Any advice or wise words for a new owner of an American Bulldog?

His name is Malik (mall-lick) (it's an Upiak name) and is 3.5 months old and 40lbs. We have been long-time admirers of the breed and we totally love him and he is so smart and seems very happy in his new home with me, my boyfriend, our 4yr old female pit and cat. Does well with cat by the way. Never had an Am. Bulldog before and just looking for some sagey advice with training and living with him. Nothing in particular. Thanks!Any advice or wise words for a new owner of an American Bulldog?
Congratulations on the newest furry member of your family! I love American Bulldogs.





A few words of wisdom, which as a Pit owner I'd assume you already know:





Exercise, exercise, exercise. American bulldogs usually need about an hour walk a day or more to keep them from getting bored and frustrated. And believe me when I say, you DON'T want a bored Bully of any breed. They are capable of turning your couch into kindling. Been there, done that. Not fun.





To prevent even the possibility of a fight, make sure your dogs are fed separately. Bulldogs tend to be food aggressive by nature.





Socialize like crazy. Make sure Malik meets lots of new dogs, animals, people and is put in new situations as often as possible.





They tend to be very strong-willed and obstinate. Consistency with training is necessary. Don't let them do something sometimes, but not allow them to do it other times. They must know without exception that you are the boss, and that you mean what you say.





Puppies up to around two or three years of age tend to be VERY rambunctious. They can pretty easily knock over children or small people, and hurt them without meaning to. So be careful to train him not to ever jump up on people, and make sure that children, the elderly and fragile people in general are always supervised around your dog.





NEVER play with this breed with your hands. Rough-housing needs to be a strict no-no. While they enjoy it, they are very strong and can hurt someone without meaning to, and should never be allowed to put his mouth on people. There is also the risk of Malik trying to play with someone who doesn't understand that he isn't trying to hurt them, and you being up for a lawsuit or having your dog taken away. Always use a toy when playing games with him.





And as I am sure you know, Bull breeds (Pits, Rottweilers, Bulldogs, Mastiffs, etc) are often assumed to be 'vicious' by some people before the person even meets the dog. Malik鈥檚 actions must be above reproach. It is your responsibility as an owner of an American Bulldog to make sure that your dog is a model canine citizen, so you can help rebuild the reputation of the breed.





I wish you the best of luck with Malik, and I hope this helps!Any advice or wise words for a new owner of an American Bulldog?
I have one. Stubborn? LOL! that does not even begin to describe... They really are the best dogs though. There is a really cool AB yahoo group ';american bulldog friends'; where you can chat with other owners and learn a lot. Oh yeah, they snore like buzzsaws but after a while it becomes soothing to listen to, it's like they are purring! Congratulations!!!
I second what Melissa said! Happy doggy life and companionship. Very sweet loyal dogs! Good luck, be repetative, or routine, and calm, reward good behavior!
They are big dogs. They need to be well socialized with other dogs in order to keep them from becoming dog aggressive. All threw there life make sure they are around good people. They love people and need to be socialized at a young age. They are a dominate breed and need a firm but loving hand when it come to training. If you are already familiar with Pits then you should be fine with an Am Bull.
The only real problem I have seen with Am. Bullodgs is aggression toward other dogs. Now is the time to really socialize him with other dogs to prevent this. Take him around as many well behaved dogs as you can to get him accustomed to proper socializing. The more he gets now, the better it will be later on. Not all Am Bulldogs display dog aggression, but better safe than sorry, and even if he doesn't display it now, doesn't mean he won't in the future, so make sure to focus on that in his puppyhood.


Other than that, they are a relatively easy breed. Good basic obedience training is a must in any dog, so if you have that down as well as socializing, you should have a great dog!


Congrats!!
my advice is to put your shoes up high, very high or in the closet
pepy311 is right. They need to be socialized with some one like you. Spend time with him and play with him when he wants to. Feed him at the right time and THE right thing.