So, you want to buy or adopt a Pitbull, huh? Great idea! Want to hear an even better idea? Pitbull rescue. No pooch is too old for puppy love and puppies are only puppies for a few months after all, right?
Oh, you have your heart set on a cute little Pit Bull puppy? Have you been looking at Pit Bull puppies for sale, check out Pit Bull puppy breeders? OK, here’s some food for thought if you have your heart set on a puppy, and a few reasons why adopting an adult might be your better option:
What It Takes to Housebreak a Puppy.
Before you adopt a Pit Bull, consider how much time your new family member will spend alone. Remember, a puppy requires constant attention. The key to successful housebreaking is consistency; preventing “accidents” is key. Once a puppy soils the carpeting, it becomes much more difficult to train them out of that behavior.
Here’s a good rule of thumb to consider: a puppy can hold his bladder just one hour for every month they’ve been alive. For instance, a 3-month-old puppy will need to empty his bladder every three hours!
Before you adopt or buy a Pitbull puppy, ask yourself if you are available to walk your dog several times throughout the day, and if you have the patience and commitment to wake up and take him out first thing every morning at the same time, and stick to a strict schedule. Of course, before you can walk him at all, you will need to train him to walk on a leash, which is a project in itself.
On the other hand, an adult dog’s bladder is already fully developed. Shelter dogs are often already housetrained and Pitbull rescue groups can tell you if their adult dogs for adoption are housebroken before they go into your home. You also have the advantage of knowing that your dog is physically able to “hold it” for several hours at a stretch. In most cases, adult dogs are by far easier to housebreak than puppies. You can teach an old dog new tricks!
Puppy Behavior Sometimes Isn’t Pleasant.
Sure, Pit Bull puppies are super-cute, but simply put, puppies can be adorable, relentless machines of destruction. Even the most well-behaved puppy will destroy shoes, clothing, paper, remote controls, telephones, leashes, dog beds, carpeting anything and everything. More rambunctious pups have been known to obliterate sofas, car seats, Venetian blinds, electrical cords, door frames you name it, they can eat it or shred it. And when they’re teething, look out! Cute puppies have very sharp teeth, and they are happy to use your hands, feet, nose, hair, etc, as a chew toy. Ouch! Needless to say, a teething Pitbull puppy and a small child do NOT make good companions! To keep the puppy from hurting himself, and to prevent the destructive behavior from becoming a bad habit, you will need to spend every waking moment supervising his every move. Do you have that kind of time?
Many Pitbull dogs in shelters or after a pitbull rescue are already trained and ready to go! Adults have a much longer attention span than puppies, too, which means they’re easier and faster to teach. Adult dogs already have recognizable personality traits, so you’ll be able to select one who is great with children. Many Pit Bull rescue groups use foster homes to make sure each Pit Bull for adoption is trained to be well-behaved indoors. Although all dogs need attention and playtime, an adult dog’s needs are far less demanding than a puppy’s.
You Won’t Know a Puppy’s Personality for Some time.
With an adult Pit Bull, what you see is what you get. Their personality is already developed, and you’ll be able to spot the characteristics you’re looking for much more easily than with a puppy Pit Bull. Shelters and rescue groups are able to assess the personality of each Pit Bull for adoption and carefully match you up with the right dog for your lifestyle. When you adopt a puppy, there is a lot more guesswork involved.
Adult Pitbull Adoption = An Instant Friend for Life. Ask anybody who has adopted an adult dog, and they’ll swear their bond with their rescued pal is as deep as they come. When you open your heart and your home to a dog who needs help, they really do show their appreciation for the rest of their life!
Dogs who have been uprooted from their homes, or have had difficult beginnings are likely to bond completely and deeply with their new human caretakers who they view as heroes. Pit Bulls who find themselves in the shelter or at a rescue group because of a death or other tragedy in their former human family usually go through a mourning period. Once they are adopted, however, they usually want nothing more than to please their new hero—YOU!
No matter what circumstances brought them to the shelter or rescue group, most Pit Bull dogs for adoption is exceptionally affectionate and attentive pets and extremely loyal companions. But first, you have to adopt one!
Adult Pitbull rescue = Truly Saving a Life.
When you adopt an adult dog, you are doing the ultimate good deed. Let’s face it: at first, a lot of people think they want to find Pitbull puppies for sale, but not everyone is lining up to adopt the great adults or a pitbull rescue! Some people might have the misconception that Pitbulls in shelters have something wrong with them.
In fact, most Pit Bulls for adoption end up in shelters, not because of any problem with pet behavior or health issues, but because they were dropped off by someone who simply didn’t have the time or money to care for the animals. In some cases, pets are lost and never found by their owners. These animals are healthy and very eager to please.
Did you know that every year, approximately 4 million adoptable animals are killed? A staggering 25% of those animals are purebreds, so you can bet there is a Pit Bull in need of adoption.
With such a huge overpopulation problem, looking for a Pitbull dog for sale, or Pitbull puppies breeders, sadly contributes to this tragedy. Rescue groups that specialize in adoption work very, very hard to help adult dogs find good homes. Rescues are almost always made up of a group of volunteers. They often keep Pit Bulls for adoption in their own homes while they assess their health and personalities. If a dog needs basic training, often the rescuer will provide it. If a dog needs medical treatment, many dedicated dog rescuers pay for it out of their own pocket.
These people are incredibly passionate about pit bull rescue, and they work tirelessly to make sure every dog finds a home. Nothing is as rewarding to these heroes as a successful adoption!
Pitbull rescue and adoption is possible as your Pet Shelters have dogs of all breeds, including purebred Pitbulls.
Finally, remember that irrational as it is, people are afraid of Pitbulls. For the good of your dog and the breed in general, it’s important to be an exceptionally responsible owner and to be sensitive to others’ fears, while at the same time trying to change their minds.
In 1900, dog fighting became illegal, so a group of people who admired the breed got together in order to promote other characteristics besides those desirable for fighting. The American Staffordshire was used in World War II and one of the dogs became the most decorated war dog. The American Kennel Club recognized these dogs as a separate breed in 1936, but they were called the Staffordshire terrier. The term American was added to the breed name in 1972 in order to prevent confusion with the similarly-named Staffordshire bull terrier. After its popularity increased, the breed spread all over.
Often, the breeder(s) will give information on the bloodlines of the offspring to allow the potential buyer to be assured of the purity of the breed and specifically of the potential pet. Certification of registration into a kennel club such as the American Kennel Club is very useful. The purpose of the dog is also an important consideration when looking to purchase a Blue Pit Bull. Many times the breeders will have both show and pet quality animals.