It is difficult for the dog to pull the weight at the beginning, but don't allow your Bully to jump and bounce trying to get the weight moving. It should work with paws. Pull the leash and tell "No" if the dog continues jumping and bouncing. Ease the weight in this case to help the dog working with paws. 4-5 pulls are enough for training. Let your American Bulldog training be joyful. Boredom is your enemy. Increase the weight gradually. Never let your Bully feel defeat. Push the weight if necessary. Increase the distance little by little until it is 15-20 ft. The dog should overcome all the pulls without stops, but make pauses and avoid resistance. If you used equal weight during training, then a winning pull is those the dog overcame within a shortest space of time.
Weight pulling is also a kind of obedience training. You teach the dog that the command "Pull" means work. Let the dog calm down as soon as it starts understanding the command. Reward your Bully for good results. Use treats and praise to teach the dog to pull and a pinch collar to correct the dog if it refuses running the command. Give the command "Go" and make a slight pull with the leash, directing your dog to move forward. Pull the leash once again or several times if your Bulldog refuses to move. Be persistent in your demands. Give generous praise and treat the dog when it starts moving after the command and pull. As you see, this training is the same with teaching the dog to run commands.
Never make your Bulldog to work with the weight it can't pull. Work with light weight until you see it's not enough for the dog. Weight pulling will become more difficult with time and your Ambulldog will want to stop. If the dog understands that it can stop without you command, it will do this every time earlier. Newer allow your Bulldog to stop because the weight became heavier. Just put on the dog a prong collar before training. Of course, you can refuse the prong collar if you consider it inhumane, but in this case you should dominate the dog definitely, otherwise you won't have good results.
First
the dog moves weight at a distance of 20-30 steps. Increase the
distance step by step to 1-2 km. Work with American Bulldog every
second day to give the dog time for recovery, otherwise you can
traumatize your Bully and you'll have no progress. Mix hard and light
training. Get started hard training after the dog had been pulling light
weight for 1-1.5 km during several lessons. You still continue working
with light weight every other day at that. One day is for rest.
Weekly Work Schedule for American Bulldog:
Maximal
weight will be well over at the beginning of training, but it will
become lighter with time because American Bulldog will be close to its
final maximum.
Weight Training Plan:
Each
set is done at the distance of 6-7 m. First 5 sets are done in such a
way: the dog pulls weight at 6-7 m, you make it back at square one and
it does the next set. 3-4 min. are for rest after this. Then you do the
second set. Don't make a longer pause, otherwise the dog will cool down.
This lowers the progress in work. Your Bulldog will feel discomfort
during the third set with weight of 90% from maximum. Help your dog a
bit at the beginning. Every hard, but successfully finished set will
teach the dog to trust you. If American Bulldog refuses pulling, use the
prong collar. If this doesn't help, lighten weight to 80% and do the
planned set. You need to be 110% sure that your Ambulldog is able to
pull weight before to demand from it doing the set.
You should also equalize light weight with the weight of your dog
gradually.
Remember that light training is an aerobic exercise, which
increases your American Bulldog's energy. The dog's power is grown with
hard training. Let your dog always have rest for the 7th day.
American Bulldog preparing for weight pulling competitions is a hard
work, but you'll see the progress that will satisfy your expectations if
not to force events.
This is only one method among the variety of others. However, weight
pulling training needs stability, justice and action sequence.
American Bulldog should be in a good contact with the owner (handler) to
engage in earnest.
Helpful supplies for American Bulldog weight-pulling training, click on the pictures!
Read the first part of the article.
See our custom-made supplies for American Bulldog.
Watch the Video with Cute American Bulldog