Pit bull puppies love to learn.
The pit bull also goes by the American Kennel Club (AKC) name of American Staffordshire terrier. According to the Dog Breed Info Center, the American Staffordshire terrier is a smart, outgoing, stable and confident dog that gets on well with children. The breed is known for its loyalty and need to please. Teaching the American Staffordshire terrier manners and obedience is vital if the dog is to be an ambassador for this often misjudged breed.
Instructions
1. Crate train your pit bull puppy. Crate training helps house train your puppy, protects your belongings from puppy teeth, and provides your puppy with a den, or safe place, to call home. Introduce the crate by feeding, giving treats and praising your puppy when it is in the crate. Take your puppy outside immediately after you let it out of the crate, so it learns to go to the bathroom there. Gradually build up the time that the puppy stays in the crate, and never put the puppy in its crate as punishment.
2. Teach your pit bull puppy basic commands such as "sit," "down," "come" and "stay." Start when the dog is small, as it is more difficult to train an unruly 60-lb. adult American Staffordshire terrier than it is to train a small puppy. Hold a treat in front of the puppy's nose and raise it until the puppy naturally goes into the sit position, then give the puppy the treat. From the sit, hold a treat in front of the puppy's nose and bring it down toward the ground and away from the puppy, in an L shape, to encourage the puppy to lie down. Treat the puppy when it lies down. In a sit or down, hold your hand in front of the puppy's face and say "stay." Take a couple of steps back, then move forward and treat the puppy if it stayed. Gradually increase the distance, duration and distractions. Put the puppy in a stay and back away. Call the puppy to you using its name and saying "come!" Treat the puppy as soon as it reaches you. Repeat everything in short training sessions until the puppy consistently follows all of these commands.
3. Teach good behavior and boundaries, which will help the pit bull puppy to grow into a well-behaved dog. Use basic commands to redirect bad behavior. If the pit bull puppy jumps on you or another human, ask for a sit and treat the dog rather than yelling or kneeing it in the chest. Make the puppy work for its meals by asking for a sit and stay while you prepare the food, and releasing the puppy once the food is ready. Ask the puppy to sit when you put on its leash. Make sure each member of the family understands the rules and enforces them. If you do not allow your puppy on the couch, ask everyone to follow this rule or the puppy will be confused and think it's OK not to obey you.
4. Socialize your pit bull puppy from a young age. American Staffordshire terriers that are not socialized can become dog aggressive. Introduce your puppy to as many different types of people, animals, objects, places and scenarios as possible.
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