Normal bulldog "playing" and dominance question

anatess

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Also, do you guys think there are some training exercises i can do with Sampson to help with the resource guarding? I dont just want to limit it to "in the moment" experiences. I want to work him being more obedient with giving us back things. He doesnt tolerate people trying to take things from him, which can be dangerous. He can be a bit stubborn as well lol, so if he doesnt want to do something he was just look at you like "nope, dont feel like doing that" lol. I dont know if it was a lack of positive reward or just a failure to set strict rules in puppy hood? My boyfriend says that you have to yell at Sampson to make him listen but I dont know if that is best for a dog... I personally dont take that approach my the Corso because she gets fearful if we yell, its very counter productive with her. But i dont know about bulldogs...

Bullys are smart dogs. Because of this, they have the tendency to analyze a situation to determine the benefit to them before doing anything. Added to that, bulldogs have an independent streak, so pleasing the master is not always enough incentive. Hence, they get the label, stubborn. A lot of times, parents just allow the bully to "rule the house" without problems. This is not ideal but, no harm if the parents like it that way and their bullys are still manageable.

In your case though, your bully is showing some behavior problem (as I understand it from your posts) so you might want to establish control over your dog. In any dog, bully or otherwise, negative training is always not a good idea. Yelling is a negative reaction. Positive training is better. So, when it comes to bully training, what your goal is, is to get your bully to analyze the situation and consistently conclude it is to his benefit to do what you tell him to do. So yes, incentive training is usually the way to go. Bullys usually love food... I can get my dominant bully to do anything with a small piece of sliced bread...
 
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Sampson

Sampson

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Dont get me wrong, Sampson is a great dog, and he is loved very much. However, I think he got away with a lot as a puppy, and to be honest, it wasnt a huge deal until we got another dog. And a few years down the road we plan to a get a third, but first we have to see how this experience pans out. So far there have been no major issues, but I see some red flags and I dont know enough about the breed to know how to properly handle the situation. I know that mastiffs and CC's have some special needs that dont apply to other breeds, so I am sure that the same is true for bulldogs. I think Sampson has some "sense of entitlement issues lol, maybe as if he thinks he is on the same level as adam and I. How should I approach this in general? more training overall?
 

anatess

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Dont get me wrong, Sampson is a great dog, and he is loved very much. However, I think he got away with a lot as a puppy, and to be honest, it wasnt a huge deal until we got another dog. And a few years down the road we plan to a get a third, but first we have to see how this experience pans out. So far there have been no major issues, but I see some red flags and I dont know enough about the breed to know how to properly handle the situation. I know that mastiffs and CC's have some special needs that dont apply to other breeds, so I am sure that the same is true for bulldogs. I think Sampson has some "sense of entitlement issues lol, maybe as if he thinks he is on the same level as adam and I. How should I approach this in general? more training overall?

Bulldogs sure are not-your-regular-dog. They are a lot more challenging to keep both in establishing good-manners-and-right-conduct and good health. You're going to get lots of "ah-yeah, my bulldog gets that too" on this site about "sense of entitlement syndrome". They are great dogs and get away with a lot because... well, it's hard to say No to that face...

But yes, your situation is different. My suggestion is to do the same basic training with your bulldog that you're giving to your Corsi. They will have different reactions - Corsis are "Anything for you, mommy" dogs while bulldogs are "Say what?" dogs so you adjust your level of training accordingly. Consistency is key - between both dogs.

If you want a very interesting life ahead of you... choose a bichon frise for your 3rd dog... talk about not-your-regular-dog. LOL!
 
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Sampson

Sampson

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They will have different reactions - Corsis are "Anything for you, mommy" dogs while bulldogs are "Say what?" dogs so you adjust your level of training accordingly. Consistency is key - between both dogs.
- haha you nailed my dogs personalities! Sampson needs some extra convincing.

If you want a very interesting life ahead of you... choose a bichon frise for your 3rd dog... talk about not-your-regular-dog. LOL!
haha! we have talked about it and we want a little more of your "average dog" for a third one lol.
 

Scueva

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View attachment 35922 View attachment 35923 View attachment 35924
Also, I want to clarify that when I say I taught Stella to pick a different toy it refers to a certain situation. you see how the dog is on the arm of the couch in the second picture? well, id say 90% of time that the dogs bring the toy up there, they get all situated and what not and then the you falls.... they just stare it, so sad looking lol. Well, when Stella would drop it Sampson would immediately snatch it up lol Stella would go to get the toy back but she would be too slow, in those situations I would tell Stella to pick something different, hand her a new toy to chew on and tell her "good". As you can see from the pictures though, she loves him dearly and wants to be close to him all the time, she will even choose him over me or my bf sometimes! lol and he is really good with her when no possessions are involved, and sometimes he is better than others, it all depends on his mood i guess lol. Im still trying to figure Sampson out, he is unlike any dog/breed ive ever known.

And yes, this is my first CC, I understand that some people say they are "not for first time owners" but I spent about a year researching the breed and learning about dogs in general, although I am still learning and will continue to educate myself. I am obsessed with my dogs and take training my CC very seriously. I will admit that training an 8 month old puppy that weighs 90 pounds is difficult, definitely requires a lot of my energy and time. My boyfriend actually hates how much time I spend on her lol. My issue has been that I have taken a "back seat" when it comes to training/dealing with Sampson because he is not "my dog" but the longer my bf have lived together the more he has become my dog too, so I think its appropriate for me to become more involved with Sampson.





So awesome! They are both gorgeous but I love that corso! If I didn't live in a high rise condo I seriously would get a corso or Neapolitan mastiff! Good luck! Keep the pics coming! Corsos are sooo rare! How old was he when you got him?
 
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Sampson

Sampson

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So awesome! They are both gorgeous but I love that corso! If I didn't live in a high rise condo I seriously would get a corso or Neapolitan mastiff! Good luck! Keep the pics coming! Corsos are sooo rare! How old was he when you got him?
Tibetan Mastiffs are crazy huge! Lol I got Stella just before she turned 8 weeks. I spent FOREVER trying to find a breeder with true Italian blood lines (the breed has suffered a lot since coming to the US). we had to get her shipped to us as well. Stella is a remarkable example of the breed. Both of our dogs are great, we got Sampson from a BYB but he turned out to be a really good dog though. Not too many health problems and he looks really good. He used to look funky, then he filled out completely just before he turned 3, he has matured to be a very handsome boy. We are going to hire a bully breed specialist to do some in home training. Hopefully we can get her out here this week!

photo copy 9.jpgsun bathing photo copy 2.jpgphoto.jpg first day together photo copy 7.jpg first snuggle :)
 
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Emily

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They are so gorgeous! I love that Italian Mastiff!!!!!!!!
It's funny that it is not the mastiff that is the dominant one!
I almost got one a couple weeks ago but the breeder only had two males left & my bully is a male too. So I didn't! What is it about those tough guy dominant breeds that I love!? You're so lucky to have those beautiful dogs! I think everything will all work out!


Bulldogs are angels in fur coats
 
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Sampson

Sampson

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They are so gorgeous! I love that Italian Mastiff!!!!!!!!
It's funny that it is not the mastiff that is the dominant one!
I almost got one a couple weeks ago but the breeder only had two males left & my bully is a male too. So I didn't! What is it about those tough guy dominant breeds that I love!? You're so lucky to have those beautiful dogs! I think everything will all work out!

Bulldogs are angels in fur coats

I would not get a male lol. i got very lucky that Stella is so easy going, i just hope things dont change, she isnt even 9 months yet and she already weighs 90lbs! Like I said, Stella is not your typical CC temperament, very close though. today my boyfriends mom came out here to visit and Stella was allll about her, a CC should be more aloof around strangers, but im not complaining lol, i like her being nice to others. They are great dogs, just make sure you get one from a reputable breeder.
 

Emily

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Wow, she is already 90 lbs!? She's probably going to get to 120 lbs lol!

That is cool that she loved your boyfriend's mom, they are so naturally protective! Oh, she is so cute I can't stand it!!!!!

Sampson is going to love his big, protective sister! No, one will mess with him!


Bulldogs are angels in fur coats
 

anatess

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Tibetan Mastiffs are crazy huge! Lol I got Stella just before she turned 8 weeks. I spent FOREVER trying to find a breeder with true Italian blood lines (the breed has suffered a lot since coming to the US). we had to get her shipped to us as well. Stella is a remarkable example of the breed. Both of our dogs are great, we got Sampson from a BYB but he turned out to be a really good dog though. Not too many health problems and he looks really good. He used to look funky, then he filled out completely just before he turned 3, he has matured to be a very handsome boy. We are going to hire a bully breed specialist to do some in home training. Hopefully we can get her out here this week!

View attachment 35984sun bathing View attachment 35985View attachment 35986 first day together View attachment 35987 first snuggle :)

LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE this picture of Stella. It's so... Corso. LOL! She's almost as cute as Sampson. :D

I made a video of a training session I had with my bulldog thinking of your dog. I took the video towards the tail end of the session (because it took him quite a while to catch-on to the training and I didn't want to waste 30 minutes of video on all the "No...", LOL)... so he's already getting tired out. This is my omega dog though. A lot easier to train than the brown bulldog. He had this bad habit of grabbing stuff from my hand - treats, toys, etc. - and he would sometimes accidentally nip me. I've been waiting for my husband to get him to quit doing it but he's been so busy lately that I finally just did it myself. Usually he does the training and I just reinforce it everyday until the behavior is gone. But I did it all this time and it all worked out. This is only the first session and he already almost got it (about 30 minutes). Here's hoping it sticks...

So, what I did... gave him his favorite toy. Then tell him to drop it. He already knows this because we taught him to drop the toy at our feet when we play fetch. Then I pick up the toy but instead of throwing it (for fetch), I shake it in front of him. He would grab at the toy, sometimes jumping in the air to get it. When he does it, I say, "No.." which makes him stop in the middle of a grab (he already knows "No" too). I would do this over and over until he learns not to grab the toy. If you notice, there's no yelling involved. Just the regular firm No (okay, that's my firm No... told you I'm a wimp... my husband has a more clipped "No" voice). Now, this particular dog is a head-scratch addict. So, the head scratch is a perfect treat for him. The brown dog is a sliced-bread treater...

Hope this helps.

 
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