Pocket Pitbull – 9 Interesting Facts About These Pocket Bull Dog Breeds

What is Pocket Pitbull?

A Pocket Pitbull is a dog breed similar to the American Pitbull. The only primary trait that is different between the former and latter dog breeds is that the Pocket Pitbull breed is smaller like a Patterdale Terrier dog.

Pocket Pitbull Puppy

Like any the American Bully Breed, this dog is friendly and lively. The dog is a favorite pet for dog owners who want a small dog that is tough-looking, yet gentle at the same time. The breed is part of the Miniature Pitbull breed types.

History of Pocket Pitbull

To tell the truth, it’s hard to say where the Pocket Pitbulls came from. Their origins are lost in time. There is a real possibility that cross-breeding American Pitbull Terrier breeds and the Patterdale Terrier breeds have occurred many times in the past. Another thing that makes the breeds’ origin difficult to trace is the lack of knowledge as to which breeder or kennel develop the breed.

One thing is sure about the dog: it is not a purebred dog, but a hybrid of the Patterdale Terrier dogs and the American Pitbull Terrier dogs.  Pocket Pitbulls are a 50/50 cross of the two dog breeds, but it is also possible for the dog to have a greater parentage of one breed.

The Behavior Of Pocket Pitbulls

Since Pocket Pitbulls are hybrids of two purebred breeds, their behavior varies. The dogs would often have the personality of one parent or both. However, like any other Miniature Pitbull breed, the dog shows a lot of loyalty and affection to its owner along with their family. Due to its nature, the Pitbull can be an excellent watchdog and will protect it home as well as family. The breed is also intelligent, so you will need to give the dog some mental stimulation and to keep the Pitbull physically fit exercises are a must for it.

Pocket Pitbull breed has an independent mind and will often take the role of a pack leader. To mitigate the canine’s behavior, it is necessary to train and socialize it. A Pitbull with proper training is a wonderful pet for families and will get along with kids. Training will also moderate the dog’s activeness and energy as well as prevent any behavioral problems. Make sure that you use positive reinforcement when training the Pitbull along with a consistent and firm hand.

White Pocket Pitbull

Health Problems of Pocket Pit

Dog breeds often have health problems, and the Miniature Pitbull breed is no exception to these issues. Some of the health problems are inherent in the breed, while others are a result of neglecting and improper care. To know more about the various health concerns and how to deal with them, please read the list below:

Hypothyroidism – This physical ailment occurs when the dog’s thyroid gland does not produce enough thyroid hormones. Thyroid hormones contribute to the metabolic function of the organs.  Symptoms of hypothyroidism are weight loss, obesity, hair loss, lethargy, anemia, high blood cholesterol, slow heart rate or skin problems. The causes of hypothyroidism are atrophy of the thyroid tissue, cancer, certain doggie medications or another disease. Hypothyroidism affects dogs between the ages of 4 to 10. Curiously enough the disease rarely affects Miniature Pitbull breed dogs though it is more common in large dog breeds.

RELATED POST: TYPES OF PITBULL DOG BREEDS

Treating hypothyroidism is not that difficult. The Pitbull needs a dose of thyroxine or levothyroxine on a daily basis. There many brand types of this drug. Depending on the severity of hypothyroidism dosage and frequency of administering the drug may vary. The dog will need thyroxine or levothyroxine for the rest of its life.

Heart disease – Cardiovascular disease is a common occurrence in humans and especially Pocket Pitbulls. For humans the risk factors are fat diets and smoking, but not for Pitbulls. Types of heart diseases in dogs are valvular, heartworm or myocardial. Symptoms of the problem are difficulty in doing walks or exercises, coughing, weight loss, and loss of appetite, fatigue, breathing difficulties and having trouble sleeping. Note that symptoms may not show up early depending on the severity of the heart disease.

A veterinarian can diagnose and determine the cause of heart disease so that it can be treated. However, there is no preventing heart disease expect for heartworm type. Medication treatments will mitigate the problem and make it easy for the dog to function.

Hip Dysplasia – When a dog’s hip joint suffers from malformation, it results in hip dysplasia. In normal circumstances,  the hip’s ball and socket just slide against one another, but if both suffer from malformation, they instead grind and rub against each other. Hip Dysplasia, in the long run, develops into osteoarthritis. Some symptoms of hip dysplasia are lameness, difficulty in rising, unwillingness to run, jump or climb, less activity, loss of muscle mass in the dog’s tights and swaying gait. Pain medications are also helpful in dealing with hip dysplasia pain.

Unfortunately, nothing can prevent hip dysplasia since it is a genetic inheritance from the Pitbull’s parents. Obesity, gaining weight rapidly and nutritional factors are some causes of hip dysplasia. Treatment for hip dysplasia is surgery if it is severe, but otherwise physical weight therapy like swimming and weight control are more than enough to deal with the problem.

Allergies – Pocket Pitbulls that have itchy skin, runny eyes, ear infections, and sneezes a lot, always licks themselves, diarrhea and vomiting tend to be suffering from allergies.  The culprit of a Pitbull’s allergies are pollens, mold spores, dust, certain foods, fleas, cigar smoke, perfume, fabrics or cleaning products. Allergies may be one of these causes or a mix of two or more.

If your Pitbulls have allergies, then it would be best if you went to a veterinarian to get treatment for the allergies. There are several ways to treat allergies depending on what is the cause of said allergies.  Prevention is both easy and efficient, bathing will remove dirt, dust, etc. and if food is the culprit, then a change of diet is a must.

Eye problems – There are several types of eye problems in Miniature Pitbull breed dogs:

  • Cherry eye – A gland pops out of the inner corner of the dog’s eye. A simple surgery rectifies the problem.
  • Corneal wounds – The cornea covers the dog’s eye surface. Damage to the cornea causes the eye to go red, have excessive drainage and pain. The cornea will heal naturally, but the dog needs antibiotics, ointments, and eye drop to prevent infection.
  • Dry eye – The tear glands of the PItbull’s eye produces few tears. Insufficient tear production results in the chronic mucus drainage in the eye, corneal ulcers, and pain. Medications that stimulate tear production or artificial tear solution will deal with the problem. In severe cases, surgery is the last resort
  • Conjunctivitis or Pinkeye – Conjunctivitis causes swollen and red conjunctiva, discomfort to the dog and eye drainage. Pink eye is a symptom than an actual disease meaning that the Pitbull is suffering from another health problem.
  • Glaucoma – The problem occurs when something disrupts the balance between the production and the draining of eye fluids. Dilating pupils, an increase in tear production, eye redness, cloudy cornea, and pain are symptoms of glaucoma. The Pitbull must have immediate treatment since glaucoma can cause blindness.
  • Cataracts – The lens of a dog’s eye becomes cloudy and opaque which in turn blocks light from going in the back of the eye. The result of this process is that the Pocket Pitbull develops a poor vision. Typically a dog adapts to cataracts, but severe cases require surgery.

Do not let the list of health problems discourage you from getting a Pocket Pitbull breed dog. All dog breeds have similar or different health issues. A healthy lifestyle, plenty of exercise, good nutrition, and proper care, will mitigate or prevent most of the problems.

To minimize the chances of the dog having too many health issues, make sure that it breeder and kennel are high quality regarding breeding as well as physical care.

Weight/Height/Size Pocket Bully

Pocket Pitbull breed dogs weight at 11 to 22 lbs when it fully matures. The breed stands at 12 to 16 inches in height. Note that the weight and height apply only to normal Pitbulls.

Life Expectancy

A healthy Pitbull lives from 11 to 13 years. It is possible for the dog breed to have a longer lifespan if its owner gives it a perfectly healthy lifestyle and takes excellent care of it.

Other Names of Pocket Pitbulls

  • Pocket Pit
  • Pocket Bully
  • Patterdale
  • Mini Pitbull
  • Pitbull Patterdale mix

Food/Nutrition For Pocket Pit

The type of food that a Pocket Pitbull eats is essential to growth, development, and health. There are three kinds of doggy foods that a Pocket Pitbull can eat:

Raw dog foods

These types of foods are both natural and organic in nature. Preparing and serving raw dog foods to a Pitbull is a healthy alternative to other foods. Pork, vegetables, fresh fruits, eggs, organ meat, lamb, kelp, turkey, and salmon are some examples of raw dog foods.

Raw dogs foods do not lose their minerals and nutrients, unlike cooked or preserved foods. Bear in mind however that preparing or poorly making raw dog food increases the risk of bacteria like salmonella or E.coli.

Premium dog foods

You can buy premium dog foods in stores, groceries, and supermarkets. Premium dog foods have a high standard of quality and the vitamins, antioxidants, as well as proteins, are much better. Also, Pocket Pitbulls have an easier time digesting these dog foods.

The drawback of premium dog foods is their price tags which can be expensive to an average person. But the benefits of premium dog foods are worth the high price. Avoid buying dogs foods that are low in quality and are economy brand types.

Homemade dog foods

One usually makes homemade dog foods from scratch using vegetables, meat, fruits or a combination of each. Homemade dog foods are either cooked or raw depending on the person preparing them.

With homemade dog foods, you can control what ingredients go into the dog food preparation. Just make sure that you prepare the dog food correctly and always maintain good hygiene. With these precautions, you can ensure that the food is safe and healthy to eat.

You can use dog supplements to improve the Pocket Pitbull’s muscles, add weight and maintain their physical health. Muscle Bully brand is the best type of supplement available. Just remember not to depend too much on supplements to the point that you are planning on replacing the Pitbull’s primary food. Supplements just maximize dog food’s nutritional quality.

You can also switch from one dog type to another if you want to see which food is more efficient.

Are Pocket Pitbulls Dangerous?

Popular Pocket Bully

A normal Pocket Pitbull despite its fierce looks and stocky body is protective of its family, friendly and get along with children. It goes without saying that training and socialization are necessary to molding as well as training the Pitbull’s behavior. Pitbull’s lineage is another factor in its behavior. Pitbulls with low-quality pedigrees have a different and undesirable temperament.

Some myths about the dog are that they are naturally vicious, prone to unprovoked aggression and will turn on their owners. There is no truth to these allegations, though one can say that some individual Pocket Pitbulls are dangerous. It is not accurate to label all Pocket Pitbull breed dogs are dangerous. But overall Pocket Pitbulls are gentle pets and loyal to their family.

A Pocket Pitbull is a wonderful pet for those who like a dog that looks tough, small and can be a loving dog as well as gentle in temperament. A Pitbull that is healthy in body and mind is the best kind of dog pet companion that any dog lovers can have. Just remember that Pocket Pitbulls are not just mere pets, but a member of your family as well. Make sure to read our guide about american bully pocket

Watch this video about the Micro Pitbull worth $75,000

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