Do Pitbulls Get Along Well With Other Dogs?(+Training Tips)

All Pitbull owners know their dogs are not the kind of breed you should always be afraid of. While Pitbulls are naturally aggressive, they are also affectionate and crave the attention of their owners. People with other pets in the house or neighborhood often ask, ‘’Do Pitbulls get along well with other dogs?’’

Some Pitbulls will get along well with other dogs while some will not, depending on what they’re trained for. You can make your Pitbull friends with other dogs by socializing it. Teaching it commands and implementing them on encounters with other dogs is also an excellent idea of teaching the Pitbull about what’s wrong. You can also let the dogs play and exercise together. However, you’ll always have to keep an eye on them.

Now, let’s talk more about Pit bulls getting along with other dogs and how you can train them to do so.

Do Pitbulls Get Along Well With Other Dogs?

Yes, Pitbulls do get along well with other dogs. Despite their reputation of being aggressive and ferocious dog breeds, many Pitbull owners say that their dogs can easily make friends with others.

All of this links to the training of the Pitbull. It’s true that some Pit bulls will not go along well with other dogs and may attack them on the first encounter. It is because such Pitbulls were initially trained for dog fights. Upon seeing anyone, they will immediately start a fight.

But, Pitbulls raised in a house or shelter are pets and are trained to bond well with others. That’s what makes them suitable to keep inside a house.

What Kind Of Dogs Get Along With Pitbulls?

Pitbulls can get along well with almost any dog, either small or large, depending on the training and genes of your Pitbull. Here are the 11 dog breeds that get along well with Pitbulls.

  • Basset Hound
  • Golden Retriever
  • German Shepherd
  • Boston Terrier
  • English Cocker Spaniel
  • English Foxhound
  • Siberian Husky
  • Beagle
  • Basenji
  • Australian Shepherd
  • Labrador Retriever

Some of these dog breeds like living independently and won’t interfere with Pitbulls. Others have a friendly and loyal nature and can become friends with almost every dog.

How Do You Introduce A Pitbull To Another Dog?

Introducing your Pitbull to another dog needs special care. After all, the first impression matters!

Some dogs will become friends on the introduction, while others will take time to get used to another dog’s presence.

Here are all the tips you need to follow while introducing a Pitbull to another dog.

Make short walks in parallel directions

While introducing a Pitbull to another dog, making a head-to-head encounter is the worst thing you can do! Your Pitbull will think of it as a competition and will suddenly attack it.

So, it’s better to keep both the dogs leashed and make them walk parallel to each other. In this way, the dogs will not see the other dogs as a threat.

Making the dogs meet during a walk is also a better idea. But, make sure both the dogs are leashed and at a distance to prevent a fight on noticing the symptoms. It’s also essential that you stay calm in the situation and not force your dog to meet the other one.

Let them smell each other

Dogs have a strong sense of smell, and they can know everything about the other dog by sniffing it. You can let both dogs smell each other if they don’t show aggression while making them walk side-by-side.

If everything goes well, you can also cross the paths of both dogs. As they leave their scent on the place, your Pitbull will smell it and get to know about the other dog. This method can prove effective in making the dogs friends with each other.

Your Pitbull may also come near the other dog to smell it. Make sure it isn’t also a head-on interaction. Instead, the dogs should maintain a T-shape in which one dog stays straight, and the other sniffs its belly or bottom.

Keep a barrier

If you’re introducing your Pitbull to another dog for the first time, you must keep a barrier between them. If your Pitbull suddenly attacks, the fight might be difficult to control, especially if the Pitbull isn’t well-trained.

Some Pitbulls don’t like fences, so avoiding them as a barrier can be better for them. However, if your Pitbull is fence-friendly, you can introduce both dogs with the fence acting as a barrier.

Also, hedges and bushes in the park are good alternatives.

Let it ignore the other dog

Ignoring the other dog is still better than attacking and ripping off the other dog’s muscles. If you think your Pitbull didn’t like the introduction, let it ignore the other dog. If you push your Pitbull to meet the other dog and come close to it, you’re making things worse.

Some Pitbulls just don’t like meeting other dogs, and they’ll generally ignore them. However, you can let it ignore the dog in the beginning and then make them meet continuously to bond well.

How To Train A Pitbull To Get Along With Other Dogs?

Luckily, you can always train your Pitbull to get along with other dogs if it has a dog-aggressive nature. Here are all the tips for training a Pitbull!

Socialize it

Socializing a dog since it’s a puppy is an essential part of training, and this applies to Pitbulls as well.

If Pitbull puppies don’t socialize, the dog will face difficulty getting along with other dogs as an adult.

As the early stages of life are the best time to train, we recommend socializing your Pitbull puppy as much as you can. You can make it meet other dogs in the area and take it out with you often.

This step will also help reduce social anxiety, and your dog will learn to get along with other dogs and humans.

Teach it commands and implement them

Teaching commands to your Pitbull is the best thing you can do before introducing it to another dog. Implementing these commands and telling your Pitbull to step back will help prevent muscle-tearing attacks on the other dog.

Undoubtedly, your Pitbull can get aggressive when it meets a new dog for the first time. In this case, you can use the taught commands and say ‘’set back’’ or ‘’stop’’.

As Pitbulls like listening to their owners and pleasing them, it is likely that your Pitbull will immediately stop and step back.

After some time, you won’t have to use this command often because your Pitbull will understand that the other dog is not a threat but its friend.

Reward the dogs

Rewarding the dogs when they show positive behavior in encounters usually helps in making them friends.

Although your Pitbull will definitely become aggressive on seeing another dog for the first time, you can make it relax and reward it with a treat for following your commands.

Alternatively, you can also give treats to the other dog. In this way, they will realize that they have to stop aggression and show positive behavior whenever they meet.

As Pitbulls can do anything to make their owners happy, giving treats and patting it on the back can be the best choice to make your Pitbull get along with another dog.

Exercise it regularly

We already know that Pitbulls have a muscular body with a lot of pent-up energy. If you don’t exercise your Pitbull often, it will figure out a way itself to get rid of this energy and might attack another dog as soon as it sees one.

So, a better idea is to make your dog exercise before introducing it to another dog or before every encounter.

As your Pitbull will have no pent-up energy, it will feel lazy to attack and bite the other dog. In this way, all the meetings will go smoothly, and gradually, your Pitbull will start to get along with the other dog.

Enroll it in obedience and training classes

Some Pitbulls are extremely aggressive adults and won’t get along with other dogs no matter what the owner does.

If your Pitbull has become an adult, training it to get along with other dogs can be difficult. If all of your efforts go in vain, the only option left is to enroll your dog in obedience and training classes.

You can contact a professional and certified trainer for this work. They are highly qualified and can train any dog for obedience.

Related Posts:

Why Do Pitbulls Attack Other Dogs? (+10 Solutions)

16 Ways To Stop Pit Bull From Biting(Puppies&Adults)

Final Words

While Pitbulls do get along well with other dogs, training them to do so can be a difficult task for dog-aggressive Pitbulls.

That’s why we have discussed all the methods you can implement while introducing your Pitbull to another dog for the first time and how they can help your Pitbull get along with others.

Always remember to keep your Pitbull leashed while making it meet another dog, and reward it for every time it behaves like a good boy!