In this era where technology has made everything easy, it’s quite hard to understand why there are numerous misconceptions about the Pocket Pitbulls. Therefore, we did the research on the Miniature Pitbulls, and this is what we have found.
What is a Pocket Pitbull? The Pocket Pitbull is a crossbreed between the American Pitbull Terriers and the Patterdale Terrier. However, some breeders have been combining the American Pitbull Terrier with other breeds like the Boston Terrier and French Bulldogs. The Pocket Pitbull is the miniature version of the American Pitbull Terrier.
In this article, we’ll provide you with all the information that you will need to know before adopting a Pocket Pitbull. And this includes their grooming routine, their lifespan, their temperament, whether they are safe for your family, and their common health issues. But, before we get into the above details, it’s crucial that we understand what a Pocket Pitbull is.
What Is A Pocket Pitbull?
Since the two breeds that make a micro bully are the American Pitbull with Patterdale Terrier, you need to know how big this pooch gets before introducing it in your home.
How Big Do Miniature Pitbulls Get?
Since the Mini Pitbull, which is also called Pocket Bully, is a miniature version of the American Pitbull Terrier, you should expect the Pocket Pitbull to be smaller than the American Pitbull.
And that is the case because the Pocket Bullies is a mix between the smaller Patterdale Terrier and the American Pitbull.
The Pocket Pitbull is a small-sized stocky dog that weighs between 11 and 22 lbs. The females are lighter than males.
How Tall Is a Pocket Bully?
The Pocket Bully is not taller than the Patterson Terrier. Its height falls between 11 and 16 inches at maturity. If they exceed 16 inches in height, they are simply known as Pitbull mix.
Appearance
Even though the Pocket Bully is bred to resemble the American PitBull Terrier, there are a few differences.
The Micro Bullies are leaner than the standard Pitbull, and their skull is more wedge-shaped with a narrow muzzle. They are small, compact creatures with a broad chest and short legs.
A Pocket Bully has a large head and bulky neck. The color of its body is determined by the exact colors of its parent breeds. This hybrid comes in a wide range of colors including black and tan, blue and tan, blue and tan, and black. They can also have some markings or be solid in color.
Coat
Predicting the exact coat-type of a Pocket Bully can be quite challenging as they are hybrids. The Pitbulls have short, smooth coats with no undercoat while Patterdale Terriers have a wiry, coarse coat with a dense undercoat.
So the Pocket Bullies can have short or wiry coats, depending on the which parent’s gene is the dominant one.
How Long Does A Pocket Bully Live?
Lifespan
The Pocket Bully has an average life expectancy of between 11 and 13 years.
The Pocket Bullies are healthy and hardy creatures, yet prone to developing numerous health issues that can shorten their lifespan. Some of these complications include:
Brachycephalic Airway Syndrome
This condition is quite common in dogs with short, flattened faces and heads. Brachycephalic airway syndrome can lead to loss of breath and breathing complications if this dog is overexerted. This condition can be attributed to the shape of this dog’s head.
Hypothyroidism
This condition is triggered by a deficiency of thyroid hormones. And if left untreated, it can produce numerous signs including mental dullness, obesity, lack of energy, and infertility. Your dog can develop a severe complication, which may lead to its demise.
Hip Dysplasia
Hip dysplasia is an abnormality that affects this dog’s hip joints. This complication can make it quite difficult for our canine pals to move around due to the pain. This deformity is attributed to this breed’s stocky body that puts a lot of weight on its hip joints.
Other Complications
Remember, the Pocket Pitbull is a hybrid; therefore, it can inherit numerous health complications from both its parent breeds. Other than the above complications, which are common among this hybrid, your Pocket Pitbull can suffer from other illnesses like heart issues, skin conditions and allergies.
Do Pocket Bullies Have Lock Jaws?
The Pocket Bullies don’t have locked jaws. However, many people still believe that the Bullies lock their jaws when fighting. This false rumor has existed for a very long time, and it’s quite common in Mastiff, and Pitbull breeds.
How To Take Care Of Pocket Pitbulls?
Diet
All pets need high-quality food that meets their exact nutritional needs. Feeding your Pocket bully a balanced diet can promote good health and improve the quality of its life. And in some cases, you will have to supplement its diet with some multivitamins.
For pocket bullies, the best option is the Pet Plate barking beef entrée. This freshly cooked meal is made from high-quality ingredients formulated to meet your furry pal’s needs. Just make sure you feed it a meal that’s suitable for its age.
Remember, pocket bullies may be small, but they are quite energetic. So they need the right meal to accommodate for these traits. Therefore, a protein-rich meal is perfect for the miniature Pitbulls.
For the sake of its oral health, make sure you invest in dental water additives. The dental water additives can help you keep your dog’s gums and teeth healthy. Plus, you can supplement annual dental cleaning and regular brushing with dental water additives.
Training and exercise
The Pocket Bullies are highly intelligent creatures with a tendency for being independent and confident. Therefore, early training and socialization is mandatory. But make sure you use positive reinforcement methods when dealing with these dogs.
Proper training and exercises can help you keep their energy levels low. And to make the workouts even fun for Pocket Bullies, you can purchase an iFetch Interactive Ball Launcher for dogs. This automatic tennis ball launcher will allow your small dog to play fetch until it wears itself out.
Are Pocket Pitbulls Dangerous? Temperaments Of Pocket Pitbulls
The American Pitbull Terrier and the Patterdale Terriers have a lot to offer in terms of personalities. However, they are both affectionate dog breeds and great for new pet owners, but the Patterdale Terrier would be slightly better because the American Pitbull Terrier is more aggressive.
Let’s look at some of the other traits of their hybrid offsprings:
Intelligent
The Pocket Pitbull is a highly intelligent creature that needs mental stimulation on top of its regular workout. Just like all American bullies, the Pocket Pitbull is relatively easy to train. The Miniature Pitbull is a strong-willed dog, which is the main reason why it can take up the pack-leader role.
Eager to Follow
The Pocket Pitbulls have a tendency for being independent dogs, so early socialization is mandatory. Without early training and socialization controlling this hybrid can be quite challenging. Therefore, you must establish yourself as the alpha while it’s still young.
Energetic
Despite being highly energetic, the Pocket Pitbulls are good dogs that can fit perfectly in an apartment life.
But you have to be ready to help it workout both mentally and physically by taking it for evening and morning walks, and playing fetch.
Mental stimulation is also mandatory for these dogs because, without it, they can become bored and start exhibiting destructive behaviors.
Alert
Just like both its parent breeds, the Miniature Pitbull is an excellent guard dog. They are great watch dogs which are naturally protective of their owners and territory. Plus they won’t hesitate to bark in case of danger.
The pocket pitbull can inherit its prey drive from the Patterdale terrier which can come in handy when hunting. Fortunately, this trait can be trained out of it at a very young age.
Do Pocket Pitbulls Shed? Grooming Tips Of Pocket Pitbulls
Shedding
The Pocket Pitbulls are moderate shedders; therefore, if you are searching for a hypoallergenic pooch, this breed might not be a great option for you. The Pocket Pitbull also drools, so you should expect to find some drool spots all over your home. And this can cause allergies in people affected by this dog’s saliva.
If you own a Pocket Pitbull, we recommend that you get iRobot Roomba i3+. Thanks to its smart navigation technology and automated cleaning, you will never have to worry about vacuuming the house again. The iRobot Roomba i3+ has dual multi-surface brushes and high-efficiency filters that traps about 99% of dog allergen.
Grooming
It’s not ideal to bathe your miniature Pitbull frequently, as this can leave its coat dry. Frequent baths can dry up this breed’s natural skin oil. This breed should only be bathed when it gets into something filthy.
Make sure you wash it using the right doggie shampoo that won’t leave its coat dry. And we recommend that you bathe this breed using the Pro Pet Works All Natural 5 In 1 Oatmeal Shampoo. This dog shampoo is formulated for dogs with sensitive and dry skin.
Brushing
The miniature bully has a short coat that should be brushed at least twice per week and even more during the blowout season.
For taking care of its coat, we recommend that you purchase the Furminator Undercoat tool. This grooming kit can get rid of all the loose undercoat fur easily without damaging the topcoat.
Related Questions
How Much Do Pocket Pitbulls Cost? If you want a Micro Bully dog, you should be ready to pay more. The Micro Bully dog costs more than a purebred Pitbull. The cost of a micro Bully dog ranges between $1,500 and $2,500. Sometimes you will have to pay even more to own this unique miniature dog.
Can Pocket Bullies Swim? The American Bullies, including the Pocket Bully, are not natural swimmers. But with proper training and time in the pool, you can turn this breed into a very good swimmer. Make sure you introduce them to water at a very young age.
Are Pocket Pitbulls Banned In The USA? In the United States, there is no Federal law that has imposed restrictions or banned any dangerous dog breed. However, not all American states allow dog lovers to own Pitbulls. Some of the unfriendly States for Pitbulls include Kentucky, Michigan, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, Kansas, Wisconsin, and Iowa.
