Training Tips (Cause Every Girl Could Use Them)

"Dogs, like humans, are in a constant state of learning. They are learning even if we don't notice. There are so many variables and subtleties in this process that it is difficult to explain." -Cinimon Clark

There's so many rumors that it's impossible to train pit bulls because they're stubborn, don't want to listen, etc...THIS ISN'T TRUE, if you know how to train them correctly! As the quote above states, dogs are always learning, so the owner needs to be willing to train them over the entire course of their lives! This takes a lot of work, but it can be very simple as long as you know good training tips:

Pit Bulls are a very dominant breed of dog. This means that they like to be in control of situations so they attempt to out-dominate one another to earn that sense of being in charge. So, if you have a pit bull, part of your training will be establishing your dominance in the relationship. Don't worry girls, this shouldn't be a hassle for you just because you don't have a deep voice! You can do this by making your dog earn everything it receives from you. This includes food, treats, attention, toys, play time, etc.

Another important part of training is teaching your dog to go to the bathroom OUTSIDE! While he/she is a puppy they will need to go a lot so you need to watch them closely for signs that indicate they need to go! Make sure you give them lots of praise when they use the bathroom in the right place, and if they mess up don't scold them too harshly. Instead of rubbing their nose in the mess, firmly tell them "NO," and take them outside to the correct place. Always take a puppy out 10-15 minutes after it's eaten, before bed and immediately after you wake up. If you do this consistently, your dog should catch on in no time! I followed these guidelines with Dozer, but sometimes on the weekends I would sleep in. I noticed that the days that I would slack off on being a good owner were the days Dozer had the most problems peeing and pooping in the house. It's sometimes not your dog's fault for messing up if you are the one who forgets to take them out. You should remember this, and try to improve if your dog begins having problems with messing in the house.

The last important part of training a pit bull that I want to talk about is socializing. You may wonder why socializing a dog could be so important? Well, it's been observed that most dog bites are from dogs that have been chained up with no contact in their back yards! If you socialize a pit bull it allows them to learn more and more about their surroundings, people, children, etc. The more they learn, the more behaved they will be around these things. You need to make sure you start socializing them when they're young, and introduce them to as many people as possible (in all different age groups). When you begin introducing them to other dogs, do it slowly. Make sure the other dogs are nice and that you can trust them. You don't want their first experience with other dogs to be a bad one! Show them that meeting new people and dogs is a positive thing, and give them plenty of praise for handling the situations well. If you continue to do this throughout the dogs entirely life, chances are that you and your dog will both be very happy with the results and your dog will be enjoyable for everyone!