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Why Are Bulldogs So Good at Skateboarding?

Why Are Bulldogs So Good at Skateboarding?

If you are like many others, you probably enjoy videos of animals doing funny things on YouTube. You might have seen videos of bulldogs on skateboards. After seeing those videos, it can be easy to wonder why it is that Bulldogs are so good at skateboarding.

Why are Bulldogs so good at skateboarding? Bulldogs are good at skateboarding because of their low centers of gravity, which makes it easier for them to keep their balance on a skateboard. Also, they tend to enjoy the human attention that comes with being on the skateboard.

Bulldogs are a breed that tends to have many health problems, because of the way their faces are structured. However, their ability to go skateboarding and have a great time this way is one of the things that they have going for them. There are many videos of Bulldogs skateboarding on the internet that you can enjoy, like this compilation!

Why Are Bulldogs So Good at Skateboarding?

As you probably know, Bulldogs are generally short and stocky, weighing between 40 and 50 pounds. They are very muscular, and their bodies have low centers of gravity.

If you’ve ever been on a skateboard yourself, or even just roller skates or roller blades, you probably know how important your center of gravity is to keep your self-balance. Since a Bulldog has a low center of gravity, it’s easier for them to control their balance when you put them on skateboards.

Also, Bulldogs love attention from people. When a Bulldog steps onto a skateboard and it starts to roll, the people in the surroundings are generally going to pay attention positively. The Bulldog will enjoy this, and it will serve as positive reinforcement for him to continue getting on that skateboard whenever he’s around people.

Bulldogs are generally not big fans of exercise, but they do enjoy being outside and experiencing all the sights and smells that come with it. When a dog is rolling down a hill on a skateboard, he is going to be moving much more quickly than he would be able to on his own. He’ll be able to take in more of his surroundings in a short time without having to exercise his legs.

Skateboarding is actually something you can do to bond with your English bulldog. For 19 more fun ways to bond with your bulldog, check out this list.

You might have observed that many dogs you know enjoy getting into the car and sticking their heads out the window. When they do this, they get to experience many different smells coming at them quickly. A Bulldog gets to experience this on a skateboard as well, and he’s likely to enjoy it.

For example, Otto is having a great time in this video as he goes through a long tunnel of human legs and ends up breaking a world record. You can also see a Bulldog having a grand old time on a skateboard here.

Mostly, it’s English Bulldogs that you’ll see on skateboards, but this video shows that French Bulldogs can do it as well!

How Can One Train a Bulldog to Ride a Skateboard?

If you have a Bulldog and want to train him to skateboard, you need to keep his welfare in mind first and foremost. This starts by choosing the right skateboard, which is one that will give your Bulldog the most stability possible. For a dog, the best option would probably be a flat skateboard that does not curve up at the end, so that your dog won’t be likely to put his paw on that area and make the skateboard flip up.

Getting Him Used to the Skateboard

You should also not expect him to jump onto the skateboard and slide down the street right away. First, get him accustomed to the skateboard by training him to jump onto it inside your home, on a surface where it won’t move when he hops aboard, such as a thick blanket. You can use praise and treats for positive reinforcement here.

Once you’ve trained your dog to jump onto the skateboard, you can move it out to the grass and train him to do the same there. There, the board will move a little bit when the dog jumps aboard, but not as much as it would on the pavement.

Taking It to the Pavement

Once your dog seems comfortable with the skateboard in the grass, you can move to the pavement. At this point, you should make sure to stay with your dog as he is rolling down the street.  This is the time in the process where he is most likely to fall off and possibly be injured. You can also observe whether or not your dog enjoys the movement and decide from there whether or not you’re going to continue doing this with your Bulldog.

People can even train Bulldog puppies to skateboard, as shown in this video.

What If You’re Having Trouble Teaching Your Bulldog to Skateboard?

It’s important to keep in mind that every Bulldog is different, and that not every training technique is going to work for every dog. You need to do what works for your dog to be successful in this process. You should also accept that not every Bulldog is cut out for this particular activity and try not to be too disappointed if your Bulldog doesn’t end up being a champion skateboarder.

If you see that your dog is struggling to become a skilled skateboarder, you should consider the reasons. If he seems to have balance issues and tends to fall off a lot, it might be best to accept that he’s not a skateboarder. Your dog’s safety comes first at all times. In these situations, you should also get in touch with your vet, since it could be some health problem that needs attention, such as an infection or joint issue.

If it’s more of a training issue, you might want to get a dog trainer involved. The trainer can give you all sorts of useful tips when it comes to teaching your dog how to skateboard. You can integrate these commands into your daily life with your Bulldog, and perhaps enough positive reinforcement will make him give that skateboard a chance and eventually enjoy it!

Even if he’s not that great at it at first, he can improve. Tillman, the first English Bulldog skateboarder to achieve celebrity status on YouTube, apparently wasn’t all that great when he first started either. However, he did improve, as shown by his impressive performance in this video. He also earned a world record for being the fastest skateboarding Bulldog!

Here, Jake struggles a little bit, but he won’t give up!

It’s essential to keep in mind during this process that your Bulldog needs to enjoy skateboarding for you to continue. You don’t want to force your dog to do something in the hopes of making him a YouTube celebrity.

Final Thoughts

Of course, you would love to make your Bulldog into the best skateboarder possible. You’ll have great videos to share with your friends, and a lot of Bulldogs will enjoy going for that ride without having to do a lot of exercise themselves. You do need to make sure that your Bulldog is one of the ones who will enjoy it, but outside of that, this should be a fun little project for both of you.

It can be a challenge to teach your Bulldog to get onto a skateboard and start riding, especially since Bulldogs can be very stubborn. However, if he enjoys skateboarding, he should warm to it pretty quickly. He’ll enjoy riding through the breeze, taking in all of the sights and smells around him, and getting all sorts of human attention while he’s doing it. Whether or not your Bulldog becomes a YouTube celebrity and a world-record holder like Tillman and Otto, this can be a great way for you and your Bulldog to spend quality time together.

Learn More

If you want to learn more about English Bulldogs or other types of Bulldogs, then consider checking out this Bulldog Handbook on Amazon.