Do we have any vets or dog breeders here?

I picked up my Pitbull some 3 years and change ago. Supposedly he was 1 when I picked him up... I'm starting to think he was 9-10 months old when I got him.

I picked him up weighing 65 lbs at the time from a shelter nearly 3 hours from where I lived and his nose was half pink half black. He looked like a puppy and as we know puppy's will continue to grow for a while longer. Fast forward to now and he weighs 86lbs, and his nose is near full black now with pink spotting.

I feed him 3 cups a day of Whole Hearted dog food and take him out on semi daily walks.. he's very active and when he is not walking he is rampaging around the house and terrorizing the neighbors, he's a really good boy for the most part but definitely a little dense of the head.

My questions: is there anyone here who can identify what breed he may be? The shelter said he was American Pitbull Terrier (APBT) but I am starting to think he is mixed with either Staffordshire, or American Bully, or all of the above based on his weight which he has always maintained since he came here.

Pictures from when I first got him:








Pictures of the boy today:

 

we are looking to get a pitty or Staffordshire in the next couple years, love those dogs..

 

DNA test. Relatively cheap. But the dog won’t be one bit better once you find out. Dogs don’t care. Most just want people who love them. They return that love ten fold.

 

ThisX10!

 

The only reason why I was asking is because I'm trying to make sure he is in a proper weight for his breed type. I know Pits weights are all over the scale, but he is by far one of the heaviest Pits I've ever dealt with which is what makes me think he is more than just APBT.

 

Please be mindful of the food amount and exercise. Dogs can pick up weight very easily. To judge the weight, use your hands to feel the ribs. If you need to dig to find the ribs, the dog is too heavy. If you can see the ribs, the dog is too lean. Also, verify with your vet about the proper weight range.

To help with the "rampaging around the house" and "terrorizing the neighbors" take hm for more exercise. Walks, fetch, running, play......whatever.

To help with the "dense of the head", begin daily training. Focus on good behavior, then you can move onto special skills and tricks. Keep the training sessions short about 10-15 minutes but several times a day. Reward and praise is the key for any attempt by the dog. DO NOT use punishment, just don't reward.

Socialize the dog. This means to take the dog to different environments, meet different people, things, places....... Always be an advocate for the dog. Watch the body language. Back out of the exposure if the dog shows reluctance or aggression, but don't give praise. Never praise or reward for unwanted behavior.

I walk my mini-schnauzer 4X each day with each walk 40-60 minutes. All weather, day or night, rain, snow, frost, heat, wind......we go. One time last winter the windchill was in the -40F range, we stayed in. Training happens as required. When he was a pup, the training was an on-going task. I focused on good behavior. No one cares if the dog can do tricks. If the dog is obnoxious, then no one wants to interact with the dog.

 

My wife is a breeder and I showed her the puppy and adult pics without reading her your post. She immediately said that your dog is a Staffordshire.

 

Right on, I can get behind that. He looks healthy to me, but I don’t know crap about pits.

 

I have owned him for the last few years. Since about 2017 actually. He acts like a 4 year old child who likes to be babied. Despite being dense he knows commands very well and is more intelligent than I give him credit for. He gets walked regularly and all the love that a dog of his type needs. He's just incredibly active and likes to be mischievous.

That was always what I thought myself.

Thanks for your help bro!

 

Cute pup! Veterinary professional here. From the recent pictures, body condition score is 5/9 which is ideal (9/9 is obese, 1/9 too skinny). Regarding breed, APBT can be a catch all for many of the terrier breeds. I agree with you that he may have some other breeds mixed in. Sounds like a fun dog who is well cared for! Hope this helps.

 

He's probably playing you. Dogs are smarter and craftier than most folks give them credit for.

 

This was EXACTLY the reply I was looking for! Thank you so much brother!

I think he does it on purpose too. It's kind of like how kids like to play their parents so they can get special treatment and babied by the parents. Lol.

 

You walk your dog 4 hrs a day?

 

Yes. 3 1/2 - 4 hours each day.

He is a happy dog, always ready for an outside excursion.

 

I recently used Paw Print Genetics to test my Lab before breeding her. Not sure if they do breed determination, but I was very happy with them.
https://www.pawprintgenetics.com/