Common Bull Terrier behaviours explained
Bull Terriers have a habit of doing odd things with total conviction. Most of them are normal, a few are breed quirks, and one or two are worth a phone call to the vet. Here is what the everyday ones mean, and how to tell when one has crossed a line.
- Face licking is a greeting that grew out of puppies licking their mother's face for food. A lot of it can mean anxiety, boredom or pain.
- Leaning is usually about wanting to be close, the dog version of a hug.
- A soft stare is bonding. Mutual gazing raises oxytocin in owners, and in dogs too.
- Trancing, creeping in slow motion under plants or tablecloths, is far more common in Bull Terriers than in any other breed, and dogs do not seem distressed by it.
- Head pressing is not leaning. A dog pushing his head into a wall needs a vet the same day.
Licking your face
It starts in the litter. Puppies lick their mother's face to get her to bring up food for them, and in adult dogs the same move has become, as the AKC puts it, a ritualised greeting. When he launches himself at your face as you come through the door, he is saying hello in the oldest way he knows.
When it is worth a closer look: excessive licking, of you, himself or the furniture, can be a sign of anxiety, boredom or pain. VCA gives the example of a dog who keeps licking a paw even after the licking has become painful: that is a compulsive disorder rather than a habit. If it is his own paws, see paw licking explained.
Leaning on you
A Bull Terrier leaning his full weight against your legs is one of the breed's best features. Dr Mary Burch, quoted by the AKC, puts it simply: dogs usually do it because they want to be close to us. It is the canine version of a hug.
The same AKC piece lists other reasons: seeking security when he is unsure about something, warmth, and in older dogs, using you for support because of joint pain. If leaning appears suddenly in an older dog, or comes with stiffness getting up, mention it at his next check.
Staring at you
There is real science behind this one. In a 2015 study published in Science, dogs gazing at their owners raised the owners' oxytocin levels, a hormone linked to bonding, and the owners' response raised the dogs' oxytocin in turn. The researchers did not see the same effect with wolves. A soft, relaxed gaze is part of how your dog bonds with you.
Not every stare is the same, though:
- Soft eyes, loose body: bonding, or waiting to see if a walk or food is coming.
- A hard, fixed stare with a stiff body: usually a warning. See Bull Terrier body language.
- Staring at nothing, frozen and still: in Bull Terriers, researchers have described a "fixed stare and associated immobility" that is linked to compulsive tail chasing. Staring into space with confusion or circling can also be neurological. Either is worth raising with your vet.
Ears up
In most breeds, ears going up means alert and interested. In a Bull Terrier the breed standard expects the ears to be held "stiffly erect" anyway, so up is his default. The useful signals are the changes from it: ears pricked hard forward on a still body means intense focus, and ears pulled back means worry. The body language guide covers how to read them alongside the rest of him.
Sleeping under the covers
If he burrows under the duvet at every chance, he is in good company. The AKC explains that a dark spot under a blanket mimics the feeling of a den, and that breeds bred to go to ground, including terriers, often like it most.
The one caution is air and heat. Under heavy bedding it is hard to get fresh air and easy to overheat, so use a light blanket he can get out from easily, and do not tuck him in.
Lying flat with his back legs out behind (the sploot)
Lying on his tummy with both back legs stretched straight out behind him is known as a sploot. VCA describes it as a comfortable way to stretch that can ease tension in the lower back and hips. It is normal. The time to ask a vet is if splooting is new, or if he also has trouble getting up or seems to be in pain.
Sudden laps of the garden (zoomies)
The bursts of frantic running that every Bull Terrier owner knows have an official name: frenetic random activity periods. Cornell's vet school describes them as a way to release pent-up energy, or possibly to relieve stress. They are most common in puppies and young dogs, but many dogs keep doing them all their lives.
Zoomies are fine. The risk is the setting, so keep him away from stairs, slippery floors and roads while he is mid-lap. More in Bull Terrier zoomies.
Walking in slow motion under plants (trancing)
This is the most Bull Terrier behaviour of all. A trancing dog creeps, as if in slow motion, under something that brushes his back: hanging leaves, a tablecloth, a curtain. University of Florida Health describes it as by far most common in Bull Terriers, and notes that affected dogs do not appear distressed by it. Vets have published on it under the name trance-like syndrome.
Since affected dogs do not seem distressed, trancing on its own is mostly a curiosity. It is worth knowing, though, that in a large study of Bull Terriers, trance-like behaviour was one of the things associated with compulsive tail chasing. If he trances and also spins or chases his tail, read spinning and fixation and try the spin and tail-chasing check.
When a habit becomes a problem
Every behaviour on this page is normal in the right amount. VCA's definition of a compulsive disorder is a behaviour repeated often enough to disrupt the dog's daily routine. VCA notes that spinning is seen most often in Bull Terriers, which is why the breed gets more attention than most on this point.
Frequently asked questions
Why does my Bull Terrier lean on me?
Usually because he wants to be close to you; it is the canine version of a hug. Dogs also lean for reassurance when unsure, for warmth, and older dogs sometimes lean for support because of joint pain. Pressing his head against a wall is different and needs a vet the same day.
Why does my Bull Terrier stare at me?
A soft stare is part of bonding. Research published in Science found that dogs gazing at their owners raised the owners' oxytocin, and the effect ran both ways. A hard, fixed stare with a stiff body is different, and so is staring at nothing while frozen still.
Why does my Bull Terrier lick my face?
It is a greeting that began with puppies licking their mother's face for food. In adult dogs it has become a ritual hello. A lot of licking, of you or of himself, can be a sign of anxiety, boredom or pain.
What is trancing in Bull Terriers?
Trancing is when a dog creeps in slow motion under something that brushes his back, such as hanging leaves or a tablecloth. It is far more common in Bull Terriers than in other breeds, and affected dogs do not seem distressed. It has been linked with compulsive tail chasing in the breed, so mention it to your vet if he also spins.
Is head pressing normal Bull Terrier behaviour?
No. Head pressing is a recognised sign of neurological problems, including those caused by liver disease, and often comes with confusion, circling or staring into space. Call your vet the same day.
Sources
- Robins M. "Why Does My Dog Lick Me?" American Kennel Club. www.akc.org
- Gewirtz EW. "Why Does My Dog Sit on My Feet and Lean on My Legs?" American Kennel Club. www.akc.org
- Nagasawa M, Mitsui S, En S, et al. "Oxytocin-gaze positive loop and the coevolution of human-dog bonds." Science. 2015;348(6232):333-336. doi.org
- Gibeault S. "How to Read Dog Body Language." American Kennel Club. www.akc.org
- The Royal Kennel Club. Bull Terrier breed standard. www.royalkennelclub.com
- Gibeault S. "Why Do Dogs Crawl Under the Covers?" American Kennel Club. www.akc.org
- VCA Animal Hospitals. "What is a sploot and why does my pet do it?" vcahospitals.com
- Perry PJ. "What are zoomies?" Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, Riney Canine Health Center. www.vet.cornell.edu
- University of Florida Health. "Trance-like syndrome in dogs." 2021. podcasts.ufhealth.org
- Moon-Fanelli A. "Genetic Underpinnings of Anomalous Canine Behaviors." Tufts Canine and Feline Breeding and Genetics Conference, 2011. www.vin.com
- Lowrie M, Smith PM, De Keuster T, Garosi L. "Trance-like syndrome in bull terriers." Veterinary Record. 2015;177(9):223. doi.org
- Moon-Fanelli AA, Dodman NH, Famula TR, Cottam N. "Characteristics of compulsive tail chasing and associated risk factors in Bull Terriers." J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2011;238(7):883-889. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Lindell E, Horwitz D, Landsberg G. "Compulsive Disorders in Dogs." VCA Animal Hospitals. vcahospitals.com
- Weir M, Williams K, Ward E. "Portosystemic Shunt in Dogs." VCA Animal Hospitals. vcahospitals.com
- Center SA. "Hepatic Encephalopathy in Small Animals." MSD Veterinary Manual. www.msdvetmanual.com
This is general information, not veterinary advice. It cannot account for your individual dog, and nothing here replaces an examination by a vet who can see him. Anything that looks urgent needs a vet now rather than a web page.
Related guides
- Bull Terrier body language
- Bull Terrier zoomies
- Bull Terrier compulsive behaviour
- Spinning and light chasing
- Paw licking explained
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