My Basic Training Techniques

I get asked all the time for advice and training tips when people see how well behaved Bentley is and how many tricks she knows. The truth is that Pit Bulls are great dogs to train due to their strong desire to please humans. This is why everyone that owns a Pit, or any breed for that matter, should train them and if you do not know how hopefully these simple basic training tips I've put together will help. These are the methods I use in early training.

I got Bentley when she was a puppy so of course I started training her right away but let me tell you she went through the whole puppy chewing phase, that is inevitable, and yes, I left things unattended and returned to find them destroyed. The quicker you learn that a puppy is just like a child and wants to get into everything it's not supposed to, the better off you will be. With that being said, rule number one, of course, don't leave anything valuable lying around and rule number two invest in a number of chew toys so when your pup is bored with one, there will be another one to get his attention instead of your brand new pair of shoes that cost an arm and a leg.

As soon as you bring your dog home, no matter how old he is, you must start the training process. The first things you should teach your dog are his name and “no”. These are the easiest things to teach any dog, even kids can teach their dogs these two things. Treats work best when training your dog so I advise that you use a treat when starting off. When your dog starts getting into things he's not supposed to, say “no” sternly but don't yell. You want to get his attention and respect but not to have him scared of you. Soon enough your dog will know the meaning of “no”.

Teaching your dog to sit is simple and should be the first trick your dog learns. To teach your dog, simply call him to you and tell him to “sit”, your dog won't understand but will eventually get tired of standing and will sit. As soon as this happens, praise your dog and give him the treat. Practice this until your dog can sit on command.

“Lie down” is the next easiest command and is basically taught the same way as the sit command. If your dog is not wanting to lie down you can always use treats as motivation. Try placing the treat close to the ground and your dog's head should follow. Repeat the “lie down” command as you push the treat closer to his chest. This will cause him to lie down to get into a more comfortable position to eat the treat. After he is laying down, praise him and give him the treat. Repeat this until you no longer have to coax him down. You may use a hand signal when you are teaching your dog so he will reference the word and hand signal with the action you want him to make. I point my finger to the ground and snap but you may use whatever signal you are more comfortable with.

The next command I recommend that you teach your dog is “stay”. This one takes more patience but is a very valuable command for your dog to know, especially in public. You can teach your dog stay when he is in a sit or lie position as it will be easier. Slowly start walking away and saying the word “stay”, using a hand gesture if you want. The signal I use for stay is my arm out in front of me with my hand pointed straight up, just like a traffic signal officer would do. If your dog follows you say no and have him either sit or lie down again. Once you are able to walk a short distance with your dog in the stay command, stop and praise him. Keep repeating this with your dog until you are able to go further and further away. With Bentley, I am able to go into different rooms and even outside while she stays. I do this with treats right in front of her too and she won't touch them until I give her the release command. When I have made her stay as long as I want I give her a release command of “okay”. You may use any release command you please. The release command will come in handy for future tricks.

After these three easy commands have been taught you can start basing new tricks and commands off of them such as rolling over, shaking hands, going in a circle, sitting pretty, jumping through hoops and much more. Once you have the basic three you can expand and there's no limit to what you can teach your dog with lots of patience and understanding.

I suggest that you buy a clicker when you want to move on to more advanced training techniques. I have trained both with and without the clicker and have gotten positive results both ways but I feel that the clicker works very well. As soon as your dog hears the click, he knows he has done the trick correctly. When you start clicker training, you can start with old tricks and click when the command has been acted out and then give him a treat. This way he will associate the click with a treat and will know when the trick has been properly completed. Always click and give a treat. When your dog knows the commands well you won't need the clicker anymore.

As with anything, practice makes perfect. Don't give up or get frustrated because your dog may not be learning at the speed you would like. Instead have patience and keep at it. Remember, even as humans, we have been trained and conditioned from birth with patience from our parents so have some empathy for your learning pooch.

Cheers,

Nitro the Hero American Staff

This Amazing Pit Bull Story comes from Frankie Piccone and is about his wonderful dog Nitro
an American Staffordshire Terrier and his beloved son of 13yrs, may his sweet soul RIP.

It was Frankie’s first time owning this breed, having only had Golden Retrievers, Labradors and a German Sheppard but Nitro was by far the smartest of them all. At not even 4 months, Nitro was trained with just hand commands and basic words but by the 5th month he was doing tricks, climbing trees, jumping over 6 ft walls and following everything and anything he was commanded to do. Frankie taught him to be friendly and non aggressive, to walk by his right side without a leash and to not cross the street without a hand gesture. He was well behaved off leash and Frankie never had to worry about him chasing after any dog, cat, squirrel, or other animal. Nitro was so trained to listen to Frankie’s commands that even when a friend of his tossed a steak into the street and told him to get it, Nitro didn’t budge until Frankie gave him the gesture. By the 7th month Nitro was being trained to guard and protect and knew a trigger word, “tijerras”, which means scissors in Spanish and was only to be used for defense.

The story begins one night when Frankie, who worked with a professional drag racing team at the time, got back home to New York City from the NHRA circuit event in Texas and took Nitro out in his not so great neighborhood for a walk. Nitro was in the bushes taking care of business when out of the nowhere a man sneaks up behind Frankie with a gun to his back and tells him to give him all of his belongings. As Frankie reaches for his wallet, Nitro jumps out of the bushes and bites the man’s hand causing him to drop the gun. The man tries to grab the gun with his free hand so Frankie yells the trigger word “tijerras” and Nitro starts biting down harder as Frankie proceeds to kick the mugger. The man starts yelling and just a few minutes later a squad car pulls up. One of the neighbor’s must have called due to the screaming. The cop draws his gun out and says that he’s going to shoot the dog so Frankie stops kicking the man and commands Nitro to release him. Nitro releases the mugger and Frankie grabs him so the cop won’t shoot his dog. The cop is scared and asks where the leash is all the while the mugger is inching closer to where the gun was in the bushes. Frankie screams to the cop that the mugger is trying to reach for the gun he just tried to rob him with as another squad car pulls up. This time a woman cop draws her gun out and points it at Frankie screaming for him to get on the ground and release Nitro. Frankie doesn’t want Nitro to get shot so he lays on top of him covering him from open fire while the mugger gets cuffed. The cops then come over to Frankie wanting to detain him as well and still pointing their guns at him and Nitro. He explains what just transpired and after an id check they release him and tell him what a great dog he has and that he is brave for protecting his dog because had he not, Nitro would’ve been shot.

Now Frankie is very good friends with those officers and it’s been over 9 years since that incident happened. Nitro has always left a great first impression with anyone that he has met. He saved Frankie’s life 3 times at gun point in NYC, he just wishes he could have returned the favor as cancer got the best of Nitro. Frankie misses him dearly as he is the son he never had. Nitro was honestly loved by many people in this country and has touched many hearts. Frankie knows he’s in a far better place now and is looking for places to take Frankie when they finally reunite.

“RIP my beloved son daddy truly misses you.”- Frankie Piccone

It is stories like this that truly show what great companions Pit Bulls can be. They love and protect you with their whole being. Please don’t judge the breed, judge the deed.

6 Leash Pulling Tips

Leash pulling is a common problem and can make a walk with your dog very unpleasant. Have you ever decided you would rather not walk your dog just because he pulls too much and you don't feel like being dragged? Don't give up just yet. Walks are an excellent way to exercise your dog and yourself. If you work on these following tips, you will be able to enjoy your dog walks.

1. Most dog gets very excited when they hear the word “walk” or see their leash. When this happens some dogs might even start shaking. Let your dog calm down a bit before even putting on his leash.

2. Once you notice your dog has calmed down and is in a sitting position, put the leash on. If your dog cannot sit still then you need to go back to basic training commands and teach him to sit and stay.

3. If you are having a really hard time calming your dog down you can try wearing him out a little before the walk. Throw a ball around to tire him out a bit.

4. Once out the door, if your dog starts pulling just stop walking. When your dog stops pulling and sits, you may start walking again. Every time your dog pulls, just stop and wait, then resume after he has stopped. This step is time consuming and requires patience but it will condition your dog. Even if your walk consists of you stopping every ten seconds, keep doing it. Your dog will learn that he doesn't command the walks, you do, and you will only go when you want to.

5. If you have problems getting your dog to stop you can use treats to get his attention. His focus must be on you, you are in charge.

6. Last but not least, praise your dog to reassure good behavior.

Now get out there and enjoy some fresh air with your pooch.

Happy walking!

BSL and Pit Bulls

What exactly is BSL?

BSL is an abbreviation for Breed Specific Legislation. Not only is this Legislation targeting specific breeds of dog, but dogs that appear to have characteristics of certain breeds. Your dogs may not even be close to what is on the ban list but may be affected negatively nonetheless. In Iowa, a Pit Bull is defined as “any dog that is an American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, or any dog displaying the majority of physical traits of any one or more of the above breeds (more so than any other breed), or any dog exhibiting those distinguishing characteristics.”

Pit Bull type breeds are included in every single breed restriction or ban that has been set in place by each region that has implemented a legislation, every single one! This ban affects dogs all around the world. These bans and restrictions around the world vary from region to region but the effect that it's having on these dogs is very real.

The following are some of the legislation requirements that you must follow depending upon the region your are in:

Must not own, sell, harbor, breed, keep a Pit Bull type dog.

Leash and or muzzle your dog when in public.

Must be 21 years of age or older

Post "Beware of Dog" signs around your residence.

Procure $100,000 US in liability insurance.

Spay/neuter the dog.

Must surrender the dog to be euthanized if it has bitten a person or animal.

Everyday, Pit Bulls are being killed due to legislation. In the areas where these dogs are illegal to have, there are many people that have no choice but to relocate their dogs within a certain time frame or give them up where they eventually are killed. Since it is already hard as it is to relocate Pit Bulls, the rise in deaths has grown drastically. These are dogs that have never harmed a thing in their lives and are gentle and loving and are being forced out of their homes to suffer an unjustifiable death with no where to go but shelters where they are put down. It's a Holocaust of sorts and is completely unfair to loving dogs and owners alike, who both feel the impact.

The ban affects home owners and renters alike because insurance companies see these breeds as a liability and will not allow them on their properties, making finding a residence extremely hard for owners that do not wish to give up their dogs.

There is a fear of these breeds now and this causes people to cast judgment solely based upon a false sense of fear. The truth is that dogs sometimes attack people,, not just a specific breed or breeds, but the species as a whole. By banning and killing off dogs solely based off of appearance, we are endorsing and showing that stereotyping is okay and should be enforced. It is showing that every dog that looks a certain way is exactly the same. This is so wrong on so many levels. Instead of killing off dogs that belong to a responsible owner why not punish owners who are irresponsible. Why should the actions of the few affect the masses so dramatically?

Banning these breeds, instead of implementing new laws that target irresponsible owners and dogs that actually are dangerous, is not working. These dogs are now being bred by people who just want to make a profit based on their desirability, who in fact, are worsening the breeds. These dogs are being bred in mills and with no concern for good temperaments, genes, and health problems, which is causing more stereotyping to happen. What should be done instead of banning the breeds, is enforcing proper breeding practices and responsible dog ownership.

The fight to end BSL is one that will take the efforts of every person that cares about these dogs. If we don't stand up for them no one will and then what? Let them die, suffer, and soon be banned everywhere causing the extinction of many breeds? Ending BSL starts with you. Educating yourself and others and being a responsible dog owner is just the beginning to a long road of changing the view about Pit Bulls and Pit Bull type breed.

So will you join in on the fight?

Why Pit Bulls are Awesome

After being a Pit Bull owner for over 11 years, I feel that I am qualified to give you reasons as to why Pit Bulls are absolutely the best dogs. Hopefully I can change your mind if you've ever doubted their greatness. These are the top ten reasons why Pit Bulls are awesome but we all know there many many more.

1. Pit Bulls are very athletic. Pits are bundles of energy and can keep up with the most active of lifestyles. Whether you hike, run, or skateboard, these pooches will keep up with you and keep you company. Their lean and muscular bodies make them agile and able to endure long hours of activity.

2. They aim to please. Pit Bulls were made to follow direction and love to please their humans. When there is something they can do for you they will enjoy it, especially being rewarded with praises and pets after doing so.

3. The are easy to groom. With their short coats, they are super easy to groom only requiring a regular bath, some ear cleaning and some teeth cleaning for clean gums and fresh breath. If you keep your Pit active, nail clipping should be very minimal due to the nails filling down against the ground.

4. The Pit Bull smile. One of my favorite characteristics has got to be the famous Pit Bull smile. If you've seen it you know exactly what I mean, if not then you are missing out on cuteness overload.

5. They have personality. Every Pit Bull I meet has it's own distinct personality from the laid back type to the completely off the wall hyper Pit, the are uniquely interesting. Their facial expressions and mannerisms will have you laughing. They don't have a problem trying to tell you what's on their mind. Whether you can decipher their message is a different story though.

6. Pit puppies make your heart melt. Okay, puppies in generally make my heart melt but not like a pit puppy. There's just something about their tiny little faces that make me squeal with joy and want to squeeze them especially when they have plump little bellies. Just adorable!

7. They are easy to train. With a strong desire to make their owners happy, Pit Bulls are among the top breeds that are highly trainable. They follow direction very well and love performing tricks to show off their skills.

8. They know how to be gentle. Pit Bulls know how to be gentle with children, babies, smaller animals, the elderly and the disabled. There are many Pit Bulls that are service dogs because of their trainability.

9. They are the best cuddlers. Pits love to cuddle up next to you and keep you warm, they'll even get under the blanket with you. They love being comfortable and might use your pillow for their heads. Sharing the bed with you is one of their favorite things to do.

10. They are all around attractive. Pits are good looking dogs that come in an array of colors. They come in different sizes depending on the specific breed, whether it is American Staffordshire Terrier, American Pit Bull Terrier or Bull Terrier there is a style bound to fancy even the pickiest person.