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reenie bailey · Jul 12, 2012, 03:18 AM

I have a 6month old english bull terrier called darcy,she is a beautiful dog apart from she get very jealous of my staffy,she will pick a fight with her which is getting out of hand,also she will go for my 2 children if they pick up her toys or go to give me a cuddle,I am so worried she will turn into an aggressive dog when fully grown,any suggestions,

joypulv · Jul 12, 2012, 04:17 AM

Dogs 'turn into' what their owners train them to be! You need some serious lessons in training this dog that would take too long to say here. It's going to take patience and time and work. You can try books or hire someone.

reenie bailey · Jul 12, 2012, 06:00 AM

Originally Posted by joypulv

Dogs 'turn into' what their owners train them to be! You need some serious lessons in training this dog that would take too long to say here. It's going to take patience and time and work. You can try books or hire someone.

How comes we have shown her loads of love and care and yet she still does it, your making it sound like we have dragged her up so far, its not as if we are in-experienced we have always had english bull terriers

shazamataz · Jul 12, 2012, 07:15 AM

Joypulv has a good point and I don't think she was trying to insinuate you were doing the wrong thing, perhaps that you just need a little help in dealing with a difficult dog.

You need to establish yourself as the pack leader and your children as being above the dog.
Right now the dog sees itself as being higher up in the ranks than the kids and that is a no-no.

Getting the kids involved in training, no matter how small a role can help greatly though I would advise you seek out a dog trainer or obedience school in your area for more hands on advice. It's all very well and good for us to tell you what to do, but they can physically show you things that we can't over the internet.

Many dog clubs run puppy classes and they are relatively inexpensive. We have one here that is $40 for an 8 weeks course, classes are every Sunday.
Dog trainers on the other hand can be expensive but are well worth the money if the obedience classes do not help.

joypulv · Jul 12, 2012, 11:20 AM

Love and care are totally separate from obedience training.
I wasn't insinuating that at all, just saying how serious it is to be sure a dog doesn't hurt a child. My sister years ago had to give away one of two dogs who just couldn't handle being around a baby, despite all their efforts at training. The dog experts claim it's possible, but not every owner can do it.

Lucky098 · Jul 12, 2012, 12:52 PM

I think she is receiving too much love and care.

Bull Terriers are nasty little buggers. You should read up on what this breed was designed to do. Once you understand her thinking, you'll know how to handle her better.

Obedience, like what everyone else has already mentioned, is a major thing right now. I suggest you avoid training programs at petsmart and petco, they just aren't equipped to deal with major behavior problems. You need a training class that is going to be a little strict.

I'm not saying to not show affection towards your dog, but there is a time and place for it. You need to put down the hammer, too. Being aggressive towards your pups (your kids), is unacceptable. You need to make her know that. I would almost go so far as to say that your kids and this dog need to be separated for a long time or until you have better control on her.

If you are scared of someone getting bit, buy a cage muzzle. They were designed to keep everyone safe while working through problems.

If you feel like this is too much work, I would advise you to find a BREED SPECIFIC RESCUE to rehome her. The reason I highlight breed specific rescue, is because you would be helping her find her "forever home".. shelters just move dogs and don't care where they go... if you even breath that she shows aggression towards dogs and kids, she is as good as dead... plus all this BSL crap ragging around.. bully breeds just don't make it well in a majority of shelters.

Contact a good trainer. Speak with your vet, look up trainers in your area through the AKC website. Speak with friends and family or neighbors.. There are a lot of training groups, you just need to start looking. And when you find a trainer.. tell them all of your problems and what your goals are. Your goals are either going to be reachable for that trainer... and hopefully they will be honest with you on what they can do for you.

I hope you can reach your little girl. I know how frustrating it can be to have problems with such a young dog.

Good luck.