English bulldogs are fantastic family pets. These loyal and affectionate dogs appeal to families around the world with their short and muscular bodies and host of wrinkles. They are the most adorable puppies and beautiful dogs when fully grown French bulldogs for sale. The one thing that many dog owners don’t realize is that while English bulldogs make such amazing family pets, they are exceptionally stubborn.
The best way to train any dog is with positive reinforcement. When dealing with a dog with a stubborn nature, negative reinforcement such as shouting or smacking isn’t going to offer you any results. Teaching the dog that when they do something right they are rewarded is the best method for this particular breed who craves attention and is loyal, wanting to please their owner when they can.
One of the best methods to training your English bulldog is clicker training. Clicker training has been used by dolphin trainers for years and comes with many positive rewards. When dealing with a stubborn dog, you can’t afford a delay between the dog actually doing what you have asked and praise. Due to the fact that these dogs love attention from their owners, petting them to tell them they have done well will only increase their crave of affection.
Another thing to remember is that these dogs aren’t keen on exercise. Chances are when you bring out the collar and leash, the dog is going to lie down and refuse to leave the house. Being indoor dogs, you also want to ensure they aren’t going to soil your home when you are out or chew up your expensive sofa if left alone.
This means that petting the dog to tell them they have done well or giving them biscuits or treats isn’t the way to go. With clicker training the dog soon learns that when you click, they have done what you asked. It is a quick method that requires a lot of patience and fast triggers. When your English bulldog eventually does what you ask, which can take a lot of time and patience, praise them with a positive voice. The dog will soon realize that you saying “good boy” in a happy tone is exactly what they need and they know you are happy with their achievement.
Relating the clicker to positive consequences has proven highly successful in English bulldog training. When training this particular breed you cannot afford to take a break from training. Training needs to be carried out at regular intervals at various times of the day. Keep training times short because the dog will lose interest. Remember patience is key as these dogs have a mind of their own and will be stubborn to start.
Start with your training as soon as your new puppy arrives home. The first training is house training, teaching the dog to only go outside when they need to go to the toilet. This is the most important step of the training process and once you have accomplished this, you can move on to other training techniques. Puppies can start training, understanding commands and following commands from two months of age.
When you start your training routine with an English bulldog it’s advisable to put a set routine together which includes feeding times, toilet times and play times. A dog with a set routine will be a happy and confident dog. Ensure you add a few ten minute training times in the day to ensure you start working on the important commands you want your dog to learn moving forward. Finding the right and reputable breeder is actually contingent upon finding the right and healthy bulldog. Because of all the human involvement that entails breeding a baby bulldog you really need to find a breeder who loves what he/she is doing and that will in turn be a reflection of the breed they produce. Bulldogs can cost $1500-$4500 so avoiding over-the-night breeders who are in it for a quick dime is what you want to avoid.
This is a no brainer! Bulldog owners are fanatic about this breed so should a good breeder. What we really mean is that a good breeder usually either only breeds English Bulldogs or one another breed similar like French Bulldogs or American Bulldogs. This allows the breeder to be an expert at the bulldog breed. Most importantly, when a breeder focuses on one or two breeds this allows you to avoid puppy mills. Puppy mills are known to breed pups like livestock, not giving it the attention, space and love baby bulldogs need. For more information on puppy mills The Humane Society of United states is a good resource to check out. When talking with the breeder, you should get a feel on how they talk about the baby bulldog. Are they full of information they can’t help but share? Are they endearing when they talk about the breed? Like in anything passion overflows naturally. So you can tell if your breeder really loves this breed or if they don’t by the way they naturally talk about them.
Reputable breeders encourage you to visit them. They should be willing to show you Mom and/or Dad, where the baby bulldogs sleep, play and eat. Notice the cleanliness of the facility and the temperament of not only Mom and/or Dad but all the bulldogs in the facility in general. This is where you can ask your questions that you’ve prepared. Good breeders with nothing to hide are willing and open to answer any and all of your questions. Questions about parents, socialization, diet and health is great in person if you haven’t already screened them prior. Visiting the facility is also a way to make sure they are not a bulldog broker. Knowing that they are an actual breeder wherein the baby bulldogs are being raised and even born on their premises instead of a middle man wanting to make a profit is crucial.
It is recommended to ask for information on past customers. Call or email them. Ask them how they found out about the breeder (so you know you are not calling the breeder’s mom) and how their experience went and how their bulldog is doing. Most bulldog owners would be happy to tell you how satisfied they are with their baby bulldog or their experience with the potential breeder. At the same time, unsatisfied customers voice their opinions in other means via internet. Research your breeder on Yelp, LinkedIn, forums and Google. Another reference are the clubs that the breeder is possibly in. Ask them if they are involved with any local English Bulldog clubs and/or national ones like the Bulldog Club of America and American Kennel Club. If they are involved with the community it shows their seriousness and interest with the breed. This however, is not a deal breaker nor a must. Even puppy mills can fake local involvement.