English bulldogs are known for its cuteness, friendliness and their likeness to spend time with their family. Pet parents of English bulldogs find their life to be much easier when compared to pet parents of other dog breeds. Training English bulldog is an absolute necessity and at times their stubbornness can make the task a tad tedious. Consider these tips to train your English bulldog in the best possible manner.
Obedience training
English bulldogs are often easy to train and they are food-motivated. Start with the basics like “Sit” ”Stay” and “Down” and ensure that you restrain your training session to 10 to 15 minutes. Praise your pooch throughout the period for quality responses in addition to giving him his favorite treat. Commanding your dog to sit for the first time might not mean anything to him, in such a situation, helping him into that position after saying the command and saying the phrase “Good boy” followed by giving him treat and appreciation, will enable the dog to associate the command with the action.
Crate training
Crate training your English bulldog puppy can be a hectic task that demands an enormous amount of dedication from you. Initially, you need to get your pooch accustomed with the crate. Start by making your crate cozy, you can add towel or blankets into the crate to achieve this task, as the next step, place some KONG or other stuffed toys within the crate and give the “Crate” command to your bulldog. With the treat and everything, even though the bulldog will be tempted to get in the crate, the command will help him associate the action with the word. Do not close the crate door for the first couple of days. Repeat the process to get your bulldog cozy in the crate during night hours and close the door. Set alarm for every three hours and take your bulldog out to potty. Once he is done with his business, appreciate him and give him his favorite treats. Follow this for a couple of days and if you have not encountered any accidents, change the alarm interval to 4 hours and gradually you can start keeping him the crate throughout the night. However, if your dog wakes you up at night with whines and howls, you need to take him out to potty immediately.
Things to ponder while training
English bulldogs are characterized by airway syndrome which makes them go out of breath easily. The situation makes them vulnerable to heat and humidity. This is why it is highly recommended to stick to short training periods with plenty of fresh water. It is best if you could train your dog indoors with the room temperature, neither too cold nor too hot. Give your bulldog his space, if he shows signs of distress in between the training session, you need to halt the session. Prevent using choke collars for English bulldog, especially during the training sessions, it is always better to stick with a harness.
Training English bulldog demands patience and time, be prepared to earmark plenty of time for the cause and be consistent with your training schedules. Never let your dog under training, leave your sight.