My Bulldog doesn't like other dogs - what can I do to make him less aggressive?

Question

Just rescued a three year old Bulldog. He's super sweet, great with people (even people he doesn't know), but when we took him out today he growled at a couple of other dogs. Most he ignored, but he singled out a couple. What can I do to make him less aggressive? It's only with dogs and he hasn't gone for them, just snarled a little bit. but it's enough that I don't want to take him off the leash.

I'd like him to be th sort of dog I can let run around the park freely, but am concerned he could get into trouble if I let him: he's very big and strong. Should I be worried if he growls a bit at other dogs?

Thoughts?

Answer 1

First do NOT EVER let your dog off leash to run around in public. Even if he did nothing wrong and someone tripped over him, guess he gets the ticket for unleashed dog AND gets sued.


Second, I assume he is neutered - any responsible rescue would requre it.

Third, he is feeling displaced, unsure and doesn't want anyone or thing (other dogs) infringing upon his territory or personal space - and yes, like people, they to have their "personal space".

You have no idea of his background.If, for example, he had ever been attacked by another dog , he is going to be defensive and wary. Forget - in that case you will never turn him into thte life od the doggy party. he will be particularly wary of dogs that resmeble one that might have attacked him

Also you have to understand that dogs are NOT going to like all other dogs because they are dogs. Do you like all people you meet or are there someone you take one look at and think "jerk -keep away'? Same thing for dogs. It may be the body language of the other dog, their attitude...same things that you would react to in a person. That is exactly the reason that you NEVER let you dog loose and go running up to strange dogs OR let people bring their dog up and shove it in your dog's face so they "can make friends." These are the two fastest ways in the book to get a dog fight going.

Don't make him approach other dogs or "make friends" because you want him to do so. Tell people who try to let their dog charge up to him " Sorry, he is not very dog friendly with strangers. He is a rescue and must have had a bad experience with strange dogs. Better keep them back and see how they do." Let him decide if he wants to acknowledge the other dog and make their acquaintance - and be ready on the end of the leash to pull him back if either dog checks out the other and says "Nope - you get on out of here...grrrr"


When he growls at a dog as you pass by, snap his leash and collar, tell him NO is a stern voice and keep moving, Get his mind back on you. It is one thing for him to politely decline to play or make friends and back up or ignore them, and it is another to go around being rude about it and calling the jerk a jerk just to say it.

NEVER EVER IGNORE BAD OR INCORRECT BEHAVIOR.
All your dog learns is that whatever he just did was okay with you and he can do it again whenevr he wants.



I now use a Mobility Service Dog and I want to strangle people who let their dogs run loose and come charging up to us. Doggy gets to us, my guy is concentrating on his job, doggy decides he doesn't like the looks of my guy and growls (with his nose close to me because my dog is in working position) and my Service Dog is not going to let that threat stay that close to me and boom - he is knocking that doggy back 20 feet and creating a scene that I have to deal with -and my helper is the right and the idiot who let his dog comng charging up in the wrong..

Now, if you want to take him out and let him romp - keep him control with a long line so you can reel him in if necessary and get control before the strange dog gets to you.

Make sure he knows "come" before you go to the very long line out in public:

Here is an excerpt from my instruction sheet which I give to my clients:

Go to the hardware store. Get 3 lengths of ¼ inch to 3/8 inch soft nylon line – 20 foot, 50 foot and 100 foot. Get 3 snaps. Tie the snaps on one end and make a loop handle on the other.

Start with the 20 foot line. Use a slip collar that is fitted so there is 3 fingers of space between the dog’s neck and the collar.

Hook the line on her collar. Hopefully she knows sit and wait. If not, teach it to her. If she does know sit and wait, put her in a sit, step back 2 or 3 steps and call her. If she doesn’t come, haul her in with the line.

When she comes over a distance of 5-6 feet, move back to 10-12 feet and call her.

Repeat this process until she is working on the 100 foot line.

NEVER TAKE HER OUTSIDE WITHOUT A LEASH (6 ft) OR ONE OF THE LONG LINES. NEVER TURN HER LOOSE OFF LEAD AND CALL HER UNTIL SHE COMES 100% OF THE TIME ON THE 100 FOOT LINE WITH ALL KINDS OF DISTRACTIONS, IE: OTHER DOGS, KIDS PLAYING, TOYS BEING THROWN IN HER PATH AS SHE COMES, ETC.

When you say “come” and she doesn’t, haul her backside into you using the line repeating “come”, “come”.

When she gets to you – willingly or unwillingly, praise and pet and make a big fuss and tell her that she is such a good girl.

Never ever ever call a dog to you to punish them.

Using treats is silly because one day you will start to forget the treats or not have them or something, and the next time you call her, she'll remember not getting the treat and figure "why bother?" Do you really want to walk around snmelling like a doggy deli all your dog's life becasue of treats in your pocket for just in case?

Clickers are just flat stupid - they are for people who are too dumb to figure out how to quickly say "GOOD DOG" in a happy, excited voice.

You always have your hands and your voice. Use them


_____

On the subject of bribing the dog to obey with treats as a means of training, I'm currently having to retrain a dog for his new family who was trained that way with the constant bribes. Would have saved a lot of time and trouble if his former owner (now deceased) had taken the time to do it properly.

Answer 2

If you socialise the dog then there shouldn't ever be any problems. I don't know much about the breed as there aren't that many in the UK, though i saw one on a dog training programme recently over here and the dog was so out of control and it was a liablity, biting trainers etc. It got to the point that the owners had a tough decision, the dog being an older pup as well. The owenrs contact the breed rescue and they said that they wouldn't take on any aggressive dogs. They put the dog to sleep as the owners had young children in the house, god it made me cry so much. So all i have to say is that make sure you train the dog from an early age, any breed or type and if you see any problems start to arise, get a trainer behaviourist and work to erradicate them before they become too huge.. I have nothing against any bully breeds, i think they are lovely when trained

Answer 3

Bulldog Like Dogs

Answer 4

If you can, watch the dog whisperer on national geographic. The man is amazing. You have to show him, through calm, assertive energy, that that behavior is not allowed. Get a pinch collar and when he does that, give a quick short jerk on the leash and say NO in a firm voice. Bulldogs can be that way if they are not completely socialized. You are his pack leader and he must understand that and the sooner the better. For all the answers that were for a PIT BULL dog, that is not what this person has. He has a BULLDOG and they are 2 different breeds.
Good luck !

Answer 5

Controlling Aggressive Dog Behavior

GUARD OR PROTECTION DOGS: Many people consider getting a dog for protection or for guarding their property but Controlling Aggressive dog Behavior of Large dogs, such as Doberman Pinchers, Rottweilers, and others are usually used. These dogs don't even have to be vicious, they just need to look big and bark as a deterrent. In many cases, the dogs will be encouraged to bark, bite, etc. Many burglars are initially deterred by attention. If your dog barks then maybe this all that is needed. There will be no need to get a "vicious" dog. You should never try to take control over a trained protection dog. If you have to in an emergency situation try giving some training commands like "Sit", "Leave" or "Drop". These dogs are quite well trained and should respond to commands.

AGGRESSION WITH OTHER DOGS: Dogs can be aggressive with other dogs, especially if they have not been properly socialised with other dogs in puppy-hood. Sometimes a dog that is naturally dominant has trouble with other dogs especially in puberty. A dog which has a specific experience (e.g. a dogfight with another aggressive dog) may cause it to become aggressive towards other dogs. Whatever the reason, it is well worth your time working on your dog's aggression toward other dogs. You will probably get the best results, especially with a problem dog - extreme aggression, for example - if you contact a local trainer (preferably one that specialises with problem dogs) for individual help. Friendly dog behavioural patterns include moving side by side, sniffing behinds and tails wagging at body level (not up high or over the back). Non-friendly behavioural patterns include meeting face-to-face, ears forward and tail held high over the back. If you and another dog owner come across each others path and find your dogs do not get along together very well, then desensitisation methods need to be put in place.

Here's what to do:

1. Stand facing each other about 6 feet apart.
2. Have your dog on lead and sitting on your left hand side.
3. Make sure you can control your dog before trying this.
4. Only one person is to walk forward whilst the other dog is sitting quietly.
5. The person walking forward shall now walk two steps and sit the dog. Making sure that you are now directly in front on the other owner and dog.
6. If the dog sits quietly for about 10 seconds, you then need to walk away and immediately praise the dog for being good. Do not praise the dog until you have tuned away from the subject.
7. Return back to the start position and this time move in three steps. If the dog is good once again, do the same.

If the dog at any time attempts to growl give a sharp jerk with the lead, using a choker collar, with a sharp "No" command. If you have other ways of correcting your dog then you can do that instead. If you have corrected the dog for growling you need to walk back to the start position. Then go back to the forward steps that the dog performed well (at the last walk in). Do all this until the dogs can sit close quietly (do not push it too much on your first attempt), this takes time. If you over do it, you may not progress. Always finish on a good behavioural pattern. Never call it quits and go home if the dog has not done well. Once you are satisfied with your dogs performance you may wish to swap places and let the other dog and the owner have a go at walking in. When you sit your dog (on the left-hand side during this procedure), you must make sure that your dog does not move or attempt to growl or bite the oncoming dog. Having the dog sitting quietly is the hardest achievement to do in this exercise, so keep the exercises short. Upon completion you may both "FREE" (SEE OBEDIENT SECTION) your dogs and play with your dogs. When you place a correction on the dog if it is being aggressive you need to be able to control your dog. If the dog does not respect your authority it will become more aggressive. If this happens, ignore the aggression and walk the aggressive dog away. Start again at a further distance, keep up the training and finish on a good note. If you have no control over your dog go to your local obedience class or find a good animal handler. People who lack the pack status in the family will have trouble controlling their dogs when attempting to correct their dog. I have two Rottweilers, an American Bulldog and a Staffy X Bullterrier, if I was walking my dogs altogether and we are confronted by another dog, I can honestly say I can have full control over my animals. I am not cruel or use harsh methods, my dogs respect me and when I say sit, they listen. If they turn aggressive I have usually acted before this aggression occurs. I know what my dogs will do in different circumstances and this will be a great asset for you to learn. If you ignore bad behaviour and praise good behaviour then you will be on the way to successfully training your dog.

Answer 6

I have read all the answers, some long and some short. Plain and simple...... Socialize him more, take him for more walks. The more he sees the more he learns. Also invest in some dog training classes. Get the dog fixed, the aggression level will drop. Eventually you will be able to take him off leash and into a dog park, but for right now he does need training.

Muzzles will not fix the problem. They are a band-aid for the situation. And it is also a possibility that since your dog is 3 and a rescue that he may be over protective of you since you did "rescue" him.

Answer 7

I wouldnt take any chances. It is fun to have them off the leash to play ,but this can be dangerous. You never know when another dog will run up and start a fight with yours. Most places it is illegal to have your dog off a leash and if something happens you will get fined. Unfortunately the bull dog types have gotten a bad reputation by bad dog owners and backyard breeders breeding them for bad temperments. You may try to find a reputable trainer to assess him and see if he could be taught to be less aggressive. I have a pit bull that is usually a sweetie which i rescued, but she can be protective of me.

Answer 8

A dog should be trained on how to eat, walk with you, not to bark, potty training and sleep on its place etc. You can teach anything to your puppy, dogs get trained easily with some good instructions. If you want some good training tips visit https://tr.im/zkYaQ

If properly trained, they should also understand whistle and gesture equivalents for all the relevant commands, e.g. short whistle or finger raised sit, long whistle or flat hand lay down, and so on.

It's important that they also get gestures and whistles as voice may not be sufficient over long distances and under certain circumstances.

Answer 9

well i think its something about being on a leash my dog growls and tries to run to every dog she sees( her hackles are also up) ona leash when i take her to the dog park shes fine ...i think one way to check if he is wagging his tail if he is he probably just want to play with the other dog ....id check on the internet to see what it says about bull dog's temperments id eventually introduce it to another dog (offleash) to see how your dog reacts. Id be sorta cautious though just in case............if you take your dog to meet another dog i would do it on nutural territory (like a place where both you and the person with the other dogs doent live ) like a park.......also maybe being around other dogs more often will help

Answer 10

Bulldogs are just naturelly like this practice good behavior at home that will help and reward him when he is nice to the dogs!And ask you vet he/she can help!

Answer 11

the problem is, is that he's already 3 years old "you cant teach a old dog new tricks", well basically u cant make ur dog interact with other dogs. i had a rescue dog. she was very timid toward other dogs and if they got too close she growled too because she was afraid. rescue dogs are different because they've been through trauma and that makes them afraid and timid. give ur dog a break, if u love him, that's wat counts