Personality
These dogs love people and have no idea that their size is something of a deterrent to being a lap dog. Confident and keenly aware of their surroundings, they are watchdogs in that they may alert you to the presence of strangers, but that’s primarily because they’re eager to greet “their” guests.
While their love of people makes them failures as guard dogs, their courage is unmatched and they will defend their family with their lives.
Like every dog, American Pit Bull Terriers need early socialization — exposure to many different people, sights, sounds, and experiences — when they’re young. Socialization helps ensure that your your puppy grows up to be a well-rounded dog.
Children And Other Pets
American Pit Bull Terriers love children, and we don’t mean for breakfast. Sturdy, energetic, and tolerant, they are ideal playmates. That said, no dog of any size or breed should ever be left unsupervised with children.
When no adult can be there to oversee what’s going on, dogs should be crated or kenneled, especially after they reach sexual maturity, when they may begin to test the possibility of becoming “pack” leader.
Don’t allow children to pull on a dog’s ears or tail. Teach them never to approach any dog while he’s sleeping or eating or to try to take the dog’s food away.
Because of their dog-fighting heritage, some American Pit Bull Terriers retain a tendency to be aggressive with other dogs, but if they are socialized early and trained to know what behavior is expected of them, that aggression can be minimized or overcome, and many are dog- and cat-friendly. Just to be safe, they should always be supervised in the presence of other pets.
