Some fights occur with little or no warning, and intense fights can be completely silent, but you can often spot behaviors that indicate trouble ahead, so take advantage of that opportunity to prevent a fight from breaking out.

To determine whether a fight is imminent, look for the following behavioral cues:

A fixed, unwavering stare.
Mounting is an example of dominance posturing.
Stiff body movements.
Extreme body language: the tail held stiffly up or down, the lips pulled tight against the teeth.

The problem is that many of these signs appear so quickly that you may not notice them, and Pit Bulls may not even show them. Of course, prevention is the best approach. One of the most important jobs a dog owner has is to prevent fights, manage your dog, keep your dog safe, and provide good leadership.

Avoid Dog Fights

Dogs require three things on a daily basis: physical, mental, and olfactory stimulation.

Socialize

Young dogs need to be socialized with people, other dogs, other animals, and anything else that comes to mind. You have a small window of time during their first year to help them be fearless and comfortable with everything they will encounter throughout their lives.

Physical Exercise

Physical, mental, and oral exercise are all essential. “A tired Pit Bull is a happy Pit Bull,” and the same is true for other dog breeds. Exercise is essential for a dog’s well-being; it also relieves stress and can help to eliminate bad behaviors. You can exercise a dog without exercising yourself by teaching “fetch” with a ball, Frisbee, or flyer. Biking with your dog is another way to get a good workout, and it also provides good socialization because they will see a lot of the world as they pass by. Swimming is another great exercise that is easy on the owner if your dog enjoys water.

Mental Exercise

Mental exercise can be obtained through training, walking, and games. Don’t undervalue the importance of a good walk or jog with your dog. Taking your dog out at least once a day will help keep them physically fit and give them opportunities to explore the world; it’s similar to reading a newspaper or visiting a Facebook page for them. Follow different routes and visit new places whenever possible to expose your dog to new smells and sights.

Oral Exercise

Dogs of all ages require chewing for oral exercise. Wild and domestic dogs both chew for hours to keep their jaws strong and their teeth clean. They also chew for entertainment, stimulation, and anxiety relief. Whether you have a puppy or an adult dog, providing a variety of appropriate and appealing chew toys, such as Kongs®, Nylabones®, hard rubber toys, natural marrow bones, rawhide, and pig ears, is essential. Having their own chews will help them stay away from your nicely stuffed furniture.

Olfactory – Smelling Exercise

A chance to sniff satisfies a significant portion of all dogs’ sensory needs, just as physical and mental exercise and play do. Sniffing makes them happy and allows them to express their hard-wired natural instincts. We frequently ignore this critical aspect of our dogs’ needs because we simply do not understand it.

Know Your Dog

Strengthen your bond, dog training classes strengthen the bond between the owner and the dog and allow you to learn your dog’s body language. Training at home, such as teaching tricks and obedience, keeps your dog’s mind active and reinforces the bond. In addition, your dog will learn how to behave around other dogs, which is especially important for Pit Bulls. Even Pit Bulls who are aggressive toward other dogs can be taught to behave around other dogs.

Dog Valuables

Do you know what your dog values: food, toys, or beds? Don’t give dogs bones, pig hooves, or other highly sought-after treats at the same time or freely. At the very least, don’t let dogs have unrestricted access to them. If your dog regards it as a valuable item, they are likely to fight over it or for it. If it’s a high-value snack or item, give it only under supervision or in their designated locations.

Feeding

Feed dogs in different areas, rooms, or crates; never free feed or leave food unattended.

Treating

Do not throw treats to dogs. Instead, have each dog individually follow a cue, such as sit, and then reward him or her with a treat.

Toys

Toys that excite dogs are best enjoyed alone. Don’t permit tug-of-war or aggressive wrestling. These games can quickly escalate into a fight, so know when enough is enough and when it’s just play or something more serious. Remember that all play is really practice. Pit Bulls make a lot of noise when they play, which is usually just vocalization, but not always.

Collars

Keep a strong collar on the dogs that can be used as a handle if necessary.

Supervision

Keep your Pit Bull supervised; they should never be left alone with other dogs, even if they have lived peacefully with another dog for years. When there is no one to supervise the dogs, gates and crates help keep them safe from fighting.

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