Dear all, I have a 15 week Staff, and is is so gorgeous and generally a pretty good puppy and has a grasp on basic commands. I am very lucky that I can take my boy to work with me and he has an 11 month old dalmation to play with; the problem (or maybe its not, hence seeking advice) is that they tend to play most of the day, which involves playing well with toys and chasing each other around, however they do bite each other, not viciously, but I can see that sometimes it can get too much and my boy does get cross sometimes and I seperate them to chill out. Does this seem like usual behaviour? When Bobby has been with other puppies (although a lot shorter period of times) he does not play like this and the same with older dogs. I also am aware that Staffies are quite talkative, which I love, however sometimes it can be a bit too much with the grunts and gravel sounds when playing with toys; how can I make him understand shh or quiet?
Any advice would be great. Thanks

Hi Bobbysmum your little lad sounds great fun! I'd love to see the little and large act of him playing with his big pal. Our Morse who is 9 months has a Weimeraner best pal who is 18 months and they love rough and tumble play too. We found the pair expected to run riot all the time and decided to make them spend time together with one or both on leads and doing little bursts of training or walking as well as wrestling. Bobby is probably secure enough with the dalmation to let rip, and it is normal for dogs to play noisily and boisterously - check the body language. Where is the other pup's owner - both of you need to set rules and enforce them. Can't help with keeping him quiet though

Hi Lorelei

It is nice to hear that someone else has energetic pups! Sounds like a good idea on the training together and leads. They do go for walks together and essentially they get on very well. Sammy (the Dalmations) owner has pretty much the same rules as me...which is kind of handy! Body language seems to bee playful, I think the main thing is that the little nips Bobby gives Sammy obviously shows up more on the white coat of the dalmation whereas Bobby is mostly black, so the nips are only seen when they scab over. Do you have any more helpful hints?

keep in mind ''playing ''in dogs is practice for later life...so dogs that play overly agressively can potentially be problematic later on......in littermates or any dogs raised together this can sometimes manifest as ''familiarity breeds contempt''......most dogs that fight or bite do it between 2-4years,...and what led up to that point was usualy dotted with red flags that peolpe didn't see

Wish I did Bobbysmum - I never realised puppy teeth were os sharp as Rhys ( Weimar) and Morse have ahd adult teeth forever - Morse came to us as a 6 month old from the pound. Keeptraining them together maybe one off lead and one on just a wee bit every day and give em plenty things to chew so they don't chew each other. We discourage mouthing when we play with Morse and keep an eye on our lads and split them when any nipping happens - Rhys once took MOrse gently by the throat and had to be pulled off. Bobby and Sammy will need to learn appropraite deferential behaviour to adult dogs as they get older - MOrse did as he used to try and bounce other dogs as he does Rhys. I taught him down and stay on the lead with a foot on the lead as insurance toallow other dogs to approach and sniff if theyboth go into play position fine if not thank you and walk on. Manners maketh mutt. I'm so jealous you can take your dog to work - pointers don't fit under desks and if I took Morse out on visits the residents dogs would probably go nuts! MOrse would love site visits - all that sand to dig in and workmen to pet him. Hm Health and Safety would not approve..........

my pup bradley has a mad hour were he bites alot if he can't bite my hand he bites my boob ouch. ive tried numerous things but im failing 60% of the time. But i still winning 40% so im going to build on that'
emma

Bradley you are a naughty boy! Good luck Emma he's just a baby isn't he? Is his mad hour in the evening - my kids used to go hyper between tea and bed and they did bite, howl and fight each other. Living with wolves.