Do American Bulldogs Bark a Lot? -

One of the larger and more energetic breeds of Bulldog, the American Bulldog can certainly be more boisterous than their smaller counterparts, like the French Bulldog or English Bulldog.

But do American Bulldogs get bored easily, and are they easy to train? Do American Bulldogs bark a lot? Let’s take a look at this: But first I want to show you the best products to use. As explained in this article.

Why do American Bulldogs Bark?

American Bulldogs are quite alert dogs, keenly tuned in to everything going on around them. American Bulldogs are affectionate and loyal too, and they may try to protect you from a perceived danger.

So, what are some things that an American Bulldog is more likely to bark at because of these traits? Well, one time when your American Bulldog is quite likely to bark is when you’re both playing together.

Your American Bulldog is likely to become very excited and start jumping around when you play together. This is less urgent-sounding barking, and it is normal non-problematic behavior.

Another time when your American Bulldog might bark a lot is when someone comes to your door and your American Bulldog hears your doorbell.

This type of barking is generally quite loud but is not urgent-sounding either. This behavior can become quite helpful, in fact. Your American Bulldog could easily replace the need for a doorbell.

But because of their loyalty, American Bulldogs are also pretty prone to developing separation anxiety.

Your American Bulldog may start to bark excessively when you leave and may continue to bark or whine the entire time you are out.

Do American Bulldogs Have a lot of Energy?

The American Bulldog is definitely a high-energy dog. Not only are they a large dog, but the American Bulldog is also less brachycephalic than other dogs.

Both these things, especially when paired with their history as a farm dog, mean that the American Bulldog definitely has the energy to keep running around all day long, which can easily lead to nuisance barking when an American Bulldog is cooped up with no prior opportunity to burn off this incredible amount of energy.

But as long as you give your American Bulldog a good opportunity to expend this energy, American Bulldogs do not bark a lot.

Are American Bulldogs Easy to Train?

Yes. Fortunately, loyal and highly social American Bulldog is incredibly easy to train. Within hours, you can have your American Bulldog completely obeying you when you command them to do some of the most impressive tricks a dog can do.

It’s not just sitting, staying, and lying down, though – an American Bulldog can also easily be trained not to be a problem barker!

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How Do I Train my American Bulldog, not to Bark?

The American Bulldog is usually quite a quiet dog. But if your American Bulldog does become something of a nuisance barker, the breed is fortunately typically quite easy to train, too.

So, what are some ways to train your American Bulldog not to bark? First of all, do you know what prompts your American Bulldog to bark? If you do, harnessing this is a very convenient way to train your American Bulldog.

If your American Bulldog is barking at your doorbell, for example, it will be easy for you to push the button of the doorbell on purpose, to get your American Bulldog to bark. Then, after this, hold up a treat by your American Bulldog’s nose for them to sniff at.

If your American Bulldog naturally stops barking at the doorbell to sniff at this treat, start using a new word to get them to be quiet, that you can keep using in the future.

Many owners use the words “Quiet”, “Silent” and “Hush”, for example. Hopefully, your intelligent American Bulldog will pick up on how to do this with only a few repetitions needed.

How Do I Get my American Bulldog to Stop Barking When We Go For a Walk?

Or maybe your American Bulldog is mainly barking at other dogs or cars when you take them out for a walk. If this is the case, why not consider using a head halter?

This is a muzzle-like dog accessory that attaches to a leash. It physically shuts your American Bulldog’s mouth if you pull on the leash. To train your American Bulldog using a halter, simply tug on the leash while telling your American Bulldog your “Quiet” command any time they bark.

Then, give them a reward with verbal praise or food after this. This way, your American Bulldog is sure to cease nuisance barking in no time. One other method is to spray your American Bulldog with an unpleasant vinegar spray while simultaneously telling them “No” any time they bark.

This is a significantly more difficult method to use when training your American Bulldog not to bark, however, because of the sheer amount of vigilance it requires.

Is an Anti-Bark Collar a Good Idea?

If you have tried and tried to train your American Bulldog to stop barking unsuccessfully, as an absolute last resort, you might be considering using an anti-bark collar with your pooch. But is this a good idea?

Well, a citronella anti-bark collar is very effective at reducing nuisance barking for American Bulldogs.

When your American Bulldog barks while wearing a citronella anti-bark collar, the collar would spray a fine citronella mist just in front of your American Bulldog’s nose, a scent this dog greatly dislikes.

As an intelligent dog, most American Bulldogs quickly learn that any barking causes this to occur again and again, and so, they quickly stop barking anywhere near as much as they used to.

You may have also come across electronic anti-bark collars, with metal prongs to detect when your American Bulldog barks, and which then electrically shocks them.

However, these are crueler than using a citronella anti-bark collar, and are also significantly less effective – did you know that according to a recent university study, the citronella anti-bark collars were actually twice as effective as electronic anti-bark collars at preventing nuisance barking for the long term?

So, as a last resort, an anti-bark collar should work well to eliminate nuisance barking in an American Bulldog.

That being said, it should usually be easy to train the loyal, intelligent American Bulldog against nuisance barking using far less aversive (and tedious) methods than a shock collar.

Should I Train my American Bulldog to “Speak”?

Some owners worry that teaching their American Bulldog to bark on command may then lead to their American Bulldog starting to bark a lot, or even becoming a nuisance barker. Is this a big concern?

Actually, training your American Bulldog to “speak” is a good and impressive trick that won’t make them more likely to become a nuisance barker at all. Instead, teaching your American Bulldog to bark on command helps them to pay better attention to you in the future,

As well as helping them to get when you actually want them to bark.

So, Do American Bulldogs Bark a Lot?

The American Bulldog is generally a placid, quiet enough breed of dog. But they do have a tendency to “alert” bark, at any dangers they perceive.

So, they may sometimes become a nuisance barker that does bark a lot. This is pretty rare for the American Bulldog, however.

But fortunately, if an American Bulldog does start to bark a lot, a dog of this intelligent breed can easily be trained out of the habit.

For more about American Bulldogs see my other articles below

By Michelle McDaid.