How High Can A Pitbull Jump?(+ How To Stop This Habit)

You may have spent a long time assuring people that your Pitbull is a soft, sweet dog that loves everyone and is really friendly. The problem is that these affectionate dogs can become overly friendly to the point of jumping up at everyone.

So, how high can a Pitbull Jump? There are plenty of stories of Pitbulls jumping 4-5ft fences with ease. It is also reported that the world record for a canine vertical wall climb belongs to a Pitbull, who was able able to climb 13ft.  

It doesn’t help that they are such good jumper. So, how high can they jump and what can you do to stop them.

How High Can a Pitbull Jump? 

Pitbulls can jump surprisingly high. You might expect these dogs to struggle with this sort of physical activity because of their build. However, there are plenty of stories of these dogs jumping 4-5ft fences with ease. It is also reported that the world record for a canine vertical wall climb belongs to a Pitbull, who was able able to climb 13ft.  

Why Are Pitbulls Such Good Jumpers? 

A combination of their muscular legs and their desire to be around people means that not only will they jump high, but they can also jump often. This leads to some issues with creating boundaries – both physical boundaries at home and social boundaries with other people.  

Is a Pitbull a High-Energy Dog? 

Yes, these dogs are full of energy and need an active lifestyle. Dogs that don’t get enough exercise and are bored could start jumping at fences. So, it is important to give them the right forms of exercise and to tire them out before getting home.  

Do Pitbulls Jump a Lot? 

You could easily find that your Pitbull is a keen jumper. This could mean a desire to jump up at the boundary of your home to see what is going on, a desire to climb over the fence entirely to escape, or just a need to jump up at people to show affection.  

Pitbulls That Love to Jump Up at People  

Pitbulls that are raised right are affectionate animals and want to show their love for the people in their life. The easiest way to do so is to jump up and get into the faces of friends and family, perhaps attempting some kisses as they do so. Those that live with the dog may not have an issue with this, and may even encourage the behavior to showcase the softer side of their dog.

However, there are lots of people that are wary of pitbulls and would prefer not to have this dog come up at them like that. Some people do so through misconceptions about the breed, but others are just uncomfortable around any dog. Also, a strong pitbull could be too much for some children or less-able adults. Therefore, it is important to teach pitbulls to be calm and to maintain an appropriate distance from strangers.  

How to Stop a Pitbull From Jumping on People? 

There are two important considerations here: 

1.  Socialization with other people 
2. Basic obedience commands 

First of all, your pet needs to be aware that they can’t jump up any anyone they meet, especially people they don’t know. They can start to learn this from an early age with socialization training. Teach them to wait patiently for people to come down and offer praise and attention. Use positive reinforcement and rewards when dogs are calm and keep all four legs on the ground. Do this with a wide range of people too.  

You also need to be sure that your Pitbull has a strong understanding of basic commands like down, stay, and heel. You need to be able to get the dog to immediately get down if they jump up at someone. The heel command should also bring them back to your side if they go towards a stranger, averting any potential situation there.  

Pitbulls That Like to Jump Fences

Then you could find that your Pitbull loves to jump up at the fence and even try and get over the top. This could simply be because they are keen to be involved with whatever is happening on the other side. Perhaps they are friends with the neighbor dog or just the neighbors in general. They might see or hear them playing and decide that they want to join in. A bored Pitbull that can get a good running start can power into a good vertical jump onto the fence. Even if they don’t clear the fence in one jump, their muscular body and weight will help them over the other side.  

 How High Should a Fence Be For a Pitbull?  

The general rule here is that a fence for a Pitbull should be around 6ft high at least. They are unlikely to be able to leap up to the top and then scramble over. However, if you have a Pitbull that is particularly athletic or keen on jumping, you might want to think about the shape of the fence and the area around it.  

•  Is the fence easy to climb with a good grip?
• Can the dog see and smell interesting things through the gaps?
• Is it easy to get to the fence?
• Do they have room for a running start? 

Make it difficult for them to get over the top but angling the top section toward the garden. You could also make it difficult for them to get close to the fence and try and scramble up with the right vegetation and some thorny shrubs. Make the fence as uninviting as possible.  

However, there will be situations where a massive strong fence isn’t an option. Your neighbors may not approve of the structure or there may be restrictions in your area. This is where an invisible fence can help. Boundary training with warning collars and flags teaches dogs not to stray too far. You can set up a wireless perimeter and the collar emits a tone when the dog gets too close. Eventually, they will stop going near the boundary at all.  

 Conclusion 

In short, there is a good chance that if you have a Pitbull puppy, they will grow up to be good jumpers. The impact of this will all depend on how you raise them. You could end up with a dog that loves to jump up on people without appropriate socialization and obedience training. You will also need to consider your property’s boundary when they get big and strong enough to jump 5ft. Discourage the jumping early on and it shouldn’t be a big problem.