At my wit's end

[HeyMoe]

Hey all - new to the forum. Was advised you guys were a plethora of information reegarding bulldog behavior.

I have had my bulldog for 4 years now. Her behavior is increasingly getting worse and worse. She is crate trained, and sleeps in her crate at night, because she sometimes evacuates in the house still. In the morning, she refuses to come out of her crate to go to the bathroom. I don't get it - I love her very much and have never yelled at her, never swatted her or anything, yet she acts like she is being abused. She turns her back to me and won't look at me. She cowers in the very back of the crate, like a caged animal that has been abused.

A couple of months ago, she snapped at me for the first time in forever.

Last night, I decided to lock up the crate, keep her out of it and hope for the best regarding "accidents" on the floor, and see if that would help her go outside when we got up. My husband got up first, and she was on the sofa. He waved his hand to try to get her off of the sofa and she snapped at him twice.

She did go outside this morning, so that's a bonus.

She seems to be getting more and more aggressive, and I don't know what to do. As far as the crate, if she hasn't gone out all night, I can't just open the crate and let her run loose with her track record of accidents. But there are mornings when she absolutely refuses to move from the crate. I have even opened the crate and left it open for a long time, hoping she will come out and she just doesn't.

Any ideas?

 

[Manydogs]

[MENTION=17644]HeyMoe[/MENTION] First, let me Welcome you here! How long has this been going on? If you know that someone has not been there, that has mistreated her(a babysitter?, etc.) I would wonder how long it has been since she had a good check-up at the vet? She may have pain going on, and this could be a reason for her behavior. I would definitely have her checked out,that would be my first suggestion. Others will be here with their ideas,too.

 

[Jersey]

Welcome @HeyMoe! So sorry to hear about Lily's snapping. I completely agree with @Manydogs. Bulldogs can be stoic and it's often difficult to tell if they're in pain. Absolutely take her to the vet and ask them to draw blood to check her thyroid function. Sometimes a sign of hypothyroidism is aggression. Other signs to look for are increased thirst, weight gain, appearing tired, depressed or not wanting to go outside, (thus possible accidents inside) . Does she growl before she snaps? Growling is a warning before they bite. Usually means "Quit It!!!!" If she doesn't growl, she may be trying to get your attention. Same with the indoor accidents and staying in her crate. Any recent changes she may be reactiing to? New house or siblings? Hope this helps, please keep us updated here and again, Welcome! Susan

 

[HeyMoe]

[MENTION=17644]HeyMoe[/MENTION] First, let me Welcome you here! How long has this been going on? If you know that someone has not been there, that has mistreated her(a babysitter?, etc.) I would wonder how long it has been since she had a good check-up at the vet? She may have pain going on, and this could be a reason for her behavior. I would definitely have her checked out,that would be my first suggestion. Others will be here with their ideas,too.

Hey, and thanks for the advice.

She has had great difficulty with behavior since we got her at 10 weeks. We aren't 100% certain that she wasn't inbred.

She has been this way with her crate for a long time, but she has always gone out for my daughter and myself. It has only started in the last few months with her not coming out of the crate for me. It was weird, it was just like overnight. One morning she wakes up and decides she doesn't want to go outside for me anymore.

She hasn't been around anybody who abuses her, because she is always with us. I don't leave her with anyone else.

She is due in a month or so for her yearly checkup.

 

[HeyMoe]

Welcome @HeyMoe! So sorry to hear about Lily's snapping. I completely agree with @Manydogs. Bulldogs can be stoic and it's often difficult to tell if they're in pain. Absolutely take her to the vet and ask them to draw blood to check her thyroid function. Sometimes a sign of hypothyroidism is aggression. Other signs to look for are increased thirst, weight gain, appearing tired, depressed or not wanting to go outside, (thus possible accidents inside) . Does she growl before she snaps? Growling is a warning before they bite. Usually means "Quit It!!!!" If she doesn't growl, she may be trying to get your attention. Same with the indoor accidents and staying in her crate. Any recent changes she may be reactiing to? New house or siblings? Hope this helps, please keep us updated here and again, Welcome! Susan

Thanks for the welcome. Don't see any changes in her physiologically. No weight changes, etc. She is drinking more, but it only started when I changed her food to grain-free. She growls and snaps at the same time. And no, no recent changes. Same house we brought her home in, no new siblings, etc.

 

[Jersey]

Is there any reason she may not want to go outside? Are there stairs that she's having trouble with? Is there anything outside that might be frightening her... dog, neighbors, critters, weather, etc? Did she perceive that she was left outside alone and couldn't get back in? Is it that she doesn't want to leave her crate... or doesn't want to go outside? Sorry you're going through this, if they could only tell us what's wrong!

Hey, and thanks for the advice.

She has had great difficulty with behavior since we got her at 10 weeks. We aren't 100% certain that she wasn't inbred.

She has been this way with her crate for a long time, but she has always gone out for my daughter and myself. It has only started in the last few months with her not coming out of the crate for me. It was weird, it was just like overnight. One morning she wakes up and decides she doesn't want to go outside for me anymore.

She hasn't been around anybody who abuses her, because she is always with us. I don't leave her with anyone else.

She is due in a month or so for her yearly checkup.

 

[HeyMoe]

Is there any reason she may not want to go outside? Are there stairs that she's having trouble with? Is there anything outside that might be frightening her... dog, neighbors, critters, weather, etc? Did she perceive that she was left outside alone and couldn't get back in? Is it that she doesn't want to leave her crate... or doesn't want to go outside? Sorry you're going through this, if they could only tell us what's wrong!

Exactly! If she could just tell me why she is acting this way. We have a fenced in back yard with no stairs, so no other dogs, no tumbling down the stairs. I usually stand and watch her while she goes outside, because I read once that dogs feel vulnerable when they "do the duty," and so I stay there so she can see me and feel safe.

It was just like an overnight thing. That's what I don't get. I wish I could go back to the day it started, and try to remember what happened the night before that could have triggered her.

 

[Jersey]

Is Lily spayed? Any spotting not associated with being in heat?

Exactly! If she could just tell me why she is acting this way. We have a fenced in back yard with no stairs, so no other dogs, no tumbling down the stairs. I usually stand and watch her while she goes outside, because I read once that dogs feel vulnerable when they "do the duty," and so I stay there so she can see me and feel safe.

It was just like an overnight thing. That's what I don't get. I wish I could go back to the day it started, and try to remember what happened the night before that could have triggered her.

 

[HeyMoe]

Is Lily spayed? Any spotting not associated with being in heat?

no spotting, and yeah we got her spayed as soon as she was old enough.

 

[Vikinggirl]

Hey all - new to the forum. Was advised you guys were a plethora of information reegarding bulldog behavior.

I have had my bulldog for 4 years now. Her behavior is increasingly getting worse and worse. She is crate trained, and sleeps in her crate at night, because she sometimes evacuates in the house still. In the morning, she refuses to come out of her crate to go to the bathroom. I don't get it - I love her very much and have never yelled at her, never swatted her or anything, yet she acts like she is being abused. She turns her back to me and won't look at me. She cowers in the very back of the crate, like a caged animal that has been abused.

A couple of months ago, she snapped at me for the first time in forever.

Last night, I decided to lock up the crate, keep her out of it and hope for the best regarding "accidents" on the floor, and see if that would help her go outside when we got up. My husband got up first, and she was on the sofa. He waved his hand to try to get her off of the sofa and she snapped at him twice.

She did go outside this morning, so that's a bonus.

She seems to be getting more and more aggressive, and I don't know what to do. As far as the crate, if she hasn't gone out all night, I can't just open the crate and let her run loose with her track record of accidents. But there are mornings when she absolutely refuses to move from the crate. I have even opened the crate and left it open for a long time, hoping she will come out and she just doesn't.

Any ideas?

Hi, I am so sorry you are going through this with your baby. You have been given excellent advice already from the others, and I agree her aggression is coming from either pain or a medical reason. A bet visit to rule these things out would be a good idea. I have a male named Bulldozer, and since he was a puppy, he has hated to go out or walk, he will go,out for his potty break, but he will flop in the ground and lay all 4 of his legs out and refuse to walk. I always carry a couple of pieces of his own kibble in my pocket, and will bribe him to get up and walk. He always refuses to leave his crate in the morning. He's never aggressive, or growls, and he's never peed in the house, he just likes to stay in his crate, and he loves to sleep or just snuggle. When I want to take him out first thing in the morning, he will just sit their and refuse to come out if the crate, so I offer him a little treat like a piece of a Benny Bully Liver treat, or a Fruitable, or a piece of his kibble and he comes right out, then I put his collar on, and he goes outside. Maybe try offering her a treat to get her to come out of the crate, or when you want her off the couch, offer her a treat on the floor so she comes down to get the treat, instead of you waving your hand to get her down. I hope it gets better for you. Please keep us posted.

 

[2BullyMama]

no spotting, and yeah we got her spayed as soon as she was old enough.

Whenever there is this level of sudden behavioral change... there is usually a medical issue under-lying. I would get a vet check... full check, blood , thyroid, x-rays.
I would also go back to basic training with her... make sure she is fully aware you are boss (all humans)... use 'nothing in life is free' technique, very easy and quick results.
I'm thinking she is in some level of pain and her crate may be her 'safe place' and the accidents could be happening because she is not going when you need her to.


Please keep us posted.