Will a Pit Bull Really Make a Good Pet Dog - Pros and Cons

The Pit Bull Terrier is probably the most maligned breed of dog in the world. Part of their defamation and name comes from the fact that they can be trained to fight in dog pits. Another factor is that they are the dog of choice of many gang members. Pit Bull has also seemed to become a synonym for toughness and meanness. All of this causes a lot of fear when most people are confronted by one of them.

A fact that not many people are aware of is that a well trained Pit Bull is one of the most friendly and sweetest dogs you will ever find. Ask people which dogs have either bitten them or tried to bite them and I think you'll find that most will say the little dogs such as the poodles, Chihuahua, dachshunds and such. The reason dogs like Pit Bulls get a bad rap is that they can do a lot of damage when they do bite. I would guess that most Pit Bulls that bite people have been trained to be mean and aggressive. Another reason they might bite is if someone threatened them or their dog or human family.

Training is the key for a pet Pit Bull to become a good member of the family. My daughter has a Pit Bull that was among the friendliest dogs I have ever met. I'll admit the first time I visited her after she got the dog I was about ready to get up and run when she opened the back door and this huge Pit Bull came running towards me. She told him to be nice and he instantly started walking, after making sure it was OK, instead of running. The only problem was that he was still coming towards me but I knew my daughter wouldn't let him hurt me so I relaxed. When he reached me I started to pet him and could see he was about to turn himself inside out he was so happy. I was sitting on the couch and he was trying to get into my lap when she told him to come to her. At that point I will have to say my perceptions of Pit Bulls changed a huge amount.

I'm convinced that a Pit Bull will make a good pet but now I'll tell you the pros and cons of why you might think about one for a pet. Once you have a sound understanding of the Pit Bull breed, you may want to add a pet Pit Bull to your life.

Pros:

Pit Bulls are people-oriented pets. With proper, consistent training, this breed will be the life of the party.

Pits are genuinely loving. Kissing, cuddling, playing, and being in a person's lap (even though they can weigh up to 50-60 pounds) are their favorite pastimes.

Pleasing the people they live with will be one of your pet Pit Bull's favorite things. They adore making their family happy. Training a Pit can be very satisfying and can even lead to performing in obedience competitions.

These playful pets will chase Frisbees, fetch sticks, run after balls, tussle with their family members, and, generally play until they drop. To say that having a Pit Bull is fun is an understatement.

Enthusiasm is a Pit Bull's middle name. They are young-at-heart and never outgrow their fun-loving spirit.

Tremendously athletic, the family will be challenged to keep up with this powerful breed.

Pit Bulls are attractive. Their muscular, compact build draws attention wherever they go.

Cons:

The breed has got a bad rap over the years and most people are scared of them, so you can't get your feelings hurt when they avoid your pet Pit Bull.

Pit Bulls must be well supervised around other animals. They tend to be fine unless the other animal show aggression. At this point you and your pet might want to take your leave.

These dogs are the number one dogs stolen from their families in America. Do not leave your pet Pit Bull outside without supervision.

Pits are the Houdinis of the dog world. They can escape from most places, so families must be attentive and determined when attempting to keep their animal safe.

Especially as puppies, this breed can be a handful. A sense of humor will be needed to work through puppy hood with your pet Pit Bull.

Don't let your pet Pit Bull get bored. A bored Pit is going to find something to do, and it might be something unacceptable to the family.

This breed is audacious. They never give up. They are strong-willed and your families will needs to be stronger.

They need plenty of exercise so a large yard is almost a must. Just walking them is not really enough exercise for them. Unless your family is very active you might want to think about another breed.

If you want a guard dog, a Pit is not for you. They usually happily to welcome all who enter the family's yard.

All in all, this breed makes a fine family pet. I can attest to this personally after being with my daughters Pit Bull for a while. These dogs are not what you would call a house dog. Walking them is sometimes a chore as they are strong and if they decide to go a different way you may have a problem holding them back. This is a good reason to make sure they are well trained.

One thing I noticed when we would take my daughters dog for a walk was the wide berth people gave us. This kind of bothered her as she knew how nice her dog was. Another problem with not having a large yard is if you take them to a dog park all of a sudden you look around and your pet Pit Bull is the only dog in the park.

You need to make sure you give your pet Pit Bull lots of attention. But most of all make sure that your family has the resolve, self-discipline, and fortitude to train your pet thoroughly. Unless you are planning to breed your pet you might want to think about spaying or neutering them. This will make them more mellow and easier to train. Remember there are no bad dogs, only uneducated owners. Before you decide one way or the other visit a family who has a well trained pet Pit Bull and you'll see what I'm talking about..

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