Care & Feeding Tips for Your Pet Pit Bull's Well-Being

No breed has been so savagely maligned as the Pit Bull. Many view the Pit Bull as an untamable, vicious fighting dog. In truth, Pit Bulls are loving, loyal, pets, who happen to be enormously athletic. They are also strong-minded, with a bit of stubbornness thrown in. They do not make good pets for humans who are passive, lazy, or timid. To own a Pit Bull means pledging to discipline, exercise, be tenacious, and train smartly.

Pit Bulls are not any more dangerous than many other dog breeds. The reason that the public has gotten this impression is because the media is quick to report the misdeeds of this breed. For some reason they tend to spotlight the Pit Bull in a negative way. In some cases, the breed of the dog who is being reported as the attacker in a biting incident is not a Pit Bull, but is described as a "Pitt Bull-like dog". When trained correctly the normal pet Pit Bull is non-aggressive and acts like most other breeds..

If affection and loyalty are important to a potential owner, Pit Bulls fill the bill. They love licking, kissing, and resting beside you on your chair. Give them half a chance and they will be a lap dog. They can be a good apartment dweller, as long as a proper exercise regime is in place. When a loving, responsible family raises a pet Pit Bull, and socializes the dog from the time he joins the family, this breed will be people-lovers. In fact, training and control need to be in place so that Pit Bulls do not get too excited about seeing a friend come into the yard. Their affection for people, in most cases, precludes them from being good guard dogs. A Pit Bull should only be considered as a pet for a family that is confident, experienced, and determined. Pits are not comfortable if they think a family does not know what they are doing.

Training your pet Pit Bull should start as soon as you get them home for the first time. House training them will at times seems like an endless task but with patience it will end if done right. While you should never discipline a puppy for having a accident in the house its especially important with Pit Bulls. They are strong willed and need to be trained with love instead discipline. By watching your pup you'll learn when they are getting ready to go and by picking it up and taking it out side it'll soon get the idea you want it to go outside rather than in the house.

Training should also include crate training so you pet Pit Bull will have a safe place they can call their own. Once they get used to their crate you can feel assured that when you leave your pet will be safe and won't get bored, which could lead to some damage to your home. You should not leave your dog outside when no one is at home as not only could they cause problems but there is always the chance they could be stolen. Pit Bulls are among the most often stolen of all the breeds.

As with all breeds, when outside of a fenced area, keep your Pit Bull on a leash to ensure proper control. Pit Bulls have sharp teeth and strong jaws. An unexpected encounter with a yappy or aggressive dog could end unhappily. If your pet Pit Bull is well trained it will usually ignore a pesky dog but sometimes this will embolden the yapper and they might become a little more aggressive and that's when a problem could arise.

Pit Bulls have short hair, and though they have normal shedding, their grooming is simple. Light brushing every few days will not only take care of the shedding but will also be pleasurable to your pet. Unless it gets dirty a bath will only be necessary a couple of times a year. My daughters Pit Bull loves water, so he got a bath every time he saw someone watering with a garden hose.

You should not feed your pet Pit Bull processed foods not matter how much they advertise the health benefits. A good rule to go by is if it's advertised on TV don't feed it to your pet. If possible you should make your pet's food at home. Use high quality raw and cooked meats, some vegetables and fruits with no or minimal grains. Make sure you have some bones for them to chew on. The calcium is good for them and it will also help keep their teeth clean. If you can't make your pets food at home be sure you buy them the best food you can afford.

Pit Bulls are generally quite healthy dogs but like most dogs you should make regular visits to your vet. By feeding your pet natural food and using other natural products you will cut your veterinarian bill drastically. It would probably be a good idea to have your pet spayed or neutered unless you plan to breed them. Doing this normally makes the Pet Bull more docile and easier to handle.

Now that you have found out more about Pit Bulls you can make an intelligent choice of whether they would make a good pet for your family. If you choose a Pit Bull you should probably get one from a reputable breeder rather than a pet shop or pound. This way you will know you are getting a pet that has been correctly trained or with a puppy one you can train in the correct manner. You will find that a well trained pet Pit Bull will become a valued member of your entire family. This is especially true for the active family.

Don Levy http://www.pitbulllovers.com Pit Bull Lovers.com