Activities For English Bull Danes

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Activities For English Bull Danes

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Introduction

Your English Bull Dane is your entire life — which means you're always open to learning about new and exciting ways to keep them entertained, healthy, and fully exercised. As you probably know, your English Bull Dane has a pretty steady need for activity and entertainment.

While your doggo does come from two of the more lethargic breeds — The Great Dane and the English Bulldog — they still have about a medium activity level and require anywhere from 40 minutes to an hour of solid activity every day. The English Bull Dane is thought to have been a result of a hybrid breeding designer dog trend, and because of this, is best known for being a companion pup.

English Bull Danes are affectionate, responsive, alert, and loyal to their pack, but because of their parent breeds, can be known to be lazy every now and again (rather, they'd prefer to lounge by your side than sprint around the backyard).

That means it's up to you to provide your pup with regular, exciting entertainment and activities to keep them trim, active, healthy, and entertained.

Tug-of-War

Popular

0 Votes

Any Day

Free

Easy

40 min

Items needed

toy

treats

Activity description

Because your pup is part English Bulldog, it's probably pretty obvious they're going to enjoy any activity that allows them to hone in on their brute force and muscular strength. Tug of war is an absolute classic for English Bull Danes and it's a perfect way to expend a ton of pup energy in a small span of time because your dog is giving it all they've got (and they also tire pretty quickly). There are some schools of thought that say this is a bad game to play with your pup because it causes confusion about relationship dominance, so we recommend ensuring that your pup fully understands the nature of your alpha-dog relationship before playing this game. If this is a concept your pup already struggles with, we do not suggest this game. That being said, English Bull Danes are pretty docile, gentle, and loyal, so this probably won't be an issue you deal with.

Step

Find the right toy

You're welcome to buy a toy that was created specifically for tug of war purposes (trust us, there are thousands out there), but you can also just as easily make one from your supplies at home! It's as easy as braiding rope, towels, or old shirts together. Just make sure that your toy doesn't have pieces that could fray off in your dog's mouth!

Step

Start playing

This game is great because it doesn't require any training whatsoever. Simply get your dog into play mode and rev up their competitive engine by waving the toy around in front of their face. Your pup is naturally going to grab hold and tug. If you really want to get the game moving, start tugging hard on one end and pull your pup around — that should really get the competition going! Don't be afraid to let your pup win a match every now and then, either.

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Therapy Dog Training

Popular

0 Votes

Any Day

Cheap

Normal

2 hrs

Items needed

treats

Activity description

Your pup might be a part bulldog, but they are also part Great Dane — aka gentle giant. Big, calm, and friendly dogs who are great with socialization are always welcome additions to therapy dog programs. They can help boost morale where it's needed, provide joy to sick or sad people, and give your pup a chance to share some of their endless affection with people who need it most. Your pup will require some training, certification, and lots of encouragement, so it's important to be prepared to be patient if you're thinking about going down this road. That being said, your pup will probably get the hang of comforting people in a snap — they're descended from the world's biggest lapdogs, after all.

Step

Make sure your dog is well-socialized

There's going to be a whole lot of training your dog goes through to become a certified therapy dog, but if your pup is struggling with socialization in general, this might not be the best route for your dog. Before you can consider enrolling your dog in therapy dog programs, make sure you've got their socialization totally down.

Step

Get certified

Even if your dog is a natural therapy dog, you can't just show up at any organization or establishment and call your dog a therapy dog. You need to be certified and your dog needs to go through training. Reach out to pet therapy training organizations to get your pup fully certified and prepared before reaching out to places you can bring your dog.

Step

Get to it

After you've been certified and approved to help out, get your dog in the action. Depending on your dog's temperament, you might want to start slow with just a few visits every couple of days. But gradually, as your pup becomes more comfortable with the experience, you can increase your visits!

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Water Activities

Popular

0 Votes

Hot Day

Free

Easy

30 min

Items needed

dog towels

pool

doggo life jacket

Activity description

It's likely that your English Bull Dane is a pretty big doggo. As much as you love this about your pooch, the cold hard facts remain — they likely will have to deal with joint or hip issues after they engage in years of activities. You need your dog to stay fit and active, but running, walking, and fetching can be really tough on your pup's body. That's where water activities come in. Water sports are famously low-impact, making them a great choice for pups that need easy, but effective activity. Plus, your pup has a bulldog ancestry, meaning they're probably going to like the water. Your dog will probably want to lounge around in the water, which is fine, but make sure that before they do, you're playing some water games with them (fetch, diving games, chasing games) to expend some energy. It's vital that you stay with your dog at all times in the water as this breed is known to tire pretty easily.

Step

Check your dog's swimming skills

Before you can fully commit to water sports, make sure your dog is comfortable with the water and knows how to swim. If your dog needs a little assistance in the water but clearly enjoys it, consider getting your pup a flotation vest.

Step

Enjoy water games

Once you're sure your pup is comfortable and confident in the water, get to playing! You can play in the sprinkler, play fetch in the pool or the ocean, lounge around on rafts together, or teach your pup how to dive for toys. No matter what activity you choose, never leave your dog unattended near the water. These activities require constant supervision.

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More Fun Ideas...

Fetch

Let's face it — you don't have the most rambunctious dog. Due to their parent breeds, your English Bull Dane is probably more enthusiastic about a day of couch cuddles than they are to walk around the block a few times (we know you can relate). That being said, it's hugely important that you're making sure your dog is getting anywhere from 40 minutes to one hour of activity every day. That's where fetch can come into play. Instead of hooking your dog up to their leash for another boring walk around the neighborhood, head into the backyard with your pup's favorite ball, toy, or treat, and have a rousing game of fetch! Your pup will be motivated to get moving if you incorporate lots of positive reinforcement (and healthy treats, too!).

Early Socialization Training

Your English Bull Dane doggo has a complicated breed origin. The Great Dane is pretty wary of new people and can be anxious, while the English Bull Dane is notoriously welcoming and lovey-dovey. They're typically known for being good with other people, animals, and small children, but because of their background, it's always a possibility that the English Bull Dane might not be so naturally accepting. It's always a good idea (for any breed) to be socialized early on to prevent any kind of potential aggression or hostility. Make sure you're starting this as soon as possible with your pup and that you're teaching your doggo through positive reinforcement. Your loyal English Bull Dane might never show a whiff of aggression, but it's always best to get them socialized and trained to interact with other dogs and people as soon as possible.

Conclusion

Your pup is a lot of things — loyal, caring, alert, and loving. But they're also totally dependent on you to provide them with the daily exercise, entertainment, and challenges they need to stay sharp and healthy. Because your pup is likely a big doggo, you're going to have to monitor their hips, joints, and bones to make sure you're not overdoing it with any exercise.

That being said, because your pup has the tendency to be a lazy, lovey-dovey doggo, don't be afraid to take a day or two off now and again for some cuddle time on the couch, too!

Dogs are a lot like people — they get bored if you do the same thing over and over. Make sure that you're switching up your English Bull Dane's exercise and activities as often as possible to keep them intrigued, entertained, and willing to participate in your activities. Your pup requires daily activity, probably about two walks (at least) every day.