Never leave dogs unsupervised with other animals. If no one is around to keep an eye on
them, dogs should be safely crated or in separate rooms, even if they are best friends. Dogs
can fight for many reasons—status, food, toys, or rawhides—and if you’re not there to manage
them, things could escalate. Your dog does not need “company” when home alone, and
the routine of going into a crate every time you leave can be quite comforting for your dog. It
also provides you with total piece of mind. There is no chance that your dogs will fight, and
they won’t chew up your favorite pair of shoes!
Have your dog(s) spayed or neutered as early as possible. Beyond the benefit of knowing
that you will never contribute to pet overpopulation, intact dogs are more likely to show aggression
toward other dogs. Females in their reproductive cycles and males that are triggered
by sexual hormones tend to be far more reactive.
Advantages of Spay/Neutering
Always monitor playtime. Pit bulls live to play, and playtime between compatible dogs is a
great form of exercise and socialization. But roughhousing can trigger a fight if not kept under
control. Pit bulls are scrappy: they like to play rough and can be pretty vocal. Don’t let
things go too far. As the leader of your pack, it’s your job to set limits and keep everyone under
control.
Never leave at their disposal food, bones, toys, or anything that could trigger a fight.
Keep in mind that certain dogs tend to compete for what they perceive as limited
resources - your attention, food, toys, etc.
Always have your dog on leash when you take him or her for a walk. Regardless of what
breed you own, this should go without saying. It’s a basic rule of dog ownership. If your dog
is outside the house and not enclosed within a fenced area, keep him or her on a leash.
Avoid off-leash dog parks or other areas where you might encounter dogs running loose.
Your dog can get just as much socialization and exercise on a leash.
Early socialization may help. But it’s no guarantee that your dog might not become dog aggressive
at some point. If you already have a dog and you want to bring a pit bull into your
home, your best bet is to adopt a mature dog whose personality is a known quantity.