I have talked through out all of these pages about Bull Terriers being “quirky” and “crazy” and “different from any other breed of dog”
I have mentioned Dog Aggression and temper tantrums. What many people do not know, it that Bull Terrier's suffer from mental problems.
And I don't mean that in a cheeky sort of way.
I mean that in a LITERAL way.
Bull Terriers have several Neurological conditions that they suffer from
on levels ranging from mild to so severe the dog cannot live a proper, healthy or happy life.
Often times, these disorders go untreated or undiagnosed due to a lack of knowledge on the part of either behaviorist, trainer or veterinarian.
Often times, these conditions get labeled as the dog is simply being a “bad dog” or the dog is just “stupid”
Some times owner have to deal with the stress and stigma that follows these conditions and behaviors the dog exhibits.
Leaving owners feeling confused and angry.
Some of these conditions are easily tolerated and the family may simply think the dog has “silly habits”
such as “trancing” or “ghost walking” when a Bull Terrier stands still and stares off into the distance or walks in slow motion, normally under an over hanging tree or curtains.
This is very common, is not harmful in any way and needs nothing but a bit of understanding.
While others such as Rage are very difficult to deal with and can leave a family or owner having to make a tough decision.
I am going to talk about each condition beginning with the mildest and mildest form to the most extreme.
Trancing or Ghost walking
When a Bull Terrier either walks in slow motion with head low or stands still head low to stare off into space.
This is a very common occurrence as most Bull Terriers will do this behavior in some form or another. How often is really based on the individual dog. Some dogs do it often while others not so much.
My Boy Cesar does it on a fairly regular basis, while my female did it maybe a handful of times in her 2 years of life.
This is really not a behavior that needs dealing with unless the dog in question is doing it constantly and goes so far as to be unresponsive, though that is not something I have ever heard of and many react instantly to the sound of there owners voice with a wag of the tail and turn of the head.
Most Bull Terrier's seem to do this behavior when they are calm and relaxed, so it can actually be a GOOD sign.
OCD
There are many symptoms and forms of OCD in Bull Terriers, ranging from mild to severe and can be triggered by many things, some behaviors can be caused by stress, anxiety or boredom.
A very common and mild form of OCD is when Bull Terriers will pick up an object and pace through out the area, back and forth or in a circle, I Think it looks as though they are “prancing” or “showing off”
This is also fairly mild and rarely a behavior to be worried about unless, again it is interfering with you and your dogs daily life.
Spinning/ Tail chasing
THIS behavior can become very problematic, many Bull Terrier's will get into the habit of spinning and will spin for hours and hours at a time, some dogs will do this from the time they wake up to the time they go to sleep and will not stop.
This is a dangerous habit and your dog should NEVER be encouraged to do.
This is by far one of the most well known OCD behaviors documented in Bull Terrier's and also one of the more severe.
If you happen to notice you dog spinning it is best to discourage it gently by distracting them into other games or tricks.
If you notice it is far more severe, you nee to contact a veterinarian and talk about possible options.
This is NOT a behavior issue, though some dogs begin out of boredom, so if this is a behavior that has suddenly began, try exercising or training your dog more, play with them more, get there minds OFF wanting to spin or chase there tails.
RAGE
Rage is very uncommon and is also the most problematic and dangerous of all the mental disorders.
Rage is a condition where a Bull Terrier will be in a sound sleep and will awaken suddenly in a rage, biting, attacking, growling, snarling at anything nearby, furniture, shoes, other pets, even there own family members. And within a few minutes, the rage subsides and they come back to reality.
Many owners are startled by this and often believe it is a behavioral issue, contacting trainers or scolding the dog when it happens.
How ever, the dog truly has no control over these outbursts and should not be scolded, as these outbursts have been comparable to a seizure.
In its mild form it is manageable by simply keeping the dog in its crate while it sleeps, scheduling naps and never approaching them while they are sleeping. Medication can also help as well and your veterinarian should be contacted for a thorough exam to rule out any other health issues or possible pain.
In its severe form, the dog cannot be helped or managed and there is rarely any other alternative other then humanly euthanize.
It is a sad condition indeed and I sympathize for any one who has ever had to deal with this.
If you suspect your dog may have a mental condition and need help, please contact your veterinarian and talk over options, some vets are not as “Bull Terrier” savvy, if that is the case, please visit the BTCA website to find specialists in your area that can help you
I have mentioned Dog Aggression and temper tantrums. What many people do not know, it that Bull Terrier's suffer from mental problems.
And I don't mean that in a cheeky sort of way.
I mean that in a LITERAL way.
Bull Terriers have several Neurological conditions that they suffer from
on levels ranging from mild to so severe the dog cannot live a proper, healthy or happy life.
Often times, these disorders go untreated or undiagnosed due to a lack of knowledge on the part of either behaviorist, trainer or veterinarian.
Often times, these conditions get labeled as the dog is simply being a “bad dog” or the dog is just “stupid”
Some times owner have to deal with the stress and stigma that follows these conditions and behaviors the dog exhibits.
Leaving owners feeling confused and angry.
Some of these conditions are easily tolerated and the family may simply think the dog has “silly habits”
such as “trancing” or “ghost walking” when a Bull Terrier stands still and stares off into the distance or walks in slow motion, normally under an over hanging tree or curtains.
This is very common, is not harmful in any way and needs nothing but a bit of understanding.
While others such as Rage are very difficult to deal with and can leave a family or owner having to make a tough decision.
I am going to talk about each condition beginning with the mildest and mildest form to the most extreme.
Trancing or Ghost walking
When a Bull Terrier either walks in slow motion with head low or stands still head low to stare off into space.
This is a very common occurrence as most Bull Terriers will do this behavior in some form or another. How often is really based on the individual dog. Some dogs do it often while others not so much.
My Boy Cesar does it on a fairly regular basis, while my female did it maybe a handful of times in her 2 years of life.
This is really not a behavior that needs dealing with unless the dog in question is doing it constantly and goes so far as to be unresponsive, though that is not something I have ever heard of and many react instantly to the sound of there owners voice with a wag of the tail and turn of the head.
Most Bull Terrier's seem to do this behavior when they are calm and relaxed, so it can actually be a GOOD sign.
OCD
There are many symptoms and forms of OCD in Bull Terriers, ranging from mild to severe and can be triggered by many things, some behaviors can be caused by stress, anxiety or boredom.
A very common and mild form of OCD is when Bull Terriers will pick up an object and pace through out the area, back and forth or in a circle, I Think it looks as though they are “prancing” or “showing off”
This is also fairly mild and rarely a behavior to be worried about unless, again it is interfering with you and your dogs daily life.
Spinning/ Tail chasing
THIS behavior can become very problematic, many Bull Terrier's will get into the habit of spinning and will spin for hours and hours at a time, some dogs will do this from the time they wake up to the time they go to sleep and will not stop.
This is a dangerous habit and your dog should NEVER be encouraged to do.
This is by far one of the most well known OCD behaviors documented in Bull Terrier's and also one of the more severe.
If you happen to notice you dog spinning it is best to discourage it gently by distracting them into other games or tricks.
If you notice it is far more severe, you nee to contact a veterinarian and talk about possible options.
This is NOT a behavior issue, though some dogs begin out of boredom, so if this is a behavior that has suddenly began, try exercising or training your dog more, play with them more, get there minds OFF wanting to spin or chase there tails.
RAGE
Rage is very uncommon and is also the most problematic and dangerous of all the mental disorders.
Rage is a condition where a Bull Terrier will be in a sound sleep and will awaken suddenly in a rage, biting, attacking, growling, snarling at anything nearby, furniture, shoes, other pets, even there own family members. And within a few minutes, the rage subsides and they come back to reality.
Many owners are startled by this and often believe it is a behavioral issue, contacting trainers or scolding the dog when it happens.
How ever, the dog truly has no control over these outbursts and should not be scolded, as these outbursts have been comparable to a seizure.
In its mild form it is manageable by simply keeping the dog in its crate while it sleeps, scheduling naps and never approaching them while they are sleeping. Medication can also help as well and your veterinarian should be contacted for a thorough exam to rule out any other health issues or possible pain.
In its severe form, the dog cannot be helped or managed and there is rarely any other alternative other then humanly euthanize.
It is a sad condition indeed and I sympathize for any one who has ever had to deal with this.
If you suspect your dog may have a mental condition and need help, please contact your veterinarian and talk over options, some vets are not as “Bull Terrier” savvy, if that is the case, please visit the BTCA website to find specialists in your area that can help you