pit bull dog

History of origin

The Pit Bull Terrier breed was born more than 300 years ago, when dog fights were popular in the world. The ancestors of pit bull terriers are considered to be Old English Bulldogs and Terriers. In those days, bulldogs, which were bred for baiting bulls, had a strong and courageous body, powerful muscles and a huge jaw. All these traits have been passed on to modern pit bulls.

Pit bulls were primarily bred for dog fighting. The new breed combined all the advantages of its ancestors – power, massiveness, agility, strength, mobility and speed. At first, the dog was called a bull terrier, and it was perfect for fighting, easily defeating any opponent. Every year the breed improved and gained fame.

After dog fighting was banned in England in 1835, all fighting breeds began to be considered illegal, and in the middle of the XNUMXth century, pit bulls ended up in America, where there was no ban yet. The dogs quickly became popular and were given the official name “American Pit Bull Terrier”.

Here, in 1898, the first breeding club appeared, and those who were worried about the purity of the breed joined it. Surprisingly, the club is still active today. Later, the owners of pit bulls won the right to participate in exhibitions: they developed breed standards and officially registered it in 1936.

Breed description

The Pit Bull is a robust dog of medium size, with a very powerful muscular build, a broad powerful chest, a massive neck, a large wedge-shaped head and wide powerful jaws. The paws and thighs are also massive and strong, the tail is of medium length, wide at the base, but slightly tapering towards the end. The coat color of pit bulls can be absolutely anything except white. The most common colors are all shades of brown with occasional light patches. The coat itself is short, smooth and glossy. In this case, the color of the nasal lobe should always correspond to the main color.

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Character

These dogs love their family very much and are friendly to guests. But they are very wary of uninvited strangers and will become excellent watchmen, warning the owner about strangers with a loud bark. With such a dog, you can walk along a dark street without fear, because a pit bull will always stand up for you and protect you even at the cost of your own life.

Remember that early socialization is very important for pit bulls – you need to introduce them to other people, new places, sounds and smells from puppyhood.

As for the relationship between pets and children, dogs love them very much. And not even for breakfast – as many exclaim. This breed will be an ideal friend for your baby, but it is worth remembering that it is better not to leave them alone. Let the child communicate with the dog only in your presence. Teach children not to hurt the dog – not to drag the tail and not to pinch.

The pit bull will have a period of life when he will begin to prove that he is the leader of the pack. The main thing is not to miss this moment and show who is the leader here. Due to their fighting background, pitas can be quite aggressive around other animals, but with early socialization, this tendency can be minimized.

Care and maintenance

Pit bulls are suitable for keeping both in the apartment and in the house. But you should not move them to a kennel, because these dogs do not tolerate cold well because of their short hair, their paws often freeze. Also, be prepared to walk with him for a long time – at least 2 – 3 hours a day.

Despite the fact that pit bulls have short hair, they shed twice a year – during this period they need to be combed every day with a slicker brush. Watch your dog’s teeth, they need to be cleaned with a special brush and paste. Ears should be cleaned once every two weeks – in no case do not go into the auricles with sticks, but wipe them with a damp cotton swab or use a special tool for washing them.

Pit bulls need to be fed twice a day with premium dry food or the right “natural”. It includes raw meat (beef, turkey, lamb, chicken, lean pork), quail eggs (1 – 2 pieces per week), vegetables (any, except potatoes), cottage cheese, kefir. Dogs don’t need porridge. Check with your veterinarian in advance which type of feeding is right for your pet.

Education and training

From childhood, pit bulls need to be taught obedience, and throughout the life of the dog to remind her – who is the boss in the house. Experts advise the owners of this breed to contact a cynologist and take a training course so that the dog learns the basics of obedience.

After the pit bull learns the simplest basic commands, he can start guard duty. He has a mind for this, and a sensitive ear, and a scent, and hunting skills.

If the owner decides to engage in training himself, then you need to know that there should be no aggression and cruelty on his part. A pit bull needs to learn by playing.

Health and disease

Pit bull terriers are fairly healthy dogs, but they are prone to some diseases. For example, they often have allergies to food (such as protein, beef, rice, corn, and wheat) and to environmental allergens such as fleas, plants, and dust.

Dogs can also develop hip dysplasia. If you notice that the dog’s hind legs have weakened, this is an occasion to urgently show it to the veterinarian.

Pit bulls can also get hypothyroidism. Thyroid dysfunction causes obesity and hair loss. In general, hypothyroidism is diagnosed in middle-aged dogs. Pit bulls also have common heart conditions, such as congenital heart defects.

In order for your pet to live a long and happy life, vaccinate it every year, treat it for worms every quarter, and don’t delay visiting the veterinarian.

Popular questions and answers

Answered questions about pit bulls veterinarian, zoo engineer Anastasia Kalinina.