Can't believe I'm writing this but I'm in need of some help.
I have a well trained bulldog (Kain) - so I thought - started clicker training from a baby and worked extensively with him. Things started to go south when we got our 2nd dog Maverick (Boxer / Mastif).
Both dogs listen well, sit before eating, fully kennel trained without issue, in the evening we simply say go to your kennel and they head to there bed etc. and items in that regard are good.
The bad parts - no sugar coat as I need a reality check... Maverick barks at everything / anybody and doesn't obey when we say no, this puts kain on defense and immediately red lines at the same time. It is to the point if a unknown person comes to the door <kain> WILL bite them. Family is scared to come over, My Dad, a friend, and my own daughter have been bit in this behavior. It's always just a small bite / nip but I have seen a pretty extensive bite on my dad's foot and my friends hand.
The scarey part, we now have a granddaughter!
95% of the time things are great, Kain can lay on the floor or couch and my granddaughter can play right in front of him without issue, but if someone knocked on our door and they both started barking it scares the crap out of me if she would be in the way.
Another scary part is when Kain is sleeping calmly and then someone comes up from upstairs (say my daughter had a friend over) and it's been 1 or 2 hrs etc, it's like he forgets and immediately red lines like a stranger is in the house.
I don't know what to do, we love Kain and feel getting our second dog was a mistake. I feel we slacked off on the training and it's got away on us thinking they were good with just the eating, kennel, and bed part. Sit, down etc... all listen to us. But the reality is a out of control, lack of obey, and no respect to listen over the door or unknown face.
I feel we have a couple of options.
1. Remove Maverick and work with Kain one last time before we are forced to relocate him, or worse (he has bit 4 or 5 times) so It may not be safe to pass him on to anyone.
2. Remove Kain and work with Maverick on his barking issue as he really is a gentle giant if you will and the only issue is obeying / barking problem.
3. Remove both Kain and Maverick as I simply will NOT take the risk of Kain reacting at the wrong time, or worse reacting towards my granddaughter.
My daughter was more less jumped on while leaving today when I simply asked my granddaughter for a kiss, so my daughter leaned over so I could kiss her and it set him off. Not a risk i'm willing to take.
I will admit, I almost feel I've given up and see removing them as the easiest option. If I had a forum friend that understood bulldogs I would easily be convinced to place him, I'm confident without the extra barking / issues I 'could' train and correct him if he was the only one.
Interested in your thoughts. Is it possible to save them both? remove to one?
- Immediate changes will be to be sure they sleep in there kennel every night, no special treatment sleeping with my daughter sometimes.
- No sitting on furniture (bed or floor only)
- Regular walk (not frequent enough at all and is maybe leaning towards the bad behavior)
- Obey as we always do for eating time but shift it up as we always do "Down" force them to Sit, change places, etc to be sure they are listening properly
I'll stop rambling and see what you guys have to add. Beyond frustrated and scared we have reached a point of giving up on our bulldog.
Thanks all,
Vince
I have a well trained bulldog (Kain) - so I thought - started clicker training from a baby and worked extensively with him. Things started to go south when we got our 2nd dog Maverick (Boxer / Mastif).
Both dogs listen well, sit before eating, fully kennel trained without issue, in the evening we simply say go to your kennel and they head to there bed etc. and items in that regard are good.
The bad parts - no sugar coat as I need a reality check... Maverick barks at everything / anybody and doesn't obey when we say no, this puts kain on defense and immediately red lines at the same time. It is to the point if a unknown person comes to the door <kain> WILL bite them. Family is scared to come over, My Dad, a friend, and my own daughter have been bit in this behavior. It's always just a small bite / nip but I have seen a pretty extensive bite on my dad's foot and my friends hand.
The scarey part, we now have a granddaughter!
95% of the time things are great, Kain can lay on the floor or couch and my granddaughter can play right in front of him without issue, but if someone knocked on our door and they both started barking it scares the crap out of me if she would be in the way.
Another scary part is when Kain is sleeping calmly and then someone comes up from upstairs (say my daughter had a friend over) and it's been 1 or 2 hrs etc, it's like he forgets and immediately red lines like a stranger is in the house.
I don't know what to do, we love Kain and feel getting our second dog was a mistake. I feel we slacked off on the training and it's got away on us thinking they were good with just the eating, kennel, and bed part. Sit, down etc... all listen to us. But the reality is a out of control, lack of obey, and no respect to listen over the door or unknown face.
I feel we have a couple of options.
1. Remove Maverick and work with Kain one last time before we are forced to relocate him, or worse (he has bit 4 or 5 times) so It may not be safe to pass him on to anyone.
2. Remove Kain and work with Maverick on his barking issue as he really is a gentle giant if you will and the only issue is obeying / barking problem.
3. Remove both Kain and Maverick as I simply will NOT take the risk of Kain reacting at the wrong time, or worse reacting towards my granddaughter.
My daughter was more less jumped on while leaving today when I simply asked my granddaughter for a kiss, so my daughter leaned over so I could kiss her and it set him off. Not a risk i'm willing to take.
I will admit, I almost feel I've given up and see removing them as the easiest option. If I had a forum friend that understood bulldogs I would easily be convinced to place him, I'm confident without the extra barking / issues I 'could' train and correct him if he was the only one.
Interested in your thoughts. Is it possible to save them both? remove to one?
- Immediate changes will be to be sure they sleep in there kennel every night, no special treatment sleeping with my daughter sometimes.
- No sitting on furniture (bed or floor only)
- Regular walk (not frequent enough at all and is maybe leaning towards the bad behavior)
- Obey as we always do for eating time but shift it up as we always do "Down" force them to Sit, change places, etc to be sure they are listening properly
I'll stop rambling and see what you guys have to add. Beyond frustrated and scared we have reached a point of giving up on our bulldog.
Thanks all,
Vince