I wonder if anyone can please give me some advice or help with my pup, we have a tri colour English bull terrier which we got at 8 weeks old and is 6 months old now, we saw mum and came from a litter of 9, stud dog was actually from this site, all was going well the first few weeks we lived in flat and have moved to my mum's house at present who has a 8 year old Doberman Dog, and has access to garden etc, but he turned one evening whilst we had chicken and went in bin and lost it showing all his teeth we though our fault and one of, but my mum is actually scared of him because one min he's good as good we take him classes and his the best the trainer reckons we could have bad line or something, i am 4 months pregnant and so scared abt how he will be with baby because he bites my mum and partner i am not scared of him but still try's to have a bite at me, we are abt to move to our own cottage in next month or so and i am wondering / praying it's because there is another dog and we are not in our own home he don't really like other people coming into my mum's house and barks mad at them, it's almost like he has a split dog, i can cook with him in the kitchen and he so good but if someone walks out he attacks them, he's not under fed i am trying everything with him, the big problem is my partner has a 3 year old girl who stays and we have every other weekend, and can't let him near her because he try to bite her, i am so desperate to keep him but so just don't know what to do. He plays with the Doberman for a while then bites him bad and i can't let this go on he's also really jealous if the Doberman comes to me for fuss he jumps up to bite him i suppose as i am his mum. Why he is like this. I have had him chopped abt one month ago as hoped this would help. We got this breed as they are family dog and good with kids/baby's but everything i have read abt this breed my one is nothing like it. Sorry for such long post but am desperate.

Please get your dog checked out by a vet first to make sure there is nothing medically wrong with him, then I would suggest that you ask the vet to refer you to a reputable, bonafide behaviourist so that they could discuss the problems with you in your home and recommend what to do.  If you are insured most pet insurance companies cover this.

Please do not go to anyone who does not belong to the APBC or UKRCB as they are accredited professionals, not amateurs with a six week training course under their belts.

Good luck.

When i had him neutered it was checked out then and asked again when stitches was taken out was he in any pain etc and got a clean bill of health.
They suggested seeing there behaviourist which i will find more abt, but have been taking him to Annette Conn classes and she advised me to talk to breeder which we did and is just a young lad with first litter and his dad had to train his bitch, he said none else has come back to him but i don't find him any help, the stud dog is a show dog i never saw him and my partner has spoken to him but he's answer sorry to say is beat him ! which i have no intention of doing, i did read a post on here some time ago that was posted who had same problem and was a bad breed line, the person could not get him re homed because he was aggressive and i could not bear to have him put to sleep, someone suggested to mussel him and take off for food.

I can't give you any advice on your problem, but I feel you might be better talking to someone with experience of the breed. 

Have you tried going back to your breeder to talk it through, usually this is the best avenue to take first.

I don't know whether we have anyone on here with Bullies, but I have found a forum on the web dedicated to English Bull Terriers. www.bullierun.bulliebar.co.uk hopefully you might find someone with a lot of experience of the breed who could help you.  Also if the worse comes to the worse and you have to rehome it is probably the best place to find advice of the breed rescue.

Hope this helps
Sandra

One thing i will say is that it is not unheard of for vets to give a quick once over and give a clean bill of health! This is not correct.

A dog which is behaving aggressively really needs a very thorough check up; it's not just about "pain" but about checking anything from thyroid to liver shunts to brain tumours, all of which may not show themselves as such. Blood tests can show a lot, so that should be  a start. Thyroid tests need to be read by an expert in reading them, and a T4 /6 panel thyroid test done. If a dog is border line, the vet may read it as OK when in fact it is not, so if this is done at all do get a copy of the results; if necessary i can get someone to read them for you :)

Do some research on Google re thyroid and dogs; Alise Shatoff has done some good articles. Not all dogs show teh same symptoms and some can vary a lot.

I would either get a different vet to check again, or insist on a more thorough check up as trainers and behaviourists cannot do a good job unless the vet does theirs also ;) Once a dog is deemed medically sound, the issue is down more to training/behaviour but at least the medical side is ruled out.

I agree a bullie person may be of great help, but remember their knowledge may be limited to their breed and not to "the reason why" a behaviour is happening.

Hth and good luck
Lindsay
X

Lindsay tks for the advice and everyone i am making appointment with vets for blood tests etc and let you know how it's goes, i have to try everything i can't give up on him when he's good and on his own with me butter won't melt but he don't get on with my mum and partner i just don't know why, i have made a point of them feeding him and fussing him but he seems to be a one person dog, i mixed him with kids etc and adults so early as well and took him on train, bus and puppy classes to mix so he would mix well. I just think i have got a bad pup.I am abt to order a outside kennel and 10ft run for him as i work full time and my partner works part time and he will have to go in the kennel/run when we move and go to work as it's only a little cottage with big garden and i can't leave him in the house one it's not fair and two i won't have no home left!!!

Thanks again.
LJ
x

I hope it may shed some light on the situation; don't take this the wrong way but i wonder if the dog is possibly just very puppy mouthy and it comes across as aggression? It wouldnt be the first time an owner has mistaken this behaviour and it won't be the last; some pups can sound and appear very  aggressive when in fact they are just very overexcited esp. when they do a mad run round the living room. Hope you understand i am not pooh poohing anything you have said; and i still feel a vet visit is the way to go from your post; but just also wanted to mention all the "possibles" that could be suggested just from reading your post :)

Obviously you are there with him and can see what is happening ;)

Hope things go well, please do let us know what happens.

Lindsay
X

I have booked app for this Mon evening for blood tests and take if fm there, but trust me i wish it was play puppy, but the teeth are shown and the lips go up ready for attack, saying this last night when i got in from work i took both bully and the Dob with my partner for a long walk and he was so good does recall everything don't run off got home gave him his dinner and i put the Dob in the living room with my mum and my partner and i remained in the kitchen with him whilst we prepared dinner not chicken though !! lol and he was so good, then i put him out whilst we had dinner and he went sleep and no biting took place or snapping, he barked a couple of times at my partner but he turned away from him and all was well. I really think a big problem is the fact we have another dog in the house also a cat which he don't like, i think once we are on our own at our place just us then he we be settled, i really thank you for yr help and will let you know how i get on i am willing to try everything with him as i adore him, but my partner don't feel the same because of me having the baby is worried abt the dog attacking the baby and all sorts.

tks again
lorna x

Lorna, I am very sad to hear about the problem with your bully. It seems like a behaviour problem to me. I  show and breed bullys, I have been involved with bullys for 12 yrs , so I am a relative newcomer. I cant believe that the breeder wont at least try and help you. The forum that Sandra suggested is very good, I am a member of it. There are more experianced people on there than me. Bull Terriers are special dogs for special people. I can see that you realy want to help your boy. I have not experianced the problem that you have with any of my bullys. But go to this forum  www.denim.bbboy.net/bullterrier and have a look on there,there are people that have same problem as you.Please let us know how get on   x Susan

hey
I have a staffy bull terrier basically the same as a english bull hes is 9 m/o since the day we got him we have
been real firm on him and hes a great dog he does not attack anyone. My opinion is to be firm on the dog make
sure you soiclise your dog well

hI tks yr reply but i do mix him with other dogs and we have no problem with dogs outside it's more humans, last night he went mental i was sitting on sofa with my dad and he was on floor with his ball and the Doberman and all was well my mum had made a cup of tea walked in and i held his collar as the day before he jumped on to bite her and sure enough same thing again i walked him over to his big cage which he sleeps in of a night and tried to put him in and was very firm and he lost it and bashed the door and came out i grasped his collar but was unable to stop him jumping at my mum and biting her hand drawing blood for the first time and then trying to run, i managed to get him and picked him up of all four legs and put him outside to cool down. I brought him back in abt 30 mins later and put him to bed in his cage.I think i am going to have to get rid of him my mum phoned me this morning and he got our cat with his mouth over his head my mum managed to throw the dog bowl full of water on him and the cat ran  lucky the cat is still alive but i just can't trust him.I am so scared for the baby when it comes in April.
  

Has he been properly checked over by your vet yet?  If he'd wanted to kill your cat - he would have done - I've had a cat nearly killed by a Bully (but in this case, the Bully came of almost as badly as the cat with scratches to the nose......)

Hi, Yes all that has been done, i had him neutered abt 1 and half months ago and was told would take 6 months for any improvement if any, then i found out he was being fed on high protein diet and was like a body builder diet so now he has veg food, still gets all his vit's but is soya based and no animal fats was causing him to be aggressive this showed  over a 50% improvement, then i was told to have full vet check, he was tested for thyroid,  liver shunts, everything and all came back clear. The vet thinks he has a behaviour problem and not medical and recommends i see a dog behaviourist, which i am currently looking into as my partner has a 3 year girl we have every other weekend and we can't have them in the same room she is so scared of him, and he's barks and trys to get to her,  I am so annoyed because part of getting a EBT was because they are not brilliant guard dogs are a family dog that loves kids as they are one themselves and are protective of there family including babies, i have been in touch with the breeder with the bitch and there is  nothing he will do not interested. I don't want to get rid of him because i adore him and when he's good he's really good and when he's as the saying goes, i trust my Doberman 99% i don't trust bully 1% am always on edge all the time he's going to attack my mum / dad, they is no problem with other dogs when i walk him as i take treats and am always calling him back every couple of mins and he is so good but i have to put him on lead with little kids as he trys to jump up at them and i am not so sure he might hurt them, he's fine with my friends kids they are 9 and 10 and show no fear of him, it seems to be if he knows you fear him he plays on it. I am not worried abt me or parther it's kids and my mum and dad. With regards to the cat i know most dog's don't like cat's but he's known my cat since he was 8 weeks old so why attack it now 7 months old. Everybody is telling me to get rid of him and the stud dog used the breeder said he would have him put to sleep.!! I am picking up a ex police force dog kennel and run 12ft long with metal bars as we both work and are moving in next month or so to our own place and praying this is when things will change when he's on his own with just my parther and i and no cat's and no other dogs in the house, this is when i plan to get the dog behaviorist in to see our home and with my partner's little girl to see where i am going wrong and what can been done before the baby is born in April othewise i will rehome him March before the baby comes.
Sorry for long winded reply but am still desperarte for help or answers as to why he's like it.

Tks
Lorna

Hi Lorna.
I agree, it sounds like a behaviour problem. If he was 6 mths when you moved in with the Dobe, it would have been around the age his hormones were kicking in, and was probably a case of he felt his position in the pack was threatened. If he is fine with you on your own, it is because he has no one to contend with. When the rest of the pack are there, including your OH, his mum and the child, as well as the other dog, he doesn't know where he stands and is battling for dominance. He was only castrated a month ago and it takes up to 6 months for the hormones to go, but I have to say, I agree with you that it sounds like a bad line. If the breeder doesn't care and is really young, then it speaks for itself. You just have to listen to the breeders who chat on this forum to see how much good breeders care about their dogs. With a baby on the way I would seriously reconsider rehoming him. He does not need to be put down, just to go to an experienced bully owner who can sort out his problems. Let's face it, with a new baby and a house to run, do you honestly have the time to devote to him? Plus is it worth the threat to your baby? I think you should be fair to your family and the dog and find help to give him a new home. Sorry if this is a bit blunt, but I have been there, and believe me, it was the right decision, although a very painful one at the time. Best of luck, whatever you decide.

Thanks Claire and understand what you saying but i moved to mum's house two months ago and he was 4 months old, i have only had him in total since Apirl 6 months, i don't want to give up on him so quick though i have said to my partner that when we move in the next month i will give him 6 months in our home with him and of course watch my partner's little girl with him weekend's and if no improvement when he's a year and the baby is born i will re home him, i just think he needs to have his own space with me and my partner and time to settle he's gone from a flat to my mum's and it's not fare on him, one of the problems is he is not being excised enough because i had bad sickenss for 3 months and am in my fourth month of pregancy and he needs regulary walks not just the garden, i proved that by last night taking both the Dob and him out for long walk and having him in the kitchen whilst doing dinner and not once did he charge or bite anyone.  Also like you say only had him done few weeks ago and takes a while to get out there system, i am badly want him to stay with the family but it's hard with 8 year old Dob a cat living at my mum's house. As well as the dog i need my own home and space and i think the dog senses it because it's not his own it's the Dob home and he's trying to be top dog/king.

I am not giving up on him just yet will have blood tests done and move and see how things go.

Tks Lorna

Hi Lorna - I'm sorry you are having this problem with your dog. I understand a little of how you feel as I used to have a terrier with a bad temperament. He never went for me or my husband but we couldn't trust him with other family members or friends. Looking back on those 6 years we lived on our nerves, forever worrying about what he might do.

In your situation it's vital that things are sorted before your baby arrives.  If the blood tests don't show any medical problems and if the prospects of correcting his behaviour are slim (a reputable behaviourist should be able to give a view on this), then I think you need to consider re-homing very seriously.  I know this probably isn't what you want to hear but it could save you much greater heartache in the future.

Best wishes

Something else you may like to get checked out is the possibility of low level seizure activity, which is shall we say not uncommon in bull terriers. This can make a dog aggressive at times. It can however as i understand be controlled with anti convulsant medication. Don't be put off that the dog does not look as if he is having a fit, because he will probably seem fairly normal except for the aggressive episodes.... I really do feel it is worth checking out especially if other tests etc have been done.

Lindsay
X

Hi Lindsay,

I will have this checked out, i have spoke with my vets and he is referring me to a behaviourist, that is based in Potters Bar and we have to take Alfie there as they won't come to us, apparently there is a clinic there and the one i am being referred to they have had the most success, am hoping because at present i am living London and soon to move i will only be 10 mins drive from Potter Bar so am hoping the behaviourist will come to us maybe on second visit as i really feel they need to study, look and come where the dog lives. My vet said as long as you document and write down all the aggression and everything not acceptable he said should be fine.  My bully has started to eat our Doberman's poo now for the past week in the morning after he's been fed is it because the Doberman is fed on different food.

Tks
Lorna