HighRoller
04-30-2005, 12:15 PM
Responsible Pit Bull Ownership Guidelines
• NEVER leave Pit Bulls unsupervised with other animals. When no one is around to keep an eye on them, the dogs should be safely crated or in separate rooms, even if the dogs are best friends. You never know what might trigger a fight in your absence. All canines can fight, but Pit Bulls were bred to never quit and may not recognize normal signs of submission in the heat of a fight. If no one is home to break the fight, the dogs could inflict very serious injuries to each other, or worse.
• Have your dog (s) spayed or neutered as early as possible. Females that are in their reproductive cycles, and males who are triggered by their sexual hormones, tend to be far more reactive and aggressive than those who are not.
• Always monitor the dogs while they play, and don’t let things escalate. Roughhousing can trigger a fight if not kept under control. Pit Bulls like to play rough and can be pretty vocal. Their games often mimic a real fight and can be overwhelming for the other dog. Don’t let the dogs push it too far. As the “leader” it is your responsibility to keep your dogs under control.
• Never leave at their disposal food, bones, toys, or anything that could trigger a fight. Keep in mind that certain dogs tend to compete for what they perceive as limited resources - your attention, food, toys, etc.
• ALWAYS have your Pit Bull on leash when you take him/her for a walk.
• Do not bring an adult Pit Bull to an off-leash dog park or any other area where it may come into contact with other dogs running loose.
• Early socialization MAY help, but is not a guarantee that your Pit Bull won’t become dog aggressive at some point. ALWAYS be prepared for it! Remember that even if it’s a non-Pit Bull dog that starts the hostilities, the Pit Bull has the genetics to finish the fight, and will most likely pay the price in the hands of the authorities.
• NEVER leave Pit Bulls unsupervised with other animals. When no one is around to keep an eye on them, the dogs should be safely crated or in separate rooms, even if the dogs are best friends. You never know what might trigger a fight in your absence. All canines can fight, but Pit Bulls were bred to never quit and may not recognize normal signs of submission in the heat of a fight. If no one is home to break the fight, the dogs could inflict very serious injuries to each other, or worse.
• Have your dog (s) spayed or neutered as early as possible. Females that are in their reproductive cycles, and males who are triggered by their sexual hormones, tend to be far more reactive and aggressive than those who are not.
• Always monitor the dogs while they play, and don’t let things escalate. Roughhousing can trigger a fight if not kept under control. Pit Bulls like to play rough and can be pretty vocal. Their games often mimic a real fight and can be overwhelming for the other dog. Don’t let the dogs push it too far. As the “leader” it is your responsibility to keep your dogs under control.
• Never leave at their disposal food, bones, toys, or anything that could trigger a fight. Keep in mind that certain dogs tend to compete for what they perceive as limited resources - your attention, food, toys, etc.
• ALWAYS have your Pit Bull on leash when you take him/her for a walk.
• Do not bring an adult Pit Bull to an off-leash dog park or any other area where it may come into contact with other dogs running loose.
• Early socialization MAY help, but is not a guarantee that your Pit Bull won’t become dog aggressive at some point. ALWAYS be prepared for it! Remember that even if it’s a non-Pit Bull dog that starts the hostilities, the Pit Bull has the genetics to finish the fight, and will most likely pay the price in the hands of the authorities.