Well it happened....

[ksdstny]

I gave my babies a spank yesterday....can u believe, ive never done that before.

We were playing in the front yard and they never leave...ever......

Until today. They saw a cat and took off balls to the walls chasing it, to the tune of three houses down. Did not even stop when i told them to. We have a good stop command, didnt phase them in the least.

I was soooo mad at them.

Thank goodness the cat was faster, when i got to them they went straight home, got a smack and put in timeout ie stay. dont thi k ive ever smacked their butts before.

To their defense they have never really been exposed to cats, im allergic, highly.

After i was calm, we went back outside and did some more training, i do not want them even stepping off the curb. Needless to say we have some work to do.

[winwinsmom]

What a mean ole mommy  just kidding...you know that.  But that topic, almost scared the crap out of me.  I thought something else had happened.  Well I know I posted on FB that Steeler should come live with us but I guess that's not going to work cuz we got two of da kittehs.  Shucks.  Maybe I could do some dying and make our kittehs look like bullies? 
So how did the training do later on?

[Susan & the bullies]

Oh thank goodness it all turned out ok.  I know the horror -- Darla took off like the wind one day directly into the street, running at top speed. Scared me to death!!!! 

Hope your little turkeys learned their lesson!  You handled it well.

[hoegaandit]

I think .... if possible you need to walk them past cats while on lead, correcting them as they start to "lose it". Our problem is not with cats, although the big boy will chase them when the neighbour's cats come into our yard. The neighbourhood we mostly walk has very bold cats, rarely they may even chase our boy to play. The cats there rarely if ever run away.

But our boy does have a problem with skateboards (and I do have to watch him with any cyclist dropping off leaflets). As it is winter here our front yard catches more sun, so we have been sitting out there and our boy has twice tried to run up to the road when the siren song of a skateboarder rolling down the hill has come to his ears.

I did see a video of Cesar Millan (visiting NZ soon by the way) correcting a bulldog by walking him on lead, having his son skate a skateboard alongside. The way Millan seems to correct him is by kicking him just behind his ribs. I'm not sure that it is the best thing to kick a dog (tho Millan supporters will say it is more of a nudge), but some correction, whether a raised finger in the face and yell is probably necessary in cases like this, along with just getting used to the cat or skateboard or whatever.

I have hit our boy once or twice and do regret that, but he anyway is a pretty tough boy and seems to react the same to that or a yell - acts submissive for fifteen seconds then just goes on as if nothing had happened.

[winwinsmom]

Hmmmm......try to find a puddy cat that would do that?  May be a problem    I know when our Winnie (RIP sweet boy  ) thought it was cool to try to chase cars I bought a prong collar.  Took him out a couple times, waiting for cars, and as soon as started to go after one, gave it a good yank.  Took two times and he never ever did it again.  Even off leash he never tried again.
I have seen Cesar doing the "kicking", just not too sure about that. 
Have you been doing any more work with them?  Are they any better?  Or was it just a "freaky" thing that happened?

[ksdstny]

We have the skateboard problem also! And the bike problem and now the kitty problem. Lol

I got the easy walk harness and they do well on lead with them, solved my skateboard n bike issue, even in the front yard they will stay for me n usually they will look at me b4 doing anything...not so with the kitty......

Im at the river now so i am going to do whats recommended above and see what happens but i will not be trusting them off lead in the front for a long while, they scared me to death.

Thanks everyone.

[mtc]

We've been working on the house - getting ready to paint it - and Meaty went "after" the old lady next door when she brought trash out to her barrell.

It was awful!  He barked and barked at her every time she moved.  He came on the 2nd call, but I was horrified !!  Then he chased after a girl walking up the street, barking at her, so she ran into a yard. 

I don't know what's gotten into him - he LOVES my brother in law who's doing the painting.. and usually stays right by him.

Now I keep him in the house, or in the back yard behind the fence. 

He KNEW he was naughty too!

[hoegaandit]

From my reading on forums (although our boy is generally not like this) it seems bulldogs often don't like change and can really play up when eg there is a house move or maybe house painting.