Grooming - Clip his whiskers every one to two months

Clip his whiskers every one to two months with blunt-nosed scissors. Not every owner chooses to keep their Bull Terrier's whiskers clipped.

Bull Terrier - Dog Lover

Grooming - Brush your Bull Terrier's coat weekly

Brush your Bull Terrier's coat weekly with a rubber brush or rubber grooming glove. They shed very little, so more frequent brushing is unnecessary.

Bull Terrier - Dog Lover

Rescue Bull Terrier - Find a local bull terrier breeder

Find a local bull terrier breeder. Breeders often know of dogs that need a home. Occasionally breeders have a retired dog looking for a home. Before working with a breeder, check with the Bull Terrier Club of America to make certain the breeder is in good standing.

Bull Terrier - Dog Lover

Rescue Bull Terrier - Search online adoption portals

Search online adoption portals such as petfinder.com, pets911.com or 1-800-save-a-pet.com. Not all shelters work with rescue groups so it is possible that there is a bull terrier in a shelter. While searching, consider whether a bull terrier mix would be the right addition to your family. If so, there are many dogs listed as bull terrier mixes that may make a great match. When working with a shelter, the veterinary care that the dog receives and the background of the dog may not be known. It is important to meet the dog and spend as much time as possible interacting with the dog before making the decision to adopt.

Bull Terrier - Dog Lover

Rescue Bull Terrier - Talk with your pet care professionals

Talk with your pet care professionals. The veterinarian, groomer, doggy day care and kennel that you patronize can be good resources in your search to adopt a bull terrier. Ask them to keep your information available for anyone that may need to find a home for a bull terrier.

Bull Terrier - Dog Lover

Rescue Bull Terrier - Contact the Bull Terrier Club of America

Contact the Bull Terrier Club of America. Although it is possible to find a bull terrier at your local shelter, it is unlikely. Until recently, bull terriers were not popular so their numbers are relatively small. Shelters usually contact the Bull Terrier Club if one needs a new home. The rescue will conduct interviews and check references to match the right dog with your family. It is possible that you will be placed on a waiting list until the right dog comes into the rescue.

Bull Terrier - Dog Lover

Rescue Bull Terrier - Educate yourself about the bull terrier breed

Educate yourself about the bull terrier breed. Bull terriers can be a handful when they are young (under age six). They love to be busy and are smart. The combination can mean destructive behavior if bored. Bull terriers may not be the right dog for a working family. Often bull terriers get along with other dogs, but it can be difficult to have two males in the same home. Positive reinforcement behavior training is important since bull terriers are loyal and protective of their families. This could lead to misunderstood encounters, especially if the family children are rough housing with other children.

Bull Terrier - Dog Lover

How to identify - Feel the short, harsh coat

Feel the short, harsh coat. The coat should be flat and have a fine gloss. The skin should be tight. On white dogs, markings may be seen on the head, but there should be no other markings. Bull Terrier may have skin pigmentation.

Bull Terrier - Dog Lover

How to identify - Look at the fore and hindquarters

Look at the fore and hindquarters of this breed. The legs should be big-boned. The forelegs are moderate in length and the elbows do not turn in or out. The hind legs are parallel if viewed from behind, and have muscular thighs. The feet are round and compact, and the toes arch in a cat-like manner. The short tail should be fine and carried horizontally. It is thick at the body, but tapers to a fine point.

Bull Terrier - Dog Lover

How to identify - Check that the neck is muscular and long

Check that the neck is muscular and long. It should arch and taper from the shoulders to the head. There should be no loose skin. The chest is broad when viewed from the front and is very deep from the withers to the brisket. It is closer to the ground than the belly. Bull Terrier is a well-rounded breed and a short, strong back. There is a pronounced backward slope from the bottom edge of the blade to the top edge. There should be no dip at the withers.

Bull Terrier - Dog Lover

How to identify - Look at the head area

Look at the head area. The long head should be strong and deep. The face is oval in the outline and should not show hollows or indentations. The forehead is flat from ear to ear. The small ears are thin and are placed close together. The should be able to stand straight up. The well-sunken eyes should be very dark and set close together and high on the dog’s head. The nose is black and bends down at the tip.

Bull Terrier - Dog Lover

TRAINING QUESTION - How do I stop leash pulling?

To stop leash pulling your dog can never be allowed to pull you. If this means you stop after 5 feet of walking and return home, then that's what you have to do.

You can use a prong collar but sometimes this doesn't work because once the collar is removed the dog pulls again.

The best method I know of is to change direction a lot. Start off by walking and when your dog is almost to the end of the leash, do a 180 turn and walk in the opposite direction.

They will self correct themselves. As you do this turn call them to you in a happy voice and speed up your pace until they catch up.

Once your dog is almost at the end of the leash, turn to the left, turn to the right etc... Keep changing the direction up and your dog will eventually start looking at you because they have no idea where they are going.

Repeat this a lot. If you only get 30 feet, that's fine, take them out to the yard and play fetch or spring pole them for 20 minutes to get that exercise in.

Bull Terrier - Dog Lover

TRAINING QUESTION - How do I stop annoying behavior problems?

Oddly enough it has been proven time and time again that unless there is a medical or genetic flaw in your dog behavior problems are a result of:

(A) Lack of training and discipline
(B) Lack of exercise and mental stimulation

Try taking your dog for longer walks (during the hot months use caution and take a lot of water) more often. Instead of 5 10 minute walks, try two 45-60 minute walks per day. This alone can curb and has been shown to stop behavior problems in their tracks.

Bull Terrier - Dog Lover

TRAINING QUESTION - My dog is stubborn and won't listen to me. What can I do?

First and foremost dogs are not stubborn. This is a myth. What we see as stubborn is what I call handler mistakes and dogs doing what they have been allowed to do.

For example, if your dog doesn't come to you until the 10th time you call them you might say they are stubborn.

I would say, you have trained your dog that it's the 10th time they should come and not the first time. So it has nothing to with being stubborn. It has everything to do with the fact you did not set the standards to one command, one reaction, one result.

Come, dog doesn't come, you go get them. This results in ONE command, ONE reaction (dog coming to you) and one result (solid recall).

Bull Terrier - Dog Lover

TRAINING QUESTION - How old should my dog be before I start training her?

With positive training a dog can be started as early as 7 weeks of age. However, to teach formal obedience the dog should be older. 4-6 months of age is a good time to start formal obedience training using positive methods.

One important note, in order for a dog to learn a new behavior they have to be old enough to be able to understand that behavior. Teaching a 7 week old puppy to heel would not be a good behavior to teach simply because it takes concentration that a puppy of that age doesn't have yet.

Bull Terrier - Dog Lover

Owner guide - no coat trimming

Bull Terriers require no coat trimming.

Bull Terrier - Dog Lover

Owner guide - Finish grooming with a misty spray

Finish grooming with a misty spray of coat gloss to give his coat a nice sheen.

Bull Terrier - Dog Lover

Owner guide - Dry your Bull Terrier with soft bath towels

Dry your Bull Terrier with soft bath towels. While drying, brush out excess shed hair with a natural bristle brush.

Bull Terrier - Dog Lover

Owner guide - Apply a final coat conditioner on Bull Terrier

Apply a final coat conditioner on Bull Terrier by lightly rubbing it onto his coat and spreading it with a light brushing.

Bull Terrier - Dog Lover

Owner guide - Bathe Bull Terrier

Bathe Bull Terrier every two to three months with a shampoo recommended by your vet, breeder or pet store. If you own a white Bull Terrier, a good quality whitening shampoo improves her dull white coat.

Bull Terrier - Dog Lover