How to Socialize an Adult Pit Bull With Children

The often playful and sociable pit bull has gotten a bad rap for being aggressive and unpredictable. A Internet search readily provides horror stories about dog attacks on kids. If you look closely to those stories, however, you will notice that many times the dogs were left unsupervised with children, and most likely were not properly socialized to begin with. To prevent this kind of occurrence with your beloved dog, introduce the dog to children slowly, watch the body language and allow the interaction to unfold naturally.

Things You'll Need

  • Leash
  • Dog treats
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Instructions

    • 1

      Take it slow. Take the dog for a walk on a leash, and introduce the dog to new surroundings and the idea of getting out to meet new people and places.

    • 2

      Talk to the child beforehand and explain the situation, as well as their expected behavior. Make sure they know they must be gentle and respectful. Don't scare the child; this should be a positive encounter.

    • 3

      Put away all of the dog's prized toys and possessions. This will prevent the child from picking any of the items up and the dog going after its things.

    • 4

      Expose the dog to a child in a positive, low-key relaxed environment. A place the dog is comfortable with, such as your home or backyard, will work well for this.

    • 5

      Keep the dog on a leash at the initial part of the interaction. Normally, these dogs are not aggressive to humans and they actually like to be social with many different people, including kids. Unfortunately, some dogs that are adopted have come from neglectful or abusive environments so it's best to start slow with the leash. If you feel comfortable after a while, take the leash off but stay close.

    • 6

      Keep an eye on the dog and child at all times. This should always be the rule even after the dog has socialized. Young children like to pull tails and ears or play rough. Since you don't have experience with the dog around children, you never know. If your dog shows uncommon or uncomfortable body language, separate the dog and child. Try again some other time when you feel more comfortable and calm.

    • 7

      Give the dog praise, affection and a treat for positive behavior. This will reinforce the good behavior. Keep plenty of treats on hand while socializing your dog.