Newbie needs help.

Hi Im André and my little companion is Buddy.
I just got Buddy a few days ago and well here i am asking for help :hahaha:
Nice intro to bulldogs.
Buddy is an amazing 9 month old male. gorgeous, playful, healthy, everything i ever dreamed of except one "little" thing.
The dude is absolutely terrified of leaving the house.
I CANNOT TAKE HIM FOR A WALK. AT ALL.
the minute i head for the door or any other direction he is not keen on he just plops himself onto his stomach and lays there catatonic.
its driving me mad. ive started putting the tv on to de-sensitize him from sudden sounds (i usually dont watch tv) I've started carrying him out in order to spend some time sitting on the corner getting used to the traffic. treats doesnt get him to move either.
even when he's hungry a piece of chicken will not move him. I am sure he is genuinely scared and at the same time I am having to deal with his BULLY mind telling him to stand his ground and not give in to my coaxing (and some times pulling)
the guy who "bred" Buddy didnt have a clue of how to raise a dog. All the vaccinations and "stuff" was done but absolutely no effort was made in making him ready to become part of a household. he is not even house trained. in fact he spent most of his life in a cage.
however this is no time to be upset with an ignorant dog breeder. I really just need some help.
PLEASE.

Okay! First of all..welcome and you are or right..welcome to the world of !! It sounds like poor Buddy has had no socialization at all. I'm not an expert at all..but we've rescued lots of dogs over the years and dealt with many personality issues! The great news is he is young. But he has to be allowed to get his feet under him and it will require you to pretend he's a new pup. Imagine how much his little world has changed. Bully's don't do well with change anyway..but he will adapt if you go very slow. I'd start with housebreaking..like a brand new pup. I would put him out only to go potty and in as quiet of a place as you can provide. In a couple weeks you can start to introduce him to a leash..inside..put it on him and let him get used to the feel of it as he walks around the house. Don't force him to go on a walk. Don't try to get him used to noise! Just let him adjust to his new normal. Earn his trust first...love him...and try to relax. It's a long process but so worth it in the end. It took 9 months for him to be filled with fear..it will take ALL of that to let his real self come out. I'll tag a couple people who might have more help. Good Luck! @Davidh..@2BullyMama..@Sherry

Poor Bully doesn't sound like he came from a good breeder at all!!

I would say that you are just going to have to show him love, attention and teach him how to be confident in this new world of his. It may be a slow process but I'm sure you'll get there. I'm also going to tag [MENTION=1034]BruceP[/MENTION] and [MENTION=983]LariP[/MENTION] because Princess Gracie had issues with the big outside world when they first got her so they may be able to give you some more firsthand advice!!

Welcome to you and Buddy. You have came to the right place. There are wonderful people here that can help you and buddy get on the right track

Hello Andre and welcome to the wonderful world of bulldogs and EBN!

[MENTION=2092]JAKEISGREAT[/MENTION] gave you some excellent advice... use the leash in the house so Buddy can get use to it. Also, see if you can find a treat or food that will motivate him;it will help. How is he in the car, does he like going for a ride? Have you looked into any training classes... Beginning Manners classes will help him get socialized with people and dogs and help build his confidence.

You got very good advice from others so I am just going to welcome you and Buddy to EBN!

[MENTION=2092]JAKEISGREAT[/MENTION] has given you some great advise. Just stay calm and work with him. Like she said let him have the leash on in side to get used to it. He will come out of his shell in his own time. Just be consistent with your training. Also welcome to the site.

Welcome to you and Buddy! Good luck with your new friend, I am sure he will come out of his shy shell and socialize!

Great advice friends and welcome

Yep. Love, patience and sometimes just picking them up and carrying outside. HRH still prefers "her room" over anywhere else. It took us a year to get her to come to the kitchen to eat. And she still rarely stays there longer than absolutely necessary to finish her dinner.

She now goes right outside first thing every morning to go potty, but we still have to coax or pick her up and put her out at other times of the day. She only goes voluntarily if she really has to go, not on our schedule. She came to us at 3 years old, and although she was housebroken she had occasional piddle in the house issues for a few months. Finally though we got that to stop and she hasn't had an accident in well over a year.

She will always prefer routine days where everything is done on her schedule. If we take her anywhere she is docile, but it is apparent she is not happy about it. Nervous pooping can be an issue, so we have to try to get her to potty before we leave.

its gonna require alot of patience and consistent training on your part but you can do it!

[MENTION=4811]BUDDYnME[/MENTION] sorry I late, I would try taking some food with you outside the house, just sit quietly near the house and give a treat or two. then go back inside, keep repeating this until he gets the idea that he is going back into the house and back out again. You don't need to stay out long. Try going a little further each time.Just so he gets the idea that you will be returning. Keep us posted.


And welcome to this wonderful world of Bullys

Welcome to you and Buddy! Lots of great people and advice here!

LariP said:

Yep. Love, patience and sometimes just picking them up and carrying outside. HRH still prefers "her room" over anywhere else. It took us a year to get her to come to the kitchen to eat. And she still rarely stays there longer than absolutely necessary to finish her dinner.

She now goes right outside first thing every morning to go potty, but we still have to coax or pick her up and put her out at other times of the day. She only goes voluntarily if she really has to go, not on our schedule. She came to us at 3 years old, and although she was housebroken she had occasional piddle in the house issues for a few months. Finally though we got that to stop and she hasn't had an accident in well over a year.

She will always prefer routine days where everything is done on her schedule. If we take her anywhere she is docile, but it is apparent she is not happy about it. Nervous pooping can be an issue, so we have to try to get her to potty before we leave.

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What she said... Lari is my wife... LOL to EBN!!

Welcome.

I'm new to the site too, but not to Bullies. On my 4th now in 25yrs, and honestly, I would say your hands are full. Transition isn't easy on a lot of us folks, much less a dog. Unfortunately, you do have a lot of work ahead, but its going to be well, well worth it. You will be best buddies 4 Sho (no pun intended).

Always, and I mean always speak nice to him, no matter how it wrenches your patience. They are bull headed for sure, but you are smarter.

Leave his leash on the crate for a while before you take him out. Crate training is superior to anything you could do for him. It's not good to give in to him and allow him free reign while you aren't around. Bull puppies will always do what they want, not what you want.
Since you're potty training as well, I understand that you would like for this to pass quickly, but it may take a while. For a while, the crate will be your helper. Never use it as a penalty box or place he will go if he has made a mistake on the floor. But remember this for sure... Puppies pee after sleeping, playing, drinking, and eating. He needs to go out a lot at first. Once he gets it, that outside is where we potty, then worry about a schedule. If he will not go outside, you may have to use puppy pads for a bit at first, but be careful not to make it run too long or they become permanent.

Put his leash is near him, so he will not be afraid of it. The other guy may have used it to spank the dog or played with it too rough, etc. Something tells me he needs to learn that the leash is his friend.

Also, make sure it it his leash and not shared by every dog in the house. I can tell you first hand, bullies have a lot of sentimental intuition. He knows what is his and will care more about his stuff and less about other pet's things. These guys are territorial. If the leash is used, wash it asap to get other dog smells off.

The other advice seems pretty good so far, but if you always make it about treats, he can get fat, and it's always a treat thing rather than him pleasing you. He really does want to please you. I would recommend getting down to his level when taking him out of the cage. I find that baby talking him and wishing him a good morning is always a great way to get him out of the crate. I used to crawl in with Spurgeon and love on him for a second before taking him out of the crate. While you train him to go out, use one word commands as much as possible; "Outside" or "Outside Buddy".

While outside, don't talk about anything else. If you're hot, tough it out... If you're cold, tough it out... If its raining, umbrella over him and tough it out. You can not, and must not give in to his wishes. Potty is business, and serious business at that. On all my Bulls (2 girls 2 boys), I used the words, "Hurry up". I think it helped me as much as it helped them. lol
They all have been excellent on pottying outside. Spurgeon is two, and goes outside always for potty, and tucks himself in the crate at night or nap times. All I have to do is close the door. I still do that as well, because HE feels safer that way. It's his bedroom/safe-room.

To get Buddy to come out, when you get down on your knees to his level, he may feel better about you. You are more approachable this way and a whole lot less intimidating. But before it turns into a play episode, suggest he goes outside for potty business first, then pleasure. If you like to take walks, make sure he goes potty before the long walk, or he will train you to walk him a while before he does the business. Then, you'll be like every bulldog owner who has been trained to go on a long walk before business. I bet some are reading this right now.

Make sure you use the same voice tone and volume for commands, and then get louder or sillier for praises. Really go over the top when praising him, and he will love it, and will want to please you. Smile. They can tell. All I have to do is smile at Spurgeon and he knows what's up. Buddy is learning you every bit as much as you are learning him. This is NOT a dumb breed. Ask any of my friends an they would tell you the same. When I ask Spurgeon to give me a high five and he does, they're blown away! I get kisses when I want one, the different toys (by name) when I want them, etc. He will come when called, check his bowl when I say "Check your bowl", hit the freezer when I say "ice"... I'm not bragging here, I'm simply telling you that the sky is the limit. It all depends on what you put into him.
Give him time, and he will be the best dog you have ever owned. Unless you've owned other bulldogs. This breed is all that.

I hope I have helped you some, and if not, I'm sure the others will. The folks on this site give freely when it comes to 'how to love your bulldog", and then some. If you figure it out, please post what worked for you, so that others may benefit from it as well.

Congratulations on your new friend, Buddy.