Don't judge a fish by how it climbs a tree.
Stop comparing the Bull Terrier to other dog breeds and the Bull Terrier’s training results with those of other dog breeds.
Many dog owners and unfortunately many dog trainers either consider the Bull Terrier to be completely untrainable or so hard to train and so poor the outcome that it is not worth the trouble ; since the training results will not be as impressive as with trained dogs of other breeds.
Truth is that if you try to train the Bull Terrier the same way you would train any other breed, the result will not be the same, it will look at the least weird. That is something no dog-trainer wants, no one wants failure in his resume. The thinking goes like this: “A method that has worked so good with so many other dogs cannot be wrong. I use that method with the Bull Terrier and the dog does not respond. Therefore, the problem lies with the Bull Terrier not with the way I work.”
Sounds logical but it is entirely wrong. The average Bull Terrier owner who will try to train his dog, will seek advice from an experienced dog trainer whose method is not appropriate for the Bull Terrier, from online dog training videos or a book on dog training. All using the wrong methods to train the Bull Terrier. The outcome will be way below average or a total failure. The conclusion will be that the Bull Terrier is untrainable.
This is the logic we would use if we were to judge fish for their ability to climb trees and find them incompetent. It is time for this way of thinking to change once and for all. Just because you have to use a different approach to train the Bull Terrier does not mean they are untrainable. It means exactly that. If you want to train the Bull Terrier you need a method tailored for the Bull Terrier. A method to match his idiosyncrasy. That of a very clever, humorous dog, highly energetic and egoistic enough to not respond to corrections as dogs of other breeds do.
My work offers proof that you, yes you can train the Bull Terrier with the method I have used successfully so many years and with so many Bull Terriers. And you do not even have to be experienced in dog-training to do it.
As we speak, there are Bull Terrier owners successfully training their own Bull Terriers with this method and our online courses all over the world. They know first-hand that the Bull Terrier can be trained and they are making a difference to the way the world sees the breed in practice.
The training outcome should be judged in relation to the dog’s idiosyncrasy and body type. The image of a trained in basic obedience Malinois is going to be very different from that of a trained Bull Terrier. I will give a few simple examples for everyone to understand what I mean.
The Recall : The Malinois will be seen right in front of their handler almost attached to his body eyes fixed on him. The Bull Terrier will come close but never attached. Their body type will not allow them to. Their short thick neck – shorter and thicker than in other breeds- will also make it impossible to fix their eyes on the human’s for long. In case you insist on trying the impossible you will ruin the recall entirely.
The Heel: What happens with the recall is what happens with the heel too.
The Out: Given the special scull shape, out for a Bull Terrier has to happen with the tug or ball slightly lowered so the dog can out.
The list is big. Sometimes it has to do with their unique body type and the limitations it sets and other times it has to do with their unique temperament.
In a nutshell: Devote the needed time. Work the right way. See the result for what it is not for what you thought it would be compared to images of other breeds. See the Bull Terrier for what it is. Think of fish: they won’t climb trees but they will become excellent swimmers!
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