American Pit Bull Terrier: fearless protector and devoted friend

History of the Pit Bull Terrier breed

At the beginning of the 19th century, bulldogs were brought to England. They were brought by Irish immigrants. Dog fighting was popular at that time, and this breed was ideally suited to become a winner.

However, breeders soon began to notice that tenacity and strength are not all the qualities needed to achieve success. There was a lack of aggression and agility. Therefore, it was decided to cross bulldogs with terriers. The American Pit Bull Terrier took only the best qualities from its parents.

When fighting became prohibited, this breed began to be taken to exhibitions and competitions and taught to command. In the 20th century, John Colby played a major role, as he was actively involved in breeding and selling puppies of this breed.

American Pit Bull Terrier - content

After finding out the characteristics of the breed, many are interested in how much an American Pit Bull Terrier puppy costs. Depending on the class of the pet, it can be purchased at a price from $110 to $1200. This is where the significant material costs for a pet end, because this medium-sized dog breed is absolutely unpretentious:

1. The dog can easily live in an ordinary city apartment or a small private house.
2. If the owner decides that the American Pit Bull Terrier puppy will be housed in an outdoor enclosure, then he should provide an insulated kennel that is protected from drafts.

Size and weight

The weight of adult males varies from 30 to 35 kg . Females are slightly smaller, weighing from 22 to 28 . Growth is usually directly proportional to weight if the animal is healthy and has no pathologies.

The following will clearly show how a puppy grows month by month:

How much does a Pitbull puppy cost?

The average price for a puppy with a good pedigree in Russia varies from 15 to 25 thousand rubles. A dog that has proven itself well in competitions and exhibitions may cost more. The appropriate age for a puppy to go to a new home is 8 weeks.

A representative of this breed is distinguished by loyalty and obedience. With proper training and care, a dog's life expectancy is up to 16 years.

Color and coat type

The pit bull breed is a short-haired dog . Their coat is hard and elastic, and fits tightly to the body. A pit bull dog has no fur on its belly. There is no undercoat on the entire body. It may seem that there is no vegetation on the pit bull's face and paws, but there is some, but very small. It is called "velor".

Most often, the pit bull breed has a brindle color. This means that the entire dog will be dark brown, but black stripes are allowed along the body. Then the entire coat may be white, but with brown, orange or black spots with blurred edges. It can also be chocolate (both dark and light), fawn and brown.

Health and illness

This breed is an allergic dog. Allergies can manifest themselves both to food and to pieces of furniture, medicines, and dust. Before purchasing such a pet, you should consult a doctor who will select the right hypoallergenic food.

Some owners notice that their pit bull gets tired quickly, cannot perform strenuous exercise, and looks tired after a ten-minute walk. This is not a typical lack of vitamins. Most likely, the dog has aortic stenosis, which is typical for this species.

Thyroid gland dysfunction is also . Due to improper functioning of hormones, the dog can rapidly lose or gain weight, suffer from pain and constantly walk lethargically. A thyroid disorder will not only cause weight problems. If panic is not stopped in time, a lifelong pathology may develop. This also affects mental abilities.

Many pit bulls begin to suffer from hip dysplasia as they age . This is either inherited or develops due to an unbalanced diet. Because of this, difficulties arise with movement, sometimes the hind legs simply give up and you have to buy special equipment so that the animal can move. Dysplasia appears due to excessive physical exertion. The owner attributes this to typical fatigue and thinks that over time the dog will get used to such harsh training and will stop losing strength.

Lifespan

The American Pit Bull Terrier dog differs from others in its excellent health. If living conditions are good, the pet will live from 13 to 15 years . In the past, dogs died much earlier than expected, as they constantly participated in brutal battles and were severely injured. Now they lead a calm and measured life and are not in danger. At any veterinary clinic, specialists will give advice on how to treat a pit bull dog. With careful care, she can live up to 18.

American Pit Bull Terrier - names

When choosing a nickname for your animal, you should choose short and sonorous names that differ from the commands and are suitable for the character or appearance of the pet. Black American Pit Bull Terrier male and dogs of other colors can have the name:

• Archie;
• Bandit;
• Cortes;
• Stark;
• Olympus;
• Nelson;
• Chuck;
• Caesar.

The bitch can be called:

• Isa;
• Vesta;
• Lana;
• Ruby;
• Etna;
• Remy;
• Sanda;
• Pixie.

Character and intelligence

The dog's appearance suggests that it is strong and strong-willed. In this case, you can judge by clothes, because the pit bull really has such traits. They are balanced and will never attack anyone without reason. They have high intelligence and, if they see a person as a master, they obey him without whims. Dogs show interest in the world around them and have curiosity. Learning new commands is just a pleasure for them. Moreover, they grasp new information on the fly.

The pit bull is an agile dog that can easily learn to overcome fences and fences and run in mazes. You can also take your faithful friend with you on a hunt, because he has an innate instinct aimed at tracking down prey. Protects housing and knows what to do with thieves and those who like to invade other people's territory. There will certainly be no concessions.

There is a misconception that the pit bull is an angry and cruel dog that only needs to be commanded.

On the contrary, they are very demanding about love and care, they require a lot of attention and affection. In turn, they bestow the owner with complete dedication and devotion, ready to come to the rescue at any moment and fearlessly save from any misfortune.

Attitude towards children and others

It was already mentioned above that the American pit bull is not characterized by malice and cruelty.

Another myth is that children and this breed do not get along together.

On the contrary, these dogs are friendly to kids and will never hurt them. This dog is smart and aware of the physical strength it has. She knows when and where to use it and understands that in a situation with a child you need to be patient and affectionate. Children may even put their fingers in the dog's mouth and pull on his ears, and he will tolerate such disrespectful behavior. They often play with rubber toys together and jokingly take them away from each other.

When a passerby walks down the street and sees a pit bull, he usually becomes alert and expects an attack. There's no need to worry. If a dog is psychologically healthy, it will not attack a stranger, and will not even bark in his direction. They show aggression only after forced and prolonged provocations or when they see that their owner is in trouble. Smart animals sense when someone is unkind to their owner, and a conflict is brewing. They do not attack other breeds, they can play with them and make new friends.

Training

A pit bull must be gradually socialized and introduced to people. This must be done while still growing up. Take him to crowded places and watch his reaction. He should not be afraid or angry at people passing by. If his actions do not suit you, raise your tone and show your dissatisfaction. There is another method. Turn the person on his back and hold him for a while. In a pack, those who were dominated showed their bellies to their leader. Repeat several times until you are satisfied with the result.

You should develop an exercise routine with your puppy and take him for walks according to a schedule. Training begins when the puppy is 5 months old. Teach endurance. To do this, you will need a treat that your pet likes and a leash. Let the pit bull lie down and you gradually move away from him, holding a treat in your hand. The puppy should not run to you until you call him.

To practice hunting, tie an animal skin to a long stick. Give your dog a sniff so he gets used to the smell. Then lift it high above your head and command “Take!” It is necessary to ensure that the pet is eager for the skin and tries to grab it.

As you grow older, always keep chewable toys at home. They must be stable and not collapse under multiple attacks. If toys are missing, the dog will start biting you. Of course, from the first days it is worth showing who is boss in the house. Don't let him dominate or question your authority. You cannot allow people to go in front of you, only behind and next to you. It is you who set the route and direction, manage the situation, and not vice versa. Don't always keep the animal on a leash; give it absolute freedom at least occasionally.

Peculiarities in raising an American Pit Bull Terrier

When bringing this breed into your home, it is important to remember that the pet requires attention and education, the correctness of which determines the character and behavior of the dog:

1. The period up to 16 weeks is the most important stage of socialization. During this time, pit bull puppies should receive maximum attention and love. The owner and all family members need to pet the pet, play with the baby, and take him for walks. This way the dog will understand that he is a member of the pack and the outside world is not dangerous.
2. From the first days it is important to make it clear that the owner is the leader. To do this, all commands are given strictly, but without aggression or cruelty. When stubbornness occurs, the baby is placed on its back, imitating the position of submission in the pack.
3. If abused, either a frightened or an aggressive dog with an uncontrollable psyche in critical situations can grow up.

American Pit Bull Terrier - training

At its core, the American Pit Bull Terrier breed is very playful and intelligent, so it happily accepts new training in the format of a game:

1. Before training, the dog is walked.
2. The learning process should not last long, so, 5-20 minutes. in the initial stages it will be enough.
3. The pet must follow any command strictly, for which he receives encouragement in the form of a treat. All attempts to bite the owner are stopped by a strict command and termination of training.
4. If you show stubbornness and aggression, it is better to contact professional dog handlers.

Pros and cons of the breed

The pit bull dog has both positive and negative sides.

Pros:

1. The pit bull is muscular and strong, and will always protect from an ill-wisher.
2. The Pit Bull Terrier dog breed is characterized by its friendliness and openness; it is a sociable dog.
3. A beautiful pit bull will become a winner of exhibitions and will bring prizes.
4. The Pit Bull Terrier gets along well with children and is not dangerous to leave alone in a room with a child. Try on the role of a nanny.
5. Protects the house, hunts, and amazes with its intelligence.
6. He is not fussy about his diet.

Minuses:

1. Character, which must be trained from childhood, requires a lot of attention and time.
2. You will have to buy expensive food and carefully monitor your diet.
3. An adult pit bull has a higher chance of developing health problems.
4. Cannot stand loneliness and gets terribly bored when the owner is not around for a long time.
5. It is difficult to re-educate if the wrong tactics were chosen at the time of growing up.

Bad reputation

There is no need to fear the bad reputation imposed on this breed. If a puppy grew up in a family from childhood, received enough attention, affection and was raised correctly, he will never be aggressive towards people or other animals. But when another animal provokes a fight, the pit bull’s hunter’s instinct awakens. Then it may be difficult to calm him down. Experienced dog breeders do not recommend having pit bulls of the same sex in the house.

Many inexperienced dog owners, after adopting a pit bull terrier puppy, feel uncomfortable and wary of their pet. This is a huge mistake, because the pet perfectly feels this negative attitude. The animal does not understand this attitude; over time, the dog will become withdrawn and aggressive.

Inappropriate behavior of a pet can be provoked by fear or aggression from the people around him. Therefore, only a person who is confident in his intentions and strengths should get such a pet. In the presence of a dog, it is not recommended to show any attacks of dissatisfaction towards him or his owner, do not raise your voice or threaten the pet. And also do not try to pet an unfamiliar pit bull.

Maintenance, care and nutrition

A pit bull needs dry food, which will be prescribed by a veterinarian, but food will not be limited to it. The dog should not be fed from the table or what is left from your meal. He should eat natural foods, including fresh, low-fat meat and several types of cereals.

You need to monitor the temperature of the food. Neither too hot nor ice-cold food should be given. This will have a detrimental effect on the condition of the teeth and digestion. Measure out the amount of food you give. Pitbull does not always know when to stop and can eat too much if not controlled. He will quickly gain weight and losing it will not be so easy. After breakfast, lunch and dinner, you should give half an hour of rest so that everything is digested. No training or even games, just quiet activities.

Don’t force people to eat through “I can’t.” When he gets hungry, he will go to the bowl and eat. But if this continues for more than a day, you should consult a doctor. Before going to bed, the most high-calorie food is given, but breakfast should be light. The basis is proteins found in boiled eggs, meat, milk and fish.

Amino acids form muscles and affect bone strength. Don't forget about vegetables. Find those that your pit bull terrier will like (except for broccoli, they are prohibited). Fermented milk products are included between main meals as an afternoon snack and a snack. You will have to spend money on premium food. The usual can cause kidney stones, gum and digestive problems.

Grapes, onions, mushrooms, chocolate and other sweets, baked goods, corn, and raw bones are prohibited.

The apartment should be spacious. The Pit Bull Terrier will grow and need more and more space to play and walk. A private home is ideal. Want to put your pit bull on a leash? Then you will need equipment two meters long. The dog needs freedom to move. The collar should be leather, durable and expensive. He will remove or break the remaining options. Do not allow them to sleep on your bed; lay out a separate rug.

Clean your ears once a week, otherwise complications will begin. Every week the dog needs to be combed with a special brush suitable for short-haired dogs. Pay attention to your nails: do the growths wear off after walking? No? Then trim it so that the pet does not scratch too much and painfully. You need to wash your eyes and brush your teeth every couple of weeks. Walk three times a day, train and educate according to the system.

How to choose a puppy

Pay attention to the pedigree. It must represent six generations or more. Track the statistics on the birth of puppies and be sure to find out what health difficulties the breeders faced. We must immediately prepare for possible treatment.

Get rid of the myth that a large head is a sign of a purebred and healthy dog. Better look at your back and its joints: are they too weak? Is there a curvature in the spine? Are your feet positioned correctly? The neck should be stronger than the legs. The front legs are thick and stable, the hind legs are elastic. The tail should preferably be set low. Don't get puppies that are too cowardly or angry, this will only get worse with age.