How to Raise a Balanced Pit Bull

Hi Cesar,

I adopted a male pit bull when he was between 8 and 10 weeks old. This is my first pit bull. I have two labs at home, 7 and 10, both males.

I want to know what I need to do to make sure my pit bull never attacks my labs. Can I have any advice on how to do this? My pit is about 5 months old and is getting neutered in a few weeks. I just want to be aware of anything I can do to make sure that he does not become dog or human aggressive.

Thanks!
Ashley Gerenser from PA

Ashley,

First of all, I think it is wonderful that you have decided to neuter your dog. And five or six months is a great age to do it.

How do we keep a powerful breed humble, surrendering, submissive, and peaceful? We never reward excitement. We don't favor any one dog over another. Once you have a pack, you can't favor any particular dog. You need to favor the calm-submissive state of mind. That's what keeps a pack healthy.

When you're feeding three dogs, always choose the dog that is the most calm and submissive to receive the food first. If that happens to be the pit bull, then feed him first. But if he's too exited, he should eat last. Wait until he's achieved the state of mind that you want. That way, he understand that it's the calm-submissive state that makes him part of the group.

If you have a high energy pit bull and lower energy Labradors, then make sure that you challenge the pit bulls more than the other dogs. Always keep the powerful breed very, very tired. And when youre taking them on a walk together, who gets the leash first? The most calm and submissive. When you open the door, who goes out first? Obviously, the human and then the most calm and submissive. If all three of them are in a calm-submissive state, which is ideal, then you can take everyone at the same time!

If you have problems walking all three dogs together, then take them one at a time. Master the walk that way. Then add a second dog to the walk. Then once you have that down, bring the third along. Your goal is to make them a calm-submissive unit, working together.

Stay calm and assertive,
Cesar Millan

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Sun, 2010-01-31 18:56 — lacey5

Aggresive Pitbul

I have a wonderful Dog I love him with all my heart. He is a mix between a pitbul and a lab. He is a great dog inside the house he minds, he has a great fun personality and is always in high spirits. He usually learns very fast. But there is one thing I cant get a handle on. I watch your show ever time it is on and I try to apply some of the things that you teach. But I can't seem to get him to listen he is almost two years old. The problem I am having I can't take the dog out of the house he turns into a whole different dog. He wants to kill every dog he see's for no reason. He is very strong and hard for me to handle. I am just a girl and he just drags me. He growls and trys to bite, and if he ever got lose from me I know he would hurt another dog, or even himself as well. I have so much love for dogs and it would devestate me. I love my dog so much and I want him to become a smart well minded dog and reach his full potential. I need some serious help I am not sure where I went wrong. I tried so hard to avoid the aggresive state he is in. Please help me.

Fri, 2010-01-29 13:20 — appollosdad917

cesar my friend......

Cesar my names D.J. Fernandez Jr. I have a year and a half old American red-nose/American Stafford-shire pit bull named Appollo he is very loving to kids and members of my family and also my friends but when were out walking or in the car everyone he lays his eyes on is a enemy how can i stop that behavior hes 70 pounds and still growing..he gets plenty of exercise,discipline and affection i just don't want my Boy Appollo to get hurt or hurt and or kill another dog.....please help me and my dog appollo.

p.s.- YOUR THE MAN

Fri, 2010-01-22 16:32 — airamakabebe

my pitbull

hello cesar, MY name is Airam and i have a pitbull he one year old and he is showin more signs of aggression , and he use play well with other dogs and he jumped my fence and almost attacked a german shapred, i want him to get along with other dogs , he is nice with our little dog though its kind of werid, but i dont want to lose him i love him with my heart i raised him since he was 3 months.And he recently saved my life from a robber who had a knife on me.SO cesar come help me to me he my son , his name is oreo.

Fri, 2010-01-15 02:15 — yesika

pitbull problem!

hey cesar, iam having a problem with my 2 males pitbulls, one is 3yr and the other one is 8months but hes way bigger and stronger and now he want to fight and punk my older dog, i love them both and i would like to know wath can i do so they can be friends, not fight!! the 8m old is very jelaous and he always wants all the attention even when iam peting both at the same time, he pushes him or wants to star fight!! please help me i dont want to get rid of one of them!! thank u cesar, and i wanted you to know iam your fan and i love your show, i love dogs!!! jessika...

Fri, 2010-01-08 17:49 — amber cangialosi

tank / pitbull

hi cesar

I have a male pitbull that is very dog agressive he is ok with the other dogs that are in the house but is very agressive if they are on the other side of the fence. I have him on a 40 foot tote rope when he goes in the yard cause he jumped the fence and attacked another dog and i could barely get him off
and when he did that the dog warden of are town said he was going to mark him as a dangerous dog so i replaced the fence because i was so scared he would jump over again and put in a six foot fence and then he climed that to get out and the only way he could go out is on the tote rope . I try to walk him and i really have no contol over him he pulls me everywhere and he its like hes dragging me he weighs about 80 pounds and im 115 and im afraid that when he sees a dog he is going to get away because i can not control him. im very afraid that somthing bad will happen. i really want to walk him but he acts crazy when we go because we rarly go and i feel bad i know theres a promblem but i dont know how to fix it and i want to cause i love him very much and but im scared of his behavior when he acts like that.i just want to know if there is any thing i could do for his dog aggression and how hyper he is..thank you so much...

Amber