What Are Some Potty Training Problems for an English Bulldog?

If you've ever tried to potty train an English bulldog puppy, you may have run into a few problems. All puppies have accidents and issues that can delay successful housetraining, but a few seem to affect bulldogs more than other breeds. When attempting to potty train a bulldog puppy, it often is helpful to understand the common problems and their potential solutions.

  1. Being Stubborn

    • Perhaps the most well-known characteristic of bulldogs is their stubborn personalities. This trait can affect all aspects of training, including teaching the puppy to eliminate outdoors, as many simply will refuse to obey your teachings. Establishing yourself as pack leader often helps to combat the stubborn trait. Walk through doors ahead of the English bulldog puppy and keep him next to you while on walks. If your pup knows that you are in control, he likely obey you better.

    Laziness

    • Bulldogs generally are not known for their high amounts of energy. This personality trait can possibly hinder potty training. Bulldog puppies may simply not feel like getting up to walk outside, so they may just take a few steps away from where they are spending time to empty their bladders or bowels. Rewarding your pup with treats can encourage her to get up and eliminate in the proper place. In addition, keeping her in a crate can prevent accidents, as the pup will have no place to get up and walk away from her mess and will be forced to lie in it. According to the Bulldog Trainers website, bulldogs also are sensitive to heat; therefore, a bulldog may feel listless if kept in warm conditions, which may prevent her from exerting too much energy to eliminate in the correct area. Therefore, always keep the bullie cool.

    Not Understanding What is Expected of Him

    • According to the Complete Guide to Responsible Dog Ownership, bulldogs aren't the most gifted dogs when it comes to training. Inconsistency on the owner's part only adds to that issue, as the puppy may not fully understand what is expected of him. If you take the puppy to different spots of your yard to eliminate, the puppy isn't always going to understand what it is supposed to do. Therefore, always take him out through the same door to the same area. Eventually, he will learn that going through that particular door to that area means he is supposed to go potty. In addition, if you witness the puppy having accidents but respond to him in different ways, you will only confuse him. When you see the dog eliminate indoors, simply pick him up and take him to the appropriate spot outside, then give a treat. Consistency in your training methods helps a bulldog puppy understand what he is supposed to do when it comes to potty training and avoids confusion.