Any advice with an agressive bulldog...

[Jokersmama]

I'm new here, so thanks for reading and I hope to learn as much as I can!

Here is the background and problem...

Joker my 1 yr old English Bulldog is a serious and I mean serious chewer. He has already had two emergent surgeries to remove blockages from a toy, bath towel, string, and another piece of a rubber kong....yes a kong. We got Joker at 8 weeks old. He started the mouthing,chewing like a normal puppy and had his first surgery at 11 months, second surgery about a month ago. I don't know if these surgeries have just made him bitter or what. He nice to all strangers, other animals even our guinea pig. He is NOT nice to myself, husband or teenage daughters when he is told no. He bites, lunges etc. He has to be watched 24/7 unless he's crated for bed etc. He will eat ANYTHING. We started a trainer at her facility 2x a week, it has helped with his stubbornness and his basic commands. It has not helped with the aggression. The trainer has suggested the vibration collar. Any thoughts on that? Should I have trainer witness this behavior at home? Joker is not an overly affectionate dog. This is not my first rodeo with a bully, my first one was such a joy and the sweetest dog I've ever had. The stubbornness I get and understand. The mean and agressive I do not. Just today I was cooking and needed Joker to move to put food in the oven and nicely told him to move grabbed his collar and he turned around and bit my calf. I'm sad and we are at our wits end :-(

Thanks for any advice!

 

[Petra]

Welcome to EBN I'm sorry you're going through some rough time with Joker Can he possibly be hurting? Sometimes aggression is an indication that they're not feeling 100%. He is at the age where they will try and take over though so it's also possible he's just competing for the leader position. The "nothing is for free" training is great, it works for us and it doesn't hurt trying it

http://www.englishbulldognews.com/f...ioral/33985-life-free-training-technique.html

None of mine are chewers so I don't have any good advice but I know many members here have the same problem as you with their bulldogs eating anything they can get their paws on

I'm not familiar with the vibration collar either but I personally feel a bit hesitant against it... Bulldogs are... special... if I would imagine mine with a vibration collar... I'm thinking big paranoia and I would get the stinky eye for days

 

[Jokersmama]

Thank you Petra, I definitely am going to try that Nothing is Free training. He is such a booger sometimes!

Here's his cute little mug :-)

 

[Petra]

Haha, he's a cutie for sure, who can say "no" to that face

 

[Vikinggirl]

Hi, I'm so sorry you're dealing with this with Joker. He is too cute by the way. I'm sorry I do t have any experience with aggression, but Petra has given you excellent advice regarding using the nothing in life is free techniques and also the advice regarding he may possibly be in pain. Another reason that can cause behaviour issues or unusual aggression in dogs can be thyroid problems. You can have your vet test his thyroid to rule it out. I hope you find a solution to Jokers aggression and can find a way to deal with it. Please keep us posted on how he's doing and remember we are always here to listen.
I do have experience with my bullies eating stuff. My male Bulldozer eats anything textile like your Joker does, although I've been very lucky that he hasn't had surgery for swallowing stuff he has so far been able to poop them out or throw them up. He has swallowed 4 sweat socks, a dish cloth, rubber Nerf bullets, and his favourite is paper towel, toilet paper or napkins. He picks them up outside all the time, he found a discarded cupcake outside once a swallowed it whole. I can't give him pillows, blankets, pillows, stuffed animals or soft toys, and I always have to be on alert for electrical wires because he chews them. He is fine with any Kong toys though. Joker must have some powerful jaws to be able to chew through a kong toy. My female Blossom doesn't eat stuff, but she is very food motivated. She finds food outside all the time on our walks, she has found a whole apple and tried to swallow it whole, she has eaten a banana, peel and all, and when she was a puppy we had to take her to the vet who induced vomiting, because she ate 7 bags of penny candy from the Bulk Barn that my grandson had in a bag that I hid in the magazine rack. She threw up 5 bowls of candy at the vet office. She also can't have blankets or pillows and such because she chews them. They both sleep on the plastic trays in their crates. I feel bad because I would love them to have a nice comfy pad or a pillow but I can't trust them. They do have oversized floor pillows that they lie on in the livingroom, but only when they are with us and we can supervise them.
I swear these guys think they are bully goats, not bully dogs. Lol.

 

[brutus77]

Hi and welcome to EBN. I have two bullys. One that eats everything and one that doesn't. My Brutus has food aggression but has never tried to bite us. I would feel irresponsible giving advice for a dog that is biting. I would have a professional come into the house and evaluate the situation. Joker is cute as a button!

 

[TyTysmom]

@Jokersmama Hey there, I completely agree with Petra. #1 - Just health wise, to make sure he is not in any kind of pain or sick. #2 if health is clear, revert back to training days, with the nothing is free. If you are going to get a collar, vibration are much safer than shock, and personally I don't know if I'd have to the heart to shock, even though they claim it isn't painful. You need to re-establish dominance with him, and show him who's boss.

With the surgeries, been there, done that. Never want to do it again. Tyson ate 3 socks, and had to have surgery to remove the last one. He vomited the first 2. What I do recommend is large antlers. Moose, or Elk, but large... I got Tyson one that would be impossible for him to swallow, until he works it down... which will be quite some time. This is great for their teeth, and will keep them occupied, however... you still want to always supervise & not leave him alone with it. The antler I got him is about 12" long (size of a ruler) - I had to go big, bc if it fits in his mouth in full, he'll try to swallow it.

I greatly pray that with some work, he starts to get better, because that mug is seriously too cute. I could kiss that little grumpy face anyday. Also, I speak personally when I say its hard to always keep up, but ever since the socks incident - we have been super diligent to close all bedroom doors when we leave, and leave absolutely nothing out that he could get too, or grab, or pull & eat. I know some crate, we don't. I threw away all his toys that were smaller, and could be easy swallowed. I know it sounds cruel, but I will not lose my baby bc of it. He loves his antler, and honestly hasn't missed the toys one bit! Good luck & keep us posted!

 

[2BullyMama]

Yes, you need to have a trainer come into the home... get him checked out health wise, thyroid, etc make sure he is not in pain or having any issues. Then bring a trainer in to witness the behavior... he basically owns all of you right now and needs to be shown who is boss.

Nothing in life is free is a good easy technique to use, but a trainer in home is needed

 

[Jokersmama]

Thank you all so much for your advice. I tried some nothing is free training with him today and he wasn't digging it much but he will get use to it. Thanks again for the support its nice knowing I found some others that have dealt with this awesome but "special" kind of breed...

 

[TyTysmom]

Thank you all so much for your advice. I tried some nothing is free training with him today and he wasn't digging it much but he will get use to it. Thanks again for the support its nice knowing I found some others that have dealt with this awesome but "special" kind of breed...

View attachment 84424

Great work, this isn't going to happen over night or quick, and he's definitely not going to like it in the beginning. Its going to take time, months possibly, but the key to getting this down is repetition & persistence - do not slip on some days, it must be consistent in order to work. It may take a little time, but the outcome will be well worth it. And seriously... that face is just too precious. keep us updated with his progress & pics