Hello Trip,
Thanks for taking the time to write.
At what age is a good age to school a pit and what are good and bad signs? Interesting question, I just answered one kinda similar. If I dont need the pup and have the time and patience to grow up. I usually wait till they are about a year old to start, I want them to grown up physically AND mentally and have their permanent teeth in before I start using them. But in reguards to "schooling" them as you say...and i Like the way you worded that...haha I will usually tie them to the out side of a bay pen or tie them to a tree near a hog we have tied out in the woods and not let him go to catch. I want him to WANT TO EAT THE HOG IN ONE BITE.....haha not really, but in watching him on the leash, I want to see him want to get into and get apart of that hog so bad that it almost drives him crazy. Thats what I look for in good traits while tied back...Im also looking to see how he is reacting to the other dogs as they come close and hes wound up so tite. I dont want him wanting to get at the other dogs or show any signs of agression towards them..I only want him to show agression towards the hog itself. To me, a good pit is hard to find sometimes. A high presentage of them will catch, and I think most people will agree with that. But to find one that will catch hard, loves hogs, has a killer instinct, yet will be gentle as a lamb in the back of the truck with several other dogs, one that shows no agression towards other dogs, one that I can tie at my house and a friend come over and be able to tell him "hes ok,,hes gentle as a lamp and is a big ole puppy" are hard to come by, at least in my part of the country anyway. It took me over two years to find my last one, but i was wanting a certain color also made it alittle harder....hahaha I like white bull dogs, they dont catch any better, I just simply like a white one and thing they are awsome looking when built correctly.. I think, when you see the pups reaction to a hog, and that desire from deep inside his heart comes out, you will figure out real quick if hes what you like or not. My suggestion is just to give em a little time to grow up from babies to teen agers. But i dont claim to be a bull dog expert...hahaha But this is just what I do with mine...
Good luck with your dog.
Jim