If you want a medium or large dog a Bulldog is an excellent choice. Just keep in mind that a poorly trained tiny Chihuahua is obnoxious; a poorly trained Bulldog, because of its size and strength, is a menace! Consequently, training your Bulldog puppy should be a high priority starting from even before you bring the dog home. Get a good dog training book and the equipment you need so that all is in place when you welcome your pet into its new home.
Bulldogs are intelligent dogs. They train very well, and if it is handled correctly, their smarts, loyalty stubbornness and eagerness to please will drive them to maintain good behavior throughout their lives. With poor training, some of those same qualities will possibly lead the dog to seek to dominate the household.
Training a Bulldog can be unique in several ways. While their demeanor is generally calm, they are athletic dogs and require quite a bit of exercise on a daily basis. Lurking beneath that placid look is a lot of energy that needs to be expended in healthy ways or it may be burned off in mischief and misbehavior. Give them a good daily dose of exercise, even a light jog or run, and they’ll be much more contented and teachable.
Bulldogs also are social dogs. Give your Bulldog puppy and maturing dog a fair amount of attention and it will be eager to please. Note that if your puppy is using bad behavior to get attention this must be stopped. It may also be a sign you’re neglecting your pooch more than you should. Provide good socialization with people and with other dogs or pets, too.
The stubbornness of a well-trained Bulldog is a beautiful thing. It will doggedly seek to please you. But while young your Bulldog will need to know you are the master and that your training is of benefit to the dog. It may resist some lessons, but with patience and repetition it will learn them for life.
The earliest and best training any dog receives happens while it is still with its mother and litter mates. It learns important lessons daily during this time so never remove a dog from the litter until it is at least 8 weeks old. The socialization it gets is invaluable and is hard to duplicate away from the litter.
When you bring your Bulldog pup home continue the socialization so it doesn’t pick up a sense of abandonment. You or someone living in your household should be home for most hours of the day the first month or 6 weeks your pup is there. Having another quality dog may provide good socialization, too. Join an obedience class where your Bulldog can interact with other dogs under the watchful care of all the owners together. Correct misbehavior such as biting or nipping other dogs during these sessions.
While it is tempting to train a Bulldog to be a guard dog this is not advisable. It may make them more aggressive than you want them to be. Most Bulldog owners understand that their muscular-looking dog is intimidating to begin with. Secondly, many Bulldog owners have discovered that their loyal friend needs no training to come to the aid of its master when a real threat is evident.
Early lessons go deep with a Bulldog, so begin early and keep up persistent training until your pet reaches adulthood. Start with house breaking your dog as well as exerting confident leadership over it. Be firm, encouraging, consistent, and never violent. Your Bulldog will work hard to follow your direction and will be happy and contented with your authority, protection, and knowing what to expect.
Some of the basic things to teach your Bulldog include obeying commands to sit, heel, and perhaps to lie down. In addition, train your pooch to learn to walk on a leash at your pace without tugging or running. Preventing them from chasing things is also a good idea. It will protect them and whatever it is that has caught their attention. Also remember to maintain good socialization opportunities for your Bulldog.
All Bulldog training is part of the larger picture of helping your dog to be comfortable following your leadership and obeying your commands. Be persistent and patient during the training process and you will end up with a wonderful pet Bulldog that will prove a great companion and asset.
Jill B