Why does my bulldog only snap at my son?

Don't give up on your dog. There is break down in communication between the dog and your son, and with work it can be fixed. Your dog needs to see your son as a source of good things. When your son goes by, without sitting near him or anything, randomly he should give the dog a treat or favorite toy. Your son should start feeding your dog so the dog associates your son with food and more good stuff. They should go on long walks together. Walking will build their bond. Eventually the dog will go to your son automatically because he associates him with positivity.

(That may take more then a month)

If you want to accelerate that I would also hire a reputable trainer to work with the family. Your dog loves you though and he wouldn't give up on you so lease don't give up on him.

: )

P.s. please don't listen to "Ethan" the guy advocating punching your dog in the face. Not only is that animal abuse it would drive a wedge between your son and dog even worse and is a quick way for your boy to get bitten.

If it happened after having him only a few days, it may have been partially your mistake on how you introduced the dog to the kids, and how the kids treated the dog (apologies for the speculation). It could be the dog as well though, it's hard to know since you've had him so little time. Either way, American Bulldogs are serious business, and this doesn't bode well since you've had it like you said, only a few days. It seems likely to me it will happen again. I would call the shelter (I'm assuming you got him at a shelter), explain as much as you can, even details you don't think are relevant about the kids interaction with the dog, and what happened at the time of the bite. Talk to them about their experience with the dog in the time they had it, and ask them for advice. They know the dog a lot better than we do, after all.

Because its an ill-bred mongrel with a bad temperament

A dog with a good temperament would NOT be snapping at a child.

Your son is cealry doing something to the dog when you are not looking, there is a reason why the dog is snapping and will soon be biting. The dog has a bad temperament and there is nothing you can do to make the dog better.

You need to take it back to the shelter or rescue you got it from and tell them the dog has a bad temperament.

He does not have a good temperament if he is snapping at your son. Neutering is not a fix it for most behavior issues...training is. Since someone else owned this dog before you did it might have been harassed and teased by a boy of about your child's age. If you really want to keep this dog, you need to find a good local trainer to help you with this potentially dangerous issue.

If it was me the dog would have been gone the second that he snapped at a child. The dog would either be rehomed with a person that doesn't have children or isn't around children or he would be euthanized. This dog would not be given 30 days. Your son can become severely damaged by this dog.

i know of cases where adopted dogs have had previous bad experiences and will associate new people with previous people. maybe he had problems or bad experience(s) with a young boy previously. although i do not think giving treats is the best way to train/reward a dog, it will have an impact, and though you don't have to use treats, positive reward of some kind is the key. whether thats just saying good boy and other people beside your son petting him or a treat or whatever. hopefully the longer the dog stays with you, the more comfortable he'll get with your son. luckily he is not so aggressive that he bites or attacks.

In my opinion, his previous owners may have had a small child that could have tramatized your dog. I think you should take it day by day to get the dog to warm up to your son, but be very careful he doesnt hurt him. If he keeps snaping you may have to take him back to the shelter.

he just doesnt recognize your son as dominant over him...maybe the size i dont know...what i do to most dogs that act up is (and these are big dogs not your old lady terriers or anything) is use force to show it, either punch them one good time in the face (theyll get the message, just once is fine, were not going for cruelty here) or wrestle them and hold them down on the ground in a submissive position until they get the point

edit: ok yeah, when you have a german shephard in your face about to bite your nose off, why dont you just try to "communicate" with it, im sure it wants to talk...im talking about instilling knowledge, its the same concept as smackin a dogs backside if they piss in the house or something, but big dogs laugh at that