URGENT!!! My bully is starting to scare me...

Trixie

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Nov 24, 2012
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Bixby
Bixby has been a good bully since we got him in November, but recently he's been growling and snapping at us. After we walk him, we wash his paws in warm water and dry it with a baby washcloth. Last night I washed his paws and when I picked up his paws to dry it he started growling and when I let go of his paw he snapped at me. I thought that maybe there was something bothering his paws so later on that evening he was laying down, I looked at all 4 paws to see is there was anything that could be hurting him and I didn't see anything and he didn't seem to mind that. This morning he let me wash his paws but again, when it came to drying them he became aggressive. And now he won't even let me wash them. He's usually good about giving me a handshake but today when I asked for his paw, he slowly raised it but he was growling the whole time. I'm starting to get scared. HELP, please...
 

Baconator

.........
Apr 12, 2012
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I'm not really going to be much help here being that I've never dealt with aggression, let me tag a few people that can probably help you out. [MENTION=2]desertskybulldogs[/MENTION] [MENTION=2014]JeannieCO[/MENTION] [MENTION=2071]Davidh[/MENTION] [MENTION=1714]Sherry[/MENTION] [MENTION=2291]cowsmom[/MENTION]
 

JeannieCO

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Mar 11, 2011
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How old his he? Also when he's doing this what are you don't in reaction to it? My dogs have never ever growled at me, I'd kicked there arse so to speak (not literally). That's a behavior that is not tolerated. When he's being "aggressive" can you elaborate a bit more.
 

Davidh

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Well sounds like he is testing you and wanting to be the alpha. So you need to show him you are the alpha by making him earn everything. When he growls at you tell him NO in a stern voice. You don't need to do this but I will grab the side of their neck too, but don't do this if you are not sure. Just telling him NO and look him in the eye, then ignore him. Make him earn his food, make him sit before he eats, you can even make him eat out of your hand for awhile. He must sit before any affection and when you go outside you go first and the same for coming in the house. If he sits on the couch with you then make him sit on the floor. If he sleeps in bed with you, make him sleep in his crate or on the floor. You rule the house not him and you are always before him. You eat before him, you go through doors before him and when you go for walks you walk ahead of him. I hope this helps.
 
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Trixie

Trixie

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Nov 24, 2012
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Bixby
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Well sounds like he is testing you and wanting to be the alpha. So you need to show him you are the alpha by making him earn everything. When he growls at you tell him NO in a stern voice. You don't need to do this but I will grab the side of their neck too, but don't do this if you are not sure. Just telling him NO and look him in the eye, then ignore him. Make him earn his food, make him sit before he eats, you can even make him eat out of your hand for awhile. He must sit before any affection and when you go outside you go first and the same for coming in the house. If he sits on the couch with you then make him sit on the floor. If he sleeps in bed with you, make him sleep in his crate or on the floor. You rule the house not him and you are always before him. You eat before him, you go through doors before him and when you go for walks you walk ahead of him. I hope this helps.
[MENTION=2071]Davidh[/MENTION] when Bixby starts growling I do say NO in a stern voice. I always make him sit before he gets his food and even when I put his food down, he's not allowed to eat it until I say Go eat. He's not allowed to sit on the couch and not allowed on the bed. I also make sure that before we go for walks, he sits down before I open the door and he can't go out til I say so. I got him towards the end of November of last year so I've only had him about 2 months and this has been the first sign of aggression he's shown.
 
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Trixie

Trixie

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Bixby
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How old his he? Also when he's doing this what are you don't in reaction to it? My dogs have never ever growled at me, I'd kicked there arse so to speak (not literally). That's a behavior that is not tolerated. When he's being "aggressive" can you elaborate a bit more.
[MENTION=2014]JeannieCO[/MENTION] Bixby is a little over 2, but i only got him about 2 months ago. When he growls I tell him NO and I walk away from him and ignore him. When I say aggressive, I mean growling and sometimes even snapping which can get pretty scary. In the 2 months I've had him, he's never shown this behavior towards me.
 

JeannieCO

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[MENTION=2014]JeannieCO[/MENTION] Bixby is a little over 2, but i only got him about 2 months ago. When he growls I tell him NO and I walk away from him and ignore him. When I say aggressive, I mean growling and sometimes even snapping which can get pretty scary. In the 2 months I've had him, he's never shown this behavior towards me.
Sounds like he's done adapting to his new home now and his showing his colors a bit. Has anything changed out of the ordinary? That growling and snapping definitely needs to stop now. He's going to sense you being scared too. Normally I would say to submit him, by submitting I mean take his nap and put him to the ground, but not in this case. He's going to take a lot of work I think but consistency will be key. Make him work for EVERYTHING. I'm going to tag a couple of others too that may be more help than I can be. I've dealt dog-on-dog aggression but mine are more of excitement/trigger fights. Be strong, he can be solved with lots of work.
[MENTION=959]kazzy220[/MENTION]
 
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Trixie

Trixie

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Bixby
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Sounds like he's done adapting to his new home now and his showing his colors a bit. Has anything changed out of the ordinary? That growling and snapping definitely needs to stop now. He's going to sense you being scared too. Normally I would say to submit him, by submitting I mean take his nap and put him to the ground, but not in this case. He's going to take a lot of work I think but consistency will be key. Make him work for EVERYTHING. I'm going to tag a couple of others too that may be more help than I can be. I've dealt dog-on-dog aggression but mine are more of excitement/trigger fights. Be strong, he can be solved with lots of work.
@kazzy220
[MENTION=2014]JeannieCO[/MENTION] the only change I can think of is instead of him being locked up in his crate while my fiancé and I are at work he's allowed to be out of his crate and roam the apartment all day. I thought that would have been good for him. We still take him on his regular walks, 3-4 times a day. Oh, we did cut his food down just a bit. That's all I can think of right now..
 
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Trixie

Trixie

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Bixby
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The food probably wouldn't be it. Do you know his past history? Wondering if he has past crate issues.
[MENTION=2014]JeannieCO[/MENTION] I didn't think the food would have anything to do with it either. From what I remember, his previous owners left him in his crate all day so I thought letting him out would be good for him.
 

PapaSmurf2

Bike riding, bully loving soldier
Jan 21, 2013
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You need to assert dominance over him. Lay him on his side with his back to you. Gently but firmly hold him down. It might be tough but do your best. I talk to Gracie and pet her while I hold her down it seems to help calm her. Once he settles down (usually shown by laying his head down and doing a typical bully hu ruff sigh) slowly let him up and give him a couple pats. I do this whenever any of my dogs try to assert themselves. It usually works within the first two minutes, but at first it might take longer. Just keep at it whenever her growls or snaps and things should start getting better.
 

Texas Carol

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​Does he only do this when you are handling his paws?
 

JeannieCO

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Mar 11, 2011
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Emma, Charlie, Milo, Peekaboo and Jack
​Does he only do this when you are handling his paws?

If so could be that he has a torn or a abcess. I didn't even think about that. Wilson had a cut last summer in the inner part of his pad. I never saw it and it abcessed. The only thing that clued me in was he would get really cranky when touched on that foot. Might be time to really check his paw pads.
 

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