Expert: Christine Puetz - 12/28/2008

Question
MY SON IS 11 AND LOVES OUR 1 1/2 ENGBULLDOG,SHE IS WONDERFUL WITH ALL PEOPLE AND KIDS, EVERYWHERE WE GO.  sHE LOVES ME COMPLETLEY, BUT GETS ANNOYED ALOT W MY SON.  hE DOES PLAY ROUGHER AND MOVES FASTER AND MORE IN HER FACE..SHE SNIPES AT HIS LEG OR HIS HAND..IS THIS A WARNING AND WILL IT GET WORSE AND LED TO A REAL BITE?  ANDREA
THEY CAN ALSO BE SEEN HUGING AND SHE (FEMALE) SLEEPS AT THE END OF HIS BED.  wE ARE A SMALL FAMILY, ME AND MY 11 YR OLD SON..THAT IS ALL.

Answer
Bulldogs are great dogs.  They are good natured and non-aggressive.  But ANY dog can be provoked to bite.  Nipping may be a warning that if you don't leave me alone, I WILL bite.

Dogs also learn their behaviors.  If your dogs is learning to nip and bite as the only way to be left alone, it will be hard to break her of it.

I would instruct your son not to play rough with your bulldogs.  If she continues to nip, I would consider finding a home for her without children.

I would never have a dog in a home with children that nips or bites.