Consider Canine Good Citizen Certification
The Canine Good Citizen Program was developed by the American Kennel Club (AKC). It involves testing your dog on several skills, and if it passes the test, the dog gets a Canine Good Citizen certificate from the AKC. To pass the test, your pit bull must know some basic obedience skills, be able to walk through a crowd, accept being petted by strangers, and not react to other dogs it passes. You also must sign the Responsible Pet Owners Pledge.
Any dog can benefit from the Canine Good Citizen Program. For pit bulls, it can also provide proof that you have a well-behaved, friendly pet. It is something you can show potential landlords or neighbors as proof that your dog is a good canine citizen. Its just one more step in changing the publics perception of the pit bull as a vicious dog.
The American Kennel Club website can help you find Canine Good Citizen classes and evaluators.
Start Socializing Your Puppy Early
If you have a young pitbull puppy or are planning on getting one soon, make socialization your top priority. It is important that your pit bull puppy learns to be comfortable with a variety of people and situations from a very early age. Expose it to children, men, women, and other animals. Get your pet used to being handled. Keep things positive and upbeat, and allow your pit bull puppy to approach new things in its own time. This early socialization is the most important component of your puppys training program.
Does spaying a pitbull calm them down?
Having your dog spayed won’t affect her working abilities, friendliness, playfulness or personality. However, spaying can affect many behaviors associated with the heat cycle. You may see a reduction in these behaviors after you spay your dog: … Some dogs become irritable or nervous and even feel pain due to ovulation.