Are some English bulldog simply not potty trainable? Ever?

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Baxter Tiberius

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Baxters now pushing two years old. For the last three months I had to keep him in my home office with me all day every day. We were showing the units in preparation for a move. Needed to keep it clean.In that time, he didn't have one accident. Because I was pretty much there 24 hours a day.Despite the fact that he's fully potty trained, has no intestinal or health issues, literally the first day he wasn't in the office with me he pooped on the floor. Totally off of his pooping schedule. Literally the second day, as we are now staying in hotels for a week, he has pooped on the floor in the hotel.I'm simply at a loss as to how to proceed. There's absolutely no excuse for this other then "he's doing whatever he wants to do whenever he wants to do it".There's no more training that I can do. There's no tricks. He knows what to do. He simply does what he wants, when he wants.I joke with new English bulldog puppy owners in my building that they need to be patient and give at least eight months for potty training with this breed. And here I am at two years watching him have accidents whenever he's given 10 seconds alone in a room.Are some English Bulldogs simply never going to be potty trained? He's going to always be stuck in a constricted crate every minute of the day that I'm not there?
 

dolphin

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I'm sure the change in things got to him and he just dumped and I'm sure once you get him on a regular schedule again he'll do his thing where and when you want.
 

2BullyMama

I'm not OCD....now who moved my bulldog?
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Whether you realize it or not... you have an OCD breed, any change to schedule or surroundings will cause stress and confusion. All the changes, all the moving, being in a strange place. It will happen.

My boy, Nitschke, would :poo: anytime I moved a piece of furniture in the house, even if it was just to clean. You have to be aware of the sensitivity level of this breed... any slight change will nerve them out.

So -- what happen with the breathing issues form last week or week before? We are all very concerned?
 

nycbullymama

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It's a neurotic breed that doesn't deal well with change, so these things happen.

Did the labored breathing resolve on it's own? You never got back to us on your other thread. Everyone's worried.
 
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Baxter Tiberius

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No, this has nothing to do with change. As I said, we were still in the apartment he grew up in. I left for an hour, he wandered out into the living room, and took a poop because I wasn't home. Pretty sure he wasn't experiencing a shock to his system or anything like that. It was the next room over.

i know in my gut this has nothing to do with change. The issue is that I was not in the room. And he wasn't confined. So he felt that he could do what he wants because I wasn't there.


We were walking back from my parking spot in the parking garage yesterday as well. I played a little joke on him, and disappeared behind the door. He thought he was alone for a minute. What did he do? He squatted to take a crap on the floor in the parking garage. Again, not a shock to his system or schedule. He simply think he's alone, so he does what he wants.


So the original question if anyone can chime in please. Do these dogs sometimes simply never get potty trained? If you think change is the problem, shouldn't he have had tons of accidents when he was with me in the office all day? That was a huge change from his normal schedule. No problems there. Because I was sitting right next to him all day. And he knew he couldn't poop on the floor in front of me.
 
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Baxter Tiberius

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I should add: if he's left in his crate in the hotel room? No problems. He still goes outside on the same schedule. No changes. He knows the difference between inside and outside. I thought he was old enough to leave in the hotel room without a crate. I thought I could leave the apt without having to physically restrain him in a crate. But I guess at 2 years old he's still not potty trained. Or just stubborn. If I put him in the crate tonight there will be no accidents in the morning. But that sucks. I hate that he can't just be like other dogs and be free.
 

2BullyMama

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and disappeared behind the door. He thought he was alone for a minute.

His issue is he needs to be with his human and when not... it shocks his system. Some will call it separation anxiety... just because he is not eating or tearing up the house, does not mean he is not anxious. if he is fine in a crate, then accept that is what he needs. Bulldogs are not like other breeds... they are more into humans than they are other dogs. And, if Baxter is accustom to always being with you... then you out of site, even for a minute will send him, as you say ... in shock. this has little to do with potty training and more to do with his personality.

I am not trying to be nasty or cause contention... just trying to help you understand, it is not always as easy as he is just a 'stubborn bulldog'

So, I guess the breathing issue a cleared up and he is doing better?
 

Manydogs

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@Baxter Tiberius You will just have to accept the fact that Baxter is who he is. He wants you to be there 24/7! He is "voicing" his opinion of being left. If he behaves in a crate, when you are gone, then that is what you will need to do. There are many other dogs(EBD's and other breeds) who can never be trusted when they are alone.
If that is his "fault" and he has to be crated when you are gone, then you will have to love him as he is, and do what has to be done! We all have our own "traits"!!!!!:blush2: p.s. I am assuming that his breathing is okay!
 
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madie4589

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I don't see myself ever being able to leave frank free to roam while we're gone. He's just not that dog. As much as I wish he would be, he's not. baxter still has a loving home and that's what important. He may have to be crated more than you'd like, but he's still got a pretty darn good life, all things considered.
 

TyTysmom

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I don't know about them never being able to be potty trained. I do believe that you will have to re-train him with the new " you not being around" scenario.... and yes you can re-train, but again its starting over - so it will take time, unless you leave him crated like you said - which works. Tyson does the same thing with us if we change something. Agreed, we were all quite worried about Baxter and his breathing - asking for updates. I am very happy to see this post, because obvs means all is well with him. Thank goodness.
 

brutus77

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Hi Kevin, good to see you back. What happened to all last week when you come on telling us Baxter is in a breathing crisis, and then bam, you disappear only to re appear with another issue? That is not fair to anyone Kevin. We care about the dogs on this sight and it is common courtesy to update us with Baxters condition. I am sorry, but I have no intention of commenting on your new problem when you haven't even had the decency to update on the last one.
 

Libra926

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Have you tried clicker training and reward training? Food is a great motivator! I was taught to reward the good and ignore the bad. So give praise and treats when peeing and pooping is done in the right area....and the cold shoulder when he does it wrong. Bulldogs are people pleasers. I'm sure that by sticking to the same strategy...Baxter will eventually catch on that pets, love, praise and rewards are given only when pooping is done correctly. You must give treats every single time it's done or the conditioning will not work.

Then you can end up with a bulldog like mine. He knows that he gets rewarded for peeing outside. Now he has been conditioned to go outside WAY MORE OFTEN than is needed. He's way too smart for his own good.
 

Bizzymammabee

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Nah they get fully trained. I think it's the changes you are going through right now. Once you get settled in again and he can have his comfort zone and routines it will be fine. Raven stopped having accidents around 8 months old. It is very rare that she has an accident and it's not usually her fault. It is mostly on the kids not taking her out when she asks them to. Ty is now 8 months and since his neuter he has only had two poo accidents in the house and that again is on the hubby and my kiddies not doing their thing because they are caught up in their gaming. Raven is turning 4 this year and she has had full run of the house since she has been a year old with no problems. I do feed them on a schedule and make sure that they get their potty time before I leave for work. Good luck.
 

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