# Terrible english bulldog pulling problems. (long post)



## reveriereptile (Aug 18, 2010)

Hello. I asked on here months ago about my english bulldog pulling. I still haven't had any luck with her. It has gotten worse with her being over 41lbs. at 7 months old. I would like to take her to a dog class but my husband and me are tight on money right now. I just hit a deer and our insurance doesn't cover the costs and he just got elected for a judicial job he had to campaign for and has to go out of town for training. Also need another vet check up. I decided to come back on here to see if anyone might have any tips till I am able to get her some professional training. 

Here is my situtation with her. She gets extremely focused on other animals or people. We live on a farm so there are lots of animals around even just take her outside for potty time. She will pull till she starts throwing up from choking herself to try to get to another animal and won't stop. She mainly wants to play with the other dogs but they don't like her and I'm worried about a strange dog coming up and biting her on walks cause she jumps at their face. The cats/kittens try to come up to be pet and I have to hold her back cause she has hurt them from trying to play to rough but they won't stay back. She knows how to sit but usually will only listen if there is no distractions and in the house even for treats. We like to try to go on a 1-2 mile walk when it is nice out.

Here is a list of what we've tried. We don't give in either.
1. I wait till she is calm before hooking the leash on to go out.
2. Tried the tree method when leash starts to tighten. She just keeps pulling and choking herself if an animal or person is around.
3. Turn around and walk in the other direction when leash starts to tighten. She keeps either pulling behind us or starts to pull in the new direction.
4. Distract her with treats or place one ever few steps that she doesn't pull. She won't even pay attention to them if she sees another dog.
5. Take off jogging so she has to keep up. Works somewhat till we have to quit jogging.
6. Try to make her sit but she won't listen. 
7. Block her with our leg if she tries to cut across in front of us to get us to stop which usually works to keep her from cutting us off most of the time unless a dog is around.
8. Tried different types of collars and even no pull harnesses.

I don't know if it is some mental problem causing her to want to play so bad with another animal. Every dog she has been around since we got her hates her except for one that has some ADHD problem. He will even get tired of her after a bit since she won't leave him alone to rest and tries to bite his tongue. If there is a wrapper on the floor that got dropped she will try her best to get it, won't take her mind off of it till it is gone, and even try to go after something else and when you pull her away she will dart for the first object she wanted. I've been around lots of dogs and never seen one so focused before. I also need to get her to stop jumping up on people. She will jump all over someone that has their arms crossed and looking at the ceiling to ignore her. I'm afraid she might hurt someone's kid. If there are no new people, animals, or anything laying around she will be good so it is mainly a distraction thing. My husband has been doing the same stuff to train her. I told him that we have to work together or it won't do any good. He is even getting tired of her pulling. Our walks are getting shorter due to her pulling and less often due to the weather. I'd really appericate any advise till I can get her into a class.


----------



## kitley2001 (Aug 11, 2010)

I have no hints on the walking issue, but we recently signed our one year old up for obedience. She starts class tomorrow night. When we registered we told them about her jumping up, and here is their suggestion, that we have been using for a week..and certainly seeing positive results with it. When getting her out of her kennel we put her least on her. As soon as she tries to jump up, you step on the leash on the floor. Then when she jumps, the leash pulls her back down. Three or four times of that is all it took. After her walks, we play in the yard and she jumps up while playing. Now I let her drag her leash..and I step on it if needed, it seems to be helping. I will be asking at class tomorrow, how to handle this issue when we have no leash with us.


----------



## zimandtakandgrrandmimi (May 8, 2008)

how long did you stick with each method?


----------



## petpeeve (Jun 10, 2010)

reveriereptile said:


> If there is a *wrapper* on the floor that got dropped she will try her best to get it, won't take her mind off of it till it is gone, and even try to go after something else and when you pull her away she will dart for the first object she wanted. I've been around lots of dogs and *never seen one so focused before.*



if THAT'S what makes her focus intensely, try using THAT object of her desire as a reward for walking properly "to the corner and back" 

Take the wrapper, show her you have it, keep it secured in your hand, and if she walks well on a loose leash for a very short distance .... then, immediately release her and allow her to briefly play with what she sooooo dearly craves ... THE WRAPPER 

Silly dog !


----------



## reveriereptile (Aug 18, 2010)

We still try to use each method. For the tree method I spent 1.5 months working with that method only. Wouldn't start to walk till she let the leash slack. Took a long time just to take her outside to potty but I stuck with it. Never seen any improvement was why I tried other methods. Thanks for the jumping advice. I'll have to try that. I may try using the wrapper. Never thought of that. She prefers them over her pile of toys. My father-in-law has a dirty sock that she keeps trying to get that I may try also. Have to get a different sock though cause I'm not sure if the one she wants has oil on it or not.


----------



## reveriereptile (Aug 18, 2010)

Tried the sock and wrapper but she will only look at them for a second and then right back to the cat/dog. I did try the stepping on the leash when she goes to jump up but she is so big and strong that the leash pulls out from under my foot. My husband might have better luck on that one since he is more heavy to be able to hold the leash down. I almost wonder if she has mild ADHD since she doesn't play with one toy for to long before switching and gets distracted easily. My MIL will have all the dogs in the house sit for a treat and I have to hold her on the leash or she will try to jump all over the other dogs. When it comes her turn she barely wants to sit still for her treat and keeps trying to get up to go after the other dogs but she knows she doesn't get her treat if she doesn't sit. Takes about 10-15 minutes just to give her a couple treats. I was also wondering when do dogs usually get out of the stage of wanting to chew everything in sight? I'd like to be able to let her have full run of the house when everyone is home since she does good as far as going outside to potty but she won't stay out of stuff.


----------



## sassafras (Jun 22, 2010)

Ugh, nothing is more tedious than working on leash pulling. I got Maisy when she was about 9 months old, she's 2 1/2 years old now and is STILL a work in progress. She starts out _every_ walk by pulling, it's like she's testing to see how strict I'm going to be about it that particular day. At least now after a couple of blocks she gives up and walks nicely the rest of the way.

Here's what worked for us. First of all, I walk her with a Gentle Leader, so that she can't choke or gag herself. I know bulldogs are difficult if not impossible to fit with a GL, though. You could try an Easy Walk or similar harness -- the brand isn't that essential but the important thing IMO is a harness that your leash clips to the _front_ of the harness instead of on the dog's back so that they turn when they pull instead of just dragging you around.

Secondly, every time (EVERY TIME!!!) there is too much tension on the leash -- use your own definition of "too much" and be super consistent with it, I don't mind if my dog walks ahead of me but I don't want to be pulled at all -- I stop, say "uh uh" or "uh oh" or something similar, pull her gently back to me, and make her sit. When there is slack in the leash, we start walking again. IF she can approach something she really wants (usually a squirrel in a tree) WITHOUT pulling me, I let her stop and investigate it as much as she wants. If she tries to pull me towards whatever it is, I don't let her stop at all when we do pass it.

So. Tedious. When I first started this, I would have walks where it took me 15-20 minutes to walk to the end of my block. But don't give up, it can work.


----------



## mitzi (Aug 3, 2010)

I got the Sporn no-pull harness on ebay for $12.95 with free shipping. It has worked great for Bosley, no threat of trachea damage and no more pulling.


----------



## qingcong (Oct 26, 2009)

I guess bulldogs have that extra gear of unstoppable drive, so you're dealing with a football player. The key to redirecting behavior is always to try to keep the dog under threshold. When an animal is in super pursuit mode, there's no stopping it. Treats are useless and prong collar corrections just stimulate them more. If you can read the first signs of arousal and are able to teach an alternate behavior, that's your best bet.


----------



## Pynzie (Jan 15, 2010)

Sounds like a major part of the problem is pulling to get to something, a dog/person/whatever. Am I right? 

This video says it's about barking, but it's also about lunging toward things when on a walk. Might be helpful. Kikopup is awesome. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JY7JrteQBOQ


----------

