Everyone who decides to have a pit bull dog needs to remember that this is the most dangerous breed of a four-friend in the world. In inept hands, such a pet can turn into a ruthless killer. It is not surprising that today in many countries pit bulls are simply prohibited for maintenance by ordinary people.
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Description and characteristics of the breed
To start the characterization of the breed is with its unprecedented aggressiveness. Because of this feature, pit bull terriers are banned, for example, in Australia and the EU countries. For some time in the USA, breeders of such dogs were severely persecuted and punished. The persecution was accompanied by terrible pictures of torn people who periodically appeared in the media. However, in some states, representatives of the breed in question are used by the police.
Interestingly, to date, pit bulls as a breed are not recognized in the international organization FCI. This is because there are difficulties in accurately assessing the nature and appearance of animals. Specialists still have not identified one main line. Therefore, there are two at once: bulldog and terrier.
Representatives of this breed are sometimes very different in behavior and parameters.
In general, pit bulls are persistent, strong-willed animals with an unprecedentedly strong jaw. It is recommended to start them exclusively by experienced professional dog handlers who have previously worked with fighting dogs.
With proper education, such a pet is kind and extremely clean.True, all his good qualities are manifested exclusively to the owner and immediate family members. The rest of the dog may be aggressive and be wary.
The description of the breed in question is rather vague.
But the features of a purebred pit bull should fall into the following framework:
- The head expands in the forehead, on top - as flat as possible. Size - medium, shape - rectangular.
- The cheeks are fleshy, protruding significantly beyond the head, but there are no hanging dangles.
- Massive muzzle with approximately equal parameters - width and length. There is a smooth and sharp transition from the forehead to the nose.
- Powerful developed jaws with a standard bite (according to the principle of scissors).
- Ears are high. The owners can both stop them and leave them untouched.
- Oval, elongated, not too deep set eyes. They can have any color.
- The coat is short and tight to the skin.
- Paws are medium with straight elbows. Upstairs are pretty wide.
- The tail is short, low and narrowed. Not twisted.
- The color of these dogs can also be very different. According to the standard, only merle is considered a deviation.
Pit bull males are larger than bitches. Their height at the withers ranges from 47 to 52 cm. For girls - from 42 to 41 cm. The weight of the first is from 10 to 28 kg, and from the second from 10 to 19 kg.
Pit Bull Origin History
Anyone who decides to settle an American pit bull terrier in their home needs to remember that he was bred for deadly bloody fights between dogs.
Only after a long time did the animal begin to adapt for other purposes. For example, to search for and protect people, hunting, protecting livestock and the like.
Even before the fighting between dogs began to be organized, the breed in question was often chosen as participants in impromptu battles with bears, bulls, and wild boars. In the mid-19th century, such cruel entertainment was banned and the four-legged “killers” were left out of work. But a little later they were useful to the organizers of bloody dog fights.
Pit bull - the result of a successful mating of a bulldog and a terrier. The United States is considered to be its homeland, although, as already noted above, the breed is not officially recognized by the IFF.
Dog's purpose
The discussed fighting breed of dogs in everyday life is most often used to protect suburban homes and their owners. It is generally accepted that walking next to such a dog is absolutely safe for their owners. In fact, this is only true if the owner of the pit bull is an experienced dog breeder. The biggest mistake is to have such a dog for a child.
But, as noted above, pit bulls are used in some countries by the police. The thing is that dogs - “killers” have the finest sense of smell, an instant reaction. They can easily find drugs and explosives even in the most inaccessible places.
With proper upbringing, a pit bull can become an excellent bodyguard, devoted to its owner until his death.
Puppy selection criteria
Today, American pit bull terrier puppies are sold by experienced professional breeders as well as on the black market. When you buy a dog in an unchecked place with your hands, there is a chance to get a weak, sick pet that has not received proper care since birth. Therefore, it is so important to go for a puppy to an experienced competent breeder.
First of all, you need to decide for what purpose a pit bull is acquired. If you plan to participate with him in various exhibitions, then you need to choose a show-class dog, and a breed-class for breeding. It should be noted right away that both options cannot be called budgetary. If the puppy becomes just a pet, you can take a pet of a pet class, it will look simpler, but this does not affect the character. And the cost of such dogs is much lower.
It is important to remember that at 2 months it is almost impossible to determine which puppy will grow.Therefore, if you want to get all the main titles at future exhibitions together with your pet, it is better to immediately take the already grown up baby. For example, six or seven months. In this case, the dog can already be seen or, conversely, exclude the makings of a future successful champion.
But buying a six-month-old puppy has an important minus. Most likely, the baby will already have formed habits that may not appeal to its owner. Retraining is always more difficult than training from scratch.
Before buying, you need to find as much information as possible about the breeder. Read reviews about his animals.
Do not be shy to ask questions before buying, no matter how silly and uncomfortable they may seem. Well, if there is an opportunity to see already adult dogs from past litters. Do not neglect this opportunity.
Maintenance and care of the pit bull terrier
The most dangerous dog in the world requires constant attention and very careful care.
- A place. First of all, from a very early age, a pit bull needs to allocate its own place and accustom the baby to it. In this area there should be a bed / rug or some other semblance of a bed.
- Bathing. About once every 10 months, the animal needs to arrange a "bath day". In the process, he thoroughly washed with baby soap or a special dog remedy. The rest of the time, it’s enough to wipe the pet’s belly and paws after the street. Completely bathing a pit bull is often not recommended by specialists, otherwise their skin will not have time to be covered with a special protective layer. This threatens all kinds of epidermal diseases. It is not necessary to comb a pit bull.
- Hygiene of eyes, ears, teeth. The dog’s eyes should be wiped with strong tea or chamomile infusion approximately once every three days. Ears with the same frequency should be treated with an antiseptic. They also need to wipe periodically appearing on the body and head of the pet after wounds walk.
- Walking. On the street pit bull terrier must be taken regularly. The duration of the walk is at least 3 - 3.5 hours.
The dogs in question have a great appetite. If the animal loses it, then there is some kind of health problem. It is necessary to take him to a specialist as soon as possible.
The owner himself must control the feed portions of his pet, otherwise the dog will overeat regularly and eventually quickly become fat, lose normal healthy activity.
You can feed the pit bull with both dry and mixed feed. Allowed even natural food. The choice is made by the owner himself. It is advisable to consult with a veterinarian in the process and take into account the health status of the pet. Today there are special feeds on sale that are ideal for pit bulls and allow them to maintain good athletic shape for many years.
At the very beginning, when the baby is not yet 3 months old, the dog is given porridge with milk formula. It should be fluid. If the animal perceives such a dish well, porridge can begin to cook on a lean meat broth.
The maximum number of servings per day is 6. One of them is replaced by a dairy product. For example, kefir. Gradually, the puppy's diet should become more diverse: meat, vegetables, and other dairy products appear in it. Servings per day are reduced. So, from 8 to 9 months the dog usually eats no more than a couple of times a day. But one portion for a large pet in the volume reaches 1 liter.
How to train and raise a dog
Since the character of the American pit bull is quite complicated in order to properly raise a dog, its owner needs a lot of perseverance and firmness. After 1.5 years, the dog’s psyche becomes unstable, so you can not leave children and elderly people with it. At the same time, the animal hates being alone. It treats other pets badly. For example, just for the sake of the game, it can tear a cat or a small dog.
All pit bulls are very difficult to train. For this reason, they can not be started for children and people with a weak character.
It is necessary to educate and train such a puppy from the very first day of his appearance in the house. To begin with, the baby must get used to his nickname, and also learn the basic commands. Optimal - ask a professional dog handler for help. He will help to properly educate this difficult dog.
It must be remembered that at about the age of 1 year, the pit bull will try to demonstrate its leadership position and “defeat” the owner. At this point, it is important to maximize the strength of character and not yield to the dog. Otherwise, it will be extremely difficult to control it in the future. Girls of this breed are easier to raise. They are not so aggressive.
Under no circumstances should the pit bull go on guard-guard course. OKD is more suitable for him. After the first option, the dog’s psyche often changes dramatically. She becomes unbalanced, aggressive.
Particular attention in raising such a dog should be given to sports. The dog is vital to regularly pour out his energy. To do this, its owner will need to organize special strength training. As a special simulator, you can take, for example, tires from a passenger car. The dog will drag rubber on the rope while running. The tire can also be suspended from a tree branch. Then training with her will allow to develop the capture of the jaws.
Pros and cons of the breed
The main disadvantage of the breed can be called the aggressiveness and unpredictability of its representatives. If the owner makes even the slightest mistake in raising his dog or shows weakness, he himself may eventually become a victim of his beloved dog.
It is dangerous to leave the pit bull with children. Their attempts to play pit bull can be perceived as excessive importunity, causing discomfort. In this case, the dog can cause serious injuries to the babies even during the normal game. You should not send children for a walk with a dog of this dangerous breed. Only an adult strong person should go out to train with him.
Among the advantages can be noted the devotion of the pit bull. If the dog is properly raised, then it will perfectly guard and protect its owner from any danger.
Pit bull is an interesting and controversial breed. It causes a lot of controversy among dog lovers. Before you get yourself such a pet, you need to carefully evaluate all the pros and cons of the breed, not without reason called the most dangerous in the world.
