There are many parts to english bulldog training and plenty of commands to teach.  Furthermore once you begin to teach your bully you will discover that there is a certain technique involved when giving lessons, because attempting to educate and keep the interest of a stubborn pooch is often a task that is easier said than done.

Nevertheless, once english bulldog training begins you will quickly realize the only way your pet will not learn is if you let him have his own way.   You need to show you are more stubborn than he is, have patience, keep lessons short and consistently teach the same commands until he fully understands what you want of him.

For instance, if you have a bull dog that pulls when you walk him, what are you doing to correct his behavior?  Do you consistently give him a good yank of the leash and come to a complete stop until he pays attention to you and stops pulling?  Or do you only halt him every once in a while and let him drag you the rest of the way? If you are not being consistent your pal will never learn.

Here is what you need to do to accomplish english bulldog training that will successfully stop your canine from taking you for a walk:

First – If you are walking your four-legged friend with a harness you will want to stop this right now. A harness gives you no control over you dog.  Bullies are strong and should be walked with a short lead (no longer than 6 inches) and a collar.  There are different types of collars on the market that may prove helpful, such as the martingale, which fits loosely around the neck and only tightens when the dog pulls.  Another example is the halti harness which steers dogs from the chest.

Second – Any time your english bull dog pulls immediately stop and plant your feet in place.  Do not move until the tension lets up on the leash.  Instantly praise and reward with a small treat.  Do this every time he pulls.  However, only give treats every once in a while but always praise him.  Don’t expect a long first walk.

Third – When he is walking nicely and not pulling be sure to praise him and tell him how great he is as you’re walking, rewarding with the occasional cookie.

Finally, another good english bulldog training tip for pulling is to change directions on your pet each time he attempts to pull.  This may prove more effective than always standing still.  This action gets his attention and makes him remember who he’s walking with and who is in control.

I need some advice and I’m hoping you can help me please.

We have an almost 3 month old puppy. About 8 days ago we noticed a runny nose. The discharge is very snotty (greenish). She doesn’t have as much discharge during the day. We mostly notice it when we get up in the morning. She can hardly breathe and her nose is blocked up with snot. Poor baby. We do run our a/c at about 75 degrees most of the day. I try to turn it off at night but sometimes we do run it when it’s too warm. She plays outside in the evenings when it’s cooler. Her demeanor is still the same. Except for the early mornings when she can hardly breathe. She’s eating & pooping well.  Is there anything that I can do to get her better or should I just take her to the vet?

Thanks for your time and consideration.

Dayna

—-

Hi Dayna,

You need to take her to a vet today.  A greenish discharge usually indicates
infection in the lungs.  It is worse in the morning because she has been laying
down at night and the lungs fill up with fluid.  Because of their anatomy and
breathing problems, Bulldogs are prone to aspiration pneumonia and it sounds
to me like that’s what she may have.   It can be very serious and life threatening.

Original source: Ask Bulldog

The British Bulldog has for many years had the reputation for being an aggressive dog, often making people fear the dog. This goes back to their days of being used for chasing and attacking cows and bulls for their owners. They had the task of grabbing them by the legs and making sure they were brought home. In addition, they were trained to pen them in the corner so they couldn’t move. Their job was also to bait the bulls, grab them by the nose and pin them to the ground. Although this was later considered cruel and inhumane, this is how the dog got their name. This led to people believing the dog was not only aggressive but mean as well.

The Bulldog’s face makes one remember what they were used for, with their short muzzle and undershot jaw making it possible to put the bull in a tight grip like a vice. The nose is set back on the face so the dog could still breathe while holding the bull. When people look at their face today, they can still remember what the dog was used for years ago. This facial characteristic is yet another aspect that gives the dog the appearance of being mean. Through the years, breeders have been trying to breed the aggression out of the dog to show that the British Bulldog could be made into a good family dog.

The bulldog is very stubborn in nature, and so it doesn’t tend to do well in obedience training. They are a very mellow, easy-going dog, however, choosing to stay quite happily with family members. If strangers come to their home, they may bark and growl, but seldom do they do much more. They have had the reputation for so long of being aggressive, though, that many still fear the dog and don’t want much to do with them as family pets. Their personality is such that they are a dog that “thinks things through”, which often makes people think they are just being ‘bullheaded’ and aggressive.

Because the bulldog is such a couch potato on the lazy side, many feel that they are being stubborn and unruly, when all they want is just to lay around and be comfortable. Although they are not the greatest dog to take for a walk, they do love the human companionship. They may not be the best dog to get for first-time pet owners, but they are lovable and protective animals. The history of the dog as well as their facial appearance still has some people thinking the dog is mean. Much has been done to transform this dog into the wonderful family pet they’ve become. Many breeders have been part of irresponsible breeding programs that have hurt the British Bulldog’s reputation, which has led to some people still believing they are aggressive and mean.
Original source http://www.terrificpets.com/articles/Bulldog.asp

As much as we love our dogs, they all have little quirks and habits that seem to annoy or bother us. With the British Bulldog, it’s their never ending drooling. It’s true that many dogs drool, but the bulldog seems to have it a little worse than most dogs. Many owners of bulldogs would like to know first of all why they have this problem and secondly, if there is anything they can do to help the problem.

The reason why British Bulldogs drool is because of the size of their face and all the loose skin that hangs on their face. The more loose hanging flesh they have, the more they drool. There really isn’t enough ’sturdy’ flesh to hold the drool inside their mouth. Anytime the bulldog has anything to drink, they are going to drool and there really isn’t any way to prevent that. Many owners will dry the dog’s mouth after they drool to lessen the chance of them getting a pimply rash, which is common with Bulldogs.

With all the excess drooling the bulldog does, many of them end up with the dog developing lip-fold dermatitis, a disorder consistent with dogs with a hanging upper lip and lower lift folds. It is cause by dermatitis brought on by an accumulation of saliva and food. The symptoms are the lips and skin around the mouth becoming smelly and having a greasy brown look to them. Again, if you dry the loose skin often, you may be able to eliminate this problem.

Some bulldog owners believe that not all bulldogs drool, but most of them do. Some of the ones that do drool can actually get their owner wet; some have described it as being like someone had spilled a glass of water on them. Another ‘wet’ habit the British bulldog has is coming up to his owner and shaking his head back and forth. The owner will often feel like someone threw some water on him! Others claim that when their bulldog walks through the kitchen, he leaves a trail of water behind him from all his drool. This is how bad the drooling is with some of the dogs.

In short, the more loose skin a bulldog has on his face, the more they are going to drool. Short of wiping the dog’s face off all the time, there is very little you can do about the drool. One possibility is to try to train your bulldog to not shake his head while next to you. Some individuals, on the other hand, find this behavior of their bulldog quite endearing. Another thing you may try is never to feed the dog by your table or while you are eating. Each time he opens his mouth to get a treat or food, he is going to drool. Another method one family uses is to tie a bandana around the dog’s neck with the triangle part on their chest. This is pretty efficient for catching the drool.

Original source: http://www.terrificpets.com/articles/Bulldog.asp

The bulldog has been around for many years and has always been a popular, if misunderstood dog. While many still associate the bulldog with the dog that was involved in bull baiting many years ago, others have discovered what a versatile and wonderful family pet the bulldog can be. In addition to being a great pet, the bulldog has served many other purposes through the years. Research has shown that music is very relaxing for dogs, specifically the bulldog. Classical music was the music chosen to make the dog more mellow and relaxed.

The Bulldog has been the symbol or mascot for many different events as well as for specific countries. Anyone that watches WWF wrestling knows of the wrestling hero Davey Boy Smith, who was called the “British Bulldog”. During his tenure, he had a mascot, a British Bulldog named Matilda, who came out at each match to support him.

The Bulldog, highly revered in Great Britain, is used as their symbol. Chesty, a bulldog is also used as a symbol of the United State Marine Corps. Numerous American universities have the bulldog as their mascot such as the University of Georgia, Georgetown University, University of Minnesota Duluth, Mississippi State University, Yale University, Louisiana Tech University, South Carolina State University and many more in addition to many high schools in the United States.

Yale University has the bulldog Handsome Dan as the mascot for all their athletic teams. In addition to being very popular in his role, Handsome Dan is also the first living mascot in America. There has been a group of ‘Handsome Dan’s’ through the years.

Another famous mascot was Uga V, a bulldog for the University of Georgia, who also happened to be the first live college mascot that was on the Sports Illustrated magazine cover in 1997. Sports Illustrated also named Uga V the College Mascot of the Year. Uga V’s other accomplishments were a role in ‘Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil’, a movie that was directed by Clint Eastwood. Uga V once again made the news at a football game in 1996 when he took off on the field after an Auburn University receiver to try to bite the player and take him down. Uga V made quite a name for himself as well as his breed until death took him away in 1999.

Original article: http://www.terrificpets.com/articles/Bulldog.asp

As easy as the bulldog is to keep healthy, the one problem that the bulldog can easily suffer from is overheating. Although heat is hard on all dogs, the bulldog in particular cannot stand the heat. The main cooling method of dogs is panting to get rid of body heat. Dogs with a short nose such as bulldogs have a more difficult time panting to keep cool. Many of them have a difficult time even breathing due to a small trachea, pinched nostril or an elongated soft palette. The shape of their throat makes it difficult for them to pant enough to keep them cool in warm weather. The fact that the bulldog is a heavily massed dog contributes even more to their difficulty in dealing with the heat.

There are certain symptoms you can look for if you suspect your bulldog may be suffering from heat. These include being unresponsive, having dry gums that may be dark red or pale, erratic breathing, vomiting or glazed eyes. If the dog is in the final stages of heat stroke, he may have convulsions or lapse into unconsciousness. If any of these symptoms appear and you have reason to suspect heat stroke, put the dog in the shade and put cool water on his nose. Get him in a tub of cool water or apply ice packs, if possible. Allow the dog to drink some cool water, but don’t force the issue. Getting a little lemon juice down his throat has also proven helpful in this situation. Get him to the vet immediately if there is no instant improvement.

An important thing for any dog owner is for them to know what their dog looks like and acts when he’s healthy. Some things to be aware of are their normal body temperature, the color of their gums and normal behavior when healthy and happy. This makes it much easier to quickly spot when he becomes sick as well as arming your with information to give the vet to help him with a quicker and more accurate diagnosis.

Besides knowing what to do in the case of overheating or heatstroke, it is also important to know what to do to prevent it in the first place. Always keep your bulldog is the shade to make sure he stays cool. Do not take your dog with you in the dog in warm weather unless absolutely necessary. Remember, what feels like a warm day to us is an extremely hot day to dogs, specifically the bulldog. If you do need to take him with you, bring along a jug or bottle of water in case of emergency. Make sure your bulldog always has fresh cool water to drink. The bulldog loves to play with children and won’t know when he’s had enough until he’s overheated. It’s up to you to monitor his activity level.

Original source: http://www.terrificpets.com/articles/Bulldog.asp

The bulldog is probably the one dog that people are mistaken about more than any other. From their history of being bred and used for bull baiting – where they would attack and drag a bull – they’ve had the reputation for being mean and aggressive, but in fact nothing could be further from the truth. The British bulldog is a wonderful and gentle dog that makes a great family pet.

Not only do they get along great with children, but they love children and make great companions. As with any dog, when they are first introduced to children it should be done on a gradual basis. It makes sense that no child should be left alone with any dog for any reason. The bulldog, however, will instantly become one of the family. Many believe that they don’t consider themselves as ‘dogs’ but more like the rest of the family members.

One of the characteristics that make the bulldog stand out above other dogs is their great tolerance and patience with children. There are also very calm and docile animals, seldom barking unless they really have something to say. They love playing with children, sometimes to the point of not knowing when they’ve had enough. Because of their intolerance to heat, their playtime often needs to be interrupted so the don’t overheat.

They are not very high on the scale of top watchdogs, but their appearance alone is usually a deterrent for any strangers thinking of breaking into your home. They have a face that looks mean and aggressive along with their reputation of terrorizing bulls many years ago. In reality they are far too laid back and gentle to be aggressive watch dogs, but their love and devotion to their family would make them protect them if the situation warranted it.

They are not active dogs at all, but are more content just lying on the floor looking at their master or family members. They are chronic chewers all their lives so it is important they always have an abundance of chew toys available to save your furniture from being destroyed. Bulldogs are not the easiest dogs to train. They are slow moving and somewhat stubborn, but are trainable to a certain point and would certainly benefit from the most basic obedience training. One must keep in mind, however, that the bulldog does not respond well to excess exercise, often being described as a couch potato.

If there is one reason why families may hesitate in getting a bulldog as a family pet, it’s their short life span. The idea of owning and loving a bulldog only to lose him in a few years is often something many dog owners don’t want to have to deal with. They can live 8 to 10 years with good care, however. As much as some families love taking their dog with them in the car, owners need to be very cautious when traveling with the bulldog, as he cannot stand the heat anywhere near as well as most dogs.

For a family dog with children of any age, the bulldog makes the perfect pet, being loving and loyal to all family members.

Original source: http://www.terrificpets.com/articles/Bulldog.asp