as dangerous as their deficiency. Even if you feed your pet special food, sometimes he needs raw vegetables and cartilaginous bones.

We recommend eliminating sugar, flour products and excess animal fats, such as butter or fatty sour cream. Excess weight is dangerous for pit bulls, so do not overfeed. Give lighter food in the morning, and more nutritious food in the evening.

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At what age should training begin?

Pit bull training is prescribed from the age of 2 months, when the dog begins to acquire social skills . During this period, it is easier to raise a pit bull and begin to teach it to follow commands.

In puppyhood, new skills are acquired quickly, within a few days, and unconditioned reflexes are developed.

Thanks to the high functional activity of the nervous system, puppies quickly adapt to new conditions and get used to their place in the hierarchy.

The dog owner must constantly monitor compliance with the rules in the house and on the street, and require the pet to follow commands. In the future, it will be more difficult to wean an animal from any habit.

In addition, 30 kg of live weight with developed muscles is difficult to stop.

Health and disease of the breed

Pit bulls most often suffer from typical working breed diseases. Under high loads, problems with the heart, blood vessels and joints may occur. But the first signs are easy to distinguish on your own - the animal gets tired quickly and breathes heavily.

Pit bulls also have hormonal disorders, and especially problems with the thyroid gland. This is important to control, because deviations do not always appear externally, but lead to hidden pathologies. Sometimes allergies occur, but otherwise pit bull terriers do not cause problems.

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Lifespan

Subject to timely detection of the disease, vaccination, and compliance with the rules of care, American pit bull terriers remain active until old age. Keeping animals in favorable home conditions has a positive effect on the health of pets.

The average lifespan of an American pit bull ranges from 13 to 15 years. If previously animals were injured or died in bloody battles, in modern conditions such an outcome is excluded. Most often, pit bulls live in apartments or houses and receive good nutrition, so the age of pets can exceed the average by two to three years.