The Bull Terrier has become a popular internet celebrity type dog in recent years. So how do you train a Bull Terrier to be obedient? Here are some simple ideas and practical experiences that many owners find useful.
Build and deepen your relationship with the Bull Terrier
If you want a Bull Terrier to become obedient, you first need a basic emotional bond. Without that foundation between owner and dog, why would the Bull Terrier want to follow your commands? Because of this, the first step in training is always to establish a good relationship. If the bond is still weak, spend more time playing with the dog and offering small acts of kindness to strengthen the connection.
Establish owner authority
Once you and the Bull Terrier have some emotional foundation, a dog with a softer personality may naturally care more about your thoughts and be more willing to carry out your commands. But if the Bull Terrier is especially mischievous, a soft hearted owner image alone will not make it behave. In that case the owner needs to establish authority. When correcting the dog, the attitude should be serious and the tone strict. At times the owner may even need to show temper or apply an appropriate consequence, and the Bull Terrier will then be more willing to back down and behave.
Train the Bull Terrier through daily influence
One of the best ways to train a Bull Terrier is to build discipline naturally through daily life. During ordinary games and interaction, the owner can choose more obedience based or command based activities. This helps the Bull Terrier gradually get used to listening without feeling that training is being forced on it. If the owner is too blunt or heavy handed, the dog may instead develop rebellious feelings and become even less willing to cooperate.
Teach first, then correct
When the Bull Terrier behaves badly, the owner should first make sure the dog clearly understands that it made a mistake and what the mistake actually was. Only then should correction follow. This helps the dog understand right and wrong more clearly, and as the dog understands that distinction, obedience naturally improves. When the dog sees the reason behind the owners correction, it is also less likely to become resentful or rebellious.
Use treats as rewards
People often say that if you want a horse to run well, you have to feed it. The same principle applies here. Treat rewards can greatly increase a Bull Terriers motivation and willingness to obey. Once the owner has used some firmness, the hand holding the treat should also let the dog experience the benefit of cooperation. With the right rewards, teaching a Bull Terrier to become more obedient is much easier.