I’ve covered a lot of different topics in my Pitbull Puppy Training Tips series.
Today, I’m going to write one of the most important Pitbull Puppy Training Tips segments to date – training an aggressive Pitbull puppy.
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Aggressive Pitbull Puppy Training Tips
I know I’ve said before that most of the true aggression has been bred out of Pitbulls over the years, and that’s true.
However, there are still certain Pits out there who seem to be born with more than their fair share of the aggression that was bred into their ancestors.
The question is how to handle it.
That’s what we’re going to cover today in my Pitbull puppy training tips.
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Can You Handle It?
That’s an important question to answer and the absolute number one on my list of aggressive Pitbull puppy training tips.
Can you handle a Pitbull with aggressive tendencies?
The simple truth is that a Pitbull born with aggressive tendencies will always have them, and there are some people who just should not be in charge of a dog like that.
So the first and most important of my Pitbull puppy training tips on this subject is to ask yourself that question.
Can you handle this?
Can you handle a large, powerful animal that will most likely always have some level of aggressive tendencies?
Can you be vigilant at all times?
Can you ensure the safety of people and animals around you?
I want to really drive this point home.
It is THE most important of my aggressive Pitbull puppy training tips.
If you have any doubt at all that you can’t handle training an animal as powereful as a Pitbull which also leans to the aggressive side, you should take it back to wherever you got it.
I hate to say that, but the simple truth is that it’s better to take an aggressive Pitbull puppy back to wherever you got it than to potentially endanger other people and animals.
Related: Dog Training Problems: What to do When your Dog Becomes Aggressive
On to the Pitbull Puppy Training Tips
As long as you’ve answered YES to the first and most important of my Pitbull puppy training tips for aggressive Pitbull puppies, the rest of the training is actually just the same as training any other Pibull – or any dog in general.
I won’t cover all of that here, as I’ve written several articles in this series about training.
There are, however a few things I want to reiterate about training, especially when training a Pitbull puppy with aggressive tendencies.
You should never do any of these things, but it’s even more important that you don’t do them with an aggressive Pitbull puppy.
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Never Show Aggression
If you have decided to keep your aggressive Pitbull, then this is the next most important of the Pitbull puppy training tips that I have for you.
- NEVER show aggression.
- Don’t yell at your Pitbull puppy.
- Don’t smack it.
- Don’t rub its nose in the pee on the carpet if it has an accident.
- In general, you don’t want to do ANYTHING that will reinforce your Pitbull puppy’s aggressiveness.
- ONLY use positive reinforcement and treats when training.
Don’t Freak Out
Ever.
Do not ever give off a freak out vibe.
No matter what’s happening, you must remain calm at all times.
All dogs pick up on their owner’s mood and demeanor, so if you’re nervous, you’re only feeding that aggressiveness that you’re trying to master. If you’re nervous, your dog is nervous.
If your dog is nervous, it’s on high alert. If it’s on high alert, chances are good that it will unleash that aggressiveness on any person or animal it deems has gotten too close to you.
Related: Pitbull Puppy Training Tips: Training Them to be Nice
Be Vigilant at All Times
This has been a running theme in many of my Pitbull Puppy Training Tips articles, but it’s even more important when you have a Pitbull with bred-in aggressiveness of any level.
Any responsible dog owner should always be aware of their surroundings and of their dog’s reaction to those surroundings, but it’s even more important when an owner has a Pitbull with any level of aggressiveness.
You must, MUST, always be aware of everything.
Never leave your aggressive Pitbull alone with a person or animal, even if its still a puppy. While you may think you’ve trained your Pit out of its aggressive ways, you’ve really only muted them. Things can happen in an instant, and if you’re going to own a Pitbull that has ever shown born-in aggressiveness, it’s your absolute responsibility to make sure you’ve got a handle on things at all times.
You Can Do This
The last of my aggressive Pitbull puppy training tips is this: You can do this.
If you’ve decided you’ve got what it takes to keep your aggressive Pitbull in line, then you just need to start the training and keep at it.
Do everything I’ve laid out in previous Pitbull Puppy Training Tips articles, even socializing. You may think that’s counter-intuitive, but a Pitbull puppy with an in-born aggression needs socialization more than any other dog.
