Before we begin you should know that the term Pit Bull does not refer to a specific breed of dog, rather it is a blanket term used to refer to several breeds of dog of similar type. These dogs are banned in many places and restricted in others.

Anyone who has one of these dogs or who is considering getting a Pit Bull must be honest about one fact: These dogs are potentially dangerous, they were bred to hunt, fight, and kill, and are stronger than many other dog breeds. Denial of such an aspect is foolish, as indeed any dog has the potential to do harm.

Buy from a Reputable Breeder or Adopt

Buying from a stranger out of the back of a truck is not a good way to acquire a dog. If buying a pup you will want to meet both parents, particularly the mother because puppies tend to grow up following similar behavior their mother had. As well if the pups came from a proper home they were probably properly socialized before being sold.

Adoption from a shelter is another option as most animal shelters do a full temperament assessment on the dogs before they are adopted out. The guy selling pups out of the back of his truck just wants cash, he probably has not even had the pups wormed or vet checked and very likely they have not been handled much prior to being sold in this fashion.

Never accept a puppy under 6 weeks of age, in fact 8 weeks is even better as it will have learned more socialization from its mother by that stage.

Puppy Classes

All puppies should attend basic puppy obedience and socialization, especially large breed puppies. These classes teach manners and social skills, like how to get along with other dogs. They also provide a learning opportunity for the dog owners.

More Training

Because Pit Bull dogs are smart and strong they should also take obedience classes as adult dogs, learning to walk nicely without pulling is very important. Additionally these classes offer mental stimulation meaning the dog is less likely to become bored and destructive.  Read more on specific training here.

photo source

Things to Never Do with a Pit Bull Terrier

Do not let the dog jump up on you, if it tries you need to ignore it so that it is not rewarded for this behavior, either raise your knee to meet it in the chest, or fold your arms and turn away from the dog. Do not even say “no” because vocalization is a reward to the dog.

Do not play dominance games such as tug of war.

Do not let the dog drag you on walks, if it does it needs more training. Resist the impulse to use a choke chain, dogs can pull on these too and they do not really train the dog to walk better.

Do not keep the dog chained in the back yard, this often increases their aggression.

Do not leave a male dog intact unless it is going to shows and will be used for breeding. Intact male dogs are potentially more dangerous.

Do not encourage your dog to show aggression against other animals. 

Do not leave your dog alone with children, this is an accident waiting to happen with any dog breed.