In desperate need of some help 😢

[DGW]

Hello all
I really need some advice and/or help !!
You see bulldogs everywhere now all over the internet and they all seem well behaved, and the owners absolutely love having them since the day they got them.
Well why am I different ? Why has my dream dog turnt into a nightmare for me ? So much so I have thought about rehoming him ( I never actually would but it really makes me feel like that at times)
My English bulldog is 10months old , male.

Before I got him I did research of what to do and not to. So I was fully prepared when I brought him home.
So I thought.

Everyone who knows him will say how well behaved he is. He doesn’t bark unless he’s telling you something or something spooks him ( people with hoods up) but for the past six months or so he’s become a nightmare. If we go out and we come to an open space he jumps at me and bites ( mouths?) he is such a big boy it really hurts and there’s nothing I can do to stop it other than to find the nearest pavement. So I’ve put that down to excitement but how do you stop that ? It hurts that much and so embarrassing that I end up going home.

When he is bathed he is absolutely fine - until he comes out then he starts the biting again, the jumping.

I have tried everything , training , vibration collars , hand feeding nothing seems to be working. I think is it that he has too much energy that needs burning but we will go on extra long walks sometimes for hours but he will still do it. He has a crate so when he's tired he goes in and naps.

other than the above he is a good dog , hes loyal - funny and very playful but the bad is weighing out the good at the moment.

I feel so alone . Is there anyone that has experienced this ?

Thankyou

 

[RalphTheBulldog]

It will get better i promise! I use to be covered in bruises where Ralph would launch at me! he grew out of it. i use to carry a spray bottle of water, he hated it! i wanted to re home that bundle of joy so many times with the dog mess in our new house and the thousands in damaged furniture! it will get better!

 

[DGW]

You don’t know how happy that has made me that someone else has experienced this same behaviour !!
I hope he does grow out of it - I’m constantly thinking I’ve got a broken bulldog

 

[ddnene]

Welcome to EBN... and Welcome to owning a bulldog!!! First I would like to ask, have you done ANY type of puppy training w/your dog?!! I can't emphasize enough how important it is to get basic training and socialization those first few months. Puppy Kindergarten is something that I do with ALL of my dogs... to include the bulldogs.

 

[DGW]

Hello and thank you
I have been training since I got him basics is very good apart from recall that’s not solid because he would run over to play with another dog.
When you say socialising I know this going to sound thick but do you mean letting him play with other dogs ? If so then no I don’t like him going near other dogs because I Was told by an online trainer that dogs don’t need dog friends ALSO my boy is so heavy I’m scared he would hurt another dog whilst playing HOWEVER saying that he did play with a Rottweiler the other day and they was running all over the place and I did think maybe he does need dog friends , but then I think nah you can’t have to rely on your dog having dog friends so that they are well behaved with you
I know I have rambled on my apologies

 

[Manydogs]

Welcome to EBN! Your boy is showing you that HE is in charge. I see you are in England. Are you allowed to have him castrated? That will help adjusting his attitude. He also thinks HE is the one in charge. Sounds to me like you did not let him know who was in charge, as a pup. Now it will be a much harder job, but it can be done! I start my dogs when they are little pups, no biting me-bite the toys. They are never allowed to bite me! I believe your dog does not respect you. Please watch this video

There are others also--put Herm Sprenger in the search, and learn how to use this important tool correctly. your dog is too big to be treated as a pup. This will help if you learn to use it correctly!

 

[ddnene]

Hello and thank you
I have been training since I got him basics is very good apart from recall that’s not solid because he would run over to play with another dog.
When you say socialising I know this going to sound thick but do you mean letting him play with other dogs ? If so then no I don’t like him going near other dogs because I Was told by an online trainer that dogs don’t need dog friends ALSO my boy is so heavy I’m scared he would hurt another dog whilst playing HOWEVER saying that he did play with a Rottweiler the other day and they was running all over the place and I did think maybe he does need dog friends , but then I think nah you can’t have to rely on your dog having dog friends so that they are well behaved with you
I know I have rambled on my apologies

Sometimes a new set of "eyes" on your dog (dog trainer) is best to asses what is going on... especially since it seems he needs some guidance. Socializing doesn't mean finding a "best friend" per say... dogs should be exposed to other dogs to learn how to behave in social settings, and to reduce aggressive behavioral patterns. Bulldogs have a tendency to be OCD so the more you can expose them to their environment early on the better.

 

[2BullyMama]

@DGW ... there is hope, you need to go back to basics with training and he is at what I refer to toddler stage and needs his training re-enforced. He thinks he is in charge of you and he needs to be reminded that he is not. As others stated... maybe a new trainer or you can do basics again... try using nothing in life is free, very easy and he will fall back in line

 

[helsonwheels]

Dogs don’t need dog friends? Dump that online trainer. Dogs most certainly need to socialize. Yours is basically is telling you who’s the boss n that’s definitely not you or he wouldn’t be acting as the alpha. As mentioned, it’s back to the basic training. Great advice above

 

[DGW]

Thank you ALL so much for your responses. I definitely need to rethink the whole dog friend thing and I’ve definitely messed up by not socialising him properly so that is my fault 100%.
I must say though I have gone back to basic training and he is brilliant with it does as he is told etc but the jumping and biting is ALWAYS when we come to open spaces then EVERYTHING goes out the window.

 

[oscarmayer]

A trainer can help you with teaching a "default command"...something to distract from undesired behavior...a RESET BUTTON of sorts. Something as simple a "watch me", "look here", "sit" will get the point across. You choose it and make it work.

 

[buffym]

My baby is also 10 months old and also does a lot of play biting and jumping. I will be starting her in a training class very soon. I didnt get her until she was already 5 months old and she came to me with bad habits that Im still working on. She just got spayed yesterday so Im hoping that will calm her down a bit.

 

[Fbjdd]

the terrible 2's but in bulldogs not fun but it does stop. You will have to show him that you are the alpha in the home though. if you don't he will know that he is the boss not you.

 

[NigelsMom]

I have a frenchy now and he is like that, he thinks biting is playing and no matter how I redirect him he just thinks I'm playing with him. I just keep telling him that's not how we play and I start doing something else with him like fetch or hold his bone for him to chew on. Talk to your baby and when he behaves reward him with treats. This will help that good behavior stick. Good luck!

 

[Mama5]

Hello all
I really need some advice and/or help !!
You see bulldogs everywhere now all over the internet and they all seem well behaved, and the owners absolutely love having them since the day they got them.
Well why am I different ? Why has my dream dog turnt into a nightmare for me ? So much so I have thought about rehoming him ( I never actually would but it really makes me feel like that at times)
My English bulldog is 10months old , male.

Before I got him I did research of what to do and not to. So I was fully prepared when I brought him home.
So I thought.

Everyone who knows him will say how well behaved he is. He doesn’t bark unless he’s telling you something or something spooks him ( people with hoods up) but for the past six months or so he’s become a nightmare. If we go out and we come to an open space he jumps at me and bites ( mouths?) he is such a big boy it really hurts and there’s nothing I can do to stop it other than to find the nearest pavement. So I’ve put that down to excitement but how do you stop that ? It hurts that much and so embarrassing that I end up going home.

When he is bathed he is absolutely fine - until he comes out then he starts the biting again, the jumping.

I have tried everything , training , vibration collars , hand feeding nothing seems to be working. I think is it that he has too much energy that needs burning but we will go on extra long walks sometimes for hours but he will still do it. He has a crate so when he's tired he goes in and naps.

other than the above he is a good dog , hes loyal - funny and very playful but the bad is weighing out the good at the moment.

I feel so alone . Is there anyone that has experienced this ?

Thankyou

I haven't with Tank but he was basically trained when I got him, we're still working on walking next to the walker without tangling us both up, but part of that is his Mommy isn't the most coordinated person, but before I got him I had a bull terrier, Daisy but she didn't like all the little dogs around here and I got pulled down one to many times, I had to keep coming up with explanations to my doctor about all my bobo's she helped me get, so sadly yes I had to get rid of her, I've heard they can be quite stubborn and you have to get everything down early, I'm sorry you're having to rehome yours