American bulldogs are found in so many households as these are quite fascinating and adorable in looks. But does this mean that this breed of dog has the nature to be suitable for any family? For a family dog, American bulldogs are perfect too. Now we would like to discuss how American bulldogs have become the ideal option for pet dogs in many households.
The level of intelligence differs among the different breeds of dogs and it has been proven so far that American bulldogs are pretty docile and intelligent as pet dogs. They are perfect to be kept with the families as they can learn the basic skills and can understand the duties bestowed upon them easily.
Contents
Where does the American bulldog rank in intelligence?
The intelligence level of the American bulldogs make them placed at rank 77, which shows they are pretty lower at the intelligence level. They do not understand commands at the first instance and the rate of them in the level of understanding direction is 25%.
When it comes to measuring the smartness and comparing American bulldogs with other breeds, they would not rank very high. They are at 136th place in the intelligent quotient list of all the dogs. Intelligence among dogs lets them learn the basic rules of the house as well as makes them understand the directions that are given.
However, American bulldogs do not learn the skills or rules by following the directions efficiently. Rather they learn from the experiences and the outcomes of the incidents. So that is how the owners of the American bulldogs can use their ability to make them ready for family life.
How can you match the temperament of the American bulldogs with intelligence?
Bulldogs were earlier counted as short-tempered and angry dogs, as their name comes from the bull-baiting function, which was their main usage. But later then turned to become quite docile and calm dogs which can be kept at homes.
It has been seen that the intelligent breed of dogs is usually easy to manage as they understand and learn the skills promptly. This is not much the same with the American bulldogs, as they take longer to learn these rules. As a result they act obstinately and they do not listen to the directions very promptly. Intelligence level also helps the dogs to follow the directions when they are getting trained.
Are the American bulldogs intelligent enough to play with kids?
American bulldogs are patient enough to manage the company of the kids. As the kids often tend to be annoying or irritating to the pets, the American bulldogs never react much harshly to the kids. They also are playful and bonds with the children soon. They are adorable in every aspect and thus, if you have kids at home, surely you can choose American bulldogs to be your pet.
Does the American bulldog fit to accompany the seniors?
According to many, bulldogs of any species are pretty aggressive and it is not safe to keep them as house pets when there are senior members living in the same house. This is not true in the case of American bulldogs.
As American bulldogs are not high in IQ level, they will not learn to behave as soon as other breed of dogs. But their patience level is not bad. They can be taught slowly the way to behave with the seniors at the house.
They follow directions slowly due to the low intelligence, but they are naturally protective of their family. When they are brought young to the foster home, they grow up thinking the family of the human to be its own. Thus, they instinctively know that it is their duty to protect all the family members, including the seniors from any kind of danger. They will not act aggressively towards the senior members, and rather act dedicatedly to their needs.
How intelligently does the American bulldog act with the strangers?
The American bulldogs will swear that their pet dogs are not really good guard dogs. Other than the grumpy look, which sometimes makes them look too cute, the American bulldogs have no attitude to become an aggressive guard dog. They are more on the friendlier side and thus, they can be trusted for doing small chores and helping the seniors or kids at home by accompanying them. But when it comes to protecting them from random strangers they will not act much intelligently.
However, that does not mean that all the guests are welcomed in your house by the pet American bulldog. They are not much friendly with the unknown guests and will not come towards them. They take time to become friendly and mix with the new people. They are more comfortable in their own area, responding to the needs of the family members they are accustomed to. But their calm nature prevents them from attacking the strangers when they see them coming around.
How can you train your American bulldog to act intelligently?
As we teach our kids to make them grow to become mature and well-behaved ones, so we have to train our American bulldogs. They are not much smart but if trained well, the lack of intelligence can be compensated too.
So you have to follow some basic rules of the training, and the dog will be trained to become a smart and well-mannered pet. Start when the puppy of the American bulldog is 8 weeks old. Sometimes setting playdates for them makes them sociable and that also helps their mental growth.
American bulldogs are not much fond of another breed of dogs. They love the company of their human but they do not act friendly when they are near other pet dogs. So this obstacle can be removed by fixing some playdates and taking the dog to the dog park once a week.
Socialization of the American bulldog is a challenge for its owners. Take your dog to different places and let it face new people. They often act stubborn and that should be managed when you will let them face new situations and surroundings. They will appear smart if and when they will face certain challenging situations.
The basic directions like sit, run, fetch should be taught from the puppy stage only. As we have stated earlier in this guide, this direction will be taught with much time, so you have to be patient with the dog and do not lose spirit.
If you want your American bulldog to act aggressively towards stranger and become a good guard dog, then you may need professional help. Socializing is another way of boosting the confidence in your American bulldog, and also it will be able to judge various situations.
Conclusion
As the breed American bulldogs are calm and adorable, for many they are the first choice when they think of pets. But letting them be themselves is not the right idea as they need to be groomed, socialized, and managed so they act smartly and intelligently in every situations.
The American bulldogs need attention and love as they seek the adoration of their owners. After they are properly trained they can become good guard dogs and not just general pet dogs for cuddling and petting.
More:
