7 Tips For Training Pit Bulls

7 Tips For Training Pit Bulls

7 Tips For Training Pit Bulls

Training pit bulls, like training any dog, takes time and dedication. Learn how to be a great dog owner and teach your pup how to behave with these 7 tips.

Keyword(s): training pit bulls

Did you know:

  • Between 2 and 4 million puppies are born every year to puppy mills
  • An estimated 5 to 7 million animals enter U.S. shelters every year
  • 3 to 4 million dogs and cats in animal shelters are euthanized annually

This may seem shocking statistics. But you can be part of the solution by properly training your pit bull.

Let’s take a look at 7 tips you can use for training pit bulls.

1. Hold and Connect With Your Pup

When training pit bulls, building a trusting relationship and deep connection always comes first.

Without trust and safety, your dog will not internalize anything you try to teach them.

Emotional Support Animals

Some pit bulls have even been used as emotional support animals due to their natural ability to connect with humans.

You want your pup to get used to being held and snuggled. It’s important to form this bond with your dog, so they will know how to bond with other humans.

This first step also makes bathing, nail trimming and potential flea treatment applications a breeze since your dog will trust you.

2. Model Then Teach Relaxation Skills

As one of the most misunderstood dogs in our society, pit bulls often get a bad rap. But they can learn every skill any other dog can.

Just like a human being can learn and grow with kindness and patient guidance, so can your pit bull.

Model the Skills

As with children, your pit bull learns from modeling your behavior. If you’re high strung and anxious most of the time, your dog will be too. Because energy transfers from being to being.

Quiet and ground yourself regularly. Whether through mantras, deep breathing or imagery, calm your energies and mind before interacting with your pit.

Dogs can get frightened at seemingly trivial things such as a branch falling from a tree or a loud voice.

Teach the Skills

You can train your dog to become relaxed in these situations by giving them a cue to calm themselves. The cue can be your hand firmly grasping their ear or a hand simply placed on their back.

This technique is called grounding. And it works with both pets and humans.

So the next time you’re stressed, place your tongue on the roof of your mouth. It can help you become a better model for your pup.

Rewards

Reward your pup every time you notice them self-soothing. Treats, petting and praise are all good rewards, depending on the situation.

3. Teach and Model Self-control

When training pit bulls, you’ll want to make sure you’re holding yourself to the same level of self-control as you hold them.

Teach Self-Control

As with any healthy sense of self-control, the control must first be external before it can become internal.

Begin with techniques such as making eye contact with your pit in order to communicate the need for presence. Hold the gaze and then guide them to the behavior you desire.

Take, for instance your pit becoming restless and agitated whenever the neighbors begin their lawn mower. They begin howling and scratching at the door.

To elicit presence, stillness and appropriate behavior from your dog, have a cue and use it consistently. Every time the lawn mower starts up, you can place your hand on their head.

It doesn’t really matter what the cue is. The important thing is that you use it consistently. Every single time.

Model Self-Control

Challenge yourself to use your own techniques to stay mindful and act appropriately. This will help you maintain patience during the training process.

4. Provide Social Opportunities Within Certain Parameters

Whether you have pit bull puppies or full grown dogs, socialization is critical.

Don’t leave anything to chance when training pit bulls. You’ll want to closely supervise your dog whenever they’re around other dogs or children.

Have a clear idea of your expectations for their interaction with others. A few things to ask yourself are:

  • How rough is too rough when rolling around with other dogs?
  • Are you even okay with your pit rolling around with other dogs?
  • Where do you draw the line with interaction with children?
  • Is a playful nip to be discouraged?
  • Is growling where you draw the line?

Know Your Limits

Whatever your limits, make sure you are consistent. Every time your dog exhibits a forbidden behavior, have a predictable consequence at the ready.

And when your dog has an exceptionally good day, be sure to reward them accordingly.

5. Get ‘Em Moving

When training pit bulls, you want to have regular avenues for them to release excess energy.

Most of us know when a dog has extra energy, there’s no telling what they’ll do: Chew up 4 pairs of shoes, destroy the living room couch or even nip a person.

Get your pit to safe areas where they can let out their energy and run freely. This will make them much easier to train.

6. Aggressive Energy Invites Aggressive Energy

Because all dogs are empaths, they sense every emotion we have and respond to it with mirrored energy.

Think about the last time your dog came to comfort you when you were feeling sad or grieving a loss. They felt it and synced up with your emotions.

Dogs Copy What They See/Feel

If you’re frustrated, upset or angry, your dog will act accordingly. They will simulate your actions, just in their doggy way.

The same goes for aggressive dogs or children in your pup’s environment. Be aware of what kinds of energy surrounds your pit as you train them.

Also, don’t use aggressive training techniques. Rewards for positive behavior go so much further than strict punishment for negative behavior.

7. Check Yourself

Last but not least, check yourself before and during the training process.

Keep your emotions in check when interacting with your pup. Calmly and consistently administer rewards and consequences.

Remember, there’s no such thing as a bad dog, only bad behavior.

During the training process, treat them with the same compassion you would have for your own child.

Breeding and Training Pit Bulls

From confidante to empath to protector, your pit bull fills so many roles in your life. You love and cherish them like a member of your own family.

And these 7 tips can help guide them in their growth.

If you’re looking to add another pup to your household and a place that holds great passion for breeding pit bulls, check us out at Crump Bullies.

 

 

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