# Characteristics of True APBT. What are they?



## gtnotw (Oct 15, 2009)

Hey ya'll. I was working with my pup today, teaching him to hopon to my pick up truck and then hop out on command. 
Hes 4.5 months and hes was really scarred to do it. I put some smelly beef in the back so he would hop on. He knew what he was suposed to do but was very hesitant. I had to help him.
Jumping off was also tough. He was scarred to jump out for like the first 30 min. then after about 10 times me helping him he did it by himself.

Im convinced hes not from a very super bloodline. but im not sure maybe my performance standards are really high. It is my first pitbull

So i was just wondering those of you who have real registered pure apbt's is what i keep hearing about the strength and fearlessness and agility of pittbulls being over exaggerated or is just my boy not from as good a bloodline?

Dont get me wrong i love my dog, Im willing to take more time in training him, its just i want to relate to some ppl and see what they are going through if it is similar to me.

maybe to explain the context more ill say this, I keep hearing how pits have an undying desire to complete a task, with amazing stamina. My pup struggles with keeping up with me on a jog, he can probably out run me if he wanted too but hes just lazy when we go for jogs for some reason...

Yeah sorry if the grammer is not that good, i just wanted to say all that. and get your feedback, if something didnt make sense please let me know so i can restate it.

thanks,
GT


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## reddoggy (Jan 31, 2008)

He's only four and a half years old man! It's taken my dogs upto a year to like the back of a truck. Nothing wrong with his blood, just your expectations


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## cane76 (Aug 16, 2006)

some of the characteristics of the true apbt off the top of my head are extreme drive,high pain threshold,short hair,small ears that are carried in a way that they sit up and fold over the head if not cropped,animal aggression and a fearlessness towards animals,playfulness,aggression and intensity among other traits.
but not all dogs display these traits,but all have short hair and the ears and the smile that are typified by the breed.


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## DueceAddicTed (Sep 28, 2009)

He's still a puppy at 4. 5 months old he really shouldn't be jogging. I love to jog and I was told not to with my boy til he's over year cuz its strenuous on the joints and can harm bone growth. Take it easier with him. Lol He'll keep up soon enough ... 
Your pup is being normal ...


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## gtnotw (Oct 15, 2009)

reddoggy said:


> He's only four and a half years old man! It's taken my dogs upto a year to like the back of a truck. Nothing wrong with his blood, just your expectations


lol, Yeah that might be the case. 
I spend alot of time with him, teaching him things. Hes very smart, very fun little dog. i hope he'll like the truck sooner than a year lol, cuz hes gonna have to get used to it. speaking of driving in back of truck.
when your dogs were pups like mine, did you leash em up when you drove them in the back?


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## TXBully926 (Sep 21, 2009)

I think hes still too young to really go far on a jog. I don't know if it's just my dog but my Pit Bull couldn't really keep up with my 1 1/2 year old Jack Russel Terrier until he was around 7 1/2 months old (got him when he was around 6 months, hes now 9 months). When we first had him he would usually drop in the grass at about 1 mile to rest but now he is always sprinting in the yard which has really boosted up his stamina and he would probably now like to go walking all day.

And I think you should be careful with teaching your pup how to jump on and off a truck. My dog is like 22" tall and about 65 lbs and jumps on a 3 foot tall table like a cat, but jumping off I guess he landed wrong and was limping a little the other day.

And I would definitely find a way to tether him with only enough lead to just sit up, would want to look back and see your dog jumping out or hanging by his neck.  I don't know about your truck but mine has anchor points in the 2 corners close to the cab and I think a really easy way to tether a dog in there would be with a chain anchored to those points and the dog attached with a leash or another small chain from the middle of that only long enough for him to move around a little.


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## gtnotw (Oct 15, 2009)

DueceAddicTed said:


> He's still a puppy at 4. 5 months old he really shouldn't be jogging. I love to jog and I was told not to with my boy til he's over year cuz its strenuous on the joints and can harm bone growth. Take it easier with him. Lol He'll keep up soon enough ...
> Your pup is being normal ...


thanks, its encouraging to hear that. Ive been working him up, took him on 2 hikes already. i just dont want him to be fat, lol. What about jumping is it bad on his joints right now.
I taught him to jump off of about 4 feet today. he didnt like doing it untill i gave him his beef. lol


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## gtnotw (Oct 15, 2009)

cane76 said:


> some of the characteristics of the true apbt off the top of my head are extreme drive,high pain threshold,short hair,small ears that are carried in a way that they sit up and fold over the head if not cropped,animal aggression and a fearlessness towards animals,playfulness,aggression and intensity among other traits.
> but not all dogs display these traits,but all have short hair and the ears and the smile that are typified by the breed.


My pup has short hair, very high pain threshold. I gave him shots myself, all he did was wink at me when i did the shot. lol, hes very playful also. hes not scared of animals from what i see, but i dont want him messin with the coyotes yet... hey can you check out my album of my dog and tell me if you looks like a pure apbt to you. hes 41 lbs at 4.5 months.
thanks, 
gT


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## DueceAddicTed (Sep 28, 2009)

IMO I'd say becareful with the jumping as he's still growing you dont want him hurting himself, his bones are still delicate ... he won't be fat is ur feeding him appropriate portions, easy on treats and regular excerise designed for puppies ... walks, play, tug, fetch and ur obedience training. U obviously care about your pup so being over weight I doubt will be a problem. Just becareful with his delicate lil body still growing... you dont want problems down the line ...


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## gtnotw (Oct 15, 2009)

DueceAddicTed said:


> IMO I'd say becareful with the jumping as he's still growing you dont want him hurting himself, his bones are still delicate ... he won't be fat is ur feeding him appropriate portions, easy on treats and regular excerise designed for puppies ... walks, play, tug, fetch and ur obedience training. U obviously care about your pup so being over weight I doubt will be a problem. Just becareful with his delicate lil body still growing... you dont want problems down the line ...


THanks, so whens a good time to get him doing the more physical stuff.?
so for now what should i do? should i expose him to alot of things right now?
or should i just teach him more complex tricks?

also, he started barking at my cat today for the first time... because the cat was eating from his plate but i taught him to let others eat from his plate... would it be possible for him to attack the cat if i would not have stoped him?


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## reddoggy (Jan 31, 2008)

I did leash em when they were younger, up until they made it clear that they enjoyed riding in the back of the truck. Gah, I wish I still had a license LMAO


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## DueceAddicTed (Sep 28, 2009)

qqn Jon I'm not even going to ask ....


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## gtnotw (Oct 15, 2009)

reddoggy said:


> I did leash em when they were younger, up until they made it clear that they enjoyed riding in the back of the truck. Gah, I wish I still had a license LMAO


lulz, i feel your pain lol.


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## DueceAddicTed (Sep 28, 2009)

There are a threads in the obedience training section for puppies .... I'm sure you can find alot of valuable information there and enjoyable reads...


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## SEO (Jul 7, 2009)

DueceAddicTed said:


> IMO I'd say becareful with the jumping as he's still growing you dont want him hurting himself, his bones are still delicate ... he won't be fat is ur feeding him appropriate portions, easy on treats and regular excerise designed for puppies ... walks, play, tug, fetch and ur obedience training. U obviously care about your pup so being over weight I doubt will be a problem. Just becareful with his delicate lil body still growing... you dont want problems down the line ...


THAAAAANK YOU

:goodpost:


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## SEO (Jul 7, 2009)

gtnotw said:


> THanks, so whens a good time to get him doing the more physical stuff.?
> so for now what should i do? should i expose him to alot of things right now?
> or should i just teach him more complex tricks?
> 
> also, he started barking at my cat today for the first time... because the cat was eating from his plate but i taught him to let others eat from his plate... would it be possible for him to attack the cat if i would not have stoped him?


GT

Please, you need to get out off that mind frame. Your dog is only 4 1.5 months old. I am worried about your puppy. He can get injured, different from hurt, and then you can fall out of love with him. I am sure that puppy is crazy about you. The things to do with that puppy as off right now are the natural things he does, like playing arround, running in a yard (it would be good if he could play with another dog), socialization and basic obedience training. Your dog will get to all of the things you want him to do, when its time to. I would say that beef treats are not good. If you add all of the treats he gets, its probably alot of beef. !That! can add few pounds, and harm his growth due to his own running and jumping an so on so forth. The good age to start hard training should be at least after a year. Let him grow on his own, explore and learn what he is able to do, on his own for now, is important to keep him straight in regards to rules and bounderies though, that is your job. If you do this, that puppy will die for you if needed to. I thind that is what you would like off your dog, !!that!! is another trait of an APBT.

You should send a private message to Performance Kennels (Lisa). She is very knowledgable and can help.

PM me and I can give you my contact number to talk.

Good luck


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## gtnotw (Oct 15, 2009)

thanks alot SEO, very helpful stuff. I will definitely take all of that into practice.


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## StaffyDaddy (Mar 28, 2009)

SEO said:


> GT
> 
> Please, you need to get out off that mind frame. Your dog is only 4 1.5 months old.
> 
> ...


Well put!! :cheers:


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## davidfitness83 (Jul 7, 2009)

Let the puppy be a puppy man, chill out with the jumping and thinking he is fat. You will regret all this when he is no longer a puppy. Give him time to grow, sleep and be lazy. I think you are judging the dog extremely hard and I suggest you do more reading. The sooner the better before it is too late and you end up injurying your dog =(* poor doggy


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## StaffyDaddy (Mar 28, 2009)

I wouldn't say what your doing is extreme by any means, you are just misinformed. I'm sure you are a loving pittie parent, but just think of having a baby. You wouldn't expect them to be doing big things until they were older kids right? *ENJOY* your pup the way he is, and work on your obedience routine, and you can BEGIN getting him into activities, just making sure he never runs too much or jumps. Too strenous of an activity for a pup that age can hinder joint health and stunt his growth.


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## davidfitness83 (Jul 7, 2009)

My current puppy is almost 4 months and I don't run him or take him hiking, he doesnt play on concrete or gravel. He is just a big baby that needs a lot of rest to grow properly. I don't even let him jump off the couch, we play with the flirt pole ( never encourage him to jump) and play tug of war very gently (we mainly work on exciment and then releasing the object on vocal command), but I am not expecting him to go for hours. Right now I treat him for what he is a PUPPY.


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## davidfitness83 (Jul 7, 2009)

StaffyDaddy said:


> I wouldn't say what your doing is extreme by any means, you are just misinformed. I'm sure you are a loving pittie parent, but just think of having a baby. You wouldn't expect them to be doing big things until they were older kids right? *ENJOY* your pup the way he is, and work on your obedience routine, and you can BEGIN getting him into activities, just making sure he never runs too much or jumps. Too strenous of an activity for a pup that age can hinder joint health and stunt his growth.


Thanks for delivering the message in a nicer way lol:clap:


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## MY MIKADO (Apr 7, 2006)

Here is MN it is a against the law to have a un kenneled dog in the back of a pick-up. It is dangerous to say the least. 

He is still a pup and you need to take it slow. You slowly build up doing stuff with your pup. Right now you should be working on obedience and just having fun with him.


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## StaffyDaddy (Mar 28, 2009)

Well I just don't see what he's doing as something extreme. He needs to be educated on what to do, which really isn't much but playing and training. 

Your truck bed, let me put it this way. 

Your pup, at 4.5 months is like a toddler, at 3 years, would you really want a toddler jumping off something almost twice their height? 

One thing I can tell you, is you will gradually begin to get a feel for your pup, his developing drive and strength, and you can do activities like flirtpole and tug, you could even buy a tunnel or make one and start simple agility excerices, all while keeping your pups feet on the ground. Between 7 and 8 months i really noticed an increase in Chino's strength and drive, and I know I can make our workouts a little more intense, but still keeping in mind he is developing. Make the progress gradual.


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## davidfitness83 (Jul 7, 2009)

gtnotw said:


> THanks, so whens a good time to get him doing the more physical stuff.?
> so for now what should i do? should i expose him to alot of things right now?
> or should i just teach him more complex tricks?
> 
> ...


I wouldn't label it "extreme" just completely uneducated in fact I fear for the pup's good health. He asking if it's ok for his 4 month old puppy to jump off a 4 foot height, he is doing the shots him self(many people do but they have knowledge of canine's and understand the complication with reactions and have a vet near by incase they happen), he doesn't want his dog to mess with the coyotes just *yet*, he is asking if it is possible for the dog to develop food agression and kill the cat if it goes near him while eating?

Honestly this sounds scary, this type of breed is not the right one for a first time dog owner. In fact I think this member should have read more about dog breeds and more specifically about general dog care before getting any dog let alone a pitbull.:rain:


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## gtnotw (Oct 15, 2009)

davidfitness83 said:


> I wouldn't label it "extreme" just completely uneducated in fact I fear for the pup's good health. He asking if it's ok for his 4 month old puppy to jump off a 4 foot height, he is doing the shots him self(many people do but they have knowledge of canine's and understand the complication with reactions and have a vet near by incase they happen), he doesn't want his dog to mess with the coyotes just *yet*, he is asking if it is possible for the dog to develop food agression and kill the cat if it goes near him while eating?
> 
> Honestly this sounds scary, this type of breed is not the right one for a first time dog owner. In fact I think this member should have read more about dog breeds and more specifically about general dog care before getting any dog let alone a pitbull.:rain:


your misunderstanding what i am saying, Ive owned 4 dogs before.
a german shepherd, a dalmation, and 2 mixes.
Im not trying to sound smart.
thats why i ask alot of questions. 
And alot of the stuff i ask i already know, i just want to get opinions from others, who are more expierienced than me.
And about researching. 
Before i got my pup i spent 3 hours every night reading about the breed, while going to school fulltime and working part time.
So my desicion to get the dog was a big part of my life.
My previous dogs where all healthy till they died, we had to give 2 away cuz our rent didnt allow.
Im just exited for my dog, you can think whatever you want. But i just hope that you know that in reality your thinking is incorrect.
 
You really misunderstood my question, sorry if i wasnt really clear.


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## gtnotw (Oct 15, 2009)

StaffyDaddy said:


> Well I just don't see what he's doing as something extreme. He needs to be educated on what to do, which really isn't much but playing and training.
> 
> Your truck bed, let me put it this way.
> 
> ...


thanks alot, I never thought about it that way. very helpful.


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## Patch09 (Apr 23, 2009)

keep in mind man a dog is just a dog, my apbt is just like any other dog I've owned, he's just alittle more hard headed and determined than my other dogs, but at the root of it he's just a little love ball + at 4.5 months your dog is just a baby (literally) !!!!!!!!!! good luck and enjoy


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## forsakenriceboy (Sep 3, 2009)

my female(gEmma) is now about nine to ten months old. i recently got a truck(92 toyota with 31's) and tried getting her to jump onto the bed of the truck. she refuse, tho she's attempted to with just her front paws on the tail gate and trying to climb..

i started gathering things and items that i can set up for gEmma to jump up and down with her free will..letting her get use to and comfortable about jumping up and down from things. i started from knee high to waist high and now to chest high(im only 5'5 tall).. she jumps and jumps only onto things when commanded to, of course.!

i led/started her with treats and words of encouragementS(i talk to gEmma, lols).. 15-30mins a day. she caught on quick and only took me three days..  i hope this may have helped you..


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## gh32 (Dec 22, 2007)

gtnotw said:


> lol, Yeah that might be the case.
> I spend alot of time with him, teaching him things. Hes very smart, very fun little dog. i hope he'll like the truck sooner than a year lol, cuz hes gonna have to get used to it. speaking of driving in back of truck.
> when your dogs were pups like mine, did you leash em up when you drove them in the back?


Leash him on a short leash until he's used to the back of the truck.When you start trying without the leash make sure you watch that he don't jump.Personally with a APBT I'd keep in in a crate or leash because of the car chaseing dogs.Just my opinion.But a dog that's not DA I think it's fine to be in the back after they're older and used to it.



gtnotw said:


> My pup has short hair, very high pain threshold. I gave him shots myself, all he did was wink at me when i did the shot. lol, hes very playful also. hes not scared of animals from what i see, but i dont want him messin with the coyotes yet... hey can you check out my album of my dog and tell me if you looks like a pure apbt to you. hes 41 lbs at 4.5 months.
> thanks,
> gT


 I've not seen the pick but he sounds a little chunky for a APBT.I have a Hammonds bred dog that at that age was 32 pounds,he's 64 now.That's getting pretty big for a APBT.What's your dog's ped?


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## gh32 (Dec 22, 2007)

gtnotw said:


> THanks, so whens a good time to get him doing the more physical stuff.?
> so for now what should i do? should i expose him to alot of things right now?
> or should i just teach him more complex tricks?
> 
> also, he started barking at my cat today for the first time... because the cat was eating from his plate but i taught him to let others eat from his plate... would it be possible for him to attack the cat if i would not have stoped him?


 It's not only possible but likely,a 41 pound dog should have no problem making kibble out of a cat.


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## Marty (Dec 10, 2005)

*Characteristics of True APBT*?

Here ya go...


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## gh32 (Dec 22, 2007)

Nice pic Marty.


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