hi all, i have an 8week staffie great little pup very playful but he tries to nip all the time and if you move him away he has a nasty little growl, hes not so bad with me but does it alot with the kids. is this normal behaviour or should i be worried???
2007-01-27 19:34:48 · 12 answers · asked by shaun j 2 in Pets ➔ Dogs
when i got him i saw the mum but not the dad, but he came from a nice home where they had 5 children, and they kept 1 of the pups.
2007-01-27 19:45:01 · update #1
i have 3 kids,17 months 2yrs and 6 yrs.
2007-01-27 20:00:06 · update #2
i have 2 staffy's.. my male did this around the same age as your pup. Think about how you play with him... do you play rough i.e holding his nose shaking his head, tug-o-war? tug a war and allowing your pup to win shows he is higher in the pack so tug a war is a no no. holding noses and shaking head and growling at him teaches him this is how to play. i made this mistake with my staffy and he did use to growl at me too. basically if you are playing this way with puppy STOP. what he learns in behaviour he learns from you.
Also, during play dont let him bite your hands, clothes etc. this teaches aggression, it will show more and more as he grows older if you do not nip it in the bud now..
i love staffies and have two kids under 5 who do you name it to my dogs and not once have the dogs shown any form of aggression towards the kids. Staffies learn quick and dont like to disapoint so reward the good and dicipline the bad with a stern solid NO then turn away from him, do not look at him. reward and dicipline as soon as he behaves badly and as soon as he does well. he will grow to be a beautiful well rounded dog.
good luck, i hope i helped and good on you for getting a staffy!!!
2007-01-27 20:53:39 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
My Staffie is now 11months old and a real sweetie. The first three months were very worrying though because she used to bite all the time. That's how puppies (and babies) explore the world. My arms and hands were covered in puncture wounds from those needle teeth. I had serious doubts about keeping her. Last month she passed her Kennel Club Good Citizen award and I was disproportionately pleased with myself and with her.
You need to put the flat of your hand in front of his face to stop him leaping at you and say NO very firmly. Don't push him away or get angry because that is aggressive and he will respond with aggression -ie growling and trying to bite again. Get lots of chew toys especially a Ragger which is a tied cotton rope thing. Staffies love those and try to shake them apart. Eventually those sharp teeth will fall out and your dog will have learned the word NO and things will be fine. Be consistent and patient. Above all get a crate and teach your puppy that the crate is his home. They need loads of sleep and peace and quiet, especially after eating their four little meals a day. The crate allows them to get away from it all. Also when he's had his injections take him to obedience training where he can learn to socialise with people and dogs. It's well worth the effort.
Good luck. I hope your Staffie turns out to be as fantastic as mine is.
2007-01-27 20:00:51 · answer #2 · answered by Gladys 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is "normal" behavior but it is something he needs to learn not to do. Anytime he nips you should immediately stop playing. Maybe yelp and turn away (like another puppie would) Although with that breed you might want to be a little more forceful/dominant...tell him "NO" and turn away for a couple of minutes. You want him to learn very early that nipping causes the fun to stop. You can return to the fun pretty quickly..it is the immediate response that counts.
How old are the kids? They need to do the same thing. If they aren't old enough, then you need to be there whenever they are interacting with the dog. Part of puppy play is establishing dominance and you don't want your dog to think he is dominant over your kids. Check out a web site called dragonfly llamas. She has a training program for dogs that is not specific to any breed but gives you a good idea of how to train a puppy.
2007-01-27 19:48:06 · answer #3 · answered by pat 2 · 3⤊ 0⤋
i am going to easily answer as a Staffie proprietor, under no circumstances had a Am crew: a million) Which breed is more desirable? i believe the AM 2) Which breed is way less stressful to coach? both are soooo speedy & sensible, many times very nutrition inspired!! 3) Which breed is better with little ones? do not imagine there is any large difference if raised precise!! Mine adore my 2yr previous, even my rescues!! 4) If a intruder did destroy into my domicile, ought to a american staffordshire terrier take care of my relatives if the intruder threatened us? 5) If a intruder broke into my domicile, ought to a staffordshire bull terrier take care of my relatives if the intruder threatened us? Lol!! regrettably that they'd be more desirable in all probability to lick them to lack of life!! yet they have a fierce bark!! 6) What are the temperament adjustments between both breeds? do not imagine there is one, Staffies mostly are only the most loving canine... they extremely do believe they're lap canine!! even if or not it is my 14" lady or my 16" 3 st lady!! Lol!! Please rescue tho, there are any such number of in shelters, one in all mine is a foster, even though it extremely will be a miracle if we may be able to get her a house... :(
2016-10-16 05:13:22 · answer #4 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Our Staffie is now 3 yrs old and just the best with children. We found that as a puppy she gave little nips with needle sharp teeth - but a sharp NO and walking away to show your displeasure works. They only want to please and are great people dogs. She is much gentler with children that with adults when she plays. I wouldnt be without her for anything in the world.
2007-01-27 19:50:00 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I d say it is somewhat normal for him to be like that. They do like to growl and be /act tough. However it is right of you to be concerned about him and the children.
I would keep a real close eye on his behaviour and you also have to make sure he accepts you and the children as pack leader.
A firm no and a strong hold/ push around the neck area should do the trick right now.
Don't let him get away with too much, try to enjoy him though.
.
2007-01-27 19:45:10 · answer #6 · answered by thatswhattheytoldmelastnight 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i dont think it any thing to worry bout my mum was concern about this with her rottie puppy 8 wks with my son the vet said its normal just to let him know hes done wrong and he will grow out of it,i have a staffie now 2 years and he was like it as a pup but now hes so placid,good luck with your puppy and congrats on a child loving breed!
2007-01-27 23:51:12 · answer #7 · answered by no1bubbles2003 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That's a puppy for you. Many puppies are very vocal when they are playing and if you try to push him away, that can be part of the game. Instead of pushing him away, either try to give him a toy instead of your fingers or stop playing with him as soon as he starts biting. It will take time until he stops biting, you need to be consistent, but he'll get there in the end.
2007-01-27 19:44:48 · answer #8 · answered by anwen55 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
A 10 week old puppy is equivalent to a toddler. Toddlers put EVERYTHING in their mouths. This is how they explore.
In order to stop the nipping you need to yelp. Yes, if you yelp when he bites you, you are saying loud and clear in HIS language "OUCH, that hurts, please stop!!". Also, after you yelp, gently roll him on his back, and hold him there untill he stops squirming and calms down. Look him directly in the eye, and DO NOT look away untill he does. This tells him that YOU are in charge and he gets rewarded for submitting.
2007-01-27 21:17:41 · answer #9 · answered by Nurse Autumn Intactivist NFP 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
well to be honest no, it is not normal. I have a 2 1/2 year old staff. and he has not one one time ever growled at my to kids and they are 11 and 6. how was his mother and father, did you get to meet them when you bought the pup.
2007-01-27 19:41:08 · answer #10 · answered by comp.image22 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋