Just watch out when they get to be 10 or more years old. Sometimes they get wires crossed in their brains, probably from to much inbreeding over the decades, and they can turn on an owner. Put them down at the early signs of this behavior change.
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This is our experience...We had a pit mix who started getting aggressive, she was 12 years old. We take our pets for yearly physicals including blood tests.
Based on her behavior change, her vet took blood and urine tests and sent to Univ of Tennesee veterinary school. (Our Las Vegas vet).She had a hormonal imbalance where her testosterone was three times a male dogs highwater mark and her estrogen level was was at the female dog highwater mark.
Normally the recommended treatment was hormonal therapy, but due to her age, they recommend SLC flaxseed and melatonin.
She lived for over four more years, and while she was still herself, her aggressive behavior disappeared. During that time we also added three more puppies, 2 heeler mixes and another pit mix and she adopted them.
I do not know about your observations or experience as everything else you say is spot on.
But behavior changes (for ANY pet) can be due to physical changes -brain tumors, hormonal, or added or new stresses in the family. It may be pit/mixes are prone to hormonal impalances, brain tumours, whatever.
Best to rule these changes out. We have all high energy, focused dogs, 2 male German Shepherds, 2 female heeler mixex, and our staffie mix.
All good points. I hadn’t thought of other underlying causes. I’ll remember this.