How to Train an English Bulldog
English Bulldogs make wonderful pets. They do not take up a lot of space, they only tend to have energy in short bursts, and they have great personalities. Bullies typically get along great with children and other dogs as well. Despite their great qualities, English Bulldogs possess one extremely challenging personality trait: they are extremely stubborn. Without a proper understanding of the breed, an owner can find trying to train them to be a frustrating experience.
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Instructions
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How to Train an English Bulldog
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Know your breed. English Bulldogs tend to be very stubborn by nature. You can call their name endlessly and they may just sit where they are and look at you until you make it worth their while. Their stubbornness can also make leash walking a battle of the wills, and with their muscular physique pulling you their way, you may find yourself giving in a good deal of the time. Coming to the terms with the fact that you have a stubborn dog, should help reduce your frustration in trying to train them. Accept them for what they are and work with it.
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Use motivators. English Bulldogs tend to be very motivated by food (if they are not consider changing brands). Motivate their obedience by rewarding them with a treat when they obey a command. The treats you use for training can be broken to the size of a large pea. The point in treat training is to give your dog a taste of something, otherwise you'll be seeing a lot of weight gain.
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Use a clicker to further reinforce following directions and understanding when you are training your dog to do something new. Give your dog a command, click the clicker one time when they obey, and immediately follow with a treat. By clicking when they obey, the dog will start to associate your command with the action you want them to do. When they begin to consistently obey your command, keep using the clicker, but start to fade the treats.
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Pair command words with hand signals and be consistent. Choose a specific phrase and hand signal for each command you give your English Bulldog. This will help speed up the learning process.
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Remember that practice will improve your dog's consistency with following directions. The more you work with your dog the faster and better trained they will be.
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Tips & Warnings
Between 8 and 12 months of age your dog will go through adolescence. They may temporarily seem to forget all their training. Stay consistent during this period and they should quickly go back to following directions.
Never hit your English Bulldog to redirect them. Not only is it ineffective, but confusing and harmful to your dog. If they need to be redirected quickly, lightly touch the side of their neck and make t sound by putting your tounge on the roof of your mouth and blowing. This will serve as a warning to your dog (similar to the way dogs warn one another in packs) and should stop their behavior.
