Melvin N: How do I train my pitbull puppy to grow up to be friendly and not aggressive?
I rescued a 2-month-old pitbull. any tips so it could be friendly like a golden retriever?
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Answers and Views:
Answer by ♥Hockey
Raise your puppy well and it will be like any other dog.
Pits are Beautifull!!!
Answer by leo Hoover
The best thing for a pit to learn to walk is a pinch collar. They learn really fast and will only have to wear it in the pinch position a couple of times then just flip it inside out after that to remind them. I've done this with 4 of my staffs an all have been awesome dogs that live people an ignore other dogs.
Answer by durdenslabs
Pit bulls are very human friendly. It's how they are bred. If you treat them nicely, socialize them properly, and aren't aggressive towards them you'll have a normal/friendly dog. As the pup grows up, it may become aggressive towards other dogs. Pits have a high prey drive and smaller dogs and cats are considered prey and get attacked. Larger dogs are more of an "adversary" to a pit since pits are known for their dog aggression.
If you want a great family dog that will guard you and you don't have other dogs you'll be fine. If you expect this dog to get along with other animals, you may need to find him a different home that can meet his needs.
Answer by anthony
If you are having trouble walking Meeka and she wants to jump on people on the beach and bark then you should practice walking her in front of your house when there are other people walking by. If she still barks and tries to jump on people get one sheet of newspaper, roll that up and every time she tries to jump on a person hit her on her butt. And the same thing goes for when she barks at people or tries to bite them hit her gentle on the nose and if Meeka doesn`t stop hit her a little bit harder. Promise me she`ll stop barking at people and stop trying to jump on them, it worked for my pitbull, his name is Hercules. Also, don't be afraid to hit them, they are pit bulls, they`re tuff and they could take hits. You could hit them as hard as you want if they`re misbehaving and they wouldn't feel anything, they`ll act like nothing happened but they`ll calm down.
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Answer by Sarah
I own 2 American Pit Bull Terriers. These dogs have bred to be nice to humans, in the past, a human-aggressive pitbull dog was culled immediately. The main problems with these dogs are food/toy aggression and dog-dog aggression. Raise the puppy with lots of love and bring him/her around lots of other people and pets! My male pit is 8 months old and as sweet as honey, my female is almost 3 months old and is spunky, but absolutely LOVES people! Keep their enthusiasm for meeting new people/animals up at all times and you'll be in the clear!
BLAME THE DEED NOT THE BREED!!!! Pitbulls are wonderful family dogs when raised with love and training, just like every other breed of the dog!!
Good luck with your pup!
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amy says
hey, i recently got a 7 month old pitbull pup her name is meeka. her last owner got her back from the person he gave her to as she was being misstreated and gave her to my boyfriend and i. she is a nice dog very playful and excited. she gets along with our 18 month old staffy but when we walk her at the beach she barks and tries to jump on people and other dogs. i usually tug the lead and say no and keep walking but she still does it please help?
Stacy A says
It could be friendly like a Golden Retriever with the right training. When you say you rescued the Pit Bull, from what did you resource it( if it was used as a fighting dog or came out of one of those positions it will never be, but because of its age if assume it wasn't)? You just need to be able to dominate the dog, now this doesn't mean constantly hitting the dog, you just have to let him know who's the alpha or you'll never be able to train the dog to be friendly. You really would be surprised if you knew how many pit bulls I know that are extremely friendly… im not scared of the, and I'm scared of most large dogs- probably 5/7 pit bulls I know are completely fine with other people and animals. Great question! Good luck with the training of the pit bull! :-)
Life is the Bullies says
I agree with Buffy 100%.
Pits are much more driven and intellegent than any old retriever. But one thing you should know, he will never be like a golden retriever. The best thing I can tell you to do is to socialize, train and raise your puppy properly so he can be an ambassador for our breed.You want your dog to be the best dog he can be. Take your puppy to obedience classes, take him out for a walk around the park or even invite kids around the house to get him used to children.
Pits are typically very human friendly. Now, when they reach maturity, you might encounter dog aggression but that can simply be curved with socialization. But it won't be erased or cured..
Please make your dog an ambassador for our breed.
durdenslabs..: Pits are not guard dogs and I have met plenty of them that live in multiple dog homes.
red_shorty_76 says
As long as you have the dominance & give the dog structure, obedience & love you should have no problems. Mine is doing just great & he even came from an abusive home. Good luck!
Rachel S says
As the other people here have said: Start socializing him/her as early as possible.. Take it on walks and to the park and introduce it to new people and dogs.
Enroll it in obedience classes as soon as you can… You could probably wait a couple of months to start, but don't wait too long and don't neglect to do it altogether.
Pit Bulls are wonderful dogs. They love humans and crave positive attention from us… But they do require knowledgeable owners, so do your research on the breed. There is a ton of useful information online about them and I'd recommend reading what you can.
Having said that they're wonderful dogs, that they love humans, etc… They're not great with other dogs, typically.. Proper socialization is key here and even with that, you'll always need to keep an eye on your dog around other dogs.. Even if its one that he/she has known for its entire life.
So, all in all, training training training and lots of socialization!
Alex B says
Be dominant! You are the pack leader! Tssst!!
lilly 25 :-) says
ummmm i would cuddle with is allot take it on losts of walks to so that it does not have the energy to be mean!
but dont walk tell got alll he's/her shots !
thanks can you answer mine its
What would u rate my german shep dog ( pictures ) i have them this time!?
bmthespian says
The same way you do any other dog. Socialize it with other people and dogs as much as possible and train it properly,. Its not going to be "like a golden retriever" because it is not a golden retriever. It is going to be like a friendly well behaved pit bull, which is exactly what it should be
Buffy says
It will never be like a golden. Pits are much more intelligent, driven, and eager to please than any retriever. All you have to do is socialize her and work with her EVERY day.
Pits are not inherently aggressive towards people. Dog aggression, yes. That can also be trained right out of her. Take her to petsmart, a dog park, or a friend's house that has other dogs. Keep her leashed at all times of course, and introduce her to new dogs very slowly and make sure you are closely monitoring her. With every success, praise her, when she shows signs of aggression toward an animal, correct her. You will probably never have a problem with human aggression, especially if you keep her WELL socialized with people from a very young age.
You must be FIRM with her in her training, and CONSISTENT. Dominance and consistence in a handler are KEY. Work with her every day and treat her well and you'll have the smartest, most loving and loyal dog you've ever seen!!
Good luck with your baby, and thank you so much for rescuing this misunderstood breed!!
ADD: Durden, you are right about the dog aggression, but it is not a vice that cannot be fixed, my pits live with two other mix-breeds and they get along beautifully. Also, a pit probably isn't even the best guard dog. They are bred specifically to be eager to please to humans, and very human friendly, which means they're even friendly to intruders, unless they are certain the intruder is a direct threat to the family. If you want a guard dog, a dobe or rottie is a better choice.