Other Names: Pit Bull Terrier, American Pit BullLifespan: 12 Years
Male Height: 18-19 Inches
Male Weight: 57-67 Pounds
Female Height: 17-18 Inches
Female Weight: 57-67 Pounds
American Kennel Club Classification : Terrier GroupCanadian Kennel Club Classification : TerriersKennel Club (Great Britain) Classification : Terrier
American Staffordshire Terrier - A Pit Bull Could Be The Right Dog For You
Although Pit Bulls have gained a bad reputation for their seemingly aggressive behavior, this breed can be the ideal pet for the right owner. Pit Bulls crave attention and are very loyal and loving toward people.
Other dogs, on the other hand, tend to bring out the aggressive behavior of the Pit Bull. Originally bred to fight other dogs, Pit Bulls generally will not tolerate other dogs, especially those of the same sex. But with an owner who is knowledgeable about Pit Bulls and their personality traits, this breed will flourish and bring a great deal of enjoyment to their human companions.
Pit Bulls tend to be very confident, loving and bright, but also very dependent on humans. If left on their own for too long, they will often develop destructive habits such as chewing out of frustration and loneliness.
A good owner for this pet would be someone who is very responsible and committed to the specific care required by a Pit Bull. Pit Bulls need a great deal of training, exercise and one on one attention with their owners to keep from becoming frustrated. They should also not be left alone with other dogs. Therefore, a household with no other pets is an ideal home for a Pit bull.
Contrary to the image that they have in the media, Pit Bulls can be great with children. In general, Pit Bulls love people, especially children. The most common problem associated with Pit Bulls and children is that Pit Bulls are extremely energetic and they have a tendency, in their excitement, to knock young children over, puppies especially have a tendency for this.
They are also very easy to train due to their high level of intelligence and desire to please their owner. For this reason, positive methods of training work best for a Pit Bull. Demoralizing punishments usually are very counterproductive in Pit Bulls because of their personality traits and should be avoided.
Pit Bulls live for an average of 12 to 14 years and usually experience good health for their entire lifetimes. Some common health problems experienced by the breed include Parvo, hip displaysia, hereditary cataracts and allergies.
In General, this breed is very easy to socialize with humans and is typically a great deal of fun to have around. Many Pit Bulls exhibit superior performance when it comes to obedience training and physical activities such as Frisbee and playing ball. For these reasons, Pit Bulls should not be overlooked when selecting a pet if you have what it takes to care for this special breed.
American Staffordshire Terrier - 10 Easy to Remember Tips for Responsible Pit Bull Owners
1. Exercise your dog everyday. Pit Bulls are high energy dogs that need some way of burning off that pinned up energy. Even a short 10-15 minute walk or game of fetch in the backyard will help burn off energy that can lead to behavior problems.
2. Never leave pit bulls alone with other dogs (or any animal). Even if you're dog gets along great 99.9% of the time with other animals the Pit Bull is known for animal aggression and it is possible something will happen. A good piece of advice I received a long time ago was, never trust your Pit Bull not to fight.
3. Always have your dog on a leash in public. Most if not all towns, cities and states have leash laws. Obey these laws. This will help people see your dog in a positive light and keep accidents like getting hit by passing cars from occurring.
4. Always supervise your dogs and never allow them to roam free. Loose dogs are often hurt by cruel people and accidents can happen as well. Always know where your dog is.
5. Supervise your dog with small children. This is a must. Small children are often hurt by dogs not out of angry, but because dogs can scratch them, step on them, and otherwise injure them.
6. Spay or Neuter your dog. Unless you plan on doing something where the dog can not be spayed or neutered get it done. This will reduce accidental breeding and stop roaming males from getting loose.
7. Train your dog. Take your dog to obedience classes or hire a private trainer to help you train your dog. This is very important for Pit Bull owners. If you can not control your dog bad things will eventually happen. Get your dog into training as soon as possible.
8. Avoid dog parks. The one exception to this tip is when your Pit Bull is a puppy and up to date on all their shots going to a dog park to socialize them. However, when the dog gets older it turns into a bad idea.
Because you have a Pit Bull is not the main reason for not going to places like these. Rather it's because other dogs and owners are not responsible and let their dogs run around like retards. This can cause friction between your dog and another dog at the park. Not a good scenario.
9. Socialize your dog. Take your dog to as many places as you can, meet new people and while they are young meet as many other dogs as possible. Socializing your Pit Bull will help curb any future problems that might occur.
10. Keep your dog properly confined. Pit Bulls are known to be great escape artist. Make sure you have the means to keep them in your yard and properly confined. Installing a six foot privacy fence is not a bad idea either.
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