PIT BULL TRAINING TIPS
The APBT is an extremely bright dog, and very trainable and the thing they want to do most in life is please their owners. The most important thing to do with a Pit Bull is to exercise them everyday. If this is something you can't do, this might not be the right breed for you. This breed has so much energy that they need to release it on a daily basis or it will build up inside of them. This can then lead to aggression. Also, it is good to exercise your dog before you walk them, as this will help make them calm and easier to teach on their walk. It is also very important to socialize them with other Dogs and People at an early age. Doing this can never come to early in their life. When socializing, always make sure that you are in control of your Dog and the situation you put them in. Remember to always stay CALM & ASSERTIVE! I strongly recommend that any Dog owner watch Cesar Millan's "Dog Whisperer". Read his book and watch his DVD's. You will learn so much about how a Dog's mind works, what makes them do certain things, what the dog's needs are, proper ways of correcting them without hurting them, and how you play such an important role in how your Dog lives their life. I’ve listed some of Cesar’s “Priority” training advice that will make a difference in your dog’s life and how they live day to day. Believe me, IT WORKS! Thanks Cesar.
• Walk your dog every day for at least 45 minutes to an hour. Walking with your dog twice a day for 30 minutes is the first step toward improving your relationship with your dog. The walk is the foundation of your relationship. It is a powerful tool that will help you connect with all aspects of your dog's mind.
• Set rules, boundaries and limitations every day. As a pack leader, you need to set the rules both inside and outside the house. What you allow and don't allow is up to you, but be consistent, use calm-assertive energy, and never, ever correct out of anger.
• Live in the moment. Start every day with a clean slate for you and your dog. Let go of the past. Don't worry about the future. With your dog and in your day-to-day life, you will find many benefits.
• Schedule playtime with your dog at least once a week. Play fetch. Go for a swim. Play Frisbee. Run an obstacle course. Just make sure your dog has had a long walk beforehand, and only play for the time you have decided in advance to allot.
• Share affection...at the right times only. After your dog has exercised or eaten. After your dog has changed an unwanted behavior into a behavior that you asked for. After your dog has responded to a rule or command. Share affection only when the dog is in a calm-submissive state!
• DON'T SCREAM AT YOUR DOG! Dogs often perceive loud vocalizing by humans in an excited, emotional state as a sign of instability. They will either be unaffected by your tantrum or confused and frightened by it. They will not relate this to your rules. Use a calm, assertive voice and you will have much better results.
PUPPY TIPS:
Teach your puppy to willingly give you food and toys when you ask for them.
Give them lots of positive experiences with people of all ages and gender. Keep interactions fun.
Once they have all their shots, take them to very public places. By putting a puppy in these situations, they will not be frightened by them later.
Socialize them with other dogs/animals often when they are young. But, make sure they are being supervised and being socialized with well-behaved, well-controlled dogs.
When a Pit Bull Puppy show aggression towards another animal or person: quickly snatch them off the ground, hold them eye to eye with you and give a firm "NO". Do not ever strike them, there is no reason for this, as your firm command will be enough to correct them.
Always monitor your puppy's behavior and correct it when necessary. The longer you let them get away with it, the harder it will be to correct them.
When your puppy does something right, always give them a "good boy/girl". Positive reinforcement will make them happy.
Crate Train. They will love it, and it becomes their own private house. Never use it as a punishment.
Teach them to walk without pulling. Only move forward when there is no pulling. This is a lot easier to teach when they are young.
Keep your puppy active and exercised. This will keep them from chewing and digging.
Take your puppy to puppy kindergarten classes. It helps and you two will have fun.
When it is apparent that the puppy understands a command, don't overdo it or they will become bored. Then they will stop paying attention and learning stops.
A puppy given the right exposure and reinforcement will be easier to handle as an adult.
If you have any additional questions on training advice, e-mail us and we will see if we can help.
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As always, comments from our readers are always appreciated. Whether they are for the cause or against it. Back in November we did a post on Breed Specific Legislation, I would like to take a moment to share a comment with all of you that I received last night regarding this particular post. I invite you to share your comments and responses to this comment as well.
