I have two staffs, a male 18 months & bitch 12 months. They are absolutely fine together and generally they play well with other dogs(if they are in my home or in soemone elses home). He is also excellent with my two baby brothers. My mum has a border terrier and they play well together and generally he will be interested to see other dogs and i allow this provided the hairs on his back aren't standing up. However twice now he has got hold of another dog and bitten it (once a little terrier today a dog larger than him) and he wont let go. No matter what we say or do we can not stop him from holding on. On both occassions the dog has been off the lead while he has been on the lead (both times in areas where dogs should be kept on a lead) and the dog has come straight towards him while he has been with me, my husband and the bitch Angel.

I would not call him aggressive as most of the time he is fine and we have bought various muzzels all of which restrain him from biting but as i say he isnt always intending on biting the other dogs and I feel that it is not stopping the problem as generally he will wear the muzzel for a few uneventful weeks and then my faith in him is restored and he wears his collar and lead once again.

I have taken him to puppy training when he was a pup and ive read various dog psychology books and we(my husband and I) are very much the master at home - but when we are out he does pull (although my husband can make him walk nice by pulling him back harder than he pulls) and we have tried the "Halti" harness but Winston constantly tries to pull it off while walking along - which results in him scratching his nose and making it bleed.

I dont know where we've gone wrong but its like when hes out hes in charge and when were home my husband and I are in charge. How can I get the control so that at least if he will always have a need to defend his 'Pack' when hes out - I will be able to tell him to leave (And unlock his jaws if necessary?)

Kelli

hello

i sympathise with this situation.
i have an 18 month male staff Taz. although he is very very plasid, he has once held my mums dog to the floor, not in an aggressive manner but enough to scare me. The incident was provoked by taz wanting to play with my mums dog jake, taz not reading jakes signals, jake snarling and snapping and taz grabbing his neck! he didn't lock his jaw however, i called he ignored so i grabbed his collar-without thinking i might add, i probably shouldn't have done so.
If your dog does lock its jaw you can not remove him from this other dog until he decides to let go!

i would agree that he was protecting himself, because he was on leash,and this other dog was bounding towards him.

it may have been for many reasons, taz was attacked when he was young by my brother in laws white staff who is younger than taz, and even now taz is weary of white staffs! he is very clever! taz is white. other white dogs he is fine with, but a white staff and he is instantly on guard.

i would maybe contact your vet for advice. Or a dog behaviourist.

good luck raffy and TAz ********

Raffystafy
lock jaw is only a myth - It may take some force but you can pull them off another dog .
Staffys are well known ( well , some are anyway) for remembering breeds that they have had run ins with in the past .

what i mean is you wouldn't really be adviced to put your hands in their if they are gripping on for dear life. If he won't let go by command i guess you have to wait until he decides he's had enough. wot do you reckon?

This is as I have said before alot - though not all before I get shot down :-) - of staffies when they reach maturity do not like other strange dogs bounding over to them and getting in their space.
Even the best socialised staffs can be unhappy with strange dogs doing this and will retaliate.
I think you are doing the best thing by keeping your dog on the lead. At least that way if someones dog comes bounding over to yours you know you are being a responsible owner with your dog on a lead.
Personally I do wish owners that allow their dogs to go bounding over to others would not at least until they have had the decency to ask if the other dog is ok with dogs :-)

Oh I do sympathise with you :)

My 8 month old Staff bitch, Ruby can be aggressive if other dogs provoke her. She will ignore them if they ignore her but she is unlike your dog in that she does not like other dogs at all. Ever since she was lunged at in puppy club by another dog she has been scared of them.

Luckily she hasnt actually got hold of another dog, Ive always managed to stop it on time, but I am scared that she would attack if she got the opportunity. She will ignore other dogs if they keep out her face, but some owners will allow their dogs to invade her space, even when she is on the lead and I have asked them not to. This always results in Ruby barking, growling and lunging and me getting filthy looks from the other dogs owners!

Anyway, on September 24th we are taking her to David Applebys clinic in Leicester, its quite a price but I hope he will be able to help us to train this out of her, or at least to show her that all dogs are not scary. We had to get a vet referral to see him and it costs £75, I know that he does clinics in other areas, and has an excellent reputation. Perhaps you could try getting him, or someone similar to see your dog?

Best of luck :)

Helen