Crazy Rescue Bulldog.....help!

[lisamomoftravis]

Hi Everyone: I am in desperate need of advice from fellow bulldog owners. This is my very first bulldog. He is a puppymill rescue with leg and hip issues but he has learned to get around wonderfully. Travis is the most intelligent dog I have ever had. He is approximately 9 months old and is very rambunctious!!! He does all of the following most of the time:
-bites and nips at your feet and ankles
-barks loudly when he is bored
-flips his water and food bowl over several times a day
-hates going into his crate and barks and whines loudly when put in
-he loves bones and toys but gets bored very quickly and goes for anything he can get his hands on
-When he does not want to do what you are telling him he simply rolls over onto his back and holds the leash with his paw so you can't pull him into a standing posiiton. This includes going outside.
-He weighs 52 lbs so picking him up is not an option when you want him to do something
-The only time he is sweet is when he is sleeping. Than he is so so cuddly!
I need help occupying this dog! He is so smart and clever but drives the whole family crazy!!! He has learned the command "off" but doesn't respond to it when he is all steamed up! I have him in obedience but other than sitting, he has not changed a bit (it actually hasn't been that long...)

Please help me figure out how to handle this dog!!!

Thanks so much for all your help!!!!

 

[Hidapriscila]

We had some of the same issues with our Lily, but she wasn't a rescue. She was the runt (never buy the runt!). The problem with bulldogs is that they're bullheaded. Obedience class is a definite positive. Stick with it and practice ALOT. Make everyone in the family drill him every day (each of you).

Next, he doesn't acknowledge that you are the alpha and he's not. This is going to sound weird, but whenever he's trying to boss someone around or bite someone, pick him up, lay him on his side and bite his ear til he yelps. This is what the momma dog does to the puppies. She lays on them til they submit (not your weight, just enough to keep him still) and she nips their ear if they're being bad. My female was so dominant that for months she and I battled it out. Consistency between everyone in the house, obedience classes (as many different ones as Petsmart offered) and finally biting her ear a few dozen times.

A spray bottle of water often will stop the barking in the crate. Except for my male, he tries to drink it. I think my kids were spraying it in his mouth for fun a few times and it ruined its effectiveness

Find a good treat that he likes and use it for everything. Taking him outside, training him, getting him off the couch, etc. When he starts aggressing you (biting ankles, shoving you around) immediately pull a treat and start puppy pushups. That's where you do a string of commands (ie. sit, lay down, rollover, sit, stand, wait, stay, lay down). It breaks the pattern. With Lily, it was really difficult because she is not food driven. We finally found hot dogs and pupparoni were motivating for her. She'll do anything for a hot dog bite, ANYTHING. It was a break through for our training.

I can tell you, once he realizes he's not in charge of the house, it's a relief to him. He can just flop around and be a dog. She's much happier now. However, if we try to relax and break the pattern, she'll go right back to her old ways.
Rules we follow:
-Noone can lay on the floor
-No running away from the dogs, they will nip and chase
-The dogs get NO attention when they're barking or jumping on people
-Usually we can't lay on the couch either
-If she's a bad dog, she gets no treats

Stick with the training. I know it seems simple and kind of useless, but the more you work with them, the more they respect you. The thing to keep in mind is that this dog is small, but it's also going to be 50-60 pounds of solid muscle. If it is not trained, you're not going to be able to control him on a leash or off a leash. That's a bad thing.

Good luck! If you need a simpathetic ear, I've been there and would help anyway I can :D Send me a PM or reply here. You can do it!

If it worked, I attached a picture of Lily when she was little, cute, and completely EVIL. It did get better for us.

Priscilla

 

[luvdogz]

if the weather permits, put him outside with a dog friend and let him exercise. Take him to the dog park. He has energy - he wants to do things!

Take him on an off-leash walk. Play tug or fetch -