Some people say Bully's aren't that smart...wrong!

[melanieian]

Brodie had done this a few times to my daughter and I can't really figure out why. Maybe jealousy? My daughter is 4 and about 3 or 4 times now Brodie has leaped at her and hit her in the face with his face. He is not biting her, more like raming her but when he has done it his tooth has caught her once on the lip and once on right under her eyebrow. I do not know how to get him to not do it, or why he is doing it. I don't think he is trying to play with her either??? Anyway a few weeks ago he did it to her and hit her under her eyebrow, the top of her eyelid and there was two holes from his teeth. I can honestly say I was more mad at him then I have ever been. If he would have been just a little lower he would have gotten her eyeball then we would have a MAJOR problem. I popped him on his butt a few times, not hard at all as I do not believe in hitting pets, but I needed him to understand that is not acceptable, then I put him in the other room and said a few choice words to him, Lol. I was very angry with him. I cleaned my daughter up and got her calmed down. He stayed in time out for about 30 mins then I let him out and was constantly telling him how he can't jump on people or hit people. My mom told me he didn't understand what I was saying or why I was so mad. WRONG!!! About a week ago he did it again but not hard and his tooth didn't catch her. As SOON as he touched her he layed down on the ground and curled up and looked up at me with those droopy eyes so sad looking. Then he got on the bed and layed on the bed for 30 mins. I didn't even say one word to him about what had happened. He knew exactly what he did and that it was wrong and was immediatly sorry he did it. He has not done it since then. I think his feelings were extremly hurt when I was so angry at him but I think he also learned that he can't do that. So I am keeping my fingers crossed that it will not happen again being that he doesn't want me mad at him.

 

[melanieian]

Have any of you had this issue before? Also, he is very protective of toys and chew things. He will get angry if you try to take certain things away from him. Not all toys but some. He is not food aggressive but if I am cooking something that is just making him drool for it and someone other than me comes in the kitchen he will jump at them to push them away, again he is not biting he is more pushing people away. He never does this to me.

 

[BruceP]

Sorry, I can't help but hope your little girl is ok now. Has her treatment of Brodie changed at all that might cause this?

 

[JAKEISGREAT]

Jake has done the bouncing up and ramming thing with my husband! Knocked off his glasses once and hurt his lip! To me he was playing..they use their heads as battering rams! We just kept repeating..No Jump..every time Jake would look like he was going on a "ram" page..it has slowed down immensely! Jake is 11 months old. Now..the growling and being possessive over toys..or anything really..should be stopped. While he is young..it can develop into a big problem later.

 

[melanieian]

No, she loves on him and plays with him just as much as always. He just seems moody sometimes? Actually every time he has done this to her she wasn't even bothering him, she was just standing around him. I don't think he is trying to hurt her but he weighs 45 pounds and she only weighs 32 and his teeth hit her when he does it. Other than that and his toy possessiveness he is the most loving, sweetest, good dog. We just gotta work on these few issues and get them under control. Here is a pic of him and my son and daughter at Pet Smarts Halloween party and a pic of Brodie sleeping on my face, how he does every nite. LOL

 

[melanieian]

Jake has done the bouncing up and ramming thing with my husband! Knocked off his glasses once and hurt his lip! To me he was playing..they use their heads as battering rams! We just kept repeating..No Jump..every time Jake would look like he was going on a "ram" page..it has slowed down immensely! Jake is 11 months old. Now..the growling and being possessive over toys..or anything really..should be stopped. While he is young..it can develop into a big problem later.

Brodie is 11 months old also. How do I stop the possessiveness over the toys?

 

[JAKEISGREAT]

Brodie is 11 months old also. How do I stop the possessiveness over the toys?

I will tell you what we do..I'm not an expert..but over the years we have had dobermans and Rottweilers..so we just treat them ALL the same. If there is ANY possessiveness shown..WE take control of the toy..or the food dish. We stand over it and claim the space and the object of their affection. We tell him to sit..and he watches us pick up his dish..or toy. With his food..we make him sit EVERY time he gets fed. When he is calm..we put his dish down. If he were to be possessive over it..we would claim it back. We would make him sit and pick up the dish repeatedly until he was okay.he's not allowed to enter our other dogs space while she eats. We physically stood and helped her claim her space until he got the picture. We would calmly tell him no and push him back with our legs..it didn't take him long to figure it out and now he eats..and waits for his buddy to finish. The toys ..we treat much the same way. He growls..we claim that toy. While he has the toy..we will purposely pick it up from him and hold it for a bit then give it back. We have grandkids..one 2 years old and Jake will let anyone have anything. Just be consistent and put yourself over him. There are a couple toys..he holds especially dear..and those are the ones we use to reenforce our control. He gets them when we want him to have them..must be calm and NO growling..he does play growl with my husband and there is no doubt..he is playing. And when my husband stops..it's over! But honestly..Jake has NEVER shown possessiveness over anything. I bet Brodie won't take long to figure it out.

 

[Alice Kable]

Good advice from [MENTION=2092]JAKEISGREAT[/MENTION]. One of our past Bulldogs was a toy hoarder--he would get all of the dog toys in a pile and stretch out on top of them. He would share anything with a kid, but didn't want the other dogs to have any of the toys!

 

[Vicaroo1000]

Great advise. The only thing I would add to [MENTION=2092]JAKEISGREAT[/MENTION] 's detailed post is this: be patient. They say English Bulldogs are stubborn - and my two certainly are. Bea even more so. When I am "claiming" something from her (as an exercise to simply reinforce my authority as pack leader), it takes her a LOT longer than Bo to "give up". She can't walk away. That's not giving up. She has to genuinely SURRENDER the object to me. Knowing the difference between just "giving up" and "surrendering" is - in my opinion - the key to success. Just this second I had to claim the cat from Bo. hahahahahaha

 

[melanieian]

LMAO!!! Claim the cat...too funny. Thanks for all the advice I will put it to use for sure!! Wish us luck