Are you thinking about breeding your Pitbull, or do you have a Pitbull who is pregnant and preparing to welcome her first litter? Do you know what you need to do to ensure the successful delivery and growth of Pitbull puppies?
Pitbull puppies are very delicate at birth. They cannot see or hear, they can’t eat anything except for their mother’s milk, and they cannot move on their own. Caring for Pitbull puppies from birth until they are ready to be sold is a huge responsibility that requires a lot of care.
Before breeding your Pitbull, there is a lot you need to know. This guide will cover things like the number of pups to expect in a litter, how to take care of the Pitbull puppies, when to start training the puppies, and when they are ready to be sold. Before that, however, let’s start by understanding when your Pitbull is ready to have puppies.
How Long Does It Take Pitbulls To Have Puppies?
Pitbulls attain sexual maturity and can get pregnant very early.
Female Pitbulls will experience their first heat cycle from about 6 months of age. They can get pregnant from the time they experience their first heat cycle.
When Can Female Pitbulls Have Puppies?
Just because a female is ready to get pregnant from the age of 6 months doesn’t mean that this is the best time for her to have puppies.
It is advisable to wait until your Pitbull is about 18 to 24 months of age before allowing her to get pregnant. This gives her time to develop fully and reduces the likelihood of your Pittie experiencing complications during pregnancy.
It’s good to note that your Pitbull will start attracting males from their first heat cycle. If you don’t want her to get pregnant early, you should keep her away from male dogs when she is in heat.
How Can You Tell If It’s A Pitbull Puppy?
The most accurate way of confirming whether puppies are Pitbull is to have a DNA test carried out. That said, however, there are some characteristics that can help you tell if it’s a Pitbull puppy.
Pitbull puppies will have a square head, with some wrinkly skin around the face and ears that are folded forward and shiny coats.
How Big Are Pitbull Puppies At Birth?
A newborn Pitbull puppy will weigh about 7 to 10 oz. By the time they get to 2 months, their weight will have increased to about 7 lbs.
How Many Puppies Does A Pitbull Have On Her First Litter?
On average, a healthy female Pitbull will have 5 or 6 puppies in their first litter.
In their second litter, this number can increase to 10 or more. It is not surprising to find a Pitbull giving birth to 14 healthy pups.
Many first-time breeders are usually concerned about the number of puppies their Pittie is going to have.
Litter size will depend on the litter origin of your Pitbull, as well as other factors such as age, size, and health. Healthier and bigger Pitbulls have a better chance of carrying a higher number of puppies to term.
How Many Times Can A Pitbull Have Puppies?
Female Pitbulls experience one or two heat cycles in a year, and therefore, it is possible for your Pitbull to have one litter every year after they reach sexual maturity.
However, it is advisable to wait about 2 years before breeding your Pitbull again if you don’t want to compromise the health of the mother and puppies.
What’s The Least Number Of Puppies A Pitbull Can Have?
Many Pitbull owners are also concerned when their Pitbull doesn’t have as many puppies as they expected.
It is totally normal for Pitbulls to have few puppies, so don’t be too concerned if your Pitbull has only 3 puppies. If your Pitbull has only 2 puppies, there is a high chance that there are more pups inside.
It is not normal for a Pitbull to have one puppy, and if this happens, you need to rush your Pittie to a vet.
How To Take Care Of Pitbull Puppies?
Diet
If it’s your first time caring for pups, you’re definitely wondering, what can baby Pitbulls eat? For the first six weeks after birth, your Pitbull puppies should feed exclusively on their mother’s milk. Once they hit six weeks, it’s time to start introducing the pups to solid food.
If you want your Pitbull Puppy to get big, you should feed them on foods that are rich in proteins. I recommend feeding your Pitbull puppies with Pet Plate’s Barkin’ Beef. This dog food is made according to USDA standards and does not contain any grains, which could trigger allergies in a pup.
Another thing you’ll need to know is how much you are supposed to feed a Pitbull puppy. You can start with feeding your puppy 4 times a day until they are 12 weeks old, after which you can reduce the frequency to 3 times a day.
Multivitamin Supplements
Puppies are yet to develop strong immunity, so it is a great idea to supplement their food with multivitamin supplements. The best supplement for Pitbull puppies is Multivitamin Treat Supplements – Zesty Paws Probiotics, which will help boost your pups immune, digestive, and bowel function.
Exercise
Regular exercise is also important for your Pitbull pups. However, pups don’t require intensive exercise. Playing with them is enough. So, how can you play with your Pitbull puppy?
Your best bet is to get the iFetch Interactive Ball Launchers for Dogs. In addition to exercising your pup, this dog toy is also great at providing your pup with mental stimulation.
What Age Should You Start Training A Pitbull Puppy? Temperaments Of Pitbull Puppies
Pitbull puppies are very loving, with a deep desire for attention.
They are also very smart and eager to please. Because of this, Pitbull puppies are not hard to train. However, training should start very early if you want them to learn quickly. So, at what age should you start training a Pitbull puppy?
Training At 3 To 8 Weeks
You should start training your Pitbull puppies about 3 weeks after they are born. At this age, you should only focus on teaching the puppy how to respond to their name and basic commands, such as sitting or lying down.
Training At 8 To 12 Weeks
At this age, Pitbull puppies are ready to learn commands that require more focus and intelligence.
This is the perfect time to start potty training your puppies. You can also start training more advanced commands, such as coming when they are called and staying still when you want them to.
You should also start socializing your Pitbull puppies at this age.
The aim is to get them used to be around other people and new situations. This way, they won’t experience fear when they are around new people or in new situations.
Training At 12 To 16 Weeks
By this age, your Pitbull puppies are now ready to start learning things like walking on a leash, jumping over obstacles, and even playing fetch. This is the perfect time to start exercising your pups.
During training, you discipline your Pitbull puppy through positive reinforcement using treats, rather than punishment.
When Should Pitbull Puppies Be Sold?
After taking care of your Pitbull puppies for the first few weeks, you’re definitely thinking about finding new homes for the puppies.
There’s one problem, however. When are Pitbull puppies ready to be sold?
The best time to sell Pitbull puppies is after they reach about 8 weeks of age.
By this time, they have finished the weaning process and can survive solely on solid food. This is also the time they’re starting to learn about the world around them, and selling them at this age gives the Pitbull puppies the best chance of adapting to their new home.
How Much Should A Pitbull Puppy Cost?
You don’t want to end up selling your puppies for less than they are worth, so it’s good to know how much they should cost before you start looking for buyers.
If you have papers to confirm their lineage, Pitbull puppies will fetch a price of anywhere between $2,000 and $20,000, depending on their pedigree.
Pitbull puppies without papers will cost much less. If your puppies don’t have papers, you can expect to sell them for about $800 to $1,000.
Is It Illegal To Sell Pitbull Puppies?
Due to their fighting dog history, Pitbulls are placed under breed-specific legislation (BSL) in many places. Ownership and sale of Pitbulls are restricted or outright banned in some states in the United States, as well as in countries like the UK. Therefore, it is important to find out whether Pitbulls are banned before trying to sell your Pitbull puppies in some states.
Related Questions
Do Pitbulls Eat Their Babies? Pitbulls are not a cannibalistic breed, and it is very unlikely for a Pitbull to eat its babies. That said, there are cases where this has happened. This usually happens when the mother feels that the puppies are ill or unhealthy, when the mother is stressed, or when extreme mastitis makes breastfeeding too painful for her.
Do Female Pitbulls Get Aggressive When Pregnant? It is totally normal for female Pitbulls to get aggressive when pregnant. This happens because the Pitbull is getting more and more protective towards the pups she is expecting. If this happens, you should set up a private place where the pregnant Pitbull can rest away from the rest of the family and other pets.
How Often Do Pitbull Puppies Poop? Pitbull puppies will poop anywhere between 1 to 5 times a day, based on how much they are eating. Most puppies will have a regular pooping frequency. If you notice that a Pitbull puppy is pooping significantly more or less than normal, or in a case of diarrhea, this can be a sign that there is something wrong with the puppy.
