Hi

I wonder if any of you can help me.  I have been trying to help a lady out that has a 21 week old SBT that she is trying to socialise.  The pup is called Ruby and unfortunately has no idea at the moment that body slamming and nipping is not always the best way to greet another dog.  The lady appealed for somebody with well mannered dogs to walk with so i volunteered myself and my three cavaliers.  Unfortunately we had to put Ruby back on a long line because she was way too rough and over the top with my three - one was getting hurt, one was getting angry and scared, and one was fully submitting but still being overwhelmed.

So what would any of you recommend this lady can do?

thanks for your help - I have said I would meet again to walk together but it would have to be under the same terms really - Ruby would have to stay on the long line,

Maxine 

are there any puppy classes or obedience classes nearby? these will introduce her to many different sizes and types of dog, and she should be on the lead at all times and under control? she should also take her to places that are common with dog walkers. she may meet people on walks with larger well behaved dogs willing to put her in her place? ive been doing this with my ridgeback puppy, he thinks every dog is his own personal plaything at the moment, and is just desperate to play with everyone, so im trying to walk him and teach him that not every dog stops for a play.

Hi

I should have said she has done one course of puppy classes and is going on to another school and doing another set.  The pup is good on the lead and seems to respond to commands but as soon as she is in sniffing distance of a dog she is off - and offers the same full speed body slams to all!  :) I do think a lot of it is sheer excitement as mine are the only dogs she has walked with she is kept away from all dogs outside the training class because her owner is worried that she may hurt somebodys dog - and she could/would so as much as I feel she is right to take care in this way she does need to mix with the right sort of dogs that could cope with this until she learns to calm down.

do you think this may slow down naturally as she gets older ?

Sbts can be exciteable and over exuberant but they have to know what is acceptable behaviour and what isnt-
Is the pup told off when she gets too excited and displays this behaviour?

Well she is taken away once the damage is done in my opinion - I was then trying to tell her before it happened as I was trying to protect my own dogs - however it wasnt my voice she really needed to hear.  Is that what you recommend as soon as you see her starting to run stop it ?

Staffies can tend to play that way, body slams etc. I would say you suggested the right thing, to keep her on a long line.  That way she can interupt the behaviour before it gets to the inappropriate level, and she can make sure she doesn't get the reward of getting to the other dog.  I really wouldn't be telling her off, she is at a delicate age and the last thing she needs to learn is that when she goes near another dog she gets in touble from her person :-)  I would interupt ask for another behaviour and then reward.  I'll bet she likes a game of tuggy, so tell her mum to bring the tuggy toy out with her.  She's going to need to work hard on becoming the most interesting thing to the pup when out and about.

Just getting her to meet as many dogs as possible, walking with them, classes, when I've got a pup to socialise I just bug people and ask if it's ok for them to say hello, usually with the aid of a long line.

It may also be useful if she can get people to go around to her home, I always like to get a dog to accept others in the home early on so it's the norm.  Also that way, she could use a time out quite easily.  As the pup is really keen to play with the other dogs, you could use that.  Have her on a house line and every time she gets to rough, take the line and pop her behind a baby gate for 30 secs or a minute.  That gives her time to settle a bit and she should start to associate the rough behaviour with the ending of the fun.

It would also be useful for her to meet with some adult dogs that are confident and capable of telling her when she has gone too far, without them getting scared or cross.  She may still have a bit of puppy licenese at the moment but that won't last for long.  She will get there, she's just being an over excited staffie puppy, the more she gets to interact with other dogs the less of a big deal it will become :-)

Edited to add. It would also be a good idea to get her to do some self control exercises with the pup, starting with basics, like asking for a sit before she puts food down, asking for a wait at the door before she goes out.  Teaching a strong leave with the aid of food and toys. Same with toys, tell her to ask for something before she gets the toy, if the pup gets over excited then the toy goes away.  Ask the pup for a sit or down before she gets to say hello to other dogs, if she doesn't then she doesn't get to say hello.

When my lab/collie cross was this age he was a nightmare as he would jump on top of any dog he met. I got in the habit of putting him on the lead when i saw a dog in the distance (any dog), and only letting him off when reassured by the owner that their dog would be happy to play, then he could play with the dog as a reward for calming down a bit (maybe a sit, or watch me or something like that). This meant he approached the other dog more cautiously as he wasn't so excited, and it was good if the other dog was an older bitch as she would maybe tell him off for being too rough.
He is now really gentle with old dogs and small dogs and puppies, and seems to be able to tell really well when a dog doesn't want to play with him, but those that do want to play rough still get slammed.

Where does the pup live? Perhaps someone with well behaved staffords  could meet up with Ruby?

Hi

The lady and pup live in Hainault -  if theres anybody not too far away I'm sure she would love to meet - I was the only person that offered via the other forum that both she and I use - which is a shame because three cavaliers (one with a dicky heart and arthritis) arent the best stooge dogs - but we were all that was on offer....

Thank you for the extra thoughts I will pass these on to her

Maxine    

No where near me sorry
I could always ask on a stafford forum I am a member of, if there is anyone who would like to help ?

that might be nice - thanks

Hainault, essex? if so pm me i live in barkingside i have 2 bullmastiffs, and i know quiet a few people around here with young sbt's who would probally be happy to meet up for walks