Bull Dog

The average bull dog is 12 – 15” in height, weighs 40 – 50 pounds and generally lives between 10 – 12 years. A bull dogs coloring is usually red, fawn, white, brindle and piebald (pigmented spots on an unpigmented white background) or a combination thereof. There are usually thick folds of skin under their eyebrows, jowls under their neck and an under bite with an upturned jaw. Their tail is naturally short and either straight or screwed.

Bark Busters has trained hundreds of bull dogs because behind that affectionate nature is a stubbornness and willfulness to be in charge! Early training and socialization and constant leadership is suggested or you will have a dog that is “bull-headed”!

Bull Dog Management

Even though this breed looks grumpy, a bull dog’s personality is by nature lovable and sweet. However, it’s tenacity and resolve mean that it's difficult to change his mind once he decides to do something. It is important that you establish right from the start who is the leader of the pack, or else he will try and take control. They respond well to the Bark Busters style of training which is based on all natural and positive techniques.

Remember that dogs learn how to communicate with each other as a member of the pack on their Mother’s teats. Their Mom gets them to behave not by using treats or prong and shock collars. That is exactly what the Bark Busters style of training teaches these dogs – how to communicate between human and dog. We teach you how to set rules and boundaries early on. Good training involves repetition, positive reinforcement and consistency. You have to let your bull dog know that you mean what you say.

The good news is that although bull dogs are slow to mature, once they have grown up, they seem to stay out of trouble. We have seen bull dogs with serious cases of food guarding, which is why we don’t recommend feeding them around children or other pets.

 Although most bull dogs generally get along with other pets in the family, we have seen many bull dogs act aggressively toward other dogs of the same sex. Others don’t seem to get along with cats. It takes a tremendous amount of serious teasing to make this dog mad, but once he is, look out!

Most bull dogs are friendly with strangers, but some can be politely reserved.

The bull dog gets along best in temperate climates. They may want to be couch potatoes, snoring away, but you need to get them up and exercising every day since the breed can be prone to obesity. However, remember that bull dogs are intolerant of warm weather, and may die if overheated. Too much exercise or stress can make it difficult for them to breathe.

As with other breeds, bull dogs seem to have a face that some people find adorable, whereas others can’t take their drooling, snorting, wheezing and farting! Even though they are not barkers, you can hear their “dog noises” from far away!

Whenever we work with a bull dog owner, we always work on helping our client’s bull dog build a positive association with getting their face cleaned. Building the positive association before there are problems is much easier than starting when there are already problems. Depending on how active the dog is and how dirty it likes to get, we suggest they practice daily. Here’s a process that has been successful for many clients.

If the dog likes treats, having a supply of small stinky treats or tiny pieces of cheese will be helpful. Start by calling the dog to you for petting. Start petting under the chin. Go slowly and talk to your dog in a calm loving tone of voice. Slowly bring your hands up to the cheeks and gently probe the folds of its cheeks with your fingers. You can occasionally give a treat, if the dog remains calm and non-reactive. Continue gently probing the folds working up on both sides of his face. Give him lots of calm praise as you proceed.

If the dog does react slow down and work outside the folds, gently stroking the cheeks but not going into the folds. Slowly work into the folds as you he lets you and stays unreactive.

Once he is used to being touched, bring out what you will be using to actually clean his face. Cotton balls or a soft cloth are good choices. Show him the item and when he leans in to sniff it, give him a treat, then put it away. Repeat that a few times until he doesn’t react when he sees the cotton or cloth.

Once he is ok seeing what you will be using, start by using it to pet him and stroke his face. Don’t immediately start probing unless he is completely fine with you doing it. Get him used to the feel of the item. Use the treats to help him build that positive association. Give him lots of calm praise as he stays un-reactive.

Next you would start cleaning. Dampen the cotton or cloth, give him a treat when he sniffs the cloth and gently start to clean the folds. After cleaning, take another dry cotton ball or cloth and thoroughly dry the insides of the folds. Go slow, give yourself and your dog plenty of time.

By starting before there are problems, and building the positive association with having their face cleaned, the likelihood of infection is greatly reduced. Dogs love getting attention and affection and very often face cleaning can turn into a great bonding time. Once established this should be done daily and if your bull dog is susceptible to getting dirty than it might need to be done more than once a day. Have fun and if you need help contact your local Bark Busters Trainer.

The Right Training for Your Bull Dog

This very lovable breed is trainable, but you must be patient and be prepared for their over-enthusiasm when trying to please you. To begin with, start out slow, with small and brief exercises each day and build on these depending on your dog’s personality and energy levels.

Making sure you allow lots of stops for your dog to have a drink of water.

It is not wise to give your bull dog too much to do in the beginning or you could tire him, which could lead to your pet trying to avoid any efforts towards training in the future.

The best approach is to keep everything you do calm and your body movements to a minimum as this breed is easily distracted.

Best to initially start out on a leash around the home and advance to some off-leash training as your dog learns what you want.

They definitely have the intelligence to learn anything if you have the patience but you have to understand the breed’s capabilities and personality to understand what is possible.

As previously mentioned, the bull dog does not like the heat and it can run out of steam quite quickly on a hot day. It is best to train them during the cooler parts of the day and only in short spurts.

Your local Bark Busters trainer is very experienced at helping you with the training of your bull dog and knows the best way to get the most out of your pet.

Our training is based on communication, no harsh methods and more than 30 years-experience in dealing with all breeds. We can teach your bull dog basic obedience (sit, come, stay) as help you to overcome tougher issues like aggression, sibling rivalry, separation anxiety and leash training.

Do’s and Don'ts of Training for Bull Dog Owners

• Don’t yell your commands, your dog has excellent hearing
• Don’t use a gruff voice if you are asking your dog to come to you.
• Do use the right tone of voice; normal tone for commands, high tone for praise and firm tone to address any unwanted behavior.
• Never strike, hit, poke or prod your dog
• Never drag your dog back to the ‘scene of the crime’. You must see them in the act and address the behavior without being physical.
• Don’t be inconsistent as dogs hate inconsistency.
• Do keep your exercises short.
• Do praise your dog when it does what you ask of it.
• Do be patient, remember your dog does not speak English, it Speaks Dog!

Separating from Your Dog

Most bull dogs just want to be where you are, but that can lead to situations where separation might rear its head. So practice exercises where you separate from your dog for a while, to ensure that they learn to cope being left alone.

Many people nowadays sleep with their dogs and we don’t have any issues with that, providing that your dog’s behavior is not related to this practice. Even so, it is still wise to make sure that your dog can cope alone some nights, so your dog is used to being separated and learns how to, every now and then, be without you without feeling anxious.

Children and Bull Dogs

Although bull dogs are known to be patient and loving with children, never assume this. Never introduce ANY dog to a child when unsupervised. Remember that the bull dog was originally one of the bully breeds that received a bad rap but was later classified as a “nanny dog”. Why? Because they are generally so good with children.

All dogs, regardless of what breed they are should receive some basic education about how to behave around children. Likewise, children also need some guidelines on what is permitted when it comes to interacting with the dog or games to play.

Introduce your child to your bull dog with a watchful eye on both. Both puppies and children can be unpredictable in how they react to certain situations and do not understand the consequences of their actions. Both can make innocent mistakes that are costly and dangerous. Children often think they can poke or prod a dog and then act surprised when the dog rebels. Children should be taught to never pull, hit or rough house with a puppy. A bulldog puppy that is abused can develop phobias and psychological scars that can be carried into adulthood.

With the proper training, your bull dog will more than likely be a great companion and loyal watch dog with your children.

To be on the safe side, never leave dogs and children alone together. They always need supervision.

Common Illnesses and Injuries

Bulldogs have personality and physical traits that may make them more prone to certain conditions—the short snout of a Bulldog makes it more sensitive to warm weather and prone to heat stress. The wrinkles and folds of a Bulldog also make it prone to skin conditions.

Bull dogs have a tendency towards infections in the folds of skin on their faces if they are not kept clean and dry. This can be challenging so it’s important to establish a routine as soon as possible. This is certainly an instance when an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. More than a few times we’ve been asked to help when bull dogs have developed infections and the folds needed to be cleaned and medication applied. The infections cause the area to become very sensitive and many of these dogs will become reactive to attempts to clean their faces.

At any stage of life, here are some of the most common injuries and illnesses you should be aware of when bringing home a Bulldog:

• Bone and joint problems
• Hip and elbow dysplasia
• Eye problems
• Bladder and kidney stones
• Respiratory conditions
• Heart disease
• Skin conditions
• Cancer
• Dental abnormalities
• Reproductive conditions

Genetic Health Concerns

Like many popular breeds, the Bulldog has its fair share of hereditary based issues, like hip and elbow dysplasia and heart conditions.

Most reputable breeders now have their breeding stock checked and scored for these hereditary ailments by a veterinarian. You can request proof that the puppy you are purchasing comes from parents that have been checked for these issues.

Because many other health issues are also hereditary, you should do some research on the ancestry of your puppy and any health issues of that particular breed.

Many rescue organizations also check for common-ailments before making them available for adoption.

If you are ever concerned about your dog’s health, your local veterinarian is a great resource—no matter how small the question.