Why you should train your pit bull
Pit bulls, like most dog breeds require significant time, energy, socialization and training. As a behaviorist, I’ve encountered countless people who are unaware of the importance of training their pit bull, bully breed, or dog traditionally labeled an “aggressive breed.” In this post, I cover four reasons it’s important to train your pit bull.
All dogs, regardless of size, should be trained.
Regardless of the breed, size, or temperament of your dog, you should train your dog. They are animals that we have domesticated over many years and will consistently require their humans to guide them to understanding which behaviors are and are not acceptable.
Pit bulls are physically powerful and dominant dogs by nature.
Notice I said dominant, not aggressive. One of the most important reasons to train your pit bull is because of their physical strength. Many people don't seek out training until they've been giving an ultimatum by the state for their dog's bad behavior or someone gets injured due to the physical strength of the dog and lack of boundaries for the human. As such, it's most important that their handlers always have control over their bully breeds, which requires training. If you start early with effective training and teach your dog to view you as a leader, over time communicating with your dog will become easy and you won’t have to work hard to ensure they don’t pull you or try to override your instructions early.
3. Pit bulls are stereotyped in society.
Mainstream society has made pit bulls out to be aggressive and monstrous to the point where companies and individuals are legally allowed to discriminate against any dog that even resembles the breed regardless of the dog's individual characteristics. This legal discrimination is known as breed-specific legislation.
Owners of bully breeds can find it difficult to find and secure housing and can face bullying when in public with their dog and even on the internet simply for having a dog that phenotypically resembles a pit bull. Landlords can deny housing to owners of pit bulls who don't list their dog as an emotional support animal. They can also remove you from housing if they find out about your dog's breed in the middle of a lease or agreement term. This is simply because of the dog's breed, even if your dog is the friendliest, well-trained dog in the world. While you are likely to experience stereotyping and discrimination or just rude comments regardless, having a well-trained dog can make it easier to navigate some of the challenges.
4. Trained dogs and their families have better lives.
The life of a trained dog is simply easier. While each dog has its own training goals and challenges, having a well-trained dog usually equates to a more easeful life. You can bring your dog more places with you without stress. More people are willing to watch your dog for you. When your dog interacts with other dogs, humans, or children, you don’t have any worries. Even when you leave your dog home alone, you’re not stressed about coming home to a disaster. Training your dog equates to a more easeful life and we’re all about ease at Atlanta Pitbull Training.
This list is nowhere near exhaustive but if the perspective in this blog convinces even one person to invest in training their bully breed, it has serviced its purpose. Owners of bully breeds must protect themselves and their dogs by training their dogs to be well-behaved and holding them accountable at all times. Bully breeds are not allowed to make the same mistakes as other dog breeds and when they do, they receive much harsher and often permanent consequences, like euthanasia.
Interested in training your dog but not sure where to start? Download a free copy of my ebook, How to Train Your Bully Breed.
Read the ebook and want to work directly with a bully breed specialized trainer? Contact me today!
