Can anyone help me?!! I have a 5 year old Staffordshire Bull terrior bitch. We got her as a rescue dog last March. With people and children you couldn't ask for a better dog, bit excitable at times but no problems and not a bad bone in her body. The big problem is when she meets up with other dogs. Its usually a case of having to cross the road on walks when another dog is walking towards us. Given half a chance she would go for the other dog and get hold of them. On some occasions, she will ignore other dogs, so it isn't all the time. My in-laws have a dog and we would really like to mix the 2 and go for walks etc. I appreciate that her breed might have a lot to do with her problem, but is there anything we can do???

Many Thanks
Sarah

Sarah,
I really hoped this would not be about a staffy when i read the title but here goes -
she may not have been socialised with other dogs from an early age and that could be why she seems to be aggresive/defensive .
Do you know why she ended up at the rescue cantre as this could give a clue to her behaviour .
I know that some bull breeds are encouraged by their owners to be aggresive but to how you would address this problem i dont really know as i have not been in that situation .
There have been debates re; breeding from dogs with aggresive temperaments which would in turn breed pups with similar temperaments .
Has she actually met the in-laws dog and if so how does she behave ? You could always try introducing them whilst they are both on a lead and see how she reacts ?
I think you need to know why she ended up there before you go any further .
Let me know how you get on
Lel

Lel

When we got Pepsi, it wasn't the first time she'd been put in rescue kennels. The first time was by a young couple who had split up, the second was by an elderly chap who had just had a hip operation and couldn't take her on the walks she needed (plus she apperently kept jumping out which is a problem we have NEVER had). With the in-laws Rotty, they were kept on leads and tried to have bit of a go but once she found it wasn't getting her anywhere, she gave in.
But, like I say the main problem is when we are out and about on walks. Sometimes its a nightmare! She has had hold of a dog in the past, but, the other dog wasn't on a lead at the time and came running straight up to her. In the home you couldn't ask for a more affectionate dog

Thanks
Sarah

That is one of my bugbears - poeple who dont have their dogs on a lead and let their dogs come running over to yours .
As i mentioned our last dog Sam , was a staffy but he wasnt aggresive , just a softy . Even so we would always put him on alead when other dogs were around JUST IN CASE .
Does she only "go" for dogs that approach her or who growl etc at her as you say she isnt like that with all dogs ?
Lel

Glad I'm not the only one who feels the same! The owner of the dog was asked to put her dog on a lead, her response was " he only wants to play"!!!

Pepsi will go for any dog, whether it is minding its own business or what ever. I tend to believe that the dogs she doesn't show interest in going for are those that she maybe hasn't seen or that shes not in the mood for a fight!

Just for the record. Pepsi did eat the budgie when it escaped from its cage!!!!!!

Sarah

Gulp !!
Lel

I think you really do need to keep an eye on her when the baby comes .
Lel

Hi There
I would suggest taking her to either stafford ringcraft classes or to obedience classes where she will be able to meet and mingle (with CLOSE supervision) with other dogs and you will also have someone on hand who should be able to help you start to train her to ignore the other dogs and not to see them as threats or prey

i would also talk further with the rescue centre that you got her from and see if they can shed any further light as to why she may be this way

HTH

Ziggar

i think that at age 5 you will have problems getting such a dog aggresive stafford to accept other canines (possibly a dog behaviourist may be of some use though as i have seen some work wonders on tv),as i have said before this is not an uncommon thing with SOME staffords and letting her close to other dogs could lead to lots of trouble, just enjoy her and exercise her out of the way of other animals.i do however feel a dog aggresive stafford is absolutely no more risk to humans (big and small) than ones that are placid with other dogs,believe me they do know the difference, as you say she is great with people.NO DOG should ever be left alone with a young child PERIOD.

Incidentally whats the oldest that you can train or "change" a dogs behaviour . Is it up to the individual or is there a certain age that will have difficulty learning( as they say - you cant teach an old dog new tricks )
Lel

to be honest some of those animal behaviourists i have seen get great results with dogs of all ages with huge problems.the thing with some bull terrier breeds is the desire to fight is stronger due to there history than in other breeds (some dogs not all)

do you agree alot is down to correct breeding which also includes taking temperament into consideration ?
It isnt there in all of them is it as you said .
Careful breeding and careful owners ?
lel

maybe breeding has something to do with it but i know dogs back in your dogs pedigree that were dog aggressive.fact is some dogs (despite the no bad dogs just bad owners chestnut) are definately more aggresive than others i have found.infact what about 2 dogs brought up together in the same way (littermates) owned by my friend ,dog 1 is placid and friendly to dogs and dog 2 is a maniac when other animals are around.they were reared the same and bred the same so simply putting it down to breeding and rearing can not be justified in this case.incidentally both are by a popular show champion and a very placid well bred (show wise) female.

But isnt that just like humans too ?
There will always be bad pennies everywhere .Whatever their breeding , or background there are somethings that we cannot change about them no matter how hard we try . That applies to both humans and dogs .
All we can do is our best with both breeding , training and love .
Lel

I have had very good results with re-socializing Staffs and other bull breeds. Go to obedience classes and start anew. Dog aggressivness will NOT turn into aggression towards humans, i.e. babies.

Taylor

Thanks. I am now in the process of getting help from Behavoural students and teachers at our nearest University. Anyone not sure where to take their dogs for such lessons should consider this. Through work, I know some students studing behavoural science. They have offered to help and take Pepsi on a daily basis. All I have to do is write down the problems Pepsi has had and they will do the rest. It doesn't cost anything as the students need such dogs to work on as part of their course.
Pepsi has been to the vets today for her booster. She actually surprised me on how well she did behave surounded by other dogs and cats! She didn't seem that bothered. Not one that is usually terrified by the vets. But on this occasions, she could have been and after all the vets to a dog is what the dentist is to some humans! Not a place they want to be at all.

Cheers
Sarah

Adds a whole new meaning to "I thought I saw a pussy cat" change to Staffie!!! Talking about the budgie episode. :D

My second oldest Elkhound suphocated and ate a budgie when she was 5 months old. One of the children had released it from the cage, and when she caught it, started screaming, so the pup hid behind the sofa, and disposed of the evidence.

Ever since she has been very keen on retrieving feather when out on walks (unlike the one in the shooting times). She brings me fledglings unharmed, and also picks up dead birds. I always thank her so that she happily gives them up.

She has also been known to catch mice, and looks very puzzled when she puts them down, that they scarper. Her mother on the other hand would kill them!

Taylor, my oldest APBT is very dog aggressive due to his past. But he absolutely adores animals other than dogs. He picks up frogs and fledglings and and and. Very carefully he transports them home and I try to hide my disgust at yet another hopping thing in my house and praise him. :D

Taylor