Advice needed please, big, strong, dominant with a massive problemdog..
- Thread starter PonyFeet10
- Start date
EAST KENT
Well-Known Member
As far as it goes I suppose I am a bullbreeds behaviourist,and I have trained "normal" dogs..labs/border collies and once a rough collie.All of those have an entirely different mind set..so easy as to be boring.All terriers are thinkers and self motivated,no instructions needed or useful in their original purposes..hence they are hard to "get inside their head",being as this is an Am Bulldog x he will be the same.
That open space burn up,doing dog things..for a bullie it might be trying..and succeeding in carrying an eight foot long log by finding the balance point...brainey and brawny exercise ,are essential to their sanity. We have paddocks with trees to pull down,tyres to lug about ,giant boomer balls..and in their kennels huge bones to chew,tease your neighbour with..in between the odd kennel wrecking session. There are wood beds in there that I cannot lift..they chuck `em around for a lark!
Get this dog onto a raw diet..get him that free run place EVERY day..twice if they can.Training these breeds is by reward and earning their respect,done with firmness ,fairness and providing the fun times.They prefer to be your best friend and partner in crime..never ever your slave. That , of course is what I love about them..far more complex and interesting than my border collies I once bred.Yes ,they did good obedience ,agility ..but so dull to train,so automatic.
The bullie way is do do obedience exercises under suffrence..and get slower and slower to show you how bored to death they are.I remember watching heelwork in the US..the bull terrier was twelve feet behind the heel..with it`s ears back and a grin on it`s face.Once they decide that is no fun ..no going back,the human just has to give in.
BBH
Well-Known Member
The bullie way is do do obedience exercises under suffrence..and get slower and slower to show you how bored to death they are.I remember watching heelwork in the US..the bull terrier was twelve feet behind the heel..with it`s ears back and a grin on it`s face.Once they decide that is no fun ..no going back,the human just has to give in.[/QUOTE]
So true
I know of a guy who said he bought a bulldog that just wouldn't walk... anywhere at anytime and in frustration he loaded it into his wheelbarrow, wheeled him half a mile form home and tipped him out.
The dog had to walk or he didn't go home
Apparently after that the dog got the hang of walking.
[/QUOTE]So true
I know of a guy who said he bought a bulldog that just wouldn't walk... anywhere at anytime and in frustration he loaded it into his wheelbarrow, wheeled him half a mile form home and tipped him out.
The dog had to walk or he didn't go home
Apparently after that the dog got the hang of walking.
CorvusCorax
Deary me...
I do know of a couple of American bulldogs in the UK with working titles (tracking/obedience/protection), just to be a contrary bugger 
PolarSkye
Well-Known Member
Well just to add to the growing chorus, as this dog is living with an 8-year-old child I'd be seriously considering rehoming to an adult-only, breed-experienced home where the dog has space to run and rampage. Walking on a lead is no substitute for full-on running, investigating, digging up, pulling down, chasing and generally problem-solving - taxes the brain as well as the body and bull breeds are notorious for their physical stamina. Failing that, sad as it sounds, this otherwise healthy dog may need to be PTS . . .
Agree too that the dog isn't actually being as aggressive as it can be - yet - but it is sending the loudest signals it can that it isn't happy at all in its current environment - and probably doesn't feel as though it has adequate leadership either, which will be making it feel insecure. Things WILL escalate if nothing changes.
I would:
- Get it castrated
- Get professional help to get it accustomed to a gentle leader or halti-type headcollar - owner needs control of the dog's head - if the dog really wants to go, a harness won't stop it
- Find it a job/a place where it can run free, safely, and away from other dogs and people for now - and exercise the heck out of it
- NOT let it on any furniture - ever - dog needs to understand its place in the house - height equals status to dogs - humans get the comfy high up places to sit/sleep, dogs get the floor - also try not to let the kids sit on the floor with the dog for now - kids also need to be seen to be high status
- Deal with its food aggression issues - we had a food aggressive staffie cross and fed her in her crate so that she didn't feel the need to be quite so possessive and also trained her to wait for our signal to begin eating (so that eating was more on our terms) - we also had to insist that no'one in the house EVER took food away from her or put their hands near her bowl when she was eating, and that she was ONLY fed dog food and ONLY from her bowl - no scraps, nothing from the floor
- Look at the food - others are quite right that the additives in some dog food may be sending this dog round the twist
- Get its thyroid checked - in fact, get the dog a full physical - there may be a physical reason behind some of this behaviour
If the owners either can't afford or are unwilling to do the above, then they should face the harsh reality that they should not keep this dog and act accordingly.
P
Agree too that the dog isn't actually being as aggressive as it can be - yet - but it is sending the loudest signals it can that it isn't happy at all in its current environment - and probably doesn't feel as though it has adequate leadership either, which will be making it feel insecure. Things WILL escalate if nothing changes.
I would:
- Get it castrated
- Get professional help to get it accustomed to a gentle leader or halti-type headcollar - owner needs control of the dog's head - if the dog really wants to go, a harness won't stop it
- Find it a job/a place where it can run free, safely, and away from other dogs and people for now - and exercise the heck out of it
- NOT let it on any furniture - ever - dog needs to understand its place in the house - height equals status to dogs - humans get the comfy high up places to sit/sleep, dogs get the floor - also try not to let the kids sit on the floor with the dog for now - kids also need to be seen to be high status
- Deal with its food aggression issues - we had a food aggressive staffie cross and fed her in her crate so that she didn't feel the need to be quite so possessive and also trained her to wait for our signal to begin eating (so that eating was more on our terms) - we also had to insist that no'one in the house EVER took food away from her or put their hands near her bowl when she was eating, and that she was ONLY fed dog food and ONLY from her bowl - no scraps, nothing from the floor
- Look at the food - others are quite right that the additives in some dog food may be sending this dog round the twist
- Get its thyroid checked - in fact, get the dog a full physical - there may be a physical reason behind some of this behaviour
If the owners either can't afford or are unwilling to do the above, then they should face the harsh reality that they should not keep this dog and act accordingly.
P
EAST KENT
Well-Known Member
Just remembered that a Rescue called Bullies in Need cover american bulldogs..should the need arise.
whisp&willow
Well-Known Member
i havent read the whole thread- as i am on lunch break and dont have much time:
firstly if he is dog agressive he will probably stay that way- needen't be muzzled but takes hard work and planning to manage excersise and stimulation in a way which is safe for him and members of the public.
my american bulldog is extremely dominant, and will not interact with other dogs well... even ones she gets on with- things can blow up into a fight within a split second. she is never around other dogs now- always on a lead in public.
she was well socialised from a pup...
do not have him loose with other dogs- unless you are watching them like a hawk and are prepared to wade in and split up a fight.
regarding the harness: burn that thing! absolutely useless! you are HARNESSING the strongest part of a dog which is built like an ox! i would recommend a pinch collar!
he'll soon get the message!
i would have him neutered and see if it helps any.
as far as showing aggression to humans: he would be 6 feet under if he snapped at me or anyone else without provokation or any warning signals.
firstly if he is dog agressive he will probably stay that way- needen't be muzzled but takes hard work and planning to manage excersise and stimulation in a way which is safe for him and members of the public.
my american bulldog is extremely dominant, and will not interact with other dogs well... even ones she gets on with- things can blow up into a fight within a split second. she is never around other dogs now- always on a lead in public.
she was well socialised from a pup...
do not have him loose with other dogs- unless you are watching them like a hawk and are prepared to wade in and split up a fight.
regarding the harness: burn that thing! absolutely useless! you are HARNESSING the strongest part of a dog which is built like an ox! i would recommend a pinch collar!
he'll soon get the message!i would have him neutered and see if it helps any.
as far as showing aggression to humans: he would be 6 feet under if he snapped at me or anyone else without provokation or any warning signals.
CAYLA
Well-Known Member
Not read it all....but there is no way a forum will provide the advice this owner needs for this dog, its hard enough passing on 1sty hand info to the actual owner let alone someone known to someone on a forum (If you see what I mean) no one can really speculate its this or that or the other without alot more detail.
If you friend is determined then a TRAINER is what is needed, not a franchised one advertising in the paper, a recommended trainer that has dealt with this type of behaviour. They can then assess the dog and the owner together and give the advice/guidance thats needed.
The muzzle (if never worn before) is a very strange restriction to suddenly find on your face (this needs to be done gradually) and never at the same time and when you are dealing with a situation i.e (stick muzzle on and then have him face to face with a dog) as the sheer "WTF is this on my face, and WTF is this dog, I want to be at it" will see some very wild and disturbing behaviour" and cause a whole load of stress.
I would also as suggested book the dog for castration asap (not that this is the issues) but hormones on a big strong unsocialised dog may just add to the problems.
Rid of the harness as suggested and seek advice from the trainer/behaviourist he will be using as to how best to deal with the pulling and switch to a check chain or halti. No point switching to either if the owner has no clue how to use them to the best of their advantage.
As suggested lots of exercise, away from stimulus for now to literally get him into a routine and some energy burnt off. A routine should be priority now (esp in the home) and in regard to exercise.
Food as suggested from the bowl and held in the hands of the owner would be best for now, he just needs to learn the food is not going to be swiped everytime someone nears the bowl and that human =food.
For now priority is being able to handle the dog.
If you friend is determined then a TRAINER is what is needed, not a franchised one advertising in the paper, a recommended trainer that has dealt with this type of behaviour. They can then assess the dog and the owner together and give the advice/guidance thats needed.
The muzzle (if never worn before) is a very strange restriction to suddenly find on your face (this needs to be done gradually) and never at the same time and when you are dealing with a situation i.e (stick muzzle on and then have him face to face with a dog) as the sheer "WTF is this on my face, and WTF is this dog, I want to be at it" will see some very wild and disturbing behaviour" and cause a whole load of stress.
I would also as suggested book the dog for castration asap (not that this is the issues) but hormones on a big strong unsocialised dog may just add to the problems.
Rid of the harness as suggested and seek advice from the trainer/behaviourist he will be using as to how best to deal with the pulling and switch to a check chain or halti. No point switching to either if the owner has no clue how to use them to the best of their advantage.
As suggested lots of exercise, away from stimulus for now to literally get him into a routine and some energy burnt off. A routine should be priority now (esp in the home) and in regard to exercise.
Food as suggested from the bowl and held in the hands of the owner would be best for now, he just needs to learn the food is not going to be swiped everytime someone nears the bowl and that human =food.
For now priority is being able to handle the dog.
soloabe
Well-Known Member
Serioulsy the first thing this dog needs is a full medical work up and THYROID test which you will likely have to send over here to hemopet!
CorvusCorax
Deary me...
Katie I agree but in fairness they need to be able to handle/control it and to not be scared of it in order to take it to the vet in the first place, if the dog decides it doesn't quite fancy going to the vets today, thanks very much, they'll have a row on their hands.
Plus if they are having money problems a full work-up might not be their priority
Good point about the muzzle, too many people buy a piece of equipment, slap it on when the tension is high and wonder why there is conflict, you need to get dogs used to these things around the house/yard before you even think of using them.
Plus if they are having money problems a full work-up might not be their priority
Good point about the muzzle, too many people buy a piece of equipment, slap it on when the tension is high and wonder why there is conflict, you need to get dogs used to these things around the house/yard before you even think of using them.
CAYLA
Well-Known Member
Obs the owner make take that route, I personally would not make that a priority in a dog so young for now I would take it as it is....a young, unsocialised, untrained and very head strong breed.
EAST KENT
Well-Known Member
If they are scared of it the battle is lost.For some dogs you need a person who relishes sorting out complex problems,and even then retraining the owners is often impossible.Bullies in Need ,that`s the one to help.