Things to Do to Make Your New Pitt Bull Puppy Happy

Pit bulls get a bad rap, but you can help prevent your dog from developing aggressive tendencies by caring for it properly from a young age. Pit bull puppies, like all young dogs, require a lot of work, but you'll enjoy the satisfaction of making your pet content and helping ensure that its raised to be functional and well-adjusted.

  1. Food

    • Pit bull puppies require the proper quantity and quality of food. Avoid overfeeding your dog (two to four times a day is good for most puppies), but understand that a dearth of food will make the dog irritable, weak and perhaps aggressive. Give it high-grade dog food with high fat (at least 20 percent) and protein content (at least 30 percent) and low fiber (no more than 4 percent).

    Play

    • Pit bulls are a lively breed and thrive on playful activity with their owners. Take your puppy for regular walks, and if you have a yard, let it run around outside. Keep the dog on a leash when walking him in public. Provide toys for your pit bull. Balls and chew toys work well and may even discourage your puppy from chewing furniture and other items. Pit bulls can be rather rambunctious, so keep that in mind when playing with them.

    Affection

    • Despite their reputation, pit bulls desire human affection. Puppies quickly develop bonds with their owners. To keep it happy, give the dog physical and verbal attention. Pet and rub the pit bull puppy and brush its coat; some dogs especially enjoy being brushed. Do so on a weekly basis and more often in the hot summer months when excess hair makes a puppy uncomfortable. Let other people also give the dog affection in order to socialize it with other humans.

    Other Dogs

    • Pit bull puppies will enjoy interacting with other dogs. Let your puppy play with other dogs, but proceed cautiously to avoid aggressive outbursts. Keep it on a leash while it familiarizes itself with other dogs present. The best time to socialize your pit bull puppy is before it hits the eight-month mark; at that point, some pit bulls begin developing aggressive behaviors. In addition to growling or barking, watch for less typical signs of aggression, such as acute alertness or raising itself up on its toes. Try to keep toys and food out of sight of both your puppy and the dog or dogs it is playing with. Competition over such objects can trigger aggressive outbursts in a pit bull puppy. Obedience training helps bring such behavior under control and can improve the quality of the puppy's life by setting reasonable boundaries and improving communication between you and the dog. Also note that spaying or neutering your puppy can make it happier and less aggressive.