Pit Bulls are mired in misinformation, but they make for an amazing companion. Here are six of their most common personality traits.
Here are a few personality traits of the Pit Bull:
- They love being close to their owners
- They’re highly intelligent and easily trainable
- They have a people-pleasing nature which makes them great therapy dogs
- They’re powerful and determined
- They’re friendlier towards people than other dogs
- They’re task-oriented
There’s a lot of misinformation about Pit Bulls and in this article, I’ll dispel them as I explain the personality traits mentioned above in detail. By the time you’ve finished reading this article, you’ll be fully convinced that Pit Bulls are not the overly aggressive furry creatures so many people make them out to be and they’re just as friendly and beautiful as other dogs!
Table of Contents
1. They Love Being Close to Their Owner
Let’s be honest, a Pit Bull is the last dog that will come to your mind when you think of dogs that are friendly and loyal. The truth is, however, that Pit Bulls are highly affectionate towards their owners. Many people seem to believe that Pit Bulls are ferociously angry dogs who will bite the first person they see. This probably stems from the fact that they were one of the most popular dogs that were used in dog fighting in the past. Even back then, Pit Bulls were taught not to attack humans if they entered the ring.
Pit Bulls had a rough past, but they were trained to please humans. They love to cuddle and they will snuggle up to you when you’re trying to sleep at night or even when you’re just sitting on your couch. They never get tired of displaying their affection to their owners so if you’re planning to get a Pit Bull, you can take comfort in the fact that you’ll never go a single day feeling unloved.
2. They’re Highly Intelligent and Easily Trainable
Pit Bulls are relatively easier to train than other dogs. They’re extremely intelligent creatures who will learn any behavior that you teach them. With positive reinforcement and lots of cuddling, your Pit Bull will grow up to become a responsive and friendly dog.
Of course, this mostly depends on how you train them and how much experience you have with training dogs. An owner with poor training skills won’t be able to teach any dog to be less aggressive. Give your Pit Bull treats as you train them and they will listen to you. Spend at least an hour with them everyday. Take them out for walks and teach them new tricks. It’s an amazing way to form a meaningful bond with your furry friend.
Pit Bulls can be trained to learn pretty much every command and trick there is. You have to start training them when they’re young so they don’t grow up to become stubborn or dominant (something that’s common in Pit Bulls). Good training will yield a very obedient companion that will do everything you tell them to do. As soon as you’ve gotten them vaccinated, you should sign them up for obedience classes. Getting them trained properly is also a good way to fight against the misconceptions that surround Pit Bulls.
3. They Have a People Pleasing Nature Which Makes Them Great Therapy Dogs
As I mentioned above, Pit Bulls were trained to please humans. They will do whatever they can to make their owners happy. If you keep tabs on dog related news, then you probably remember the “Vicktory dogs”. The Vicktory dogs were dogs that went from being forced to participate in dog fights by footballer Michael Vick to becoming service or therapy dogs.
One of those dogs was Johnny Justice, a Pit Bull that still serves as a therapy dog in San Francisco. Johnny was given the title of ASPCA Dog of the Year in 2014 for working with terminally ill children. A Pit Bull named Blueberry was also part of the therapy dog team that provided comfort to people after the Boston Marathon bombing. There are lots of other examples like Johnny Justice and Blueberry, and it would be impossible for me to talk about all of them here, but I think you’ve already gotten a good idea of just how much of a great therapy dog candidate Pit Bulls are.
4. They’re Powerful and Determined
Pit Bulls are incredibly athletic dogs. They’re strong, powerful, and determined. In fact, determination is probably one of their most popular personality traits. Whatever they decide to do, they make sure they see the task through to the end. I’ve never owned a Pit Bull, but I know from other people’s experiences that if they decide to destroy your couch, you can say goodbye to it and maybe start looking for a new couch.
The good thing is that they’ll also smother you with kisses when they want to show affection and they won’t give up easily. You’d probably think that because they’re strong and determined, they’d be great guard dogs, but in reality, they tend to be really bad at it because of how friendly they are towards people. They are good at protecting their owners, though.
These dogs were bred for fighting and they possess the strength and agility of the bulldog breed and the terrier breed (the bull and terrier were the direct ancestors of modern-day American Pit Bull Terrier). It’s a bit sad because these qualities are what got Pit Bulls involved in dog fighting, but if you raise them right, you can rest assured that absolutely no one will dare to harm you when your Pit Bull is with you.
5. They’re Friendlier Towards People Than Other Dogs
Pit Bulls were bred for the sole purpose of fighting other dogs, which means that they’re more likely than other breeds to be aggressive around dogs. This doesn’t mean, however, that you can’t take them to a dog park. As long as you’re a responsible dog owner and you’ve raised your Pit Bull with love and care, they won’t get into fights with other dogs. It’s still possible for them to show aggressive behavior unexpectedly (mostly common among Pit Bulls that are 2 or 3 years old), because they were bred for fighting so I’d recommend you don’t take them to a dog park. It’s a recipe for disaster (and bad press for Pit Bulls).
Socializing your dog with other dogs while keeping them on a leash and giving them proper training will minimize the chances of a fight breaking out when your Pit Bull is with other dogs, but the fact of the matter is that they just don’t like being around dogs as much as they like being around people (quite unlike most of us dog owners, who prefer to be around dogs than people).
6. They’re Task-Oriented
Pit Bulls love to do tasks their owners give them. They don’t enjoy being bored and they’re always up to something. You have to teach them to be relaxed because they have a tendency to get anxious when they’re bored and alone. You have to make sure they get at least an hour of exercise every day. You can take your Pit Bull to agility classes as they’re a good way for your dog to expend all their energy (and Pit Bulls have a lot of energy).
One of the reasons they enjoy doing the things their owners tell them to do is because of their people pleasing nature. They’ll do anything to see you happy. No one else in your life will love you as much as your Pit Bull will. Just remember that Pit Bulls are susceptible to separation anxiety and it’s one of the major reasons why they end up at animal shelters.
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, Pit Bulls are not the angry, aggressive dogs they’re portrayed as. They’re affectionate, friendly, and they’ll never let you feel lonely. They’re a sturdy companion who will always be there for you. They’re athletic, determined, and responsive if you train them right.
There are different types of Pit Bulls, but all of them possess the personality traits mentioned in this article. Pit Bulls will keep you entertained for hours on end and they might motivate you to get some exercise, as well. It’s hard to sit around and do nothing when your dog is constantly in the mood to go out and play. They’re loyal and they’ll never leave your side.
You’ll always have a cuddling partner and Pit Bulls have a wonderful smile that will light up your life. Just make sure you keep a distance between your Pit Bull and other dogs because of their tendency to show signs of aggression around other dogs. Start training them as soon as possible so they don’t grow up to become rowdy and disobedient. It’s pretty easy for Pit Bulls to make headlines in the newspapers whenever they do something bad, so treat your dog with love and affection!
Hi! My name is Hamza, I studied Japanese in Tokyo for a year and just moved back to Pakistan. I spend most of my time playing and writing about my pups Milo and Yuki.