Hi everyone, I am a dog fosterer for staffies. I have just taken in a 1 year old male Rocky who is adorable but...... my other dog is Perdi an 8 year old jack russell and is as calm as day. She is another rescue and was beaten and bred for fun. She doesn't know how to play with toys etc and will only play with select dogs. Rocky is continually barking at Perdi and trying to get her to play but Perdi is having none of it, she does a high pitched bark and runs away. I don't know what to do to help Rocky settle and learn to leave her alone! Any advice anyone could give me would be great as I really have no clue what to do.

Thanx
Toni x

Hi, how wonderful that you help by fostering

You know on re:reading your post, you say that Perdi does not play with toys, so is her play and interactions with other dogs, running, chasing and tumbling with them? This could be why she only plays with selective dogs.

Young SBT's play quite roughly, compared to other breeds, although JRT's are very hardy they are still small, she probably chooses who is suitable to play with i.e the older and calmer foster dogs, along with the fact he is 'new' I dare say he is pretty boisterous and she isn't keen.

However, he is very excited to see his own kind by the sound of it, .........all you can do is distract him from her, be his playmate, try to get him to focus on you and allow him near Perdi when he is only calm to sit with her and sleep next to her when you are all snuggled in the room together, creating a nice social bond, the sooner he accepts you as the playmate the better.

I don't know how long you'll have him, but with any other dog, I'd be playing training games with a whistle or clicker to focus him and obviously teach him commands, soon take his mind off Perdi.

Granted it's harder with a foster dog, maybe in another week things will calm a little.

Rocky is continually barking at Perdi and trying to get her to play but Perdi is having none of it, she does a high pitched bark and runs away.

Poor little dog, no ability to control its own destiny & live in peace, she needs to be rehomed into a suitable home where she live her days in the peace you have outlined she needs.
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She is another rescue and was beaten and bred for fun.

You're giving her nothing better
;

To the OP, I think I would be asking the rescue to look for another foster home for the staffie as your own dog must take priority

My little Patt had difficulty coping with my daughters very large Boxer when she moved there. She did the same squealing, hiding, rolling on her back etc. She too never played with toys her only interest was ratting and rabbiting. After a few months she began to accept the boxer and now 6 months later they are best buddies and play all day. It is so funny to see a small dog playing with such a very large dog, but he is very gentle with her and if he over steps the mark she certainly tells him. She climbs all over him, then he chases her and they really care for each other. Last week I watched them and he picked up a toy and pushed it in her face and to my amazement she grabbed it and began tug of war - something she has never done before.

As long as the staffie is being friendly and just wants to play then maybe it will work out the same way as mine has, I hope so as it is now a great partnership and the boxer watches out for her all the time.

Please do not take Hethspaw's comment personally - they lack people skills and most people (as I understand it) have blocked their comments.

I think you may need to send this staffy back. Sadly, no one wants to say they couldn't make a difference but in his best interests and for the best interests of your resident dog, it may be better to have the rescue placed elsewhere. This way he can be taught the proper manners in a safe and controlled environment whilst leaving your dog in peace in her later years.

I have an 8yr old and although very tolerant, he will not put up with whipper snappers in his face. My pups have had a big put down when he's had enough and usually it's him who takes himself out of the situation. He is telling me he is unhappy and it's up to me to make sure he is not put in this situation - the same goes for your dog. Your work is very commendable but your first priority is the resident dog and then the foster.

Let him be placed in a more suitable environment and maybe open your home to another desperate case?

Hi guys, thanks for the feedback. I have ignored certain comments because they seem rather nasty to be fair.
I'm happy to report that after the initial excitement of coming in to our home Rocky has calmed and is now very gentle with Perdi. She has an ear infection and he is constantly fussing over her but now knows if I say leave her I mean it. Perdi has also put him in his place by barking him down so to speak! It sounded like a rather heated argument between the pair but the lady came out on top.
I hope to keep Rocky for another couple of months so I can continue his training and find him a suitable home.
Thanks again for your help well most of you anyway

Toni, Perdi and Rocky

That's good to hear. I wonder if a decent diet and structured routine has done the trick. Well done.

"You're giving her nothing better"

What a thoughtless and unkind comment. Why didn't the moderator remove this ignorant remark?

G. RETS
What a thoughtless and unkind comment.

HP
It was not 'thoughtless', although I agree that it took little 'thought effort' to state the obvious.

G. Retts
Why didn't the moderator remove this ignorant remark?

HP
No need for me state the obvious answer.
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I have ignored certain comments because they seem rather nasty to be fair.

Unfortunately there are always some that spoil a really good informative website, but most of us know and ignore these sort of remarks and treat them as they deserve to be treated - with silence