Don't have a bulldog but need help.

[banjo]

I have a 9 month old male fixed Shiba Inu puppy.

My friend has an 8 month old female fixed EB puppy named Kenya.

So my dog is very well socialized. 5 days a week he does anything from go on a 45 minute walk with 2-4 dogs, or spend 3 hours at the park with 4-6 dogs (all with the supervision of his trainer).

The ONLY dog I have ever seen him play too rough with is Kenya. He will put her entire head in his mouth (never clamp down) which seems dangerous because he may poke her eye. He will also get her excess skin in his mouth. SInce puppies learn bite inhibition from each other and Kenya has no nerve endings in her excess skin, she doesn't react. Again, potential for danger.

We walk the dogs together occasionally. My buddy lives down the street from me and is a day trader so while I am at my 9-5 he is nice enough to walk my little guy (alone). I would love for the two of them to play nice so I can drop my guy off at his place and they can hang out. I know its tough with puppies.

Kenya is also a pushover and tends to get picked on at the dog park. When that happens, my guy will go defend her... and then go pick on her.

I am here to seek advice on how I can make sure they can play together, and what things in bulldog play to watch for. The doggy sign language of a shiba is quite different from that of a EB.

Thanks!

 

[ddnene]

I'm not an expert on dog training, but I will tag some people that may be able to help you. I have always heard that since bullies breathe heavy that some dogs take that as a sign of aggression and react unfavorably… I hope that you get some answers soon.

 

[Petra]

Does Kenya play rough back? In my experience bulldogs tend to be pretty harsh playmates... my two male and female 4 year old bulldogs play VERY hard with each other and they've done that from very early age. Maybe your puppy feels he can/have to play hard with her?

 

[2BullyMama]

Bulldogs in general are rough players, but some may not be. If I am reading this right, your Shiba is, in your eyes being the 'rough' one and the EB (Kenya) is just taking it? If that is true, at some point Kenya, will let your baby know they have gone to far. As long as there are no signs of aggression in the play and they are good.... it will just be their particular style of playing.

My girl Banks is very dominate, 60lbs of muscle and will not take anything from any other dog..... HOWEVER, she lets my 20 lb French Bulldog Cheli (The GNAT), beat the crap out of her.... pulls her ears, grabs her extra skins and drags her around the yard. BUT, when she is not in the mood or had enough, she gives him a warning grwol, snap or bark and he quickly backs off.

I would allow the play, surpervised, of course. Like people, we all communicate and interact differently based on the personalities and relationships.

 

[banjo]

Kenya is a complete pushover. On a walk, my guy (Banjo) will greet other dogs, wrestle with his friends, etc. Kenya will just lay down belly up and take whatever abuse is doled out. That being said she ALWAYS comes back for more. For example, this morning on the walk, we let them say hi, then I said Banjo lets go, and we did a pack walk. Every so often Kenya would charge at him. He'd wrestle a bit with her, but the second he started using his mouth instead of his paws, I called him off. If he instigates the interaction, Kenya immediately goes "belly up". For example, I know Banjo likes to start "chase" by nipping at another dogs ankles. Kenya does nothing so Banjo gets more of her leg is his mouth.

There is a chance my dog is a jerk (which would shock me since this is really the only dog I ever have to say anything to him about). Kenya doesn't "fight back" with other dogs or really do anything at all to another dog who starts wrestling with her, but she will instigate the game.

I love my dog to death, but I also love Kenya (we got them two days apart so they've been in our lives the same amount of time). I really just don't want my guy to hurt her.

 

[2BullyMama]

Kenya is a complete pushover. On a walk, my guy (Banjo) will greet other dogs, wrestle with his friends, etc. Kenya will just lay down belly up and take whatever abuse is doled out. That being said she ALWAYS comes back for more. For example, this morning on the walk, we let them say hi, then I said Banjo lets go, and we did a pack walk. Every so often Kenya would charge at him. He'd wrestle a bit with her, but the second he started using his mouth instead of his paws, I called him off. If he instigates the interaction, Kenya immediately goes "belly up". For example, I know Banjo likes to start "chase" by nipping at another dogs ankles. Kenya does nothing so Banjo gets more of her leg is his mouth.

There is a chance my dog is a jerk (which would shock me since this is really the only dog I ever have to say anything to him about). Kenya doesn't "fight back" with other dogs or really do anything at all to another dog who starts wrestling with her, but she will instigate the game.

I love my dog to death, but I also love Kenya (we got them two days apart so they've been in our lives the same amount of time). I really just don't want my guy to hurt her.

If Kenya is that submissive, it should be fine --- just always supervise them -- I don't think Banjo is a 'jerk' he just knows how far he can go.

 

[banjo]

Since Kenya lets him do whatever he wants, I feel like he doesn't know how far he can go.

Am I right to assume the skin grabbing and head in mouth are mouth are dangerous?

oh and you don't think Banjo is a jerk because you haven't met him =)

 

[Manydogs]

Welcome! I have four dogs. They are either sleeping eating, or playing. When they play, they get pretty rough with each other. None are submissive, as Kenya. But when they "play" they growl and wrestle, and if someone heard them, they would be horrified! It is unbelievable how rough they can get, and actually not get hurt! If one does get hurt, sometimes it erupts into a fight, (not bloody hurt) and I have to stop them. If they start to get too "overstimulated" I tell them "that's enough!"
When ever dogs play rough, there is always a chance of them getting hurt-or even just normal play. Kenya is a totally different type of dog than the Shiba, and bullies seem to be able to take alot more "pain" than other breeds I have seen one of them have the other's jowl and stretching it like a rubber band and pulling her around that way. I stop it-but it doesn't seem to bother the owner of the jowl!!
Don't forget they were originally bred to take on a 2,000 lb. bull! I would not leave them unsupervised, but as Kenya matures, she may have her limits, and let her buddy know.

 

[agingermom]

I am in the same position as [MENTION=2894]2BullyMama[/MENTION]. Bertha (50 pounds of pure muscle) is very dominant, and with that has brought some pack behavior at my house. And Arnold weighs in at approx 70 lbs) However, we have a Westie that rules our backyard and will not only play rough but when it has gotten too rough (for no known stressor) has had to be literally pulled off Arnold. It scared me to death but when it was all over and I went looking for blood on both of them, there wasnt a mark. On the flip side, my bullies do not do well at a dog park but play with dogs in their yard fine. But many dogs will not play with them, even as pups.

 

[banjo]

Thanks.

It sounds like I have nothing to worry about so long as it is monitored? Again, I don't want him to hurt her, but she never gives any indication she isn't having fun =/