Canine Breed Discrimination  – IV

Socializing Your Bully Breed Dog

If you own a bully breed dog (see my article Bully Breed Dogs, dated Aug 1), or are thinking of adopting one, you are a special soul because you have decided to give a beautiful animal a chance to live a happy healthy life with you and your family.  I salute you, and I thank you!

Bully breed dogs are naturally social animals who love being around people. As with other dogs, if they are not properly socialized they can become timid or develop behavioral issues.  Unlike other dogs, however, bully breeds already have an enormous strike against them due to misconceptions about their temperament.  Because of the fear, misunderstanding, and lack of education regarding the bully breeds, it is especially crucial that your dog knows how to behave in public and in certain situations.

As with any new pet, it’s important to introduce your bully to all types of people as soon as possible so that strangers won’t faze her.

The Key To Socializing Bully Breeds Is Taking It Slow And Easy

It is important to prevent them from engaging in bad behavior from the beginning because even rough, unruly play with other dogs can later develop into aggression and fighting behavior.  You must prevent bad behavior and reward good, calm, obedient behavior.

Elizabeth Meyer, 77, with Lily

Socializing with People        

You will need to establish a close bond with your pup before you socialize her with other people, so plan to spend the first few weeks getting her adjusted to her new surroundings and giving her lots of one-on-one attention. When you have earned your bully’s trust and admiration, you will be ready to socialize her with other people and you will have better results.

Consider registering your bully for basic obedience classes where she will be around trainers who can work on any bad habits, such as jumping.  After she has learned a few basic commands, start introducing her to men, women, children, people of different sizes, races, men with facial hair, people wearing hats, glasses, etc.  Variety is the key to getting your bully accustomed to different people and faces, and the more she’s around all types of people, the more comfortable she will become.  Always remember that safety comes first, so always have your pup leashed and under your control when you are introducing him to strangers.

Bullies, as a breed, love people and are happy to be around them at any age, especially when they have been taught from early on that people are associated with good stuff like belly rubs, hugs, treats, and toys.  Always look to create good interactions, start slow, and be patient with your bully baby.

Socializing with Other Dogs

If you adopt your bully breed when she’s a puppy, you will find it a bit easier to socialize her with other dogs while she’s young.  The sooner you begin introducing your baby to other dogs, the more likely she is to accept them when she’s an adult.

Introducing your bully breed to other dogs is more of a challenge, as they tend to prefer people.  Not all bullies get along well with other dogs, so it’s important to know your dog’s tolerance level before moving ahead. If you are adopting a grown dog from a shelter, ask them about the dog’s temperament and tolerance level toward other animals.   If your pup seems open to interaction with other dogs or cats, work with a trainer to introduce her to other dogs gradually.

Taking long leash walks with other dogs of good temperament and good social skills who are with responsible owners is a very good way to begin socializing your pup.  Remember not to pull back on the leash or yell at your dog if she barks or acts up.  This will only increase her excitement level and make the experience negative, and she will then associate that feeling with other dogs.  This is when you need to maintain a calm, assertive energy and distract her with a correction, be it a sound you’ve trained her with, a quick sideways tug of the leash, or a touch.   If these actions don’t work, you can always calmly walk away.

Keep a bunch of your dog’s favorite treats on hand whenever you are heading out to socialize and always reward her for good, calm, obedient behavior. Sitting politely for petting and accepting attention from people also deserves a reward.  Be sure to let her act on her on accord, when she feels ready and encourage her and praise, but never force.  Calmly encourage and reassure your pup when she is feeling unsure.  If your dog seems indifferent, don’t force the interaction.  Bully breeds prefer the company of their humans, and the main goal of socialization is to help your dog learn to behave around other dogs, not to teach him to like them.

Dog Parks are not the best place to socialize your dog, and are not recommended for bully breeds, regardless of how well-mannered they may be.  There is no way to predict or to know the behavior of other dogs at a park or in a doggie daycare. Many people take their dogs to those places with little understanding of their own dog’s tolerance for interacting with other dogs.  And, there is often expectation that if you leave the dogs alone, they will “work it out”.  This can result in a situation that may result in injury.   If something does go wrong, whether or not the bully breed instigates it, the bully is usually blamed.   Unfortunately, every negative incident reflects not only on the individual dog, but on the bully breeds as a whole.

Take your dog to places where she can have positive, controlled encounters with new people and other dogs, whether it be shopping at the pet store, a visit to your vet’s office, training classes, or outside at a local strip mall.  Never push your pup into interacting with a person or dog if she seems hesitant or timid.  Pay attention to her body language and trust her instincts, and she will trust you.

I would like to add here that the idea that the bully breeds are naturally aggressive is a myth.  As Cesar Millan stated, “Any dog that is not raised properly by humans can become aggressive.  With proper training (and socialization), a bully breed dog can be as laid back as a basset hound. “

This handsome pup is Grant, a non-judgmental listener who encourages children to read

When you are out socializing with your Bully baby, you will probably encounter people who will be afraid or who may give you an attitude for having a dog of that breed. But, by taking your well-behaved pup out into the world, you will have the wonderful opportunity to talk to lots of folks that you meet and help dispel the myths about these breeds.  By proudly showing off that loveable tail-wagger by your side, there will be chances for you to engage in conversations and make friends while you are changing minds.