Confused attack dog?

[MushiesMom]

This past October was our one year anniversary of adopting our 4 year old english bully named Mush.

As you all already know, we have learned over the past year how unique of a breed EBDs are....I can't say this without a little chuckle.

Anywho..Here's the problem...When people are near our front door, she runs outside, bolts at them, gets as close as she possibly can...and then...you ready?.........

She sits.

Now, I know what you're thinking...we were blessed to adopt the most well behaved english bulldog on the planet and complaining about it....wrong. Whether it's 3 seconds after she sits or 3 hours, once they begin to walk or pet her, she bites at them. The bite seems to just be a warning, not to actually do any damage.

We've tried to stand in between her but she turns "one track mind", buggy-eye crazy.

Anyone else bulldog do this? Any opinions as to what she might be doing? Anything we can do?

 

[brutus77]

I would leash her and not allow her to get into that "mode". If you keep her next to you and correct her when visitors come, it should help. Have the visitors ignore her also when they come in until she behaves. I'm sure someone with lots more experience will be along shortly.

 

[Pati Robins]

on a first thought this might be fear inflicted -that is if shes affraid of strangers , or shes simply protecting her "space"
She might not know how to behave if she has never been taught some good manners as well socialization to strangers.It may be possible to get her to accept petting by associating them with good things-food treats- but make sure dog sees what its goig on around her as there's that scary hand right in front of her face -and this can result in another "nip"
Another method usually is at first to ask people to totally ignore her not even look at her or make eye contact. Only when she has weighed them up and is curious and interested ask them to just drop a treat on the floor a foot or two from them but still dont even look at her. If she takes it do it a few more times, then speak to her, if shes still interested see if she will take a treat from them, then if she does then put out the hand to sniff, if she does then offer another treat or two. If she is Ok with that then see if she will accept a gentle stroke then finally eye contact. This way she should gain confidence in her own time rather then being confronted too soon before she feels comfortable.
You need to go back to basics and teach her how to behave around people. Does she do it people he knows? or just visitors?

 

[MushiesMom]

I think it is territorial because she loves people everywhere except when she's near our front door and when she's in the car...she can be outside the car and on her back getting belly rubs but a few mins after putting her in the car, if the same person reaches in to pet her, she bites.

This only started happening about 6 months after we got her. The first 6 months she greeted everyone kindly. Then she gradually started to nip and then now she runs at people, sits and then nips.

I have to mention the only command she came with was "sit" before a treat. She won't not sit before a treat. We thought maybe her previous owners were trying to address the issue and were using a sit/treat method.

 

[MushiesMom]

We don't have many visitors coming to the house...the issue is how our house is set up...we are a single floor, single family home connected to a private, appointment only business. The people pull in, walk past our front door and an hour later head back to their cars...mush doesn't get to spend anytime with them so I don't get to enforce any actual training.

 

[Davidh]

Well as [MENTION=9370]brutus77[/MENTION] said, just leash her when people come over and have them ignore her until she calms down, that should help.