The American Pit Bull Terrier is the most known dog in the United States. Even those who have not actually met a Pit Bull have heard about their reputation, however their bad reputation does not give any insight into the breed itself, simply the acts of a few poorly trained animals.
It is a fact that the Pit Bulls original purpose was to fight other dogs, and many still train them for fighting regardless of legality. They are the most used breed for this since they are extremely muscular, have a very high pain tolerance and strive to please their owner. None of this makes a bad breed, it merely shows that there are still bad people who train good dogs for illegal purposes.
There are many who claim that Pit Bulls have locking jaws and cannot be trusted. In truth, no breed of dog has any sort of locking mechanism in their jaws, Pit Bulls simply have very strong muscles.
A Pit Bull who was not trained to fight, but trained in the same manner that you would train your Labrador Retriever, is a very good pet and trusted companion. They adore children, welcome friendly strangers, and always seek the approval of their owners.
If you want a good Pit Bull, you must be a good owner first. You must understand a Pit Bull and care for their needs. They love their family and want to be with them, so keeping your Pit Bull outside all the time will not make a happy dog. You should take your Pit Bull to obedience training so you and the dog can learn basic skills and he will be more well mannered and obedient.
Introducing your Pit Bull to a variety of people, animals and places when young will help him be a better dog. Many Pit Bulls can be dog aggressive, but proper socialization with other dogs while young will help him to not be dog aggressive. Also keep in mind that dog aggression has absolutely nothing to do with human aggression. Just because a dog does not like other dogs, that does not mean he will ever bite a person. Every breed has dogs who are dog aggressive, this is not an issue the Pit Bull carries alone.
Pit Bull puppies love to chew, so make sure you have plenty of toys that he can chew on or he may end up chewing on your sofa. If you do find him chewing on things he shouldn't, simply give a firm "No", and then give him something acceptable to chew on.
Housebreaking is usually fairly easy with Pit Bulls. If there are accidents, under no circumstances should you rub your Pit Bulls nose in it. All this will accomplish is a stinky dog, not a step in training. If you don't catch him in the act, simply clean it up and watch him closer. If you catch him in the act, give a firm "No" and get him outside. When he does potty outside, praise him! Make sure your puppy is taken outside often, crated when you cannot be right there to supervise, and your puppy should be housebroken in no time.