Are you a proud owner of an energetic and adorable American Bulldog puppy? Congratulations on your new furry family member! Training your American Bulldog puppy is a vital step to ensure a harmonious and joyful relationship. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll delve into the essential aspects of training your American Bulldog puppy, providing you with valuable insights and actionable tips for a successful training journey.
Aspect 1: Setting the Foundation
Understanding the Breed: American Bulldogs are known for their loyalty, intelligence, and strength. Take time to research the breed’s characteristics and behavior traits. This knowledge will help you tailor your training approach effectively.
Start Early: Begin training as soon as you bring your puppy home. Early training establishes good habits and prevents unwanted behaviors from taking root.
Create a Safe Space: Designate a comfortable and secure area where your puppy can rest and retreat to when needed. A crate can serve as a safe den, aiding in housebreaking and teaching discipline.
Socialization Matters: Introduce your puppy to various people, animals, sounds, and environments. Proper socialization in the early months helps prevent behavioral issues later on.
Aspect 2:Method
Food Reward Method
That is, food is used as a reward to encourage the completion of the dog‘s behavior and actions. Dog trainers hold delicious food in hand and let the dog complete some actions, such as squatting, sitting, rushing, stopping, coming back, etc., and only give food when the action is completed well, so that the dog can understand the benefits of obedience and completing the action through conditioned reflex.
Mechanical method
This method combines physiological stimulation methods with pain training, and uses methods such as compression, shaking the leash (leading belt), hand beating, stroking, etc., to make the dog complete some movements continuously. This method is suitable for dogs with a strong nervous system, but it should be noted that although this method will cause the dog to have a certain degree of fear, the dog’s trust in the trainer will decline, the attachment psychology will be affected, and the interest in training will decline.
Comparison method
This method is a combination of a mechanical method and a food reward method, and the food reward is given immediately after the dog has completed some mandatory training (but not rough) subjects. This method can establish a good and strong relationship between the dog handler and the dog, and is the most commonly used basic dog training method.
Aspect 3: Behavior Training
1. Sit down
Password: ‘sit’
Gestures: Sitting on the left side: Pat the upper part of the left leg with the left hand.
Sit upright: stretch the right arm to the right, the forearm vertically upwards, and the palms forward.
training method：
- When giving appetite or loosening, the dog is on the left side of the trainer, and the right hand holds the food above the dog to lure the dog, so that the dog is highly excited about the food.
- In order to obtain food, the dog kept jumping up and down, and retreated due to the weight of the whole body, and the arms landed on the ground. The trainer instantly issued a password and gesture to make the dog sit down. When the dog sat down, he immediately rewarded the dog with a “good” password and food. The same method can be used to tie the dog when training to sit upright.
- Put the dog on the left side of the trainer and give the command of “sit”. At the same time, hold the dog’s collar and kick it with the right hand, and press the dog’s waist with the left hand. When the dog is forced to sit down, the dog should be rewarded immediately .
- Put the dog in front of you, give the command of “sit”, and at the same time, hold the leash with your right hand and lift the dog’s neck, and at the same time make a gesture, and reward the dog when it sits down. The command and gesture form a conditioned reflex, and then take off the leash, and gradually extend the distance until you can hear the command and sit down 50 meters away.
- In normal management, if you see the dog sitting, take the opportunity to issue the command and gesture of ‘sit’, and reward the dog immediately after sitting down.
2. Accompanying
Password: ‘Rely’, ‘Quick’, ‘Slow’
Gesture: Tap left leg with left hand.
training method：
- When loosening, hold the leash with your left hand behind you, shorten the leash, and issue the command “Lean”, and the dog will move on the left side of the person.
- When feeding the dog, put the dog on the left side of the trainer, hold the food in the right hand, and the leash in the left hand, and issue the command of “rely” to induce the dogs to move forward side by side. Quan Yi ordered him to maintain a more correct posture and rewarded him with food.
- Use walls, ditches, ridges, etc. for accompanying training. Put the dog between the person and the above-mentioned features, shorten the leash, and give the command of “reliable” to make the dogs move forward side by side. If the dog is ahead, give the command ‘slow’, and if the dog lags behind, give the command ‘fast’. At the same time, use the leash and ground objects to correct the dog’s position. After repeated training, you can switch to flat terrain for training.
- On the basis of the above training, develop the ability of the dog to walk without the control of the leash. When the dog is walking, lengthen the leash, and gradually transition to put the leash on the ground. When the dog is able to walk correctly with the leash, the leash can be removed for normal training.
3. Do not move
Password: set
Gestures: side fixed: put the five fingers of the right hand together, lightly put them down in front of the dog’s nose.
training method
- The other dog sits on the left side, holds the leash in the left hand, gives the command ‘Ding’ and gestures. Then turn around and step back slowly for three to five steps, repeatedly give the command “fix” and make gestures, and then gradually extend the distance by five to fifty meters depending on the situation, and only then can the trainer turn around and move forward. When the dog is still not moving, it can be transferred to the second step of training.
- After the trainer makes the dog sit still, leave tens of meters away, face the dog and give the command of ‘settling’ again and make gestures, and then find a suitable place to hide, and secretly monitor the dog’s behavior. If the dog moves, give the command “No” to stop it, and repeat the above actions, and reward if it does not move, and then gradually extend the time and change various training environments.
- After the trainer makes the dog sit still, he gives the command of ‘settling’ at an appropriate distance and gestures, and then leaves. The assistant trainer calls the dog from the front to the back. If the dog does not move, the dog can be rewarded. If it moves, give the password ‘no’ to stop it, and repeat the above method to train the dog. On this basis, after the trainer hides, the assistant trainer teases it. If the dog still does not move, the training goal can be achieved.
4. Lie down
Password: ‘Lie’
Gestures: Left back: the trainer takes a step back with his left leg, lunges with his right leg, bends his upper body slightly, puts his five fingers together, and puts his right hand down in front of the dog’s nose.
Training method
- Make the dog sit on the left side, the trainer takes the kneeling posture, holds the dog’s neck collar with the left hand, and gives the command of “lying down”, at the same time, gently presses the dog’s shoulder blade with the left forearm, and gestures with the food in the right hand to lure the dog in front of the nose , the trainer returns to the standing posture. Wait for a while, and then send the command of ‘sit’, and at the same time, use the right hand to lift the leash slightly (or food to lure), and the left hand to do the closing price, and the dog will be rewarded after sitting up.
- Ask the dog to sit down on the front. The trainer takes the kneeling posture, gestures with the food in his right hand, and pulls the dog’s forelimbs forward slightly with his left hand. He can also hold the dog’s forelimbs with both hands to move forward and make the dog lie down. Rewards can be given after the dog lies down. Wait for a while, and then issue the command ‘sit’, and at the same time, lift the leash with the left hand slightly, and make gestures with the right hand or lure food to make gestures. The dog will be rewarded after sitting up. Repeat the training until the dog forms a conditioned reflex Finally, gradually extend the distance between the trainer and the dog, so that the dog can lie down and sit up quickly after hearing the order.
5. Come here
Password: ‘come’
Gestures: Put the five fingers of the left hand together, stretch out flat to the left, and put them down naturally.
Training method
- Get off the leash and run with the dog. After a certain distance has been drawn between the human and the dog, the dog trainer backs away hastily, and at the same time lures him with food, giving out the command and gesture of “come” while retreating.
- When feeding the dog, ask the dog to sit still or give it to others to lead. The dog trainer holds the food bowl to watch the dog at a certain distance, and sends out the command and gesture of “come”. When the dog comes according to the command, use the command “OK” urgently award. When the dog comes to the front, let the dog sit on the left side, and then feed the dog.
- Bring the dog into the training ground and let the dog sit down. The dog handler walks 30 to 50 meters forward, gives the command and gesture of “come” to the dog, and at the same time backs away a little. If the dog obeys the command and comes, the dog will be rewarded. When the dog is approaching, issue the command and gesture of “Lean” to make the dog sit on the left side.
6. Barking
Password: “Call”
Gesture: Move the index finger of the right hand in front of the chest.
Training method
- The trainer lures the dog with the food in hand, so that the dog is highly excited about the food. At this time, the trainer issues the “barking” command and gesture, such as the dog blurting out a bark, and rewards food immediately. Practice repeatedly, and after the dog forms a conditioned reflex, the lure should be canceled and only command commands and gestures should be used.
- Use the opportunity before the dog leaves the house to train (the first walk in the morning is best). The trainer stands in front of the kennel and calls the dog to come. At this time, the dog is eager to go out to defecate and wander, and it is easy to blurt out. The dog trainer takes the opportunity to issue the command and gesture of “bark”. Take the dog out for a walk.
- Use the dog’s attachment for training. Take the dog to a strange and quiet place and tie it up. The dog trainer tries to tease the dog, then leaves the appropriate position, calls the dog’s name first, and then sends out the command and gesture of “barking”. When the dog barks, it is rewarded. Take the dog for a walk.
- Utilize the dog’s defense reflex training, bring the dog to the training ground, make the dog stare ahead, help the trainer approach from far to near, tease with sneaky movements, the dog is eager to chase and bite, blurt out barking, the dog trainer takes the opportunity The password of ‘call’.
- Use novel stimuli that can cause high excitement in dogs to induce barking. Such as wooden barbells, shooting balls, barking of other dogs, etc., when the dog is barking, it will issue the command and gesture of ‘barking’.
Conclusion
In conclusion, training your American Bulldog puppy is an investment that leads to a lifetime of companionship and joy. By understanding the breed, starting early, employing positive reinforcement, and practicing patience, you can shape your puppy into a well-behaved and happy member of your family. Remember, the journey requires dedication, but the rewards are immeasurable. Enjoy each milestone as your puppy grows into a well-trained and beloved companion.
