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Contrary to popular belief and myth, Pit Bulls are no different than any breed, and should be raised no differently than any other dog, large or small. In fact, small dogs and "soft" dogs like Labradors need to be raised as carefully as a Pit Bull! From Chihuahuas to Danes, all dogs should be raised right.

Here are five rules to successfully raising your Pit Bull (or Chihuahua):

1) Start with the right ingredient
Before you adopt a puppy - any puppy - do your research. Make sure breed is right for you and your lifestyle - and for the community where you live. Pit Bulls are energetic and strong-willed dogs, and can be a bit mischievous too, and you want to make sure your town, country or even state isn't considering banning the breed OR that Pit Bulls are frequent targets of theft.

Once you've decided a Pit Bull is the right dog for you, select the right individual puppy. Avoid backyard breeders at all costs, and select a puppy from a rescue group carefully. Find a reputable breeder, and make sure their bloodline is a good one, free of any temperament or health issues. Chances are the breeder will be more selective of perspective owners than you will be in selecting a breeder - don't be offended or discouraged, take this as a sign of a good breeder.

2) Socialization is critical for success
All puppies need to be well socialized before they are six months of age - a critical stage of development. Socialization may be even more important for a Pit Bull because of their size and an occasional tendency to be intolerant of other dogs. It is a myth that all Pit Bulls should be only dogs and isolated because they will attack without provocation - the reverse is quite often true, especially when they have been properly socialized.

Make sure your puppy has positive experiences with other animals and people of all ages, races, shapes and sizes. Allow them to experience as many things as possible, especially loud noises. Take them to the groomer, the kennel, the vet, the dog park, for car rides, camping - anything they may be exposed to as an adult.

And make sure they are crate trained (even if you don't intend to crate them in general) and make sure they are comfortable being left alone too.

3) Set basic rules for dogs, owners and guests
It's tempting to allow your puppy to sleep on the bed, to allow them to nip at fingers or to jump on guests, but what is acceptable in a 10 pound puppy is probably NOT acceptable in a 70 pound adult. From day one, gently but firmly insist on

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