Raising a Puppy: Mia the Blue-Nose American Bully Pit—17 weeks old

A day in the life with Mia the American Bully (Bully Pit) puppy. Mia's eleventh week—17 weeks old, 32 pounds, 15 inches from the ground to the highest point of the shoulders (the withers).

A wide chested, blue Nose American Bully Pit puppy is sitting on a wet blacktop surface and she is looking forward. There is snow in the background and it is actively snowing in the image.

17 weeks old (About 4 months)

Food Lover

Top down view of a Blue Nose American Bully Pit puppy sitting on a tiled floor looking up.

Mia is all about food. I waved some chicken in front of her nose and she sat down and patiently waited. "Am I gonna get me some of that?" Yes Mia, you are.

The Bruno Lean

A blue nose American Bully Pit puppy is sitting on a dark blue orthopedic dog bed pillow sitting flat on its butt leaning against a sleeping brown brindle with black and white Boxer.

Learning from the Brothers

Mia will often sit down next to one of the other dogs and copy what they do. If they are calm, she is calm. If they are on high alert, she is on alert.

Close up - The back of a blue nose American Bully Pit puppy wearing a hot pink collar and a brown brindle with black and white Boxer wearing a new looking bright blue collar looking across a field.

Bruno was watching some people across the field. Mia sat down next to him and watched with him.

Close up - The back of a blue nose American Bully Pit puppy and a blue nose Pit Bull Terrier that are sitting next to each other and looking at a person in green walking a dog in the distance in a park.

There was a man walking his dog off in the distance. Spencer showed Mia how to quietly just watch. No need to bark or get all upset. That only makes mommy tell us to hush. So let's just watch.

The Pack

A blue nose Pit Bull Terrier is sleeping on its left side and sleeping on top of its side is a blue nose American Bully Pit puppy. Sleeping across from them is a brown with black and white Boxer that is laying in front of a coffee table. They are all sleeping in front of a lit fireplace.

The pack in front of the fireplace.

A Nice Day

Top down view of a blue nose American Bully Pit puppy drinking water out of a small stream next to a person in muck boots.

We have had a rough winter. Mia has mostly known cold, snow, and ice. As spring approaches we have had a few nice days here and there. This particular day it went up to 55 degrees F. We went for a walk and Mia curiously checked out a stream. Wow, this was something new. It’s clear running water with things floating in it. A few days later it snowed again. This pup is going to LOVE when spring finally arrives.

Posers

The pack gets more practice at posing for the camera.

A blue nose American Bully Pit puppy is standing on a dirt path, next to her is a sitting brown with black and white Boxer that is wearing a red vest. Next to him is a blue nose Pit Bull Terrier in an orange vest.

Posing on the side of a hill overlooking a stream in the woods.

A blue nose American Bully Pit puppy is walking across a dirt path, next to her is a sitting brown with black and white Boxer that is wearing a red vest and standing next to him is a blue nose Pit Bull Terrier that is wearing an orange vest.

I attempted to get Bruno and Spencer to look and Mia thought I was calling her. "Mimi stay, you silly puppy. Our photo shoot is not finished yet."

A blue nose American Bully Pit puppy is sitting on a small wooden bridge over a stream. Standing behind her is a brown with black and white Boxer that is wearing a red vest and standing next to him is a blue nose Pit Bull Terrier that is wearing an orange vest.

Posing on a bridge, "Everyone stay, good babies". Darn, I should have moved that poop bag before snapping the pic.

A blue nose American Bully Pit puppy is sitting on a dog bed in the backseat of a van. A brown with black and white Boxer is standing on a dog bed, next to him is a blue nose Pit Bull Terrier.

Van poses are easy. Everyone knows not to jump out before the command that it's time to leave so they line up on their own.

A blue nose American Bully Pit puppy is sitting on an outside stage and she is looking forward. To the left of her are a blue nose Pit Bull Terrier in an orange vest and next to him is a brown with black and white Boxer that is wearing a red vest.

The pack poses on a stage at a park we visited.

A view of a full stage. There is a blue nose American Bully Pit puppy, a blue nose Pit Bull Terrier and a brown brindle Boxer sitting on the stage.

I test their posing skills by backing up to get the whole stage in the picture. "Stay, good babies!"

A man in a camo jacket is sitting on a wooden bench and looking at his phone. A brown with black and white Boxer is standing in leaves, in front of him is a blue nose American Bully Pit puppy that is sitting in the leaves. To the right of him is a blue nose Pit Bull Terrier laying down.

Resting after a hike.

A brown with black and white Boxer, a blue nose American Bully Pit puppy and a blue nose pit bull are sitting on a dirt surface and looking forward in front of a body of water.

Checking out the rushing water at another park.

Carrying Things Around

Top down view of a blue nose American Bully Pit puppy that is standing on grass and she has an item in her mouth.

Mia loves to have things in her mouth. She is constantly picking things up and eating, chewing, or just carrying them around. She not only loves to carry toys, but everything else as well. When I let her outside she will swoop down and pick up a leaf or a piece of wood on her way to her potty spot. She will often have something in her mouth when you let her inside, like a stick for example. "Mia drop it! You can't bring that inside the house." She will drop it when asked if the object is large enough, but sometimes it's a wet and mushy small piece of paper, a fuzzy, or a bug that she found somewhere that she can't spit out easily and you have to dig it out with your hand before she eats it. "Mia drop that, too!" The picture above is her right after she scooped up an old banana peal someone had tossed out onto the ground. "Mia don't eat that!"

A man in a camo jacket is walking a blue nose American Bully Pit puppy across a surface with a lot of leaves.

When going on a walk she tries to carry the leashes in her mouth. Yes, leashes as opposed to leash. She wants to not only carry her leash, but Bruno and Spencer's leash, too. One might think there is no harm carrying the leash, but she will start to chew as she carries it and her sharp razor teeth will eventually cut it right in half.

A blue nose American Bully Pit puppy is walking across a blacktop surface with a stick in her mouth.

Mia kept trying to bite the leashes while we walked. Mia no leash biting! That's a bad habit to get into. She must be teething because the urge is strong and she always wants something in her mouth. A solution... here Mia, have a stick. Oh was she happy. "I got me a stick, I got me a stick and I'm going to carry it all over!"

A blue nose American Bully Pit puppy is proudfully trotting across a blacktop surface with a long stick in her mouth. Her tail is even with her body.

She carried that stick for a long time and when she dropped it she wanted another one.

A man in a camo shirt is holding a stick that is in the mouth of a blue nose American Bully Pit puppy leading the puppy up a small hill.

Here Mia, bite this stick while we walk.

Jokesters

A blue nose American Bully Pit puppy is sitting on a hardwood floor and to the right of her is a circled mound of poop.

I walked into the dining room and saw Mia staring at a pile of poop. "Oh no!" When Mia saw my reaction she started to walk away from it. I knew I should have made you come with me when I went to feed the animals this morning! Since you were busy chewing your toy I didn't make you come. It has been 4 weeks with no accidents and now this. Mia come sit next to it for a picture. Thanks. Now go outside while I clean this up. Hmmm I wonder when she did it. I don't smell anything. If she had just pooped it will still be warm. I got a bag and a bunch of paper towels and bent down to pick it up. That's strange, it's hard and cold as if it's really old.

A person is holding up pretzel shaped plastic poop. A blue nose American Bully Pit puppy is laying down on a rug and in front of her is a blue ball.

Oh my goodness! It's plastic!!!!!! Someone in this house is playing jokes! Poor Mia, come back in the house. You didn't do anything, but it sure seemed like you were in on this joke the way you acted out the part looking at it as if you had just done it.

A blue nose American Bully Pit puppy is pooping on hay in the island of a driveway next to a fire pit and wooden benches.

Later the same morning after eating her breakfast Mia walked to the front door and stared at the doorknob. When I opened the door she trotted over to the fire pit and did her business. Now that's my girl.

Storm Drain Fascination

A blue nose American Bully Pit puppy is looking down a storm drain.

Mia is fascinated with storm drains. She is so curious. Every time we walk by one she wants to look down the drain and smell it. There's an entire world down there that she can't get to. I can only imagine the smells that rise up from the drain, from rats to decaying leaves as well as the sound of running water.

The Crate

A blue nose Pit Bull Terrier and a blue nose American Bully Pit puppy are laying down in the same dog crate that is covered in a pink blanket.

Spencer-Puppy, you're in Mia's crate and she wants to go to bed for the night. She just crawled right in there with you. "Mom, really? I was here first. Why does the kid get the crate?"

Open Doors

A blue nose American Bully Pit puppy is sitting on a Penn State University door mat and behind her is a blue nose Pit Bull Terrier and a brown with black and white Boxer. They are all looking out of an open door.

Mia needs to learn that just because the front door is open does not mean she can run out. When I first opened the door she tried just that, to run out squeezing past everyone. That can be very dangerous with cars coming down the driveway, etc. We can't just have her bolting out the door when she pleases. "Mia back!" I blocked her from getting out the door. "Wait". Mia sat down and waited with her brothers.

A blue nose American Bully Pit puppy, a blue nose Pit Bull Terrier and a brown with black and white Boxer are walking out of an open door.

Good puppies. "Come" Much better.

Big Puppy

A blue nose American Bully Pit puppy is being held in the air by a blonde haired girl.

Mia, you are one thick puppy. Look how wide you have gotten, and those paws!

A blue nose American Bully Pit puppy is attempting to turn and lick the face of a blonde haired girl.

Amie, watch out! Here come the puppy kisses!!

Close up - A series of images of a blonde haired girl taking pictures with a blue nose American Bully Pit puppy.

Mia gives Amie more of her inevitable puppy kisses.

Raising a Puppy: A day in the life with Mia the Blue-Nose American Bully