I am going to get a puppy?

Question

I am going to get a puppy and i am chosing from the german shepheard,staffordshire bull terreir,and the american staffordshire terreir,the problem is I know that a pit bull is not the same as a Am staff are a staffordshire terreir but I know they are in the same family so I am wondering if I should get one are if the Am staff will bite me and act like a pit bull.Which one do you think I would be better off getting

Answer 1

Your very best bet would be to go to the humane society nearest you and ask the staff about puppies that are available and dogs that may suit your needs/abilities as an owner. All of the above dogs are lovely dogs, but without proper training, some are more likely to nip and bite than others... Your list has some of the top most breeds that are reported for that type of behavior. (I'm not saying that there aren't dogs who bite more, just that terriers in a class itself are high energy and high needs dogs...) and shepherds are the same way - you've listed dogs whose primary function it was historically to work - and unless you are going to work your dog, or exercise it faithfully, you run the risk of having a dog with un-charted energy. A busy dog is a dog who is likely to get into trouble.

What about a golden retriever? They're gentle... soft-mouthed...

BTW, I have nothing against those dogs you listed above. My pit-mix was pit and staffordshire, she was the gentlest ever, loved our little girl, never nipped at a person ever... And our german shep malamute cross is a lovely dog, but gets nippy with children or big people when she's too excited. I had a Chessie who bit me regularly, and a chessie/chocolate who nipped when he was anxious.

Research some more. Sounds like you haven't found the right breed yet for you!

Answer 2

Pitbulls are not aggressive dogs! They are actually some of the kindest, easiest to train, most loyal dogs in the dog kingdom. Really, "pitbull" is just a "type" of dog, not an actual breed (unless you are refering to the American Pit Bull Terrier which is actually quite rare), that term is meant to describe a shorthaired, medium sized dog with a stocky build.

Anyway, you haven't shared anything of your situation, why you want a dog, how many people and the ages of family members, how much exercise the dog will get, what sport (if any) you will compete with the dog, etc.

German Shepherds are very focused dogs, they NEED a job in order to be happy. Are you willing to train your dog in Schtuzhund, Tracking, etc and work with it in the chosen sport every day? If you just want a companion to lie around the house with you, the average well-bred German Shep. might not be the right dog.

AmStaffs are known as the "Nanny Dog", they are excellent with children and some of the most friendly, forgiving dogs. They might be a better fit for a more relaxed family.

Again, if you describe more of your lifestyle, it will be much easier to help :-)

Answer 3

Congratulations on your new puppy! To teach the puppy to obey commands you must be consistent. Always use the same phrase or word and always speak in the same tone of voice. Speak in your normal voice. Do not yell. Yelling frightens the puppy and will not teach him/her a thing. You may think that it does, because just as an example say the puppy has done something that he/she isn't supposed to do and you become frustrated with Puppy and you yell "No". The puppy will move away from you and you may think that you have taught him/her something and this won't happen again. Well, you would be half right. You have taught the puppy something by yelling at her/him and that is to be afraid of you because the puppy won't understand why you're yelling. Please speak in a normal voice or a soft voice when you speak to the puppy. In order to teach the puppy the command "No" first decided what the puppy can do and what the puppy isn't supposed to do. Some of this is obvious to you and your family. Some may not be if you have children such as you don't want the puppy on the furniture because it (the furniture) will get dirty and it will get dog hair. After you establish with your family what is O.K. for the puppy to do and what is not O.K., then everyone should use the same word or words to teach the puppy. Puppys learn by repetition. Just keep at it and pretty soon you will have a nice well behaved puppy. Also, please do not hit the puppy--even with a rolled up newspaper. People say that if you do this the puppy or the dog will not associate it with you but this is not true. The puppy can see who is holding that newspaper. If you want to discipline the puppy you should not hit or yell. I had a puppy that I crate trained and when she would not obey me after many times, then I would put her in her crate for what is called a "time out." I would not put her in the crate and then put her in a room by herself--she would have felt abandoned. Instead I put the crate in the room with me and I sat and talked to her until she calmed down and then I immediately let her out. You may try this. As to teaching the puppy not to bite, and not to bark-- puppys bark--this is normal but to teach her to stop barking, just speak in your normal voice and tell her "No" or "Be quite" or "Hush" or something like that. As far as teacher her not to bite, first be sure that the person is not teasing the dog. Biting is one of the ways that dogs and puppys have of defending themselves. If the person had not teased the puppy, just speak in your normal voice to the puppy and tell him/her "No" or "The postman is our friend" or something along these lines. This will take awhile, but dogs are smart. Keep at it as I said earlier and pretty soon you will have a well-mannered puppy. I almost missed the last part of your question. Since the puppy is white some names might be Snowball Frosty (male) Also you should make a list of names that you like and names that suit the puppy. Take a few days and watch the puppy and you will notice the puppy's personality and you may want to make a name from a characteristic that he/she has. For instance, I had a mixed breed terrier. The name she had when I first got her was totally inappropriate. I made a list of names that I liked and I watched the puppy and I noticed that she walked like a lady and held her head just like a lady and so my new puppy became Lady.

Answer 4

Anything with teeth can bite - it's all a matter of training.

Personally I would prefer the Am. Staffordshire Terrier over a pitbull. Pitbulls aren't really a recognized breed as the Staffy is.

Answer 5

Any dog can bite. It is all a matter of how they are raised, trained and socialized. I love the way an Am. Staffordshire looks. Wikipedia's article does say that they are easily trained, so when trained properly they are affectionate, loyal companions. German Shepherds are also beautiful dogs. And affectionate, loyal pets.

If you can, visit breeders with puppies of the breeds you are looking at, and make your decision based on the puppies you meet.

Answer 6

Shepherds are wonderful dogs. Very loyal and great companions. I have always had problems with terriers from varying degrees. Hounds dogs are good, especially beagles. They are very smart. Basset hounds on the other hand are not very bright. I love Labradors and bull dogs. Good luck on your choice.

Answer 7

go to a reputable breeder for a pet quality shepherd then teach it agility, frisbee etc so it works so much it doesnt have time to think of biting. :-D

Answer 8

pitbulls are not aggressive by nature, they can be intimidating and are often trained to be guard dogs or to be aggressive.

Answer 9

a pitbull

Answer 10

wat eva u like