my staffy bitch is about 6 months old she is very much part of our family she has nipped in the past but thats it but tonight she has bit my 2 year old in a very agressive way and i dont know what to  do i dont want to get rid of her but my kids must come first HELP PLEASE!!!!!!

You really need to see a good behaviourist after getting her to the vet for a proper check over, to ensure there are no underlying medicle causes.

How bad was your child injured? I hope they are OK.

However a little more detail as to how this happened may help in regards to suggestions in how to manage this untill you have had proffesional help.

For example, was the pup eating/playing and bit your child as the child interupted it? Or was the child playing with a toy?

Children especially this young can get a dog very excited and/or on edge, they have erratic, unpredictable movements and make much more higher-pithced sounds than adults. Supervision of puppies/dogs and young children is a must. Young children are also likely to pull fur/body parts, stick fingers in eyes/up nose and other things that dogs will not like (no malice from the child - they are simply investigating the things in thier world), but it's another reason why children & dogs should be supervised - to ensure all interactions are acceptable.

Again, more detail will help with possible management strategies and things to look out for.

Another thought - how has bite inhibition been taught to the pup?

Has she been spayed oris she about to have a season? Hormones are responsible for lots of behavioural changes.

Agree with mastifflover you need a decent professional out, it will cost but worth it. Please don't do what a few peoplenear to are doing ans getting someone out for £52 for 4 hours. That's madness barely covers costs,certainly doesn't cover CPD costs and concerns me greatly as I do not know any of my training/behavioural friends who would charge this, and we are all positively based and members of recognised national groups.

Try local vets for contacts either APBC APDT PAACT, guild of dog trainers. Read up on the criteria needed to be a member ofwhatever group etc

At 6 months old your talking about a canine baby who only knows who to play like a dog, this involves very rough games of tugging, growling and biting.

A puppy doesn't realise that a human being isn't as tough as another puppy/dog and can easily hurt a child quite unintentionally.

Not having see the aggressiveness that you describe (which may simply have been mock aggression as in play).  You do not say that there were any injuries, and even with a 6 months pup intent on hurting, these would have been considerable to a two year old.

If we are talking a nip due to over excitement I would not be overly worried other than upping my supervising and training of both.

This should involve insistence on calm behaviour, no running about and excitement while in each others company.

they both need to learn self control.

When my children were small I decided that the best option was to fence part of my garden off that meant the dog/s were not able to sue the whole garden.  When the children played or had friends around  they played in the back away from where the dog/s had access.  This also meant that the dogs did not poo where the kids played, and I had the dogs in the largely paved/concreted area that means cleaning up was easier.

Children now grown up and left home, but the area is still fenced off, and the dogs only come up the garden on invitation, helps with poo patrol, and keeping the house mud free.

When my children were small I decided that the best option was to fence part of my garden off that meant the dog/s were not able to sue the whole garden.  When the children played or had friends around  they played in the back away from where the dog/s had access.  This also meant that the dogs did not poo where the kids played, and I had the dogs in the largely paved/concreted area that means cleaning up was easier.

I have done exactly the same - best thing I ever did.

I did the same when my kids were little as well. Now they're all older but we've just fenced one of the gardens off again -to save mud in the house. They can use the further part with grass in when it's dry, when it's wet we shut the gate and they have to stay in the gravel part. Last winter the lawn turned into one giant mud puddle so it's solved that problem. :)

Never leave lil children alone with a dog/puppy. That was always my rule- cause children can hurt the puppy/dog not knowing any better as the puppy can do the same in return.

At 6 months does your puppy maybe see ur child as another playmate and not someone higher then them? If so then you can also try where your child makes puppy sit and put down food dish and give command that puppy is allowed to eat. Have your child do basic comands like sit, laydown, ect and treat (of course with you there only and to enforce the sit ect). Only to be done in a safe situation would not want to put your child in any situation where they could get nipped again.

I think it was on here where there was a post yrs back about a staff that was on the front step with a lil child and the dog ended up biting the child pretty bad. Dog was pts and later found out why the loved pet turned. The child stuffed a pencil straight down the ear canal, the dog put up with a lot b4 finally turning on the child- guess all could have been avoided if the parents where around supervising. Sad story and I am sure I told it right. If not please correct me...

Hope you can work all out- all the best :-)