Training rule #1: Don’t confuse your bulldog.
Each command word that you use should have only one meaning.
The jumping bulldog.
Bulldogs always seem to be happy to see you. However, all to often, they express that happiness by jumping
up to get as close to your level as possible. You may not care, but often your guests do mind, or small children may not be
able to handle the weight of a large, strong, exhuberant bulldog. A full grown bulldog rarely has clean paws (not to mention
the drool!) What is a bully owner to do?
You would be surprised
to learn how many bulldog owners actually encourage jumping behaviour when they think that they are training their bulldog
not to jump.
First of all, keep your commands simple and
keep your words clear.
Do NOT say “Don’t Jump”!
All they will hear is “Jump”!
The command “Floor”
is the proper command to train your bulldog to stop jumping. “Floor” means that your bulldog should keep all four
paws on the floor. “Floor” means that your bulldog should remain standing on all four paws.
The command “Down” means something completely different. “Down”
means to lie down.
These are different commands. DO NOT interchange
them. Just think about it. When a dog is excited and jumping it would obviously be very difficult to get them to lie down.
Do not give the command “Down” to a jumping dog. Tell them, in a strong voice, “Floor”. Reward them
for putting all four paws on the floor. This is often easier if you first kneel down and get closer to their level. Put the
treat very very low to the ground. You may need to conduct this training with a harness and a leash in order to control their
movements and thus be able to reward them when they are in the proper (standing) position. Pull them down to all fours and
only reward them when they are in this standing position.
Once
they have obeyed your command to “Floor”, (if you wish) you may then command them to “Sit”, and reward
them for doing so. Once they are sitting, then you may instruct them to lie “Down”. Don’t try to get them
“Down” when they are jumping.
Bulldog on the
couch?
Almost every bulldog owner handles this incorrectly.
First of all, you should admire your bully for being agile enough to get up on the couch or chair in the first place. It’s
not easy for them to get that hulking body up even a few feet off of the ground!
The proper command is “Off” or “get Off” (not “Down”, not “Floor”
and not “No”)
The command “Down”
means that your dog should lie down. When your bulldog is sitting on the couch and you say “Down”, do you realize
that you are insisting that they lie down on the couch. Trust me, they will be more than happy to comply.
Again, the command “Floor” means that your bulldog should stand
on all four paws. If you use this command when they are sitting on the couch, you are actually telling them to stand on the
couch. Don’t be surprised if they listen to you!
“No”
only works when it is given immediately after an action taken by your bulldog. If they have been lounging on your leather
couch for the past few hours, do you really think they are going to associate your “No” with something that they
just did?
Choose your words carefully.
