Pit Bull Training

Many times, I’m asked if specific breeds like Pit Bulls are more difficult to train. When teaching dogs polite behaviors, about 90% is the same learning principles, which means all dogs are able to learn. So let’s discuss the differences between Pit Bull Terriers and other breeds of dogs.

Top 3 Pit Bull Terrier Behaviors

Polite Greetings

o   Dog Greetings: Some Pit Bulls can be snarky to other dogs, so it’s vital they learn to meet, greet or ignore other dogs. Not all dogs like to meet and play with other dogs, and we need to respect their requests. If we push too hard and force them to enjoy being around other dogs, they will quickly learn to bite other dogs to keep them away. This is true for all breeds of dogs.

o   People Greetings: Pit Bulls are large dogs and we need to teach them how to greet people politely. This means no jumping, body slamming or crawling into strangers’ laps. They should learn to sit when a person walks towards them. This is easy to teach: Person walks towards Pittie. If your Pittie jumps up, the person walks away. The person only walks towards Pittie when all four feet are on the ground or they are sitting. Voila!

Polite Leash Manners

Due to the large size of Pit Bull Terriers, they can pull you into parked cars or even traffic if they want to greet someone. Teach your dog that pulling does not pay off, as you remain still. If he does not pull, he can walk forward. I would recommend a front clip harness for most large dogs, as this harness controls pulling until you can teach your Pittie polite manners.

RELATED: Stop Your Dog From Pulling on the Leash

Body Handling

As with most large breed dogs, it’s important for Pitties to allow body handling, such as nail trims and people looking into their ears and mouth plus gentle restraint for blood draws. Touch your Pittie’s ear, then click and treat. Touch his nails, then click and treat. Do this for one minute each day for best results.

VIDEO: How to Train a Dog Body Handling

As with all breeds of dogs, Pit Bull Terrier owners need to socialize their Pittie puppies from an early age. They should meet lots of new people and dogs before 16 weeks old. Want to bring a Pittie into your home? Learn about the Pittie breed from a Dog Trainer’s Perspective. To learn more about Pitties and rescue, view Pit Bull Rescue Center and BadRap – Pit Bull Rescue.

Tell me about your Pittie and what polite behaviors you taught him!

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