Let's talk discipline...

[Libra926]

Since making my puppies put their noses in the corner DOESN'T actually work for discipline....I've had to resort to other options. If I want them to stop fighting, I started spraying them with water from a spray bottle. This worked awesome.......the first time. Now Orion will run up to the bottle and put her mouth on it cause she's thirsty. Vegas just stares at me. Now in order to get them to stop fighting I rattle the cookie jar and yell "who wants a cookie". I know you aren't supposed to lock them in the kennels..........(I sometimes do) Vegas knows what buttons to push with O. He gets her so mad that I actually have to pick her up and hold her like a baby. She gets so spitting mad that I have to pat her on the back until her breathing returns to normal. Usually he does this by taking her teddy bear from her.

How do you discipline your bulldogs? I've occasionally swatted O on the butt, but she likes it, so it doesn't deter any bad behavior. She just sticks her butt further in the air and sways it back and forth. She's so naughty!:D

 

[bullmama]

I must admit I am pretty poor at discipline. But what I do is try to keep them on a good routine. I can swear they know everything I say, just by my tone. I also believe that since I am not very good at discipline, this is why Molly and Mandy are not getting along, because I am letting them dictate how it is. But I have been laying them both on their backs lately and just holding them there, just to let them know who is boss. Now they are almost at the point where if I try to put them on their backs, they just go ahead and get into position for me. I firmly tell them that "I am the one they need to listen to". I am hoping this will work!!! I think if *I* can learn how to be better at discipline, I will eventually get these girls to get along!

Ok, time for bed. I am pooped!!!!!

 

[LisaRN]

Honestly my two dogs aren't too bad, they really don't chew or mess in the house that much.. what they do mostly is fight over the same toy, and then it's more like playing. But when they are bad, it's usually the very stern voice that is used, that works. When I see either one sitting inconspicuously with their head lowered, I can be sure there is a mess somewhere on my floor. All that needs to be done at that point is say "what did you do?".. then they cower to a spot where I can't see them, as if they can't see me, I don't know where they are. Then we ignore them for a while. Seems to work.

 

[bluesteelapd]

Well, since I only have one bulldog and not two, I don't really dicipline Mona. She's the skiddish type who's very submissive. My boxer on the other hand, was very head strong and I would have to command her to lay down, roll her over on her back and tell her BAD GIRL. She understood after that. Sorry I'm of no help!

 

[Libra926]

I'm not sure if Orion is so naughty because of being a 1 litter puppy. I guess I can't really classify her as naughty, because she's a sweetheart if she's by herself. She's very good at entertaining herself. She's very good at consoling herself. She's not good if Vegas is around and vice versa. Since we've brought her home, Vegas's attitude has been less than desirable. They are like real children bickering over stupid stuff. Vegas gets jealous if he thinks O is getting any attention that should be his. This has started him on naughty behavior when we have guests. As of yesterday we have Mark's brother here for the next 18 days on vacation. Vegas has been a PITA trying to get his attention. He even went so far as to climb into bed with our guest and sniff at him and nudge at him until he finally got banned from the guest room. Vegas was waiting for him to get up this morning and he has been at his side all morning......Now he is pouting because he got left home while the boys went out for breakfast.

 

[Libra926]

Mona and Orion have the same face shape. At least from the photos I've seen. The way her ears lay and her almost non existant nose wrinkle. Is she pretty petite? She is adorable.

 

[mammyglicks]

I have one bully puppy and a beagle mix (he's almost 13), and a 7 yr old son. I only have to correct the bully, Bear and my son. Bear will antagonize my beagle to the point he snaps so i have to swat him on the butt, nothing phases him though, the only thing that works with Bear is either "shunning" him away which takes about 5 times yelling and pointing to get away, OR holding him like a baby, i also pat him on the back and get him to calm down. I think if i did the spray bottle thing I'd get the same results, lol.

 

[emangan]

I do not have this many issues thankfully. I do have to say I am the pack leader and they know this . I only us my voice and it works no yelling or water bottle's.

 

[bullmama]

Okay, today I did the first official "test". I have been putting Mandy and Molly on their backs for me- making them submit to me for about a week. These two WILL NOT get along. At all. Scary like.

So, today I put them together with just a gate between them. I was on Mandy's side of the gate, my oldest son Noah on teh other side. We have had Molly submit to him too, which she did without any problems.

The started to go after each other about 5 times in the 30 minutes. Each time, with just telling them no, grabbing them and putting them on their backs again. Telling them NO firmly. It worked really REALLY well!!! Better than anything else we have tried. I have GOT to get these two to get along. It is summer, it is freaking hot outside, and my routine is getting a lot more complicated. These two inside. These 3 outside. These two inside. These three in crates. These two in crates, these 2 out of crates. It is rediculous I have to do this all day long. I have decided that I refuse to continue this routine. They are going to have to learn to live with each other, cuz neither of them are going anywhere. So they need to just give it up already

I am going to be so excited when the day finally comes where I can take a photo of them all together!

 

[karina]

This is an interesting post. The alpha thing would be what I would do. I don't do that to Dexter, never had to. He is such an easy going pup. (that's a big stretch of words since I've just completed 4 weeks of diarrhea with the change of food thingy) I'm sure he will be testing me in the months to come I suppose.

 

[NASTYNATI]

Desertsky, which of the dogs is the aggressor? Is one normally starting the trouble? I would say that if one is starting the trouble that would be the dog I would focus all of the time and attention on. Do they fight all throughout the day or at certain times? Are they fighting near certain items (food storage area, toy storage area, your bed or favorite chair etc?) one last question what age are the bullys?

 

[cali~jenn]

Libra the only thing I do with my boys when they have a tiff is put them in time out. It is rare when this does happen but every once in a while they will get mad about something and start a fight so then I make them sit on different sides of the couch, living room etc and make them stay until I decide to release them. Usually 5 or 10 minutes is enough. They know when I am serious and they actually listen very well when we do this. Other than that my boys are passed the point of misbehaving for the most part but when we left the house and came back to something being torn up or what not we would just ask what did you do to both boys and the one who did it always confessed by putting their head down and pouting. We told them no and that was it. (real tough right?) lol Guess it worked cuz they are good now. Well that and when we come home and the house is perfect we walk thru asking were you good boys, as we check and they know they get cookies everytime they were.

 

[cali~jenn]

desertsky I feel for you and hope this works out one way or another. I dont know how you do it, you have your hands more than full thats for sure!

 

[TessaAndSamson]

I like Libra do spray them with a spray bottle in certain situations. Like if we have people over and both of them are begging I just show them the spray bottle and they back off. Only needed to get sprayed once and they HATED it. Same with someone coming over and them jumping up on my guest. Like if I have a girlfriend over with a dress or skirt on I take the spray bottle out. Having a bulldog jumping up on your bare legs can be very painful

Glad to hear that deserysky! You will win this battle! Maybe one night when the family is hanging out in the living room watching TV or whatever, try putting them each on a leash, each being held by a different person and just sit down and hang out. Getting used to being in the same room in a situation where if they got along the dogs would all just be hanging out too.

 

[Telly03]

I would recommend getting Ceasar Milan's DVD set... I don't know anyone else as versed in dog behavior as him, and his focus is to educate people. I have learned a lot and feel it was money well spent.

What I have learned so far... giving cookies to break up bad behavior only rewards the behavior. Using the spray bottle to divert their focus can be effective for fixing the problem at the moment, but unless the cause of the problem is identified, such as the dog assuming the position of "pack lead", and worked on, you will probably have to continue fixing the moments. But without having full insight to your dogs behavior, it would be difficult to determine the source... again, knowledge in dog behavior is the key to identifying and fixing, and I'm convinced that Ceasar does very well in educating.

Another thing I learned... "time out" works for humans because they can reflect on their behavior... dogs live in the moment, and you must correct bad behavior immediately. And yelling "NO" can elevate the excitement which is the source of a lot of dog behavior problems... the calm assertive energy approach really does work. Dogs really do want to please, and they learn best when they themselves are calm... they often reflect your own energy.

I'm not claiming to be a "know it all", just sharing what I have learned as I am preparing for the arrival of our new pup.