Tips for a Pitbull not to be aggressive
We all know the theory that dogs are how their owners educate them and it goes without saying that it is a totally true theory. However, some dog breeds such as the Pitbull have a strong character that is not always easy to master.
It's not that American Pitbull Terrier dogs are aggressive by nature, but being very strong dogs in their adulthood, it goes without saying that poorly behaved can be a potential danger, just like any other large breed of dog.
That is why from SoyUnPerro we are going to give you some good advice so that a Pitbull is not aggressive in its adulthood, you can take them or leave them, but you do not lose anything by putting them into practice and you can gain a lot.
Teach your Pitbull basic commands intensively
You can see many people teaching their dog to get on two legs, roll over, or even play dead, but that won't do you any good with your Pitbull. Focus on what is really important, the basic orders.
Teach your American Pitbull basic but really important commands like "Come here", "Sit" and "No". Those are the commands that are really going to help you in case your dog becomes aggressive in an unexpected way. More information at: How to train a Pitbull puppy.
And it is not enough for the dog to sit or come to your call when you ask, it must also do so in adverse situations, such as in the presence of other dogs barking or in places with a lot of noise where it can suffer stress. Focus on those commands and practice them daily throughout your life.
Dominate your Pitbull by showing him who the Alpha male is
This does not mean that you should be aggressive with your dog, since never, under any circumstances should you be aggressive with him or show aggressiveness in front of him. Being the alpha male simply means educating your dog as part of the pack.
Accustom him as a puppy to the following things and he will understand without problem that you are the Alpha male:
Tell him to sit when you put the feeder on him and don't let him eat until you give him permission. To give him permission, let him sit until he looks you in the eye (he will look for you).
When he is eating, get him used to the fact that you can put your hand in his food as many times as you want without getting angry, and even tell him to stop eating for a moment or remove the feeder. He should know that you can do that whenever you want.
When you go out or go home with him, he should always be the last to leave and the last to enter, always behind you and the rest of the humans who accompany you.
Never allow it to come out on us or climb on us with its front legs.
Teach him to eat from your hand, it should not be always but he must learn to eat very slowly when you decide to give him food with your hand.
Humans eat first, then dogs. If your dog eats breakfast, lunch and dinner on your schedule, do not feed him until you have finished and collected your food.
Teach your APTB to respect the house rules
There are certain rules that your dog must respect at home, it is important that we start teaching them from puppyhood so that they get used to them and respect them. Never skip a rule by allowing it to ignore it, because with just one time you will know that you can do it whenever you want.
Do not let him climb the sofa, he has his bed to rest.
Do not let him climb into your bed or sleep with you, he has his bed.
Do not allow him to leave the house if you open the door to the postman or a neighbor, he should always stay behind you.
They are simple right? Well, you would be surprised to know the number of people who cannot get their dog to respect them simply because on some occasion they decided to let him pass ... you must always be vigilant.
Never use violence or aggression with your Pitbull or with anyone
Although it may be hard to believe, dogs are extremely intelligent, especially American Pitbull Terriers. It will be enough to see an inappropriate behavior once for him to think that this behavior is correct.
You should never use violence or aggression in front of your dog, because he will see it, notice it and think that this is the right thing to do and even that he can also be violent when he sees fit.
Never use aggression with your dog, that is, do not hit or mistreat him, because he will believe that abuse is normal and can mistreat other dogs or people. So always avoid all aggressive behavior in their presence and be calm.
Teach your APTB to respect the house rules
There are certain rules that your dog must respect at home, it is important that we start teaching them from puppyhood so that they get used to them and respect them. Never skip a rule by allowing it to ignore it, because with just one time you will know that you can do it whenever you want.
Do not let him climb the sofa, he has his bed to rest.
Do not let him climb into your bed or sleep with you, he has his bed.
Do not allow him to leave the house if you open the door to the postman or a neighbor, he should always stay behind you.
They are simple right? Well, you would be surprised to know the number of people who cannot get their dog to respect them simply because on some occasion they decided to let him pass ... you must always be vigilant.
Never use violence or aggression with your Pitbull or with anyone
Although it may be hard to believe, dogs are extremely intelligent, especially American Pitbull Terriers. It will be enough to see an inappropriate behavior once for him to think that this behavior is correct.
You should never use violence or aggression in front of your dog, because he will see it, notice it and think that this is the right thing to do and even that he can also be violent when he sees fit.
Never use aggression with your dog, that is, do not hit or mistreat him, because he will believe that abuse is normal and can mistreat other dogs or people. So always avoid all aggressive behavior in their presence and be calm.
Uninhibit your Pitbull's bite
You must teach him from a puppy that he cannot bite a human, not you or anyone else. Teaching a Pitbull to control the bite is something fundamental and a priority that we must teach him from puppyhood.
We must teach him since you have weeks of life not to bite us, it will be enough to shout with a "Ayyy !!!!" followed by a "No" when he bites us while playing. We must also stop the game immediately for a few minutes so that he understands or thinks that he hurt us and that biting is wrong.
By repeating the exercise daily, we will be able to uninhibit the bite of our Pitbull puppy. It is essential to only practice with puppies as an adult dog could seriously injure us.
Socialize your Pitbull from puppyhood so that it is not aggressive
Socializing a dog is very simple, it consists of mixing it with its environment so that it gets used to interacting with it, respecting it, getting to know it and not being scared or giving way to trauma.
As soon as your Pitbull can go outside, with about three months of life once he has all his vaccinations, take him out for a walk and take him to dog parks where he can meet and play with other dogs and animals.
He must get used to being smelled, being scolded, playing and respecting You should also meet more humans and let them touch and caress you as they please, that's socializing.
Teach your Pitbull to respect all humans
It is not enough that your Pitbull respects you, your dog must respect absolutely all humans, whoever they are and how old they are. Never allow your Pitbull to do to a person what he would not do to you.
That is, don't let him growl at a human, don't allow him to jump on other humans, or mark them. Although you may think these are false Pitbull myths, many of them are true. Make it clear to him that all humans have preference over him, so that he learns to respect them and avoid being aggressive.
Spend the energy of your Pitbull and avoid loneliness
APTBs (American Pitbull Terrier) are dogs with a lot of energy that they need to expend on a daily basis. And no, obviously taking long walks is not enough, they need to run with you (you can ride a bike or rollerblades if you wish) and / or play with other dogs.
They must exercise a lot to expend their excess energy and feel fulfilled. On the other hand, avoid leaving them for long periods of time alone, dogs are pack animals that hate loneliness.
A Pitbull that you leave many hours alone at home or that you use as a watchdog will end up developing nervousness and with it aggressiveness. Don't make that mistake.
Never reward your Pitbull's excitement or nervousness
It is a big mistake to pet a dog when he is nervous, fearful, or overly excited. Because they will understand that being like this is positive and that is why you caress them, while you may think that you are simply relaxing them.
If your dog has growled with another dog and is nervous, if he has simply barked at a cat, or if you see him overly excited, order him to sit up and stay that way for a few minutes until he relaxes.
Then you can walk with him, but never caress him until you see that he is completely relaxed. And this is it, following these practical tips you will ensure that a Pitbull is not aggressive even when stressful situations arise, that is, you will have a fantastic balanced dog.
What Causes Aggression in Pit Bull Dogs?
The recent attack by a pit bull that ended in the death of a 14-month-old boy in Medellín reopened the debate about these potentially dangerous breeds.
Defenders of pit bulls and other breeds classified as dangerous - doberman, bull terrier, rottweiler, Japanese cough or Brazilian fila - assure that aggressive behaviors are due to the poor breeding of the owners, and that with a good education the dog can be very gentle and affectionate.
The detractors, for their part, say that there is no human power that can control the aggressive instincts of these races, and that it is best to sterilize them to avoid their procreation. But between the two positions there is a middle ground.
Also read: Every week more than 27 pet attacks occur in Bucaramanga
Alejandra Ramírez, clinical ethologist expert in the behavior of dogs and cats and director of the Perronalidad canine training center, explains that the aggressiveness of these breeds depends 50 percent on genetics and 50 percent on the environment, that is, on the environment in the that grows and the nurture it receives.
Regarding genetics, the pitbull was created in the United States in the early 20th century from the cross between bulldogs and terriers. The objective was to create a breed that would combine the bravery of terriers with the athleticism of bulldogs to make it compete in “bull-baiting”, a “sport” that consisted of locking a dog and a bull in a well so that they will fight to the death.
That's where its name comes from: pitbull literally means "bull's well." And according to Ramírez, a dog of this breed is capable of knocking down a cow.
The other 50 percent, the environment, has to do with parenting and caring for the masters. The ethologist explains that a dog of a potentially dangerous breed must remain with its mother and siblings for up to three or four months, because when it is taken out early, problems begin.
“The mother teaches the puppy how to behave, shows her not to bite hard, teaches her to eat and to relieve herself,” says Ramírez.
In addition, the first six months are fundamental: this is when the owner must show the dog the world and teach him to relate to other dogs, humans, children, cars, horses; in half a year, the dog learns to relate to the environment in which it is going to live.
Also read: Recommendations on keeping pets in Bucaramanga
For this, the ethologist suggests at least three hours a day of physical activity and socialization. "And three hours well given," he points out. That is why Ramírez recommends that people who want to adopt dogs of these breeds evaluate how much time they have and if they have the resources to educate their pets and provide them with food and health:
“When he doesn't have all that and goes out into the street, the dog literally goes out to eat the world. Because she does not know it ”.
Another mistake dog owners make is treating them like babies. "When the dog sleeps in bed and eats chicken with its owners, there are also problems," says the ethologist.
And it is much worse when they try to educate dogs with violent means, because animals absorb what their owners give them.
“Many times the education of dogs is at the point of blows, at the point of the newspaper, a shout, a kick or a confinement. There is no real learning, because they adopt an attitude out of fear. What one should do is educate positively, ”says Ramírez.
In the United States, for example, owners of potentially dangerous breeds must take a course and undergo medical and psychological tests before obtaining a permit to keep them.
Because also, when these dogs bite for the first time, it is very difficult for them to stop.
“It turns out that when an animal has killed or bitten, it gives them a lot of pleasure. It's something natural and instinctive, ”says Ramírez.
The expert in dog behavior explains that dogs classified as dangerous can start by biting a small animal, such as a rat or a chicken, and that is when they realize that they can handle larger prey.
Based on a set of variables, ethologists make an analysis of the danger of the dog and determine if it is manageable or not.
Ramírez explains it with an analogy:
A girl is born with a bad temper. "That is genetic and nobody takes it away." With education, a girl can be taught to treat her classmates well and to respect her elders. But if one day she wakes up in a bad mood, there is no one who can stand her. "A dairy cow is not the same as a fighting bull," says the ethologist.
This applies to all breeds: “If your pincher is aggressive you must prevent, because a pincher can rip off a child's finger. In terms of attack, it can be anyone ”.
The difference, of course, is that a pincher's bite is not lethal, but a pitbull's is.
