For whatever reason, pitbulls have been the center of much controversy over the years. Most of us have seen the stories on the news concerning pitbull attacks. The media tends to report the attacks without considering what circumstances may have led up to it. Unfortunately, this has led to many people disregarding pitbulls as an option for a family pet. This article will try to dispel some of the more common myths about this dog.
Aggression
They first thing that comes to many people’s minds when they think of this type of dog is that they are aggressive and dangerous. This, again, is due to the reports they have seen about pitbull attacks on the news. Studies have been conducted on this very subject, and have shown that these dogs have no natural aggression toward humans. There are circumstances that can lead the dog to become aggressive toward people. If a pitbull, or any other breed, is not raised and trained properly, it is possible for them to show aggression. Many of the dogs that have been featured in these reports have been abused and poorly treated. It should also be noted that, although they are not aggressive toward humans, they can show a tendency to be aggressive toward other dogs.
Many people are under the assumption that these dogs will turn on you at a moment’s notice. Again, there has been no proof of this. There is no breed of dog that is naturally inclined to turn on it’s owner. In any breed of dog, there are individuals that are more prone to aggression than others. The pitbull is no more likely to give you problems than any other dog.
Locking Jaw
Many people also believe that pitbulls have a mechanism that allows them to lock their jaws closed. Studies have proven this to be a myth as well. There is no proof of any kind to support this claim. The makeup of a pitbull’s mouth and jaw are no different from any other breed of dog. The reason for this misconception is the fact that these dogs do have extremely powerful jaws. There is no breed of dog that is able to lock it’s jaws shut.
In general, pitbulls are very intelligent and trainable, as well as being affectionate and loyal. They can make an excellent family pet, even if you have small children. If they are raised and trained properly, and socialized with children and other animals at an early age, you should have no problems at all.
Do male or female dogs make better pets? Are male or female dogs simpler to train? The answers to these questions depend upon what you are wanting in a pet and not necessarily in the gender of the dog. Both male and female puppies can grow up to be wonderful pets and both can be well trained. Your decision to get a puppy should be based more about how the puppy reacts to you and your family rather than the gender of the dog.
Many things go into choosing of a pet. The size, temperament and level of care that the breed requires are far more important than the gender of the puppy. Much like humans, male and female dogs have different personality traits but either one can be a wonderful pet and both genders can be well trained. For more information about dog obedience training and where you can get dog training videos online that will show you step-by-step every thing you need to know.
Unless you are planning on breeding dogs you will want to make sure that your dog is spayed or neutered. Breeding puppies is a big responsibility and most regular pet owners want to give that responsibility to the professionals. There is much more to breeding puppies than just having a cute litter of puppies every so often. If you do plan on breeding puppies then you will have to contend with having your female dog go into heat regularly and making sure that your male dog does not go out roaming to find a female in heat. Spaying and neutering is just common sense.
Male dogs are often thought to be more territorial and because of that better watchdogs. Females are generally a bit smaller in stature but are thought to have more loving and warmer temperaments. Families with young children may consider a female dog because of the maternal instincts of a female or they may choose a male because of the increased energy and endurance to play. It is an individual choice depending upon what you are looking for in a pet.
Dogs, whether they are male or female, do have their own personalities. Female dogs can be just as aggressive as male dogs and male dogs can be just as loving and sweet as female dogs. Characterizations like these are just generalizations and there will always be an exception to every rule. The crucial thing is how your dog’s personality fits with your family.
There are a few traits that are more predominant within a certain gender but dogs of the other gender will sometimes exhibit those same behaviors. For example, male dogs tend to mark their territories but a female will also mark territory in times of stress. Female dogs tend to be somewhat more independent but a male dog can also express this characteristic.
A female puppy may be a little bit easier to housetrain because they do not mark their territory as much as a male. Oftentimes police dogs are male because of their increased endurance. If you are just looking for a wonderful pet then the gender shouldn’t make any difference but if you are looking for something specific the gender might be a concern. A pleasant personality that fits into your family is the most important aspect of choosing a pet.
Both males and females express their own challenges that come with raising a puppy but the rewards are the same regardless of gender. Males and females both make wonderful pets and that is what you really want.
When starting the process of puppy crate training you have to remember that your puppy would love to do nothing more in the world than please it’s owner, “YOU”.Taking the appropraite steps in the right order will hep your dog distinguish the things that you want it to do (no peeing or pooping in your house!!!!). You should not expect your puppy to know what you want it to do when you just take it outside of the house.
Your puppies probably have the capacity to learn much more than you give them credit for, fast than you think if you educate yourself on proper training. And don’t interpret this to meaning that you hold off until your puppies pee or poop in your house and then rub their noses in it. Unless you catch your puppies in the act of using the bathroom in the house, you can’t correct it because it’s too late. Pups don’t have the mental capacity to realize what you are scolding them for that happened in the past, and you wind up confusing them. If you do not see them while they are doing it a punishment just does not have the proper effect.
Selecting A Crate
The first thing you want to do in puppy crate training is select the proper size crate. The crate should be just big enough for the puppy to stand up and turn around in and not bigger. You might think but I want to give my puppy room to move around and play so it doesn’t feel so confined. Off you go again, not thinking like a dog! It is ok, it’s normal that we think that way, but your pup does not.
Remember their dens are a place that canines don’t like to use as bathrooms??? Well if you permit your puppies to have too large of an area, they might use one side for a toilet and the other for resting. Most of the commercially available puppy crates are sufficient for puppy crate training. I like the plain tan crates (color shouldn’t matter, people just know which ones I am referring to with this reference) with the mesh doors that have a lock on them. Keeping pet hair and dirt on the inside is another awesome feature of these types of crates. If you’d rather buy a larger size so that you don’t have to keep buying crates as your puppy grows, that’s ok, just get one with an adjustable divider so that you can expand it as your puppy grows.