Free Living Bully

[LynnKing]

Think of all they learn from reading those "messages". I'm pretty sure that I really don't want to know that much about what is happening in my yard. LOL

[hoegaandit]

LynnKing - guess that is why dogs and people are different! You seem to have very nice area for dogs to roam

ksdstny - "we also played rough with harlow, until we got steeler, he's just to big and powerful for that type of play on a reg. basis. maybe when he matures more and has more control, he still exhibits some "rude" behavior so i am always working on that.  he is still a baby tho so i know it will get better and better.  (he is only 15 mos) did you have an issue with this with your boy? steel is a big guy also so he can hurt someone or another pup totally by accident if not careful. i need to make sure his manners are in place, as i said he's coming along but i am always interested in hearing what other peeps have done!

believe me i can relate to the recession/depression, its not great here either....what do you do?"

Our boy is as you may know very big for a bullie and probably the strongest dog I can remember. The only trouble we have had with him, really, is nipping my teenage daughter a few times. She dealt with that by NILIF methods (not my way) and everything is fine. She said she was playing rough with him yesterday and he was very good (just mouthing her not biting). When he was younger I played rough with him quite a lot. Guess it's a guy thing. Not saying that's wrong because he needed a bit of rough and tumble and can look after himself (eg if other dog attacks) but I've found my relationship with him has gotten a whole lot better I think since I substituted grooming for rough play.

Hardly ever did his rough play get too much, although he was very strong and persistent and I had to tell him not to bite too hard sometimes. If he was overdoing it too much I'd just stand up and it was "game over". Now he is a SNAD (sensitive new age dog) who just loves to sniff flowers, like in the pic (ha ha)

As far as "rude stuff" is concerned, although he is super interested in any female bullies (on the fairly rare occasions we meet any) we have not had a problem with humping. Any time he started that inappropriately, we just told him no. Like anything, it is best to catch the behavior just as it is starting.

I am a common and garden (general) attorney. Bread and butter property transactions have down been nearly halved for three years, despite some general recovery in the economy here.

[ksdstny]

@hoe.....by "rude" i really didnt mean humping, lol. he very rarely humps. if he wants to PRETEND hes top dog he'll go over and try to stand over harlow....ahhh, she has no part of it and tells him to bug off.

steeler still has some manner problems which we work on constantly......he will bark for attention at times and when you ignore him he's been known to give you a lil nip on the leg....a NOTICE me if you will. also every once in a while he will jump up on the kitchen chair to check out what if anything is on the table.....he is much much better as i am consistent with the training but he does not learn as quickly as harlow did for sure. i view life as a work in progress and this certainly pertains to the bullies. its like when my kids were little after a hard day, once they were sleeping angels none of it mattered much.

[hoegaandit]

Steeler seems a bit naughtier than our big fella. Of course Steeler will improve with age.

When our boy was little we were pretty consistent with what he was allowed to chew and not. Although I have to say he is not the brightest crayon in the block (eg still quite often shakes himself dry when still in the water) he seemed to learn fast. He had a favorite rug which I'm afraid he chewed for a long time but nearly all stuff we told him no, he didn't chew.

He is always checking under our teenage son's computer to see if pencils or pens have been dropped (a regular occurrence) and then he won't give them up to anyone but my better half or myself. He once grabbed a friend of our son's glasses when they dropped off his nose - fortunately no damage done. Him and our teenage son are often fighting (in play, mainly instigated by our son). He has not bitten our son to my knowledge, but did nip our daughter a couple of times. He can growl a bit if anyone but me puts on his collar. I have to watch him closely with rollerbladers/skateboarders/cyclists, especially as we walk off lead, as he would dearly like to run after them. On the whole though, nipping our daughter is the only thing he has done which I'd guess was out of line (and she has sorted that out).

He has absolutely zero fear of any dog (aggressive or otherwise) and is still pretty much a top dog to other dogs, although as he's gotten older he is now pretty good about not giving other dogs any cause for concern. But when he gets attacked by a bigger dog (about once a year) he always fights back and I'm sorry to say seems to enjoy that. So we have to watch him with that. However it is good that he can look after himself.

I grew up with a lot of dogs and suppose in general just expect there not to be issues. It's mainly a question of just being firm and consistent, I think, and being able to read your dog. (But with lots of affection and exercise of course). Our boy is 90lbs, not neutered, quite fit and very strong. But basically he is a lovely, pretty obedient boy and a wonderful member of our family.