LeleNY

New member
Dec 1, 2015
58
9
NY
Country
UNITED STATES
Bulldog(s) Names
Big (Notorious B.I.G.)
Hello all!
My EB is now 6 months old. Even though we clean him since we got him, at 8 weeks, it's been VERY difficult to clean and treat his tear stain.
I tried with treats. I tried when he's sleeping (he wakes up). I tried with my husband holding him.
Every time he shakes his head super fast, tries to bite, it's impossible. To clean his paws, tail, to brush him is ok. Is the face that he hates.
Sadly, the tear stain is getting worse. I would love him to cooperate.

Any tips on how to do it are super appreciated!

On another annoying topic - sleeping.
We tried the crate - a nightmare. Even with treats, feeding him there, toys, etc. He HATES the crate (maybe because his jaw got stuck on the crate when he was 10 weeks?)
We live in an apt building and can't afford to have a puppy crying and barking all night long.

He was sleeping by himself in the sofa, floor or at his bed next to our bed.
Then, we went on vacation. My mother-in-law was sitting him, and they fell in love.
So for 2 weeks, she decided to sleep with him in the sofa.
We only found out when we were back.

Since then, Big refuses to sleep by himself.
He needs to be around us.
He cries and barks when the door bedroom is closed.
My limit is 20 to 30 minutes of crying and barking. Again, apt building.

Recently, instead of sleeping on his bed, he jumped to our bed.
It was probably 2 am in the morning and neither of us were in the mood to re-start the whole NO, Go to your bed thing.

Well, the rest is history... since that day, 2 weeks ago, he only calms down if he sleeps in our bed.

And that is a behavior that I don't want anymore, for several reasons.
Any tips? Or will we have to face the whole crying and barking thing for God knows how long until he finally gets the message that our bed is forbidden?

THANKS A LOT, ALL!!!

Cheers!
 

KimDe

New member
Jan 6, 2016
558
9
Country
USA
Bulldog(s) Names
Fezzik
My bulldog used to bite me when I cleaned his ears or paws. What I would do is I would say touch, touch his body part, and then give him a treat. He now looks for the treat every time I say touch and ignores me inspecting him. I did this with the witch hazel that he hated the smell of too. I would pour some on a pad and use it to pet him on his body so he would get used to the smell. My dog is very treat and petting motivated.

I can't really help with the sleeping thing. My dog is not a barker. What has helped me get him to bed is turning off all lights.

As for the crate, he wouldn't go in it until I crawled in it and fed him from inside. Then he had to be with me inside the crate. He sleeps in it almost exclusively now.
 
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LeleNY

LeleNY

New member
Dec 1, 2015
58
9
NY
Country
UNITED STATES
Bulldog(s) Names
Big (Notorious B.I.G.)
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #3
Thanks, KimDe! Will try the touch + treats (I tried treats only, didn't go well.. he looks for the treat but shakes his head and tries to bite as soon as he feels me cleaning the stain).

Maybe if I lay down close to the crate he will learn?!
I would love for him to learn how to sleep by himself.
In the afternoon naps he's fine - goes to the floor, to the sofa, whatever.
But during the night, it HAS to be with us.
I just don't want this habit of him sleeping in our bed.
Thanks!!!
 

2BullyMama

I'm not OCD....now who moved my bulldog?
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Jul 28, 2011
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Gilbertsville, PA
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Bulldog(s) Names
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LeleNY

LeleNY

New member
Dec 1, 2015
58
9
NY
Country
UNITED STATES
Bulldog(s) Names
Big (Notorious B.I.G.)
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #5
Move the crate to your bedroom so he can see you... he will eventually go to sleep.

Cleaning the face... I never had an issue with that one, but I say teach him that you are the boss and he is not..... do you use nothing in life is free ? it is an easy training tool to teach them you are alpha.

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

The crate is in the bedroom already =(
I give thim treats, pet him... but just the fact that he sees us and can't not be WITH us drives him nuts!
He goes to the crate, but gets upset when realize he can't reach us... and the barking and crying can be loud sometimes.

The fun fact is: when alone at home, he behaves super well! He does not cry (we waited on the hallway several times and had a camera to check.. he relax, plays, don't suffer when left alone).
But if we are home and he can't not be next to us, he gets upset.

About the face cleaning issue: we have a trainer and already use this method. Just with the face that the gets mad. I just know I have to try harder (and harder!)

Thanks a lot!
 

2BullyMama

I'm not OCD....now who moved my bulldog?
Staff member
Community Veteran
Jul 28, 2011
48,581
3,673
Gilbertsville, PA
Country
USA
Bulldog(s) Names
Chelios (Frenchie), Nitschke (2004-2011) Banks (2005-2014) and Lambeau (2014-2024)
The crate is in the bedroom already =(
I give thim treats, pet him... but just the fact that he sees us and can't not be WITH us drives him nuts!
He goes to the crate, but gets upset when realize he can't reach us... and the barking and crying can be loud sometimes.

The fun fact is: when alone at home, he behaves super well! He does not cry (we waited on the hallway several times and had a camera to check.. he relax, plays, don't suffer when left alone).
But if we are home and he can't not be next to us, he gets upset.

About the face cleaning issue: we have a trainer and already use this method. Just with the face that the gets mad. I just know I have to try harder (and harder!)

Thanks a lot!


have you tried covering the crate so he can not see you, but knows you are there? maybe even place a dirty t-shirt of yours in the crate.. see if that helps. Bulldogs LOVE beyond anything to be with their humans so this can be a tough one to break, but you can ... it is a LOT of patience and time
 
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LeleNY

LeleNY

New member
Dec 1, 2015
58
9
NY
Country
UNITED STATES
Bulldog(s) Names
Big (Notorious B.I.G.)
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #7
have you tried covering the crate so he can not see you, but knows you are there? maybe even place a dirty t-shirt of yours in the crate.. see if that helps. Bulldogs LOVE beyond anything to be with their humans so this can be a tough one to break, but you can ... it is a LOT of patience and time

Hi, guys!
I just wanted to update you on my situation:

Thanks for encouraging me to keep trying.
After I posted, I decided I had a mission: to treat Big's tear stain no matter what.

I made him sit, showed a treat and only gave it to him when he decided to cooperate (not easy, he had his shark mouth on!)
On the 3rd day I saw improvements and I can finally say that now he let me put the cornstarch paste on his stain and waits patiently for his treat =)

I like this forum because sometimes we know what do to, but just need more encouragement. Specially because bulldogs are stubborn, sometimes it's easy for us to give up, right?
So I'm glad I came here and you guys said I had to keep trying with lots of patience

The sleep situation is not solved yet, because now we have a friend visiting us. But as soon as he leaves, we will work on that.

Have a great day, everyone!
 

2BullyMama

I'm not OCD....now who moved my bulldog?
Staff member
Community Veteran
Jul 28, 2011
48,581
3,673
Gilbertsville, PA
Country
USA
Bulldog(s) Names
Chelios (Frenchie), Nitschke (2004-2011) Banks (2005-2014) and Lambeau (2014-2024)
Hi, guys!
I just wanted to update you on my situation:

Thanks for encouraging me to keep trying.
After I posted, I decided I had a mission: to treat Big's tear stain no matter what.

I made him sit, showed a treat and only gave it to him when he decided to cooperate (not easy, he had his shark mouth on!)
On the 3rd day I saw improvements and I can finally say that now he let me put the cornstarch paste on his stain and waits patiently for his treat =)

I like this forum because sometimes we know what do to, but just need more encouragement. Specially because bulldogs are stubborn, sometimes it's easy for us to give up, right?
So I'm glad I came here and you guys said I had to keep trying with lots of patience

The sleep situation is not solved yet, because now we have a friend visiting us. But as soon as he leaves, we will work on that.

Have a great day, everyone!


awesome! stay with it --- they are buggers for sure
 

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