Oh no, why is my American Bully so aggressive?
This is a question dog trainers hear all the time. However, the answer might not be as simple as one might think.
American Bullies are generally considered a friendly breed – unlike Pit Bulls, which have a reputation for being one of the most aggressive dogs out there.
In fact, they were bred to fix Pit Bulls somewhat’ temperamental nature, making them a good choice for a family pet.
However, this doesn’t mean American Bullies cannot be prone to aggressive behaviors, especially if you haven’t trained or socialized them properly.
Fortunately, most of these behaviors can be fixed, especially if dealt with on time.
So, if you’ve caught yourself wondering, “Why is my American Bully so aggressive, what can I do to prevent this?“, you’re in the right place.
Here’s why your beloved Bully might be behaving this way, and what you can do to help him:
1. Lack of Socialization
One of the main reasons why your American Bully is so aggressive is probably poor socialization.
All dogs need socialization – especially Bullies, which have some dominant tendencies.
People like to think that small dogs, such as Pocket Bullies, don’t need much socialization. These pups are cute and loveable, and they will behave in such a way towards everyone, right?
Wrong!
All breeds, from Jack Russells and American Bulldogs to Golden Retrievers, require proper socialization in order to behave properly.
How To Fix
Early socialization is crucial to ensuring your pup is friendly toward other people and dogs.
I would advise all new dog owners to contact professional dog trainers who can help them teach their dogs how to behave in various social situations.
If you have an old American Bully, you can still socialize him to an extent, but he might never learn how to behave around certain people or animals. On such occasions, it would be smart to simply avoid getting your dog in situations that would make him act aggressively.
2. Genetics
While American Bully isn’t necessarily an aggressive breed, they are the result of crossbreeding with Pit Bulls, which were bred as fighting dogs and guard dogs for generations.
All of this makes them more prone to aggression toward other animals.
These genetics, as well as the lack of breed standards, are some of the reasons why they are not a recognized breed in the United States and can never be show dogs.
This doesn’t mean that Bullies are bad dogs that will always behave aggressively toward other pets – but they are more prone to aggression than Labrador Retrievers, for example.
How To Fix
One of the ways to make sure your dog has good genetics is to buy from reputable dog breeders who carefully choose their breeding stock and ensure all puppies come from healthy, well-behaved parents.
Once again, early socialization is crucial. Even a dog that has a bad genetic background can learn to behave properly if taught on time.
3. Poor Training
Lack of training is one of the main reasons behind aggression in American Bullies.
There is much news about the dramatic rise of attacks done by Pitbull breeds all around the world. This doesn’t mean that dogs are becoming more aggressive, but rather that the owners, who work 9 to 5, don’t have the time to train them properly.
How To Fix
Proper training is the only way to keep your dog under control.
Make sure your training starts in non-distracting areas so the American Bully can focus on you. Later, move to more distracting areas, as this will help him learn to behave in every situation.
It’s understandable that not everyone has the time or the energy to train their American Bully puppy every day for at least an hour. This is why it’s a good idea to take your pup to a few classes with a local professional dog trainer.
Remember that irresponsible owners are one of the leading causes of dog attacks. This is what’s at stake if you fail to teach your pup where the boundaries are.
4. Fear and Anxiety
Fearful dogs act in an aggressive way to protect themselves. This is quite common in adopted dogs that were abused by previous owners.
Not only that, but a dog might lash out if he is suddenly scared of something. It’s important to recognize this behavior and to understand that your Bully isn’t mean; he’s simply afraid of something.
As American Bullies develop close bonds with their owners, they are also prone to separation anxiety, which can also result in aggressive and destructive behaviors.
How To Fix
Once again, socialization and training are crucial in keeping your dog under control, even in these situations.
Also, try to find out what situations are stressing your dog out. Try to help him get desensitized or avoid getting him into such circumstances.
5. Territorial Behavior
All Pitbull breeds, such as Staffordshire Terriers, American Pit Bull Terriers, American Bulldogs, and even American Bullies, are prone to some territorial behaviors. They were bred to be guard dogs, after all, and this is one of the behavior problems that might occur.
American Bullies might act aggressively toward other dogs. Same-sex aggression can be common among intact males and females, but even fixed dogs might behave badly if they feel threatened.
How To Fix
Fixing your adolescent dog can help deal with the most common behavior issues, including territorial aggression.
If you don’t see much progress after this and aggressive incidents keep on occurring, make sure your dog has enough physical activity and mental stimulation.
A pup that is bored is more prone to improper behaviors than a tired pup who has had fun all day long.
This is especially the case with intelligent working dogs, such as Bullies.
6. Health Issues
Sometimes, dogs might behave aggressively because they are in pain.
Health conditions such as hip dysplasia, luxating patella, or injuries can make your American Bully lash out.
Some health issues, such as rabies, will affect your dog’s behavior and make him extremely aggressive. Fortunately, rabies is very rare in the United States, so the chances of your pup contracting it are slim.
How To Fix
If you’ve noticed your American Bully is aggressive all of a sudden, take a closer look and try to see whether he is limping or showing other signs of pain.
You might also want to take him to a veterinarian’s assistant, who will assess him and check out his health.
Finally, don’t allow your dog to play with wildlife to avoid rabies and similar health problems.
7. Past Trauma
As mentioned, dogs that have been abused are more prone to aggressive behaviors because they are afraid.
This is especially common in dogs that have been adopted from the shelter, as many of them are dealing with past traumas and abandonment.
This is also why abandoned pups are the leading cause of dog attacks.
How To Fix
The best way to deal with this issue is to take your pup to a professional trainer who will see just how deep your Bully’s trauma is and how to deal with it.
You might even want to take your doggo to a veterinarian’s assistant to get some anti-anxiety medicine. Such supplements have proved to be quite successful in helping dogs who deal with long-lasting anxiety.
Be patient. Just as is the case with humans, dogs can’t heal from their traumas overnight.
8. Resource Guarding
While American Bullies are not necessarily an aggressive breed, they can still be very protective of their items – especially food and toys.
This can make them dangerous to young children who think it’s okay to take dog food and mess with pet toys during playtime.
Resource guarding is an additional problem abused dogs have, as many have spent months being hungry.
How To Fix
First and foremost, it’s essential to teach your kids how to behave around dogs. This can easily prevent a dog attack.
Teach your children to understand the dog’s language of play and to differentiate it from aggressive behaviors so they don’t get into trouble.
Next, teach your dog some basic commands, such as Stay and Leave It. Offer him something of high value if he drops the item.
This will help create positive associations with leaving the object of interest and to wait for your cue before picking it up again.
9. Overstimulation
If the observed aggression didn’t happen last week, but is happening now, maybe your dog is feeling overstimulated.
Physical and mental activity is important for any dog. However, many common behavior issues are caused by a dog that has gathered too much energy from working out too much, or spending too much time around other dogs or people.
If you notice signs of overstimulation in your all a sudden aggressive American Bully, such as dilated pupils, hyperactivity, excessive barking, and ignoring commands, this is a clear sign your dog needs some rest from the stimuli.
How To Fix
First off, start by identifying and removing the stimuli away from your dog. Move him to a non distracting area where he can calm down.
Engage in calming activities and use a calming voice. Don’t engage in his attempts to play aggressively.
Pressure wraps can also help keep some dogs calm and get them to relax, so it’s a good idea to look into that option, as well.
As you see, there is likely a good reason why is your American Bully so aggressive, and most behavioral issues can be fixed.
What’s important is not to ignore signs of aggression and to act quickly. Contacting a veterinarian’s assistant and a professional trainer can also help determine some underlying issues that might be causing trouble.
Good luck!
Vanja’s passion for writing started at an early age, which is why she pursued Journalism as her college degree. She can research any topic and find all the information before you bat an eye, which is a great thing for her job but a terrible one for her husband.
Even as a young child, she fell in love with everything fluffy – but dogs have a special place in her heart due to her childhood companion, a Corgie named Archie.
Motivated by her experiences and driven by a desire to give back to her four-legged companions, she spends her free time volunteering at a local dog shelter.