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Pit Bull Admin · Posted: Sun Jul 01, 2007 7:06 pm Post subject: Socializing a Pit Bull

Socialization is one of the most important aspects of raising & owning a pit bull. Owning a pit bull comes with many big responsibilities and raising a pit bull will not be much like raising another breed of dog.

1) Get him from a good breeder! To start socializing, you must have a dog willing to be socialized. Some pit bulls that come from bad breeders will never be socialized no matter how hard you try because of their genes and bloodlines. So, find a great breeder.
2) Train him. You want your pit bull to be civil in public so he isn't squirming and nipping constantly. Although training and socialization starts close to the same time, you should always practice training as much as socialization.
3) Bring him in public a lot. Bring him in public a lot. Town, pet stores, anywhere that allows pets.
4) Ask people to pet him. People are usually asking you to pet your dog, but ask different people to pet your dog so he gets used to different people petting him.
5) Bring him to busy places. Gradually bring him to busier, more nervous enviornments.
6) Let everyone pet him. Let everyone of all shapes, sizes, and ages pet him.
7) Keep it constant. Keep socialization, just like training, constant. Daily socialization and training, possibly even more than once a day.
8 ) Introduce him to different breeds of dogs. Don't just socialize him with people! Introduce him to trained dogs that you are sure will not hurt your dog in any way. Gradually and carefully introduce him to many breeds and kinds of dogs.

http://www.realpitbull.com/social.html

PitBulls4Ever · Joined: 09 Jul 2007 Posts: 10

Great post. Anyone who is aquiring a pit bull should aquire whether she or he has the time for daily socialization, not ending until the pup is 1 year old, and even when the pup is one year old you need to continue socialization, just not so often. Once a week would be fine, I'd say. A mistake a lot of pit bull owners make is they don't realize just how much socialization these dogs need. And not only with people!