Pocket Pitbull (Miniature Pitbull) Overview
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About The Pocket Pitbull (Miniature Pitbull)
The Pocket Pitbull is a hybrid of the American Pitbull Terrier and the Patterdale Terrier. The difference in size is due to the mom always being the Pitbull, and the dad is the smaller Patterdale Terrier. The Pocket Pitbull is a 50/50 cross of these two breeds, but it is possible to have a greater percentage of one breed if a first-generation breed is bred to either an American Pitbull Terrier or a Patterdale Terrier.
Pocket Pitbulls inherit their short stature to the Patterdale parent. They usually grow to between 12 – 16 inches (30.5 – 40.5 cm) tall. However, if they grow any taller than this, they are simply considered a Pitbull mix. Pocket Pitbulls are still muscular and strong and can weigh between 11 – 22 pounds (5 – 10 kg).
Most breeders do not do multi-generational breeding’s of Pocket Pitbulls, because it puts them at risk for certain breed specific health issues. If you are interested in a multi -generational Pocket Pitbull puppy, be sure to request a health guarantee because good breeding will have a huge impact on your pup’s health in life.
Nutrition
Once your Pocket Pit celebrates his first birthday he can start start eating adult dog food. These dogs should be fed 2.5 to 3 cups of dry kibble every day and these servings should be divided into 2 to 3 meals per day. A good rule of thumb is to provide a cup of food at breakfast, a cup of food at lunch and a cup of food at dinner. This will equal three cups per day.
You will want to give your Pocket Pitbull a quality dog food. This is where reading the ingredients list and nutritional facts on the label are important. A quality dog food will have high meat protein and other essential vitamins and nutrients. The ingredients list should start with the protein source like chicken, beef or turkey. The food may also have rice, and other favorable grains included to help keep your pup full longer, provide daily carbohydrates and help to maintaining his weight.
Grooming
Pocket Pit’s do not usually need professional grooming. They have a short coat which is very manageable and regular brushing is sufficient enough to maintain their coat. It should only take a few minutes to brush your dog thoroughly. The Pocket Pit breed does shed, but it varies from dog to dog. Some shed heavily, or light and regularly or occasionally.
Pocket Pit’s require regular maintenance like other dogs. This includes nail clipping and cleaning the ears and teeth regularly. Your pup should be checked often for injuries because this breed is highly pain tolerant. They are good about hiding injuries or letting it be known they are in pain.
Training
The Pocket Pitbull does have a tendency toward being confident and independent, so early socialization and training is recommended. Socializing is an important part of training any dog breed. Introducing your Pocket Pitbull to new sounds, sights, smells, places, people and animals, at a young age, will help make sure they are not scared and do not see things as a threat that are not. This helps to reduce the chances of aggressive or hostile behavior.
This breed is intelligent, so positive reinforcement methods are typically very effective, as long as you maintain a firm and consistent hand in training. Training will also help to keep your dog’s energy and activity level under control and prevent him from developing bad behaviors related to boredom or lack of training.
Exercise
The Pocket Pitbull breed does have high exercise needs and you must make sure you are able to give them the time they need before you purchase one of these dogs. A Pocket Pitbull needs roughly one hour of exercise every day, but this should not just be only left to walking on a leash. With high activity levels, these pups need to be let off the leash and allowed to run around and burn off energy.
The Pocket Pitbull loves to play games and they love to play around with their humans too. Playing fetch can keep your dog mentally stimulated so he isn’t bored but it also ensures he is getting the right amount of exercise.
Health
The Pocket Pitbull is a hybrid breed and many believe that these dogs tend to be healthier than their purebred parents. However, this is not always the case. Mostly, Pocket Pitbulls are a hardy and healthy breed but they may be prone to developing certain health problems related to their short faces and stocky body structure. This breeds compact build might be adorable to owners, but it can exacerbate certain health issues, especially those related to the respiratory and skeletal system.
The Pocket Pitbull is known to inherit breed-specific health problems which include hip dysplasia, hypothyroidism, heart issues, allergies, and various problems with their eyes.
Physical Characteristics
The Pocket Pitbull has a very short, smooth coat that is fairly easy to care for as mentioned above. These dogs typically don’t require frequent grooming or bathing.
Because the Pocket Pitbull is a hybrid dog and does not belong to a kennel club, it may be difficult to determine their characteristics because they do not have a breed standard. These dogs collect traits from both parents, although generally look much more like their Pitbull parent than their Patterdale Terrier parent.
A Pocket Pitbull is normally born in litter sizes of between 2 and 5. If the mother Pitbull has had more than one litter, then the size of the litter can be bigger with around 5 to 9 puppies. A Pocket Pitbull puppy can cost you anywhere between $1,500 – $2,500, compared to an average Pitbull puppy which may cost you only $500.
American Pitbulls can take around two to three years to fully mature, while a Patterdale Terrier normally matures around 14 to 16 months. The Pocket Pitbull might also take around two to three years to mature.
As we have mentioned, this breed normally looks more like their Pitbull parent, although this may vary. Pocket Pitbull’s are a very small, compact dog and muscular dog with a very low, wide chest. Their legs are short and muscular and they have a bulky neck and a large head.
The Pocket Pitbull is a brachycephalic breed, which means their face is flattened. This trait has been known to cause some breathing issues. They also have wide-set floppy ears and a medium-length thin tail.
The Pocket Pitbull can range in size from 11 to 22 pounds and can stand anywhere between 9 to 11 inches high.
