Help! Aggressive dog!

[TashaT]

I have a 1 year old male bulldog. He was neutered at about 8 months old. He is highly aggressive towards people including myself. He has bitten several times. I can't even relax on the couch without him lunging at me. I am not sure if this is the puppy phase? Or if this dog has serious aggression issues. If I put him outside he starts to eat the siding of my house and the framing outside the door and constantly barks until I let him in. I adopted him from an animal shelter and thought he was really sweet but the more comfortable he has gotten at my home.. the more aggressive he's gotten. Any recommendations on how to deal with these issues? I eventually plan on having a kid.... and I cannot have an aggressive dog like this running around my home. Any advice would be much appreciated.

 

[2BullyMama]

You'll need to get a trainer to help at some point, but a few things to start with....

-- 8 months is the crazy toddler stage for them and they try to push the limits/rules
-- if you are nervous or apprehensive with him, he will sense this and react in a protective manner toward you.
-- back to basics with him.. he has to work for everything and wait for his meals. Use 'nothing in life is free', it is very easy but ALL humans in the household MUST be consistent. Here is the link to NILIF -- http://www.englishbulldognews.com/f...ioral/33985-life-free-training-technique.html

-- get a water bottle and spray him with a firm NO when he is doing something you deem unacceptable. NILIF is your starting point and then use the spray bottle as reinforcement.

best of luck -- remember stay calm and consistent

 

[TashaT]

Thanks for this advice! I will research that link today and also have my roommates read it! He does get aggressive with water bottles also. Once he gets on the couch.. he gets way meaner. Its a struggle to do anything with him. He constantly has ear problems and he's actually drawn blood from my hand while trying to put ear drops in his ears. He's a year and 3 months old now. When does this get better?

 

[Mom of Tucker]

Tasha, I admire you for sticking it out with your Bentley. I wonder if he was like this, which is why he ended up at the shelter? I don't have experience in behavior issues with dogs. Maybe Caesar Milan has some ideas if you google him?

I hope you get it figured out!
Keep us posted.

 

[Donnam]

Tasha, it must be heartbreaking to deal with this. I remember chatting with another bully owner at the dog park who had adopted her bulldog who bit her several times. I don't even know if we got into what she did, but he did finally turn into a wonderful dog for her. I think I would call a professional trainer right away. I agree with the NILIF training that others mentioned, beginning with not letting him get on the couch. This sounds like real aggression to me, not just a puppy stage he's going through.

If if he gets aggressive with the water squirt, there is another tool you might try. It's a small red spray can of compressed air that emits a loud hiss when you push the button. It's called "Pet Corrector" and I believe I got it at PetsMart. I've had good luck correcting some bad behavior with this (not aggression though). My dogs hate the sound so much that I only have to actually push the button once. If they (I mean Winnie) do it again, they stop the instant I pick up the can.
I hope you can correct his behavior. Please let us know how it goes!

 

[ddnene]

You have been given some great advice… I second the trainer recommendation as well. They can help you stay calm and remain focused while you are in training w/your dog.

 

[2BullyMama]

Thanks for this advice! I will research that link today and also have my roommates read it! He does get aggressive with water bottles also. Once he gets on the couch.. he gets way meaner. Its a struggle to do anything with him. He constantly has ear problems and he's actually drawn blood from my hand while trying to put ear drops in his ears. He's a year and 3 months old now. When does this get better?

If he gets worse on furniture... No furniture or water bottles ( i take it they are toys for him) till he knows his place. At that age he is being a rebellious teenager... Walks, tire him out and mental fatigue will be in your side

 

[g8erjackie]

You've gotten some great advice and I agree, get s good trainer involved who is familiar with English Bulldogs. He's trying to be alpha and that needs to be you. My Ruckus hates ear drops also. Luckily he doesn't bite and he will allow me to put them in his ears when needed, but it's because he knows there is a treat to be had. Try just keeping the bottle of drops out every now and then when you aren't actually giving him drops and letting him sniff it and give him lots of treats and praise. When he's outside, he's chewing your siding because he is bored. Try getting him an unbreak-o-ball or another outside only toy to play with.

 

[TashaT]

Thanks so much for all this information. I will definitely be going to petsmart to get the red can today! I took him to training classes at petsmart and the trainer said he'd never seen a dog act this way. When I got him from the shelter he was really sick. Had aspiration pneumonia... I almost lost him.. once he got well.. is when all the bad behavior started happening.

 

[xskyzx]

be patient is the key,
DO not let him on the couch whenever he want, go on walks with him ( helps with boredom so he doesn't chew on stuff, +its good for him) *Major walk about 1-2 miles a day*, and if he pulls you, correct him and make him sit and wait. and i agreed with

2BullyMama "nothing is free" ​

 

[BrianW]

I would look for a professional behaviorist, not just someone who works at PetSmart and calls themselves a trainer. That is what we did when we had issues with our girls (my semi blind and deaf female became very aggressive towards my other girl) a few years ago. Our behaviorist is one of 58 CBCC-KA's in the entire nation, and solved their problems within a matter of two weeks. She was a little costly, but in the log run the cost was way worth it.

 

[punky]

you said he has ear issues.. just wondering if he is in pain and could be reacting this was.. im just wondering. i know mine do strange things when that are not feeling well.. just saying, maybe have vet check him out..

 

[Vcphillips]

Hello. I have a 10 month old now who is about 60lbs. At 8 months old he started what I thought was being aggressive. I got a trainer that was recommended by other people with bullies. She told me he is acting out and trying to be dominant. He was a very well rounded pup manners wise. Then at 8 months it all went out the door. I would be sitting and he would just come up and bite us and start pulling on us, attacking ankles when we were walking, getting up in our face and barking, the list goes on. We had to take him back to puppy basics. Treat for everything positive. We now make our kids carry treats in their pockets that way at any given time if we see positive behavior we can treat it. If we start to see negative behavior we can redirect him. Any time he would get aggressive with treats, toys, items laying around the house We grab the scruff of his neck and put him down on the ground. We had to show him we are the boss. When he would jump at our hands for treats or toys we would knee him off or push him away with our hands. That would only make him more aggressive. Now anytime he gets aggressive we barely get our hands on him and he is going to the ground by himself. You will need to have someone show you when he is ready to be let up. We thought we had the hang of it and then he would just go right back to it once we let him up. You really have to learn to watch their body language that way you can learn to let him up when he is ready. We have had to hold him down for up to 10 minutes depending on his mood.
We first went to petco and wasted money. I really suggest you get a trainer that is familiar with bulldogs or large dominant breeds. It really has made a huge difference.
Another major thing that has helped is hand feeding him both meals everyday. He is learning that you are in control of his food and will learn to not be aggressive to the hand that feeds him. We also attached him to us when we are home it teaches him to watch you and being by your side is a good thing. We do not have toys laying around for him to have access to. Before we give him a toys, treat, food, etc we make him work for it by making him do sits, downs, turn in circles, etc. Good luck. It is very frustrating but if you are able to get a good trainer it will be well worth it.
Also exercising him is a must. We take our pup on 3 walks a day.

 

[Vcphillips]

I would look for a professional behaviorist, not just someone who works at PetSmart and calls themselves a trainer. That is what we did when we had issues with our girls (my semi blind and deaf female became very aggressive towards my other girl) a few years ago. Our behaviorist is one of 58 CBCC-KA's in the entire nation, and solved their problems within a matter of two weeks. She was a little costly, but in the log run the cost was way worth it.

I agree. We have been taking our pup to his trainer for 3 weeks now and he has made almost 80% turn around. It is constant work but well worth it. We still have issues but, we are slowly working them out.

 

[Vikinggirl]

You've been given great advice and suggestions already, I don't have any experience with aggression, but agree with the others with getting a trainer. I hope you are able to find a solution to his aggression. Please keep us posted on how he is doing, and if you found any solutions. Good luck. Sending you love, hugs and prayers.