What To Do If A Bulldog Barks And Bites?

Last Updated on March 2, 2022 by Griselda M.

Bulldogs are usually calm animals that are easy to handle, but some owners wonder what to do if a Bulldog barks and bites, as there are individual dogs that will cause trouble. Although violence and aggression aren’t often seen with Bulldogs, it is possible, and in today’s article – we’ll be taking a look at aggressive behavior with these dogs and learn what you can do about it.

Bulldogs Barking

All dogs are barking – there are very few breeds that aren’t vocal and that don’t bark at all (or they bark rarely). Bulldogs, however, definitely bark and they’re not afraid of barking. However, they’re not as nearly as vocal as some other dog breeds. Some breeds don’t just bark for aggressive reasons but just as a means of communication.

Bulldogs aren’t like that, they’re more silent. If they need to get your attention – they’ll definitely bark, but they won’t just bark for no reason. If your Bulldog is constantly barking – there’s definitely a good reason for that. They could be barking because there’s an intruder in their territory (not necessarily a human, but another animal or a foreign object), they could be barking because they’re distressed (they might be in pain or they’re afraid of the lawnmower) and they could also be barking to get your attention.

The latter is actually very common, and many dogs will learn to manipulate their owners through barking. A dog barks – you pet them and give them a treat – suddenly the dog realizes that you will do this every single time just to get them to stop barking!

This isn’t behavior that you want to support – if you think that your dog is barking just to attract attention, definitely ignore it. It might be annoying at first, but your dog will stop barking quickly. Every time you respond to it, even if you’re scolding your dog, you’re only showing them that you’re responsive to their barking.

Stopping Your Dog From Barking

There’s no reason to stop your dog from barking – just to put that out there. Barking is as natural to dogs as speaking is to us. What you should worry about is excessive barking – a dog can bark for all the wrong reasons, and that’s something that you’re going to want to put under control.

If your dog is barking because they’re hurt or in distress – it’s okay. If your dog is barking to get attention or because it’s hungry – that isn’t okay. You need to teach your dog to be polite (at least in dog terms) and not upset every single person in the house with their barking just because they’re bored or hungry.

This is a very common problem with spoiled and stubborn dogs – unlucky for you if you own a Bulldog, both English and French Bulldogs are very stubborn animals. You might need to work with a professional dog trainer to get rid of this habit.

Training a dog can be hard work. However, once you’re in on a few lessons with your dog trainer, you’re going to notice that your dog is actually responsive. Most dogs can actually be taught to be silent and not bark in certain situations.

Biting Is Not Okay

There’s a clear difference between playful biting and harmful biting. Playful biting is something dogs do every day. They don’t exactly bite, they nibble. This is just a way dogs play, and you shouldn’t be worried about it. If anything, your dog gently biting you means that they’re willing to play with you.

However, dogs can sometimes lose control for various reasons and your dog might seriously bite you. For example, it’s not odd for a dog to bite you if you’re touching its food while they’re eating. This is probably also nothing to worry about – all animals are extremely protective of two things – their pack and their food.

Similarly, a new mother might have a problem with you touching her puppies.

However, when a dog starts seriously biting people without provocation – you have a problem on your hands. This is especially dangerous if we’re talking about American Bulldogs – they’re typically much larger and stronger than English and French Bulldogs, making them more dangerous if they bite.

A serious bite from any breed of dog can easily pierce the skin and cause some damage, you might even need stitches. If this happens, make sure you visit the doctor, disinfect the wound and clean it up. You should also start seriously working on your dog’s discipline and obedience, as they could hurt someone.

Read more about How To Train A French Bulldog Not To Bite?

In Summary

Neither of the three Bulldog breeds is aggressive, and there’s little to worry about with these dogs. However, if your Bulldog keeps biting you a little too hard – you’re going to have to discipline your dog before they seriously hurt someone. When it comes to barking, they’re not particularly vocal, but if they start barking for no reason, you’ll once again have to discipline your dog.

Dogs are known to bark just to get their owner’s attention or food – this is an unhealthy habit that you should teach them to stop.

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