Pit Bull Health Tip of the Month:
How much Exercise does my Pit Bull Need?

In a word, alot. Exercise is like water to a Pit Bull. They need it to thrive and stay healthy. If you are not giving your dog a lot of exercise then you should start as soon as possible. I am one of those people that tend to get lazy and I have to constantly remind myself to walk my dogs for their benefit and mine as well. Life can get hectic at times, life can get crazy, and while I understand you might be super busy exercise should still be on the agenda.

If you are super busy you should consider dog daycare or hiring a dog walker to come out and walk your dog on a daily basis for 45-60 minutes at the minimum. These services are quite affordable in the grand scheme of things and they are a great way to give your dog much needed human interaction and exercise even with the busiest schedules.

A few exercise ideas include:

Pit Bull Training Tip of the Month:
Motivation - How to Get Your Pit Bulls Attention When it Matters.

My favorite definition for motivation is - Something that motivates; an inducement or incentive.

That is exactly what you want to keep in mind when you want your dog to do something. Whatever it may be, motivation is the key factor in getting your dog to pay attention, listen, and comply with your cue. If you don't have a motivated dog, you have a dog that will not pay attention for very long or when you really need them to listen up.

How do you motivate your dog?

Good question, the answer is up to your dog. You have to figure that out. Some dogs are highly motivated by food, others are motivated by toys, some are motivated by praise and petting, while others are motivated by things like animals, car rides, or other non-food/toy/praise items.

Think of motivation like you would a pay check. If you are paying your dog $1.00 per hour (behavior) when you should be paying them $100 per hour (best behavior) then you will see a lack of motivation. My rule of thumb is pretty simple. The faster the dog responds the greater the reward. If Angel (my dog) sits the moment I ask she gets a "grade A" paycheck. Usually something like a ball or steak bits. If she sits slowly she receives a "Grade B" paycheck. Normally this is a pat on the side and a "good girl."

When you up the paycheck for solid behavior you will start to see more of that behavior and less of the slow, non-reactive stuff that comes from a lack of motivation.

Stuff your treat bag with two or three different types of treats. You can use a nail apron as your treat bag and put Grade A treats in one pocket and Grade B treats in the other pocket. This will make it easy to grab the right treat when you need it. Nail aprons are like $3-$5 at the local Home Depot or Lowe's. They are a great training bag for almost no money and if you want to splurge a little bit get a fancy one with 3-4-5 pockets.

Next time you are working with your dog (or just taking a walk) bring the nail apron with the treats and work on developing your dogs motivation under distraction. This will pay off in spades the more you work it. Remember, the higher pay should only be given for the exact behavior you want when it is offered quickly. This is also how you proof a dogs basic obedience under distraction.

Resources:
Where to find Great Gear for Your Pit Bull