The key towards successful American Bulldog training is to know what it is exactly that you want from your dog. You also have to take the time to understand your American Bulldog by doing research because you need to know what your dog is capable of and what it can do to deliver what you want. A lot of dog owners overestimate the capabilities of their pooch and so end up frustrated when their dog is not able to deliver. This is also equally frustrating on the part of the dog because it is being asked to do something that is beyond it. In order to make both parties (you and your dog) happy then, the two of you have to work with what you have.

To help you get started, here are some American bulldog training techniques you can keep in mind:

  • The crate. Its restricted space is meant to make your dog feel secure, helping in house training and keeping anxiety-related issues at bay. Introducing your dog as early as possible to crate so it can sooner get used to it is the goal. To make your dog feel positive associations with the crate, you can provide him with cozy bedding inside and feed him as well. While the crate can be used to train your American Bulldog to behave when left alone, it should never be used as an excuse for leaving your dog for long periods of time because that is just cruel. If you have to be away for a time, find other arrangements that will be suitable for your dog. That’s not what the crate is for.
  • Bull breeds are naturally powerful animals so they have a tendency to pull on the lead. Lead-pulling is a sign of an unruly dog but American Bulldog training can take care of it. There are various ways you can stop lead-pulling and they all lead to having a dog that can walk in a controlled way and is calm enough to listen to commands. One method is to stop immediately when lead-pulling begins and then make your dog sit and wait before going back to walking again. Proper timing will teach your dog that pulling on the lead will not be tolerated. You will have to be patient though because this kind of American Bulldog training needs to be repeated a lot of times before it sinks in with your dog, most especially if your pooch has already established aggression and is quite powerful.
  • Dogs are pack animals and American Bulldog training entails establishing what its position in the pack is. Your American Bulldog may mean the world to you but you have to assert that you are the leader of the pack (so to speak) so you are the one in control. Once your dog gets over any anxiety over status, it will now be more focused on following your commands because it wishes to please you, the leader of the pack. Bulldogs generally require discipline because they are naturally powerful so it would really help to establish boundaries at home early on so you can get what you want from your dog without resorting to any kind of punishment.