URGENT!!! My 2 yr old English Bulldog has started snapping at hubby and son recently, what to do?

[Fairqueenj]

I am very concerned about my Lucy. In the last 2 weeks, she has started snapping. She has snapped at Mark, my hubby, twice and both times brought blood on his lip. Then last night she did it to Curtis, my older son. He has always lived here with her, too. Mark was in her face asking for a kiss and Curtis just bent down by chair and patted her. All of those times, she was beside me, in big chair I sit in.. and Im wondering if she thought she was protecting me, because I moved and thats when she did it. She has never done this before. Inbetween those times, she is loving to them as always. Is that normal for bulldogs? She has only gone after one other person and it is a korean man in our neighborhood and she just does not like him. She didnt bite him but just goes crazy, in a mean way, when he walks up in our yard. Is this normal for bulldogs to all of a sudden start snapping at their family members, and also, is there something I can do to let Lucy know that this is wrong and won't be tolerated? Thanks for any help you can give me. My son and his small children are coming to visit this week....she normally loves them too, but now I'm concerned what she may do.

 

[cali~jenn]

Seems to happen between 1 and 2 ish when they think they are in charge. I wonder if she wasn't claiming that you were hers, rather than protecting you.

 

[Hstead]

What did you do when the dog snapped each time? What were you are hubby's reactions? I am thinking this is a pack leader, or lack of thing. The dog is running the show and you need to make sure she is not the pack leader. Any dog can behave that way if they are the leader. Just a thought, but it sounds like she is claiming you as above mentioned.

 

[JAKEISGREAT]

I'm going to try and get some with more experience with behavioral issues here
[MENTION=1714]Sherry[/MENTION]..[MENTION=2614]Vicaroo1000[/MENTION]..[MENTION=2071]Davidh[/MENTION]

 

[Sherry]

Question? Is she spade?

If she is biting while sitting on your lap or trying to protect you, I wouldn't let her think she's protecting me anymore. No lap, no chair, no furniture. No getting in her face.

 

[Davidh]

I agree with the others, sounds like she is trying to be pack leader and you need to show her you are the leader and hubby and son are part of the pack. Make her earn everything and no more on the couch and definitely not on the bed, until she learns the pecking order. Let them feed her and at first they feed her out of their hands, so they say when she gets another bite of food. After that she sits before she eats, sits before she goes outside and you or them go out the door first. Make her earn everything.

 

[Vicaroo1000]

NO dog should snap at it's human EVER. A well balanced dog knows it's place in the pack and will have the confidence required to not act out in fear-based behaviors. It seems our EBs are as neurotic as they get! They are also "stubborn". As such, the rules have to be crystal clear in order to resonate. Getting in any dog's face --- even if you know them and they've never snapped before --- can be a catalyst for future problems. Everyone here has talked about "NILF" (Nothing in Life is Free) and I agree. A part of that program should be "No Touch, No Talk, No Eye Contact" when interacting with this dog. This is a Cesar Millan philosophy and I'd encourage you to read up on it. It will help your pooch, I promise.

My little Bea recently did something similar a few times when grandma startled her. She was sitting at grandma's feet, facing the television and when grandma went to shift positions in the recliner, Bea reacted. She turned toward grandma and acted agitated; as though she would nip at grandma's feet. With that action she also made a snarly noise. UNACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOR -- even if you are startled, Miss Bea, I said to myself. I simply disagreed with the behavior at the time -- didn't make a huge production of it. Bea does not view grandma as a pack leader in our household and grandma does very little to change that so it is what it is. My part was to "claim grandma" as my responsibility and Bea simply moved away from her. The message Bea got was "You're not in charge of Grandma so piss off." So far, so good. The larger picture is that I am aware of this behavior with Bea now and I must take some kind of action. Just yelling at her -- shaming her -- isn't effective for the long term. I have to make it meaningful for Bea. She's a dog -- not a human --- and doesn't understand shame.

 

[Baconator]

Looks like you got all the advice you need, just wanted to say good luck and welcome to EBN

 

[Baconator]

I'm going to try and get some with more experience with behavioral issues here
@Sherry..@Vicaroo1000..@Davidh

Looks like someone forgot their "how to tag people in feeds lesson" that Lisa gave us a few weeks ago

 

[cali~jenn]

Looks like someone forgot their "how to tag people in feeds lesson" that Lisa gave us a few weeks ago

:Lmao:

 

[JAKEISGREAT]

Looks like someone forgot their "how to tag people in feeds lesson" that Lisa gave us a few weeks ago

:Lmao:

:D I remember..just prefer this way

 

[Baconator]

:D I remember..just prefer this way

Just earning my PITA award

 

[loveabully]

if your sons kids are coming over I would put her up until you have a handle on it cause if she bits a kid you will never forgive your self kids don't know not to get in dogs faces so just be careful & good luck