Training and socialization of your American Bully from an early age are crucial, as the breed possesses immense strength and power, which can overpower many owners.
Instilling good habits at an early age is crucial to providing a solid foundation, so they know right from wrong and good from bad.
For owners, early training and socialization of your American Bully will help you mold your pup’s behavior and temperament into a desirable one.
This stage is crucial for building your relationship with your dog, as well as instilling key traits such as obedience and discipline.
In this article, we will outline some of the training and socialization activities you should conduct with your young American Bully and why they are important.
According to the American Bully Kennel Club (ABKC), there are four recognized varieties of this breed – the American Bully XL, the Standard, the Classic, and the Pocket.
The advice in this article applies to all of these recognized varieties.
The best age for training and socialization is between two and three months of age. Once they learn these crucial behaviors, they will carry them through for the rest of their lives.
Although American Bullies have a calm temperament, they can retain some classic Bully traits, such as stubbornness and defiance. It is therefore crucial to train American Bullies at an early age when they are more impressionable and less stubborn.
American Bullies are generally good trainees, but here are some dos and don’ts that will help you conduct effective training sessions.
Dog training is not simply about getting your dog to do entertaining tricks. The primary focus of training should be on behavior education and obedience.
Repetitive communication with your American Bully ensures they will recognize your voice. Using that familiarity will enable you to train your Bully to follow the stay, sit, or come commands. These commands will be crucial in curtailing any bad behavior.
Similarly, you can train your American Bully to respond to its name.
These training sessions don’t need to be complex and only need to last 5 to 10 minutes per day over a few weeks. Regularity and consistency are key to fast learning, with the investment paying off in the long run.
You need to convey to your American Bully that you are the leader, while also being welcoming and hospitable to allow them to feel like part of the family.
American Bullies are highly intelligent dogs, so they have an unflinching need to feel wanted and useful.
Taking them out on walks, car rides, or home-based stimulation, are key ways to build a strong bond between your household and the American Bully.
American Bullies respond well to positive reinforcement, which is a training method that rewards positive behavior and a calm ‘no’ if the behavior is not good.
American Bullies should not be riled by their owners due to their strong physique. You should never shout or hit your American bully, as it may encourage aggressive tendencies. Instead, calmly responding to any poor behavior is key.
I got my American Bully because I wanted scary dog privilege when I walk out my house. But… Now I’m sore scared someone will steal him because he’s too friendly 😂 pic.twitter.com/NBbgf564AQ
— WILL BE SORT OF IA (@_nfiantaque) July 10, 2021
Early socialization is key for American Bullies so that they can become familiar with other people and pets. This process sets them up well for later in life when they encounter real-life scenarios of meeting new people.
American Bullies are social pets. Growing up in a household with many people and pets can be the perfect environment for an American Bully to build their social skills. A dog that has been socialized well will be eager to meet new people and won’t express any fear.
You can train your American Bully to be comfortable and well-behaved around others by going on walks. This will provide your Bully with plenty of stimulation, and the outdoors provides a great space for them to familiarize themselves with new people and other pets.
Ideally, you should wait until after your Bully puppy has been vaccinated before the socialization begins. As Bullies like to chew and bite, your puppy is at risk of contracting diseases if they haven’t been vaccinated.
Early potty training can make the life of an American Bully owning household much easier. The simple message to convey to your pup is that relieving themselves indoors is a bad idea. Rather, they should be doing their business outdoors in a safe space.
When you first welcome your puppy into your home, you should observe when they are circling, squatting, or sniffing, as these are key signs that they want to relieve themselves.
When you observe this behavior, take your Bully either to their indoor potty area or outdoors and wait until they are finished. It won’t take long for your bully to figure out where the appropriate place to relieve themselves after repeating this process a few times.
Ensuring your American Bully has a safe space within the home is important for their health and well-being. Crate training is a great way to create this space while also teaching obedience from an early age.
The crate you provide needs to be spacious enough to fit your American Bully comfortably. Equip it with blankets, food, and toys.
Initially, put them in the crate for short periods, and increase the time each day to the point where they feel comfortable sleeping in it.
Meet my baby girl Taz 🎀
XL American bully pic.twitter.com/seBUSgO1Ul— Ataja💋 (@TinyTaj_) April 5, 2021
Early socialization and training are beneficial for the health and wellbeing of both your family and your American Bully.
American Bullies are physically strong and can turn stubborn as they grow older, so investing the time and energy into training them while they are two to three months old is very important. At this age, Bullies will be impressionable and eager to please by acquiring new knowledge.
You can be sure that with early training and socialization, your home will be a calmer, happier place.
The Runaway Dog: What Not To Do If Your Pet Gets Off Its Leash
I am a full-time mum of two kids and a beautiful golden retriever. Writing is my passion: from food journalism to pets, parenting tips, etc. I can write on just about everything under the sun. I have been writing for the past 7 years and during that time, I have been a regular contributor to several blogs and pet magazines. I have also written feature articles, POV pieces, and dabbled in a few different formats of writing over the years.
