Training an American Bull Dog to Fit in With the Family By Lynn Huber
American Bulldogs make very sweet and gentle pets. Actually, all bulldogs are great pets so the same training for American bulldogs can also pertain to the other breeds. All bulldogs, however, can be very stubborn and slow to train. They make quite the perfect house pets because they can deal with small spaces and are great with small children. However, when it comes to their training, Bulldog owners must be very patient. Low expectations are important or training sessions can end in great frustration, which will not be a very good experience for both the dog and the owners.
When picking a Bulldog for a family pet, it might be a good idea to purchase one that is still fairly young. Bulldog puppies are adorable although the main reason for this is that young pups have better chances of adapting behavior than adult bulldogs do. Adult bulldogs are very hard to train in order to fit in a very specific environment.
Bulldogs are incredibly stubborn so it's best to get puppies into the household as young as possible so they learn to fit well with the family and also understand the "limits" to their behavior. Bulldog puppies can look adorable when they play so it's important to stop rough play in the beginning in order to prevent problems later.
Although some owners believe in hitting their dogs as part of training (to reinforce unacceptable behavior). This is not recommended. Bulldogs tend to become more aggressive when struck. Bulldogs have some aggression as part of their ancestry. Although it is not a widely displayed trait with the present Bulldogs, their defensive nature might result to violence or aggression when they are struck or hit by their owners. For this reason, it is important to remember that striking should never be done when training a Bulldog.
The first command you want to want to teach your Bulldog pup is to respond to is “No!” As soon as a pup is brought to its new home, it must start to get familiar with the new rules. Using the “No” command as often as it is necessary will help the dog understand and will eventually stop whatever it is that it is doing or is planning to do. Although it will not be able to catch on real quickly, the more often it is used, the faster it will understand.
As long as you use patience in training your new Bull dog puppy you'll have a loyal pet that will love you for years.
Lynn Huber has owned and trained bulldogs for many years. Her guide to owning and raising bulldogs can be found here:
The Number 1 American Bull Dog Health Problem By Mandy Fain
American Bull dogs live long and happy lives when provided with the proper health care, which includes, diet, vaccinations, exercise and grooming. The American Bull dog health problem usually comes from improper health care. The cardiovascular problems along with the joint problem do not affect these smaller dogs as they do the larger dogs. Some studies have suggested that larger dogs have more hormone growth than the smaller, which is believed to shorten the life span.
The number one health problem for this breed of dog is diet. Coming up second in the care of the American Bull dog is the vaccines needed to remain healthy. Because these small dogs need less exercise, the diet needs to reflect the need for less food than a dog that has more exercise needs.
Feeding Your American Bulldog
Some believe that dogs can eat the same foods as what we do; this may result in improper nutrition that is supply by dog food. Because dog food has the necessary nutrition and vitamins needed to maintain a healthy life, food ingredients need to be checked before feeding to your dog. Because a dog’s digestive system has fewer problems digesting raw foods rather than cooked foods, dog foods contain additives that attract the dog’s attention.
The American Bull dog health problem with food is that they like foods such as oatmeal, cheese, eggs and fresh meats like poultry and beef. Unbelievably they also like fruit and vegetables, but they prefer uncooked foods, but do eat prepared foods, as will any dog. Are the foods that we eat are safe or not for the American Bull dog? This question has many viewpoints from many different veterinarians and breeders. The choice is yours when caring for your dog.
Vaccinations, The Number 2 American Bull Dog Health Problem
Keeping your Bulldog up to date on vaccinations is vital to their health and maintaining a healthy life without disease and even death. Viral diseases affect dogs that receive no vaccinations against such contagious diseases. The vaccinations protect the dogs against distemper, rabies and the parvovirus. In most states, the dogs will also receive heartworm pills to prevent the attack of heartworm.
Before a heartworm treatment is started, the dogs are checked to make sure they do not already have the health problem. If a dog has contacted heartworm already, prevention treatments may kill the dog, therefore, a test by the veterinarian will determine the dog’s status. Do not take vaccinations and heartworm treatments into your own hands, a vet is more qualified than you are to diagnose and treat the American Bulldog.
You have a beautiful dog that relies on your care and love to survive, the American Bull dog health problem does not have to be a problem when you take the time to learn about the care and grooming of these dogs. Always remember proper nutrition and exercise along with vaccinations keep your precious Bulldog healthy and happy.
You can also find more information at diagnose dog sickness symptoms and common dog illness problems. AboutDogHealth.org is a comprehensive resource to help dog owners identify their dog's illness symptoms and treatment options.
