Help!

[Lisa]

Does anyone have any experience with bulldogs?

My boss has a bulldog who is 6 months old and as stubborn as his name suggests.

He's really cute and he sleeps most of the time, but sometimes he gets into a really rambunctious mood and I don't know what to do with him! He will chew on boxes, my purse, my mp3 player, his tire (with a box in his mouth too), my shoes and anything else he can get into. He growls and play-snaps (or at least I think he's playing) when I try to push him away and most of the time I can distract him with a pigs ear, but sometimes it just doesn't work. I've asked my boss what his "off" command is, but he doesn't have one. My boss tells me not to let him chew on boxes, but I really don't know what to do. He is like this (with me at least-he'll play when his owner is in the room, but he'll play around him and not on stuff). I don't fully trust him (because he's a pup, his teeth are quite large, and I don't know him well enough to know how far I can push him). He doesn't listen to me when I tell him to lie down.

OH! Any suggestions??

 

[mininik]

This pup is not going to listen when you tell him to do something he doesn't know. If he knew down, he would down, but probably wouldn't be able to stay for long due to his age and the environment he's in. This sounds like a typical puppy who's not getting enough daily exercise, play and training. I'm guessing your boss doesn't want to crate the pup, or put him in a room of his own, right? Is it possible for him to get a walk or play break at lunchtime? That might help settle him until closing. When he "wakes up" I would also offer him a Kong type toy stuffed with something that'll take him some time to get out, like frozen yogurt and chunks of his favorite treats, meat or string cheese. Avoid telling this pup NO, because that doesn't tell him anything more than what you DON'T want him to do at that moment, which leaves a lot of options. The key is to give him various constructive activities TO do, and eventually he'll learn to stick to it. Something else that may help is giving this pup a job to do, such as being on a leash and walking nicely with you wherever you need to go.

 

[Lisa]

Thanks for the suggestions. Unfortunately they are not something that I can do. I am an office assistant at a pub and I have a lot to do in a day and don't have time to train/walk/play with him. His owner takes him for a walk and whenever he leaves for an extended time Walter goes with him.

I am going to ask him if it's possible to bring a crate into the office, but I'm not sure that would even work. It's a very small office that probably wouldn't have room for a crate the size that it would have to be.

 

[Reijel's Mom]

Sounds like a typical harmless pain in the butt puppy. Compare him to a 2 year old child - good luck

 

[woodnldy]

I agree with the 2 year old child comparison,but like a two year old can be taught what "NO" means so can the pup. Roll up a newspaper and wrap tape around one end pretty tight. When he gets hold of shoes,purse, boxes ect. that he shouldn't have pop him with the paper(loose end)and say a firm NO. Some may not agree with corporal punishment but done right (then hand him his toy and give him praise)it gets his attention and helps him remember. Momma dogs growls and grouches and gets rough when they have to. It is a safety thing here too. If the owner is going to bring him to his place of business then for his own safety he needs to know a few basic commands. My two cents

Cheryl

 

[mininik]

Popping the wrong dog with a newspaper, your hand or whatever can lead to a fearful dog and/or aggression issues. Out of our six dogs, all but two could probably take a hit and "move on." Of the other two, one would shrink away fearfully and may bite out of fear if she felt cornered, while the other just might react by coming back at the challenge you are presenting. I wouldn't recommend you hit ANY dog, whether they are yours or not.

 

[MinisOutWest]

ask any questions you need to. this is the worlds sweetest hard headed bull dog you have ever met.

Fred- or sometimes know as Refried Fred- when the hot air starts rolling from undogly places!!!!

 

[liltnt]

one of the animal trainers on animal planet useda loud noise, like a cake pan, . When he is doing something he isnt supposed to, hit the pan. He will stop. He wont like the noise and will realize if he touches it the noise will happen. Dont look at him or pay any attention, just bang on it and keep doing what you are doing.

 

[mininik]

Making a startling sound works for some dogs, but not all, and for some it doesn't work for long. The noise making can be over done to the point where the dog becomes scared, reactive or densensitized. I don't use it here because it would set my dogs back when it comes to playing the Bang Game for Agility training. Some people like to use spray bottles as aversions, but you have to be stealthy or the dog will learn that YOU are the source of the spray and that can lead to undesirable behaviors being done when you're gone (to the bathroom, for example). Once again, I'll bring up that this pup should be given something productive to do, or you'll be spending your days correcting everything he tries that doesn't work for you.

 

[woodnldy]

Oh Fred is a doll!!, How have you taught his hard headedness to mind? Bulldogs are known to be loving but stubborn. When I said pop the bad boy thats all I meant. Get his attention so that he knows he is doing a naughty. Then correct the naughty. Just like kids they need their boundary's set and what works for one will not work for all,(true mininik) some stubborn breeds need more aggressive actions tho. Ask the boss what he wants to try. He might want to set those boundary's. LOL before something gets torn up or the pup gets sick.

Cheryl

 

[Lisa]

Thanks for the suggestions everyone. I've had dogs most of my life, but I have never come in contact over a long period of time with a bulldog. I spoke to my boss and he seems receptive of getting a crate for him when he needs a time out. I told him that I love Walter, he's very cute, but when he gets rambunctious it's hard to do my work when I have to watch him and make sure he doesn't chew on things like boxes and me. Would it be possible to get a crate for him for these times when he needs to calm down?

Sounds like a typical harmless pain in the butt puppy. Compare him to a 2 year old child - good luck

Oy...yes, definitely a two year old child. Makes me want to throw him out the window sometimes lol...other times he sure is cute!

ask any questions you need to. this is the worlds sweetest hard headed bull dog you have ever met.

Fred- or sometimes know as Refried Fred- when the hot air starts rolling from undogly places!!!!

You have that problem too? My god...he nearly makes me puke sometimes when he gets going like that. Silent but deadly

 

[MinisOutWest]

yes, Fred is a perfect Bulldog now. You really need to understand Bulldogs to teach/ train/ trick them into the good things and not to do the bad things. Chewing/ eating everything you own!!! Fred has a toy box (card board box ALL his toys go in. He has about 25 of them!! even if it is a long tube sock stuffed with another sock and tied into a knot. HUGE Rubber pacifiers, balls, just tons of different textured toys, that he can chew up or suck on. when my mom comes home,(she stopped at the Good Will store) Fred knows she has a toy for him or some new treats. Fred is a very busy dog, he loves the dog agility classes, we started him running around cones, going up and down home made ramps, that are like 4 inches off the ground, he thinks they are higher, ha ha,, loves his obedience lessons, bulldogs are not fat and lazy, they are super energetic and needs tons of attention. Do not spank them with newspapers, you need to remove them items he chews on(shoes on the floor, etc,, and give him items he can, but teach him, his toys are in one place to get from, so you just have to throw them in his box one time at night and he has all day to pull them out and play. this will not happen over night, it does take a lot of patience. Fred did have to move to Moms, because he does have a bad habit. DO NOT DO THIS WITH YOUR BULLDOG- the people who had him before us, sprayed him with a hose, well, when you get the hose out to water, he attacks/ rips holes thru the hose and then jumps into the water buckets and jumps into the water tank and will not let the minis drink. So off to moms he went and has his new home over there. But Bulldogs are VERY SMART and DO NOT FORGET, so only reinforce him positely, if you catch him chewing the wrong thing, go to him, tell him OUT, take the item from him and then take him to his toy box and praise him to death and get him to play with those toys!!!

 

[mininik]

LOL Sounds like what I suggested earlier. Those suggestions will work for any dog.