Getting a new dog is a huge commitment, and you will need to ensure your puppy is well fed, exercised, and trained.
Training dogs from a young age is essential for all dog breeds, and it is even more necessary if you are looking at large or medium-sized dog breeds.
Without training, dogs can adopt horrible habits, so obedience training, socialisation, and recall training should all be a priority. Toilet training will help you to protect your home and introduce routine and structure to your dog’s life as well.
This article will take you through all the English Bulldog training information you will need for a happy, healthy dog.
Yes, you should train an English Bulldog! Training all dogs is vital to your safety, your families, strangers, and other animals. A well-trained dog will also be happier as they will have structure and know what they can and can’t do.
Another reason to train your dog is so it won’t destroy your home. Potty training will be essential to ensure they let you know when they need to go outside for the toilet. Minimising the risk of destructive behaviours could save your furniture and belongings.
Bulldogs are sweet, affectionate dogs. However, they are very stubborn, which can make training challenging. Any potential dog owner needs to take this into consideration if they are considering welcoming this breed into their home.
It is essential that your English Bulldog is well-trained. It will make your life easier in your home and out for walks, it will give your dog structure, and it will protect strangers and other dogs.
Obedience training for Bulldogs can be challenging, but persistence will help you to get your dog to obey your orders. Having good recall is important if your dog is off its lead and is approached or approaches other people or dogs.
Socialising all dogs is important, and taking them to classes as puppies will help them interact with other dogs. Some dogs can be anxious or scared around other dogs, leading to unpredictable or aggressive behaviour. Giving them the opportunity to learn from a young age is essential to your dog’s development.
Even an experienced dog trainer can find it challenging to train Bulldog puppies, but being persistent with potty training sessions will eventually get you there.
As soon as you get your English Bulldog puppy, you can start toilet training it. It can take a few months, with most puppies picking it up by around four to six months.
Toilet training any puppy can be a challenge. Here are some great tips to help with Bulldog training:
The first step to potty training English Bulldog puppies is building a routine. Taking them outside to a designated area first thing in the morning will help them.
You should also take the dog to its designated toilet area the last thing at night and at regular intervals throughout the day. The puppy will start to associate being taken to this area with going to the toilet.
Make it a positive experience for the puppy when it goes to the toilet outside. Be vocal and stroke the dog telling them they have done well. You can even introduce treats as an incentive. Try to use these treats only for toilet training, so they have that association. Avoid negative reactions to accidents as the puppy is still learning.
Puppies’ digestive systems are typically more reactive to mealtimes, and they should need to urinate around 15 minutes after meals and defecate around 30 minutes after.
Knowing this can help you to plan your training.
Young puppies can be confined to a certain space, so they don’t pee or poop all over your home. This can be used to your advantage with puppy pads and designated toilet areas. Puppy pads can get them used to using certain areas as they grow.
Dogs tend to display signs when they need to go to the toilet, such as sniffing, circling, and anxious behaviour. Acting on these signs immediately and taking the puppy to its designated spot will help.
Crate training is another useful way of toilet training your dog. The crate acts as a dog’s natural den, and they wouldn’t want to soil this area.
A crate gives your dog its own area where it can feel safe and sleep. This can be used to help you get a good night’s sleep, give you somewhere to put your dog when you are out, and transport them.
You can start crate training your puppy as soon as it arrives. This will give the dog the opportunity to get comfortable around it and realise it is not a negative thing or a punishment.
Crate training a puppy should be taken slowly. You can put its comfy blankets in so it is already familiar with the smells and even hide some of its favourite treats in the blanket, so it has positive connections to being inside the crate.
Keeping the door open and staying nearby at first will help the puppy feel comfortable. After a while, you can start closing the door for short periods while staying nearby for reassurance. As your dog gets used to it, you can gradually leave for short spells until the dog is entirely comfortable.
As well as helping to potty train your dog, it gives them an area they know they can relax in. It will also provide you with somewhere to put the dog at bedtime and if you go out. Travelling with dogs can be a bit exciting; safely keeping them in their crate will allow them to relax.
However, if the dog is not correctly crate trained, it may think of it as a punishment and start to protest about going in.
Bulldogs can be stubborn, but persistent training can result in a well-behaved dog that can do some tricks.
Here are some excellent tips for training a stubborn English Bulldog:
Be consistent and be persistent when training an English Bulldog. Your dog should be able to obey basic commands and obedience. No matter how frustrating it can be, stick with it, and you will be surprised with your results.
Using positive reinforcement when training your Bulldog should help. They are very loving animals that react well to positivity.
Treats can be a great way to encourage good behaviour, but they can also lead to your dog putting on weight. They are also more effective when used sparingly.
Clicker training can be another way to use positive reinforcement without overindulging your dog with treats. It will associate the clicking with positivity, conditioning the dog to respond well to it.
While other breeds might be easier to train, English Bulldogs are wonderful characters that appeal to many dog owners. As long as you start training your pup from an early age, and consistently, they should be able to pick up verbal commands.
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