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Topic: new dog, please help
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tommy
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posted April 18, 2004 08:04 AM
hi everyone
just got a new dog as a gift, 10 months old staffy x pitty. This came totally out of surprise, so i didnt have time to prepare anything or read up on anything.
I just need some advice on how to teach him right from wrong. for instance, i dont want him jumping up into the flowers, i dont want him biting when i play with him and so on.
Also, how should i feed him ? should i just keep food there in his bowl to eat whenever he wants, or should i give him rations myself ?
I know how to look after a dog pretty much, we has a small one befor, but this guy is different because of his size, and also because he already has certain habits because he wasnt raised from a little pup.
Posts: 5 | From: australia | Registered: Apr 2004
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NicoleLJ
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posted April 18, 2004 08:54 AM
THese are only suggestions for you to pick and choose from but here is what I would start with. No free feeding. I would feed him 2-3 times a day. seperate what his normal amount of food is for a day into 3 different containers. Give him about 1/2 and hour at each feeding to finish his food. Mine usually only take about 5-10 minutes though and the same would go with the foster dogs and pups once they learned the routine. THis puts you in the leadership and food providing roll.
With the older pups that I foster I get more demanding when it comes to no nipping. They have stronger jaws and can realy do damage even in play. So what I would do is every time, and I mean everytime he grabs any part of you with his teeth you reach down quickly and hold his jaw shut for a minute. Don't press hard. Only hold it hard enough to keep his mouth shut. Your goal is to show himt hat his bitinig has undesirable results, but not painful ones. As you are holding his mouth shut say very firmly "No Bite ____" and then his name. This is what usually works for most of the older foster puppies that come here. And no it doesn't make them hand shy.
Teach him off for the no jumping up. The way I do this is when they jump up on someone or something they are not allowed to then I would instantly grab their front paws and hold them in a stand for 30 seconds. Agian only hold hard enough to keep the paws in your hands not to hurt. This agian teaches them that it is more fun to keep their paws down. But agian you have to do this every time. You can't let him get away with it one day and push him the next. As you hold his paws say firmly "Paws Off ____" I like to use 2 different commands for getting off something and for lying down. For my dogs and the rescues DOWN means lie down and Off mean to get off something. It works like a charm.
Anyway I hope this helps.
Nicole & Sheena
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Lets teach the public to spay and neuter pets and leave breeding up to the experts, to help decrease the thousands of animals destroyed monthly in shelters and pounds around the world.
Posts: 82 | From: Raymond. Alberta | Registered: Oct 2003
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weimlover0816
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posted April 18, 2004 08:57 AM
Congrats on your new pup! As for the training, consitency is best. If he already knows sit, stay, lay down, etc. then work on the things like no jumping, biting, and all that. If not, then you need to start with the basics. I think others will say the same thing: keep lessons short (under a half hour) but work on it two or three times a day. He needs to know that YOU are the boss Do you know the dog's background at all, because if he hasn't been trained at all and say, came straight from a shelter, etc. Then teaching him that you are the boss will probably be a little more difficult.
You may also want to start socializaton, with people and other dogs...
Good Luck and keep us posted on your pup's progress!!!
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"My Weimaraner is smarter than your honors student!"
Posts: 221 | From: USA-Maine | Registered: Apr 2004
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DaxAriel's toy
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posted April 18, 2004 09:00 AM
This is what I would recommend you do to start:
1) get a crate
2) buy a training book
3) Teach him the word "NO"
NO is taught so that you can distinguish for him what is good & bad. Biting you is NO, flowers is NO, Couch is NO. You get the point.
The book you buy should be one that can be read within a couple of days (he's waited 10 months for you so he can wait a couple of more days)
I leave dry food out all the time and feed "mixed" food twice daily. But you can decide what works best for you. At 10 months two small meals are probably better than one big meal. Follow the feeding directions on the dog food (I would recommend Dry because of the cost value) and make sure there is always plenty of water.
This should get you started, let us know how it goes and if you have specific questions.
PS to anyone out there who is thinking about it - giving a dog as a surprise gift is a terrible idea. A person should always be allowed to pick the animal they will be responible for 10+ years.
Posts: 748 | From: Edmonton AB Canada | Registered: Mar 2004
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tommy
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posted April 18, 2004 11:16 AM
thanks everyone for posting advice. theres some really great tips in there. we used to have a small dog, a shitzu x, it lives with my parents now. anyway, its a really good natured dog, but he is a bit disobedient. it was never really a problem though, because his small, but with this guy like i said befor he is big and very strong so its new for me, i want to train him properly.
ok, thanks again to everyone, and i'll see how we go, ill keep you all posted.
Posts: 5 | From: australia | Registered: Apr 2004
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tommy
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posted April 18, 2004 02:16 PM
hey heres the update, soona that ya'll thought huh ?
Iv spent the last few hours with this dog trying to get to know him, and unfortunatly, im not going to be able to keep him.
He seems to be totally out of control, which might not be a problem for an experienced dog handler, but it is for me. His exhibited some signs of bieng really agro, for instance when my grandma was telling him off for being naughty, he went into a stance that looked like he was ready to attack, and he was growling and showing his teeth. This behaviour is totally unacceptable, but if you guys could see this dog, you would understand its more than unacceptable, its downright scary sight. I cant have a dog that im afraid of, and other people are afraid of.
I dont know what dog training is cabable of, but im pretty confident that this dog would attack anyone with the slightest provication. I dont know what is wrong with it, because the lady that raised him so far is really nice and she would have done nothing other than give him the best of everything and plenty of affection i imagine.
Maybe the problem is that he got to many pats and not enough discipline. What should i do with this dog ? i know now that this dog is dangerous, so i think it would be irresponsible to give it to another owner. This dog seems friendly and playful at the start, that is what i thought and that is what they will think, but what happens when they take it home to the kids, and some kid pulls his tail or slaps him on the face or something. Thats why im thinking maybe i should call the (royal society for the prevention to cruelty to animals) and maybe they will take him and examine him. Then they will decide if its safe to sell this dog, or if it needs to be put down. I know it sounds terrible, but i think it is the most responsible thing to do.
What do you guys think ?
Posts: 5 | From: australia | Registered: Apr 2004
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weimlover0816
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posted April 18, 2004 03:03 PM
I think this is a very good reason why dogs, and animals in general, should not be given as gifts... now the poor thing will probably spend the rest of his life, which will probably only amount to a week or so now, in a shelter ![[Frown]](frown.gif) .not a slam against tommy, but it just breaks my heart.
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"My Weimaraner is smarter than your honors student!"
Posts: 221 | From: USA-Maine | Registered: Apr 2004
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tommy
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posted April 18, 2004 03:22 PM
yeh look i feel bad about it aswell, and i definetly agree with you, animals shouldn't be given as gifts. But with this guy, its irrelevent whether his a gift or not, the issue is that this is a dangerous dog. Other than treating the dog badly, i dont know what causes dogs to have this sort of tempermant, i dont know if its genetic or what, but i do know that its unsafe.
Posts: 5 | From: australia | Registered: Apr 2004
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DaxAriel's toy
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posted April 18, 2004 04:26 PM
Tommy don't feel bad - it's probably a combination of the breeds involved and poor early socialization.
GOOD for you to understand your limitations. There are lots of dogs on 6ft chains whose owners are afraid to go near them.
Who gave him to you anyway? Were they dumping their problem or did they pick this dog up at a kennel or humane society for you.
You are doing the right thing and the sooner the better. Since they are quite young there might be someone who will take him - if not better to be humanely put to sleep than suffer.
Posts: 748 | From: Edmonton AB Canada | Registered: Mar 2004
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ellierat
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posted April 18, 2004 04:36 PM
Tommy, I feel for you and your new dog, unfortunately you were unprepared and untrained in how to deal with a powerful agressive dog.
It probably goes back somewhat to the previous owner/s which I would guess is why they gave him up.
It is sometimes better to do something now, than wait till he does do some really bad damage, then not only will the dog suffer but maybe even another Person or Child!!!
I would go to your vets, show him the dog, get his opinion, but I think we all know the eventual outcome for this poor pooch.
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I love my labs.
Posts: 880 | From: australia | Registered: Feb 2004
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tommy
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posted April 18, 2004 05:25 PM
thanks for the support guys. The story of this dog goes like this
A friend of a friend raised him from when he was a pup. from all accounts she took really good care of him, but she spoilt him. I can see that his been well taken care of, because his got a really shiny coat, and he looks strong and healthy. Anyway this girl moved into an apartment, and she had to give him up. She to a friend of mine, but she couldnt keep it either because she has 2 adult rotty's and one other scruffy looking old dog, and needless to say, the didnt get along would be an understatement. So she thinks of me, because she knows iv wanted a staffy for a few years. I didnt realise it had these behavioural problems, so i agreed for her to bring him around. Like i said befor, he looks well looked after, and initialy he was real playful. So yeh, then it only took me a few hours to see that this dog is waaaay beyond the the responsibility, time, and training that i can offer him. so yeh thats the dogs background. like i cant help feeling sad for him, because unless i call the rspca, i think he would end up with some dirtbag that will make him even worse than he is already and encourage him to kill other animals and bite people. I think it would be really tricky to find a responsible and dedicated person willing to put the time and money into a disobedient 10 month old pitty x. This is why in australia your not supposed to breed pitty's anymore, because so many idiots abuse these dogs because of thier physical and mental characteristics, its not the dogs fault, but in the end, if it puts lives at risk, they have to be banned i guess.
Posts: 5 | From: australia | Registered: Apr 2004
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NicoleLJ
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posted April 18, 2004 06:02 PM
I feel for you and the dog. I work alot with agressive dogs. Some are sweet angels with their first owners but taken from the enviroment they are fimilar and comfortable in and they can become agressive. He is young and does have a chance to turn his life around in the right hands. I would contact them and see if they will take him. THey might have someone experienced enough to change his life around. It is the right thing if I was in your shoes.
Nicole & Sheena
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Lets teach the public to spay and neuter pets and leave breeding up to the experts, to help decrease the thousands of animals destroyed monthly in shelters and pounds around the world.
Posts: 82 | From: Raymond. Alberta | Registered: Oct 2003
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sambucca/whiskey
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posted May 16, 2004 02:22 AM
Yeah please look hard and everywhere before ending this poor dogs life at 10 months, if you can find someone with the time, experience, and money neccessary to rehabilitate this dog at 10 months it should be possible.
My friend just took in a 18 month old aggressive rottie and has done wonders with simple knowledge and the help of friends with experience in a month.
If you an afford the investment I would first consult a behaviorist.
But if all else fails you cant own or pass on a dog with aggression that poses a threat unless to the SPCA or a trained proffesional.
No matter what the outcome you have expressed much concern and am sure your decision will be in the dogs best interest as well as societys.
Posts: 246 | Registered: May 2004
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