Selecting an American Pitt Bull Puppy

Once you start searching for your pit bull puppy you will find American pit bull terrier breeds everywhere you look. You can find them on websites, in newspapers, dog magazines, and even community bulletin boards. However, there are breeders that run what are called “puppy mills” these breeders only sell puppies for the money and do not care about the parents or puppy’s well being. No matter how much you may want that puppy and how cute it is avoid these places. These puppies are sure to have disease, abnormalities, and deficiencies that will cost a fortune in vet bills.

Read over the following list carefully. These are the most important signs in selecting the right American Pit Bull puppy.

Check out the area where the puppies spend a lot of their time. If they play a lot outside that is ok however, they need to sleep inside during the night exposing them to people and hearing everyday household noises. This is a great foundation for a puppy to become secure and sociable. The area the puppy lives in should be clean, have food and water, good lightening and many puppy toys.

Look at all the puppy’s littermates. When they are around 5 weeks old and of course, if they are healthy, they will be playing with their littermates. If they are sleeping when you go to see them be sure to stay until they wake up. Once the puppies are awake they should be lively not sleepy or weak. If they are this is a sign that the puppies may be sick.

The puppies should be really excited to see you. If a puppy appears shy, stays away from you or hides in the corner it may have feelings of insecurity or be sick. Some puppies are introverted and shy and will not change until they are older. However, they may grow up to be shy and introverted adults and not a good fit if you have kids or a large family. If the puppies get scared or frightened easily they will probably need a lot of training to become more sociable. Select a puppy that is anxious to see you and is happy.

When it is time to eat and you are there check out if the puppies are excited to eat all of their food. If a puppy does not want to eat, it could mean they are sick.

The puppy’s coat should be clean, smooth, and shiny. There should not be any bumps or sores. They should not be scratching and biting. If they are, they could have fleas.

After approximately two weeks puppies will have their eyes open and the eyes should be clear with no discharge or redness. They should not be scratching around their eyes. If they are, their eyes could be irritated or have an eye infection.

If the puppies are coughing or vomiting be cautious, as this is not normal puppy behavior. This again could mean a big vet bill to find out the reason and treat it.
Stay long enough to see the puppies urinate and move their bowels to check that both are normal with no signs of blood.

Puppies should be the proper weight and not have any ribs showing. When you pick up a puppy, you should only feel the puppy’s ribs slightly when rubbing the abdomen. No ribs should be seen through the skin.
When the puppies walk or run around, they should not be limping or holding up a paw. Always check with the breeder if the mother or father has a history of hip or elbow dysplasia.