The following article will share with you three (3) tips you can use to curb behavior problems and keep your Pit Bull healthy too.

Tip #1: K9 to 5. Work is a must.

By work I mean something your Pit Bull must do in order to shed excess energy. A job is not only a great way to exercise your dog, it’s also a great way to curb behavior problems.

How does this curb behavior problems?

From my own research and experience I can tell you with 100% confidence that 95% of all behavior problems are caused by lack of stimulation.

In short, your big lovable Pit Bull is out and out bored stupid.

A bored dog will start to exhibit negative behaviors in order to relieve this excess stress caused by being bored.

Your task, give your dog something to do. Herding, agility, obedience, weight pulling, tracking, any of these would be a great job for your Pit Bull.

Tip #2: Cut out the Lap dog Routine.

Did I just say to stop loving your Pit Bull?

Not at all, what I mean is, there is a time for love and a time for your dog to be a dog.

When asked why Rover is jumping I respond by asking how much do you spoil Rover?

9 times out of 10 I get a list of things from all day, to oh he’s just like my baby, to he loves to lie on the couch for 20 hours a day!

Read that last one. There’s the answer to Rover’s jumping problem.

He’s giving too much love.

It’s possible and it happens all the time.

Pit Bulls are Pit Bulls not children or people.
They need structure and leadership. Not over-bearing you are so cute I just want to squeeze your cheeks until you pop, attention.
Your task is to give them less attention and more of what they really need. Structure and leadership.

Again, I’m not saying you shouldn’t love your dog or spoil them. But there has to be a limit to how much you give them both.

Tip #3: Do you walk or do you stroll?

A stroll is a short, light walk around the block or up to the local store for a soda and some bubble gum.

A walk is 2-12 miles of exercise that every single Pit Bull must have every single day in order to thrive.

What? 2 miles! Are you crazy?

Dogs, by nature (you know that funny lady Mother Nature has her quirks) are roaming animals.

Watch wild dogs, they run for miles upon miles, they hunt by out lasting their prey through stamina.

Pit Bulls while domesticated are much the same. They need long walks everyday in order to really get rid of that super energy they are known for.

Your task is to add 1-2 miles to your walk over the next 7-10 days.

In summary

Without work, structure and exercise, Pit Bulls will turn the stress resulting from the lack of these critical canine needs into negative, annoying behaviors.

I have never, not once seen a Pit Bull with a job that gets plenty of exercise jump on guests, bark all day long, or chew the couch into 10,000 little chunks.

Why?

Work gives them mental and physical stimulation and releases stress.
Structure gives them security and safety from the “wild” things out there in the world.
Exercise gives fulfills their instincts to roam and investigate the world around them.

After you have given your dog these three things, then give them the love and attention they deserve.

If you think I’m crazy, that your dog gets plenty of exercise and that’s not the reason they misbehave, try it out for yourself. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised with the results.

What are you waiting for?

Go for it!

About the Author

Jason Mann is an American Pit Bull Terrier fancier, owner and genuine Pit Bull fanatic. Jason owns pitbulllovers.com PitBullLovers.com a web site devoted to the positive image and responsible ownership of the American Pit Bull Terrier and is the author of pitbulltraininghandbook.com The Pit Bull Training Handbook.

Tags: bull terrier, pit bull

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Aggressive Pit Bulls can become a very serious problem if not dealt with in a proper manner. New laws exist that state if a dog bites or attacks someone, the dog’s owner will be held responsible and the dog put down. This is just another reason that Pit Bull owners should invest the time and energy to properly train their dogs.

There are many different reasons why a Pit Bull terrier may become aggressive. Here are a couple of the most common that I see:

- Your dog may feel that his territory is being invaded

- Your dog may feel threatened

When a dog exhibits signs of aggression, they usually come from a lack of confidence and feelings of insecurity. Basic obedience training won’t solve your Pit Bull’s problem with aggressive behavior, the only solution is serious dog training. Keep in mind that an aggressive dog doesn’t just bite, he barks and lunges at people as well and he could also attack another pet.

I would strongly recommend seeking the services of a professional dog trainer if you’re having a real problem with aggression. Training an aggressive dog is a challenge and can prove to be expensive, but it is a small price to pay when you consider you’ll be saving your Pit’s life and possibly the life of some other animal or individual. To find a professional trainer who handles cases of aggression, contact your local veterinarian and ask for referrals.

Be sure that you do your homework and thoroughly investigate the schools which are recommended. Look at their facilities and learn what methods they use when training dogs. The last thing you want is for your Pit Bull to exhibit worse behavior after going through training school than when he first entered.

I applaud your decision to be a responsible Pit Bull terrier owner and have your dog trained. An aggressive Pit can halter the relationship that you have with him, hurt other people, hurt other animals, and give this fabulous breed a bad reputation. After it is all said and done, I’m certain you’ll agree that having your Pit Bull trained was a fantastic decision!

To learn all about pitbullsrevealed.com/ Pit Bull dogs and training a pitbullsrevealed.com/ Pit Bull, visit pitbullsrevealed.com/ pitbullsrevealed.com/ today.

Tags: bull terrier, dog training, pit bull

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With the horrible reputation that pit bulls receive in the press and national media, it is not surprising that many Americans believe that pit bulls are simply a “lost breed” incapable of real training. Much of this misperception comes from the fact that pit bulls have been used as fighting dogs. Because pit bulls have the ability to lock their jaws and therefore hand onto an object or opponent for hours at a time, it may seem to casual onlookers like the pit bull simply has a mind of its own and is incapable of being trained into an obedient pet that can be trusted around other people.

The fact remains, however, that any dog breed is capable of training and the pit bull is certainly no exception. While they have a reputation of being harder to train than German shepherds or cocker spaniels, this does not mean that they are incapable of becoming very reliable and trustworthy pets that will listen to the commands of their owners. There are really only five simple things to remember when you are trying to train a pit bull or any large dog breed:

• Negative vs. Positive Reinforcement

• Tone of Voice

• Training Tool

• Special Toy

• Limited Training Time

Negative vs. Positive Reinforcement

You have to make a decision and stick with it: do you want to use positive or negative reinforcement to train your pit bull? Although many child-rearing experts believe that the only way to raise a child is by using positive reinforcement, this is not always possible with dogs. The reason: the communication barrier. Although a dog is capable of developing a vocabulary of few hundred words, the fact remains that almost everything a person says is a complete mystery to a dog. So while parents can explain why certain behaviors are bad or dangerous, this is not possible with a dog.

Although a person can use special sprays that try to imprint a location upon a pit bull when trying to teach the animal where it is appropriate to use the restroom, it is often far more effective to simply rub the animal’s nose in the feces and tell them “no”. However, misuse of negative reinforcement can have long-lasting consequences which is why it must be used both sparingly, and in conjunction with positive reinforcement. The fact is that any dog, including a pit bull, wants the praise and love of their owners which is why positive reinforcement is so powerful. But, due to the communication barrier, some lessons must be taught using negative reinforcement or else the animal may injure itself or others.

Tone of Voice

Although dogs have a limited vocabulary, they are very much in tune with the mood of their owner. Oftentimes, the mere tone of one’s voice is enough to tell the dog a great deal about its behavior and what the owner wants of it. When trying to train any pit bull, it is important that the owner uses three very distinctive tones when communicating with the animal:

• Instructional Tone

• Praise Tone

• Normal Tone

The instructional tone is very straightforward: it is simply the tone of voice you use when trying to train your pit bull. It should not be negative or condemning, merely firm and unwavering. Each and every time you are trying to train the pit bull, use this tone and do not use it any other time. This is the cue to your animal that it is “work time” and that they are expected to listen to what you have to say.

The praise tone is precisely that: it is a reward to the animal and a way of telling him/her that you are proud of them. It is generally higher-pitched and should be accompanied by a treat of some kind. Again, the animal need not really understand what you are saying, it just needs to know that it did a good job.

Your normal tone is up to you. It is just the manner in which you normally communicate and interact with the pit bull. It only needs to be distinctive from the instructional and praise tones so that the animal does not become confused. Now some of you may have noticed that there is no “punishment tone”—and that is for good reason! Any time that an animal does something wrong, do not resort to any negative tone. You want to use your instructional tone and teach the dog that this is not the way to do things. I have personally trained many dogs and have never needed any punishment tone. As I stated earlier, a dog genuinely wants to win your praise and if you are patient with the animal, it will not need any punishment tone.

Training Tool

As I said earlier, you will have to learn to use both positive and negative reinforcement. I am certain that no animal needs physical punishment but they do need a way to understand when they are doing something wrong and this is where the training tool comes in. Now some dog trainers prefer to use a bottle of water to spray the animal when it does something wrong. Honestly, this can be very effective but I personally don’t like the smell of wet dog fur because no matter how clean you keep a dog, they will still smell pretty bad when wet.

Personally, I choose to tape two paint stirrers together and create what is known as a “slap-stick”. The point is that you can lightly slap the animal on its hind quarter with the stick any time it waivers from your training. This does not hurt the dog but it does create a loud “snapping” sound that they tend to dislike. Remember, a pit bull or any dog has an emotional capacity of a 4 or 5 year-old child. They really do want to please you and you do not need to physically impose yourself upon them. But, you will need some kind of training tool to help you with the negative reinforcement and both a bottle of water and a slap-stick work great.

Special Toy

If the slap-stick is the negative reinforcement tool, then the toy is for positive reinforcement. This can be a tennis ball, stuffed animal, or whatever your pit bull enjoys playing with. The only thing you really need to remember is that this toy must not be available to the dog at all times—it must be seen as a treat! After you are done training the dog for that day, take out their toy and reward them with a few minutes of play time. Just remember to put it back up when you are done because if they have access to it at all times, it will lose its power over the dog and they will not be as motivated during training.

Limited Training Time

Some new pet owners are tempted to try training their dog way too much. They think that by spending more time with the animal, it will take less time to get them to do what they want. Unfortunately, dogs do not work this way. They have a very limited attention span (roughly 20-30 minutes—tops!) for training. If you spend more than thirty minutes during any one training session, the animal will begin tuning you out. When you notice that the pit bull is starting to lose interest in training, it is probably best that you stop. Over time, you can increase this attention span by slowly extending the training period by a couple of minutes a day. Still, thirty minutes is about the most time you want to spend during any one session.

A pit bull is definitely one of the more intelligent dog breeds and can easily be trained to interact with people without being a threat. Just remember that negative reinforcement must be used sparingly and that an animal will remember a negative experience much longer than a positive one. You need the pit bull to trust you and want your love so do not try the “tough love” approach as it tends to make an animal more aggressive and less likely to listen. By taking the simple steps listed above, you can in fact train your pit bull to be every bit as dependable and loving as any other breed.

About The Author
David Black is a pit bull enthusiast and author of Professional Pit Bull Training Secrets. PitBull Secrets is one of the largest online pit bull communities in the world. pitbulltrainingsecrets.com” target=”_new pitbulltrainingsecrets.com.

Tags: dog breed, dog breeds, pit bull

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Usually, when you think of dog dresses or dog clothes in general, you picture a little Chihuahua or Miniature Pinscher clothed in some teensy gown or sweater strutting down the street on a walk. You don’t normally picture a big dog dress on a Labrador or German Shepard as they pull on their owner’s leash across the park. Still, a dress or gown for a dog will look cute no matter what the size of dog that it covers. The fact is, that no matter what attire your canine wears, her adorable face and mannerisms will make her look cute.

It is just easier and more accepted for small dogs to wear clothing than plus size breeds. Fortunately, a trend has emerged that is changing that attitude. Big dogs are wearing shirts, boots and even dresses all over the place, and there’s no decrease in sight. If you’re the lucky pet parent of a big baby girl doggie, you don’t have to worry about shopping at special stores because quality pet boutiques carry dog clothes tailored for the not so little babies.

Getting your large canine dressed up is all about finding a store that carries larger sizes. Most places, even if they don’t have large or extra large sizes, can and will special order any piece of clothing, even a dress or gown. Usually, breeds that are not tall but have a barrel chest like Bull Dogs, Pit Bulls, Corgis fall into the size large category whereas Dalmatians and Doberman pinscher’s and the like fall into the extra large size range. There are some exceptionally large dogs that may even need an XXL size, but this also depends on the make of the clothing since some sizes run smaller than others depending on the designer. The moral is, don’t let your dog’s size turn you off from buying an adorable dress for her.

Grant Carroll is a happy owner and parent of four dogs and is the co-owner of littlepamperedpets.com littlepamperedpets.com where other pet parents can find a littlepamperedpets.com big dog dress for their big baby girl dogs. Come visit Little Pampered Pets.com to find littlepamperedpets.com dog dresses for your little girl.

Tags: chihuahua, dog clothes, pit bull

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In order to be considered properly trained, there are some basic commands that he or she must master. Understanding these basic commands is vital to the well being of the dog, the owner and the family.

Learning just a few basic commands can go a long way toward creating a dog that is a joy to be around. Everyone has seen examples of both well trained and poorly trained dogs, and few people would opt for the poorly trained varieties. Training a dog properly the first time is especially vital for owners of dog breeds that have been bred for their aggressiveness, such as pit bulls, Doberman pinchers and German shepherds.

In addition, proper training is important for families with young children. Young children can torment dogs and cause biting reactions, so it is important that the dog learn how to deal with these types of situations.

The basic obedience commands that every dog must know are – “Heel”, “No”, “Sit”, “Stay”, “Down” and “Off”. These six commands form the basis of every basic obedience class, and it is vital that you and your dog master these basic commands. These are the fundamentals, and it will be impossible to move onto other commands, or to correct problem behaviors, without having mastered the basics.

Heel
Let’s start with the most basic command of all, the heel command. Teaching a dog to heel is the fundamental first step in teaching the dog to walk properly on the leash. The proper place for the dog to walk is at your side, neither lagging behind nor straining to get ahead.

If your dog begins to forge ahead on the lead, gently tug on the leash. This will cause the training collar to tighten and give the dog a gentle reminder to fall back into line. If the dog begins to lag behind, gently urge him forward. A lure or toy is a good tool for the dog that constantly lags behind.

Once the dog is consistently walking at your side, try changing your pace and encouraging the dog to match his pace with yours. It should always be the dog who adjusts his pace to you; you should never adjust your pace to meet the needs of the dog.

The word “No”
The word no is an important one for your dog to learn, and one you may be using a lot as training begins. It is important that the dog learn to respond to a sharp “No” promptly and obediently.

The “Sit” command
The sit command is another vital link in the chain that is dog training. Teaching a dog to sit on command, using voice commands alone, will form the groundwork of much future training, so it is important for the dog to master this vital skill.

The sit command can be combined with the heel command. As you walk alongside your dog, stop abruptly. If your dog does not stop when you do, give a sharp tug on the leash to remind the dog. Many dogs will instinctively stop when you do, while others need to be reminded through the use of the leash and the training collar.

Once the dog has stopped by your side, urge him to sit by pushing gently on his hindquarters. It is important not to use too much pressure, or to push him down abruptly. Doing so could frighten, or even injure the dog. Rather, apply a steady downward pressure. Most dogs will recognize this as a sit command. It is important to say the word sit as you do this.

Repeat this procedure a few times by walking, stopping and sitting your dog. After a few repetitions, the dog will probably begin to sit down on his own every time he stops. It is important to say the word sit each time, so that the dog will eventually learn to respond to voice commands alone.

The “Stay” command
Like the sit command, the stay command is a vital building block to other, more advanced training. For instance, the stay command is vital to teaching the dog to come when called, which is in turn vital to off leash work.

The stay command can be made into an extension of the sit command. Have your dog sit, and while he is sitting, slowly back away. If the dog begins to follow you, as he probably will it first, come back to the dog and ask him to sit again. Repeat the process until you can reach the end of the leash without your dog getting up from a sitting position.

After the dog is reliably staying where you indicate, you can try dropping the leash and backing further away. It will probably take the dog some time to reliably stay where he is put without becoming distracted.

The “Down” command
The down command is another important part of any basic obedience training program. Teaching a dog to lie down on command is much more than an entertaining trick. The down command is very important in regaining control of a dog, or stopping a dog who is engaged in an inappropriate behavior.

The “Off” command
The off command is just as vital to as the other commands, and it forms the basis for later training, especially when training the dog not to chase people, cars, bikes, cats, etc.

For instance, when training a dog to remain still when a bicycle goes by, the owner would stand with the dog calmly on the leash. If the dog begins to strain against the leash, the owner sharply issues an “Off” command accompanied by a tug of the leash. Eventually the dog will learn to respond to the voice command alone.

Edwina Hanson runs a successful dog and owner training company. She is the author of many articles and reports about all aspects of dog training. Click on

Tags: dog breed, dog breeds, dog training, heel, pit bull

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Tags: dog breed, dog breeds, dog training, heel, pit bull