Breed Information.
Temperament
The Pitbull is remarkably intelligent. Highly responsive, it is said to be one of the most trainable breeds. Sweet, cheerful, perky and lively, it likes to be with people. Delightful, very amusing and keen. Socialize them well. They make a very good watchdog for their size. Without the proper type and amount of exercise they may be high-strung and timid. If the human is not 100% pack leader, they may snap if they are teased or surprised. Pitbull are generally good with other pets and dogs. Unless given rules to follow and limits as to what they are, and are not allowed to do, this breed will tend to bark a lot. Do not let this small dog develop Small Dog Syndrome, human induced behaviors where the dog believes he is pack leader to humans. This causes varying degrees of behavior issues, including, but not limited to snapping, growling, guarding, demanding, untrustworthiness with children and sometimes adults, sensitive, nervous, reserved with strangers and obsessive barking, as the dog tries to tell the humans what it is HE wants THEM to do. This little dog can be good with children, however is usually recommended for older children who know how to display leadership skills. The reason is that most humans treat the dog in such a way that makes them unsure just who the pack leader is in the human dog relationship. The dog, in his own mind, is convinced HE is the leader to humans. These are Pitbull traits, but rather traits brought on by meek owners. Make sure you are your dog’s firm, consistent, confident pack leader, providing daily mental and physical exercise in order to have a trustworthy, mentally stable dog.
Are they a good choice for first time owners?
The Pitbull is a great first-time dog because they are so biddable by nature and therefore easy to train. With this said, they can be a little harder to house train than other breeds of a similar size, but with patience, perseverance and gentleness, a Pitbull can be taught to do their “business” outside.
What about adaptability?
Pitbull are very versatile and adaptable little dog being just as happy living in an apartment in town as they are living in the country, providing they are given enough attention, mental stimulation and daily exercise.
What about excessive barking?
Unfortunately, the teacup Pitbull is known to like the sound of their own voices a little too much. As such, it’s essential that owners gently curb their pet’s desire to bark when puppies are still young, but this needs to be done carefully so as not to frighten them which could end up with them barking even more. It’s also important to understand that the Pitbull thrives on being around people and will bark incessantly if they find themselves on their own for long periods of time. In short, a Pitbull would bark to get attention and to let the world know how unhappy they are at being left alone.
What about prey drive?
The Pitbull is a social character by nature and they get on with other animals they meet which includes other pets in a household. They don’t like straying from their owners which generally means they are less likely to take off after an animal they may have spotted in the distance.
What about playfulness?
The Pitbull remains very puppy-like in their behavior well into their senior years and being so intelligent, they quickly learn what pleases an owner. They are playful dogs by nature without being overly demanding although they hate being left on their own for any length of time.
Life Expectancy
About 12 to 17 years