How Strong Is A Pit Bull?

You may be wondering how strong your Pitbull actually is if you own one or if you’re planning on adopting these adorable dogs.

Whatever the case may be, in this article we’ll be answering the question, “how strong is a pit bull?” and providing other interesting facts about this dog breed.

How Strong Is A Pit Bull? 

In terms of bite strength, this breed is not so strong and only bites with approximately 300 pounds of pressure applied. Sure, they may be part of the dog breeds considered to be aggressive however they are not the breed with the strongest bite. The dog breed with the strongest dog bite is German shepherd dogs.

Now in terms of their temperament, these dogs are strong, agile, powerful and energetic dogs. So they require a dog owner who has enough physical strength to keep up with them and handle them properly and effectively at the same time.

They are very driven dogs and quite resourceful as well. One of their prominent traits is determination. This means that if they’ve set their souls and hearts on something, best believe they will in fact get that thing done.

This includes but is not limited to activities like exploring your neighborhood and somehow successfully managing to escape your fenced yard.

Other examples include getting your new sofa destroyed if left at home unsupervised or trying to jump on you (regardless of their size) just to show you some love and affection. The point is giving up easily is not a characteristic they can be described with.

Pit bull dogs, generally speaking, are not considered to be the right dog for a lot of people especially first time owners. This is because they require quite a bit of control which requires their owners to be fit to a large extent.

Another important thing we need to mention is the fact that Pitbull dogs tend to be misunderstood.

This dog breed has unique qualities which make them suitable for playing games which require agility and obedience. This ultimately means that people who have ulterior motives and need a dog strong enough to be used in a dog fight tend to prefer some Pit bull breeds.

This is one of the major reasons why over the years, Pit bull dogs developed a reputation as being unsuitable because they are in quote dangerous.

Pit bull dogs in addition to being strong are also very intelligent and are easily trained because of how quickly they learn tricks and commands.

Pit bull dogs have a huge appetite for living life and enjoy being a part of activities happening in their environment. No matter how big they get, they tend to maintain their puppyish behavior well into their adult years. This energetic nature is a source of joy to many owners and families.

A Brief History Of Pitbull Dogs

Terrier and Bull breeds were invented by dog breeders in England in the early part of the 19^th century. They were bred for two of the spectator sports that were quite popular at that time known as bear baiting and bull baiting.

Thankfully, over time, these sports were categorized as cruel and in the year 1835, they were classified as illegal sports. Unfortunately, another cruel sport replaced those and it was known as dogfighting.

It was because of dogfighting as a sport that dog breeders started to introduce the dog aggression trait as a part of the genetic line for Pitbull dogs.

It’s interesting to note though that a part of the component of the genetic characteristics of this breed is they would rather not bite humans. This is due to the fact that the humans who handled them did not want to get bitten whenever they needed to keep two fighting dogs apart.

As time progressed, the Pit bull breed had obtained a reputation and became known for being a strong and protective breed. An added bonus was the fact that they were also family-friendly and quite gentle. This is a classic example of a paradox, a paradox no doubt but a good one nonetheless depending on how you see it!

By the time these dogs known as bulldogs came with their immigrant owners to the United States, they started a brand new career. Their new work was working on farms with jobs like guarding their owner’s property against unwanted intruders e.g. animals, etc. They also provided much-needed companionship and helped to hunt wild animals for their owners.

Now the US is known for being a land of “the bigger, the better.” As a result of this, the immigrants created Pitbull dogs to be much bigger than it used to be while still in England.

It was in the year 1898 that the United Kennel Club (UKC) which is the British counterpart of the American Kennel Club (AKC) decided to name Pitbull dogs, the American Pit Bull Terrier.

In was during the early part of the 1930s that the AKC made a decision to acknowledge the breed. However, they did so with a brand new name because they needed to distinguish it from its past of pit fighting. The AKC decided to name the breed the American Staffordshire terrier.

From that time until now, the American Staffordshire terrier is normally bred to conform to AKC standards or dog shows, while the American Pit Bull Terrier is not. There are only a few minor differences between the two breeds in terms of their personality and build.

Caring For Pitbull Dogs

We hope you love exercising and keeping fit because you can anticipate spending a minimum of approximately one hour every day to keep your dog happy. You will need to play with him, walk him, and find other interesting ways to keep him/her happy and well-exercised.

Like we’ve mentioned earlier, Pitbull dogs tend to be quite strong despite their size. They also have a tendency to be stubborn if owners leave them unsupervised.

Training Pitbull Dogs

It’s important that you invest time in getting them trained in obedience as early as you possibly can i.e. right from when they are puppies. You will also need to maintain this training throughout his/her life. It is highly recommended that you take your Pitbull pups to an obedience class immediately all their shots are current.

This breed is susceptible to diseases like parvo and distemper so make sure they’ve gotten every vaccination they need to be administered before they come in contact with humans and other dogs. (Click here to learn about all the shots that your Pit bull puppies would have to take).

These trainings are an excellent foundation for you to build a solid bond and relationship with your beloved pet. An obedient and well behaved Pitbull dog sets a wonderful example for their breed in general. This helps to lessen the effect of unfortunate misconceptions and prejudice against them.

The good news for owners about having a Pitbull is that they respond quite well to being trained is very keen to keep his owner happy.

Even though they love being outside and getting lots of exercises, it’s advisable you don’t leave them outside for long periods of time. This is because they don’t tend to tolerate cold weather all too well.

Notwithstanding the weather of the area you live, Pitbull’s fare well as house dogs. They tend to develop strong bonds to their owners and families and don’t fare so well when they’re left by themselves for a long period of time.

This dog breed is quite adaptable and if you live in an urban environment, they will adjust quite well. All you need to do is ensure they get adequate exercise and provide them with encouraging outlets for excess energy.

Some Pitbull’s also have a tendency to become couch potatoes, on the other hand, some are boisterous till get reach a more mature age.

With Pitbull dog’s maturity tends to set in a bit late and in some cases, it’s up to 2 or 3 years old. Notwithstanding, Pitbull dogs maintain a playful approach to life and love to play and keep their owners entertained.

To get some interesting ideas on training your Pitbull dog, check out the video below:

Temperament Of Pitbull Dogs

Like other dog breeds, Pit bulls are not exempt from developing problems with their behavior. This usually tends to happen if they get abused, are mishandled, not properly socialized or un-socialized or are bred poorly.

Any type of dog especially dogs that tend to be quite strong, powerful and big can cause quite a bit of damage should they be provoked to attack. This is one of the reasons why it’s important to carry out an evaluation of their temper. This is especially true if owners will have to deal with dogs that have a particular size.

Due to the controversy that surrounds this breed especially by some media houses aggression towards humans is not uniquely an issue affecting Pitbull dogs. As a matter of fact, this breed usually fares above average when tests for temperament is being carried out.

The American Temperament Test Society offers tests throughout the USA for various dog breeds. They provide a passing score for the whole breed and it’s subject to the percentage of dogs which pass over the failed dogs. This number is inside the complete number of a certain type of breed which tested.

Pitbull dogs have a pass rate score at 82.3%. This makes this breed a part of the top five breeds of dogs that are most stable in the USA.

Pitbull dogs are usually very loving, loyal and wonderful pets however it is critical that their owners fully understand the nature of this breed.

This is important so that the dogs can be provided with an environment that is well structured. This is also necessary so that their owners can give them the much needed leadership in a positive and healthy manner.

For this to happen successfully, owners of Pitbull’s will have to truly know the initial reason Pitbull’s were created. Once this happens, they can then understand and appreciate its potential and limitations.

Additional Safety Measures To Take When Caring For A Pitbull

When you own a Pitbull, especially if you also own other types of dogs, you will need to put some certain precautions in place.

It’s unfortunate that precautions like these are usually considered to be a reason for dogfighting as a sport to be accepted. This is actually quite far from fact.

Pitbull Rescue Central an organization which rescues Pit bulls strongly believe that owners need to know how to help their Pitbull’s avoid fights with other dogs. If it ever comes to that, owners also need to know how they can break a fight up. This is because it can be the difference between life and death for either the dog your dog got in a fight with or your own dog.

It’s important to highlight that dogs don’t need a solid reason to get into a fight with each other. For Pitbull dogs, warning signs may not even appear or they may be very understated indeed.

Sometimes two dogs might be the very best of friends for a long time, eating, sleeping, playing, and even cuddling together. Yet all it takes is for something minor to trigger one of the dogs and before you know it, they’ve gotten into a fight.

It’s interesting to note that once the fight has stopped, the two dogs most likely will go right back to being friends. Don’t be surprised if you notice them licking the other’s wounds. Don’t also be too surprised if they get into occasional fights now and again.

The reason why sometimes Pit bulls get into fights with other dogs is because of a natural urge inbuilt into their breed. This has existed in their line for quite a number of generations. In simpler terms, think of it as a natural instinct.

Pitbull’s sometimes fight to establish a status of hierarchy while other times, factors such as excitement or an external stimulus can get them triggered.

Whatever the case may be, it’s important that dog owners remember that fighting is normal in all dogs so your Pitbull having the occasional fight is not abnormal.

It’s also important to remember that the Pitbull breed was specifically bred to fight other dogs. This is the main reason why this breed will get into fights with other dogs with more intensity and drive than other dog breeds.

As the owner of a Pitbull, always have this at the back of your mind i.e. their exceptional fighting ability and their tendency to cause injuries of a serious nature to other dogs.

As a Pitbull owner, it is important that you always keep your eye on him and prevent him from getting into trouble.