Thank you for wanting to adopt a pittie, rather than buy from a backyard breeder!
First things first…DO YOUR RESEARCH! I cannot stress that enough! Pits are no different than any other dog out there, but because of the awful prejudice against them and their owners, being a pit owner means that you have to be the best of the best in how you raise your dog. Your dog has to be as socialized as you can get him. You need to take him to as many classes as you can. You will need to do small training sessions each and every day of his life. Take him as many places as you can go so he can experience what the world has to offer. There is so much that you will be responsible for to make sure that your pit is a canine good citizen.
You also need to be prepared for the looks, the stares, the comments, the fear, people pulling their children away from you and your dog, and so much more. Owning a pit bull takes a strong heart and calm temperament with what ignorant individuals will say and do. That was the hardest thing for me to adjust to. But, as long as YOU are educated, can talk calmly about the breed, guide people to the CORRECT vision of the breed, don’t make a spectacle when people shy away from you, and can speak the facts about the breed, you will be a successful owner. Getting acquainted with the breed before adopting is a smart thing to do. Be armed with as much knowledge as you can, as that will get you far. Hook up with others in meetup groups or pit bull groups locally to learn and help socialize the dog.
There is a lot to owning any breed of dog. It isn’t an animal that you can just feed and ignore. Dogs require rules, training, limitations, patience, love, and so much more. Loving a dog isn’t enough. They need us to guide them to make the right decisions. They need us. Period. But having a pit bull means so much more. It means that we have to make our dog the breed ambassador!
Here are some very helpful websites that will educate you in pit bulls, BSL, and the many other things that come with being owned by a pittie:
http://www.dontbullymybreed.org
This is just a start, but these are some of the BEST pit bull websites out there. You can learn SO much from them. Start there, and then go adopt that wonderful little guy if you think you are ready!
Good luck! 🙂
