Help with a staffy?

Question

My friend has recently bought an 8 week old Staffy. He is nipping a lot which doesn't really concern her as she knows that puppies nip anyway. What is worrying her is that when she tells him no (not to nip) he viciously barks at her as though he's going to attack her. He has a tendency to nip quite hard and has nipped her, her partner and both her kids. She's heard that these breeds of dogs tend to lock their jaws when they bite. Obviously because she has 2 kids she's concerned that her kids may be at risk. I just want to add that she has cared for this breed of dog before and is very well informed of their temperament, however she has never come across this kind of behaviour before. She'd appreciate serious and sensible answers only as she is seriously considering rehoming the dog.

Answer 1

Jaw locking is only a myth. The dogs have a higher pain tolerance and will not let go of a bite when being hit, smacked etc - so people assume their jaws are locked.

As for the behavior - it's great to love and adore a puppy, how can you not? But for any puppy you still have to set up rules and bounderies. If there is no structure in the house hold then the dog WILL take over. And when the dog tries to take over, or succeeds in taking over he will do what he can to keep everyone else in line - the "aggressive barking" and the "nipping".

Do not allow the puppy to nip. Yes they teeth and yes puppies tend to do that BUT it's still unacceptable behavior. Give him appropriate things to chew on instead of you, your friend or the kids. Praise the puppy when he's chewing on what he should be chewing on and redirect the puppy when he's chewing on something he shouldn't be.

Bitter apple spray is useful for any age. It's a spray w/ a nasty taste and will teach the puppy the appropriate things he should be chewing on.

Do not hit, flick, smack or slap the puppy. That will only add to the aggression. Do not coo, coax, or sooth the puppy when he's barking - trying to calm it down, that is only reinforcing the behavior.

When the puppy is barking like this pick him up and put him away - in a seperate room away from the excitement and stress. Redirect his attention elsewhere till he becomes proficient in sit and down.

Make sure the owners are setting up rules and guidelines - giving him a command to come and eat, giving him a command to eat, a command to go outside, a command to be petted, a command to join them on the couch, a command to get off the couch. It's never to early to teach, sit and down.

Dogs thrive in a structured, balanced atomosphere. Without that structure they tend to fill the void the only way they can - EVEN a puppy!!

Discipline, training, exercise and love makes for a happy, healthy puppy and a well acclimated dog.

Good Luck

Answer 2

as ur friend would know staffs have a bad rep i have the same problem with my Akita pup she nipped me so i smacked her one the nose and said no in a firm voice that seem to work if it doesn't you could always try doing what my dad used to do and bite back I'm serious it works iv tried it many of times o his tail or somewhere he'll feel it
ur friend also has to show her dominance this is best done young show who is boss mu 3 dogs and partner my word is law
the way i did it with the dogs is i was playing with them on the floor and i just pinned then to the floor with both my arms on over the neck area left her there for about 30 seconds and let go and i kept repeating the proses till she learnt hope this helps

p,s sorry if i have upset anyone but dogs are like kids they need a firm but fair upbringing or they will walk allover u
a dog is only as good as the owner and its training

Answer 3

When getting a dog, even a puppy, especially when their are children involved it is important to note their temperament. Sad to say it but this dog is probably not appropriate for children. It would need someone that could do serious work with that aggressive behavior or it could be a very serious incident waiting to happen.
No, their jaws don't actually lock but they can clamp down and hold on. I'd say to re-home the dog with someone familiar with the breed who can work with the temperament this individual dog has. I know that Pit Bulls and Staffordshire Terriers can be excellent family pets but wouldn't recommend ANY breed to be a family dog that doesn't pass temperament testing.

Answer 4

Had a lot of dogs but never a Staffy - is that a terrier? Would neutering help? Never met an aggressive neutered male dog.

I had problems with dogs who didn't like to be told 'no' and read up a lot on the subject. Best advice I found was making sure the dog knows it's place in the 'pack' - i.e. the bottom. The most effective method of doing this is at dinner time. Put the dog's food in his bowl - on the table and make sure he knows it's there - then eat something yourself before giving him his food. Him eating last sends him the clear message that everyone else is higher up than him.
Also shouting at a dog can give him the impression that you're not in control - again sending a dominant dog the wrong message and inviting him to 'shout' back. I find putting my dog outside the door (in the hall or a different room) can be more effective. They hate being ignored. You can quietly repeat this if the dog continues to misbehave when you let him back in until he understands that he's not allowed in the 'pack' until he cooperates.
Also dominant dogs respond better to having good behaviour rewarded than being reprimanded. If possible ignore the dog if he's trying to nip (push him away without speaking or making eye contact). When he stops - if only because he's confused about you pushing him - wait a moment and then make eye contact, give him a treat, stroke him, tell him softly that he's a good boy etc. If while you're rewarding him he nips again stop immediately and ignore him again. He has to hold the 'good' behaviour for a few minutes before you reward him.

He should soon realise that nipping means being ignored and not nipping means being patted and rewarded.

The previous answer is also good. Pinning the dog on his back and staring into his eyes until he looks away is exactly how a dominant dog asserts himself over another. Couple it with a quiet but angry 'bad dog, bad dog..' and your dog will get that message load and clear. A quick slap to the nose can also be more effective than saying anything - but again be careful, measure the dog's response and choose what works. Personally I don't like to slap with my hand. I want the dog to associate a raised hand with being petted. I know someone who uses a rolled up newspaper and now all she has to do is lift the newspaper and the dog makes scarce.

I'd also minimise people making a fuss over him - it can make a nervous dog neurotic and a dominant dog think you're being submissive to him. Often in a home the person who dogs respect as their leader is the one who pays least attention to them but is responsible for feeding them.

Also don't let him guard things. I know some people don't agree but I always give puppies food then take it away, or put my hand in and fiddle with the food while he's eating. If I get growled at or nipped I take the food away and wait a few minutes and go again. this is to train the dog that if he wants to eat he has to tolerate humans touching his food and possibly taking it away. I won't tolerate possessiveness over food. If he growls at someone else standing too near him when he's eating again I take the food away. I do it cos I don't want him biting a child who picks up his treat or touches his food bowl.

There's just too much to write but I'll wrap it up by saying I don't know how old your kids are but it's best if everyone is aware of and supporting your training regime. It needs to be very clear to your dog who the boss is but this may not help if the kids are very young. One of my small dogs decided that I was boss but my friend's 2 year old son was fair game. He's now 12 and she still growls at him. Strangely she never tried it with his younger sister. I think she new the little girl would kick her!

It's all about dominance and making sure the dog knows who's boss. Good luck!

Answer 5

at that age they are only playing and dont realise that its bad. A well bread staffy should learn quickly but if the breading is unknown re homing is a must. keep up with the training try putting dog in a cage for a few minuets after a particular vicious nip and stop playing also turning backs when they bark also works well.

Answer 6

I PROMISE YOU ON THE BOOK OF GOD NO DOG HAS THE CAPABILITY TO LOCK THEIR JAWS!

At 8 weeks old the puppy is always playing. He has no idea what NO means, when he hears he has excited her he barks. Staffs are known to be PEOPLE PLEASERS they are not naturally human aggressive, however are more likley to be dog aggressive.
8 weeks old is like a 1 year old in human years. He is a baby, an awkward baby who doesn't know right from wrong, he doesn't know who he is in the world yet. He is just now seeing, smelling, hearing everything for the first times. Give him a friggin chance. It takes a lot of work to raise a puppy, if she wasn't ready for the role why did she get one?
ANY PUPPY, regaurdless of it's breed would be the same way. Sharp puppy teeth, unknowing of commands, not potty trained, and playful without knowing it's strength.
I suggest taking the puppy to puppy classes, or yes rehoming it, as she seems to not be prepared for the responsibilty of owning a puppy. Hell, I'd take him.

Answer 7

I have 2 staffie puppies 1 at 4 months and 1 at 7 months. mine were both nippy but with a firm no and training and going to puppy classes they are brilliant around other animals and there is no more nipping. I have two children as well and would trust both my pets with them.

Answer 8

hi there,
aslong as i can remember i have had dogs 4 at the most ranging from a mini jack Russell to a German Shepard my Labrador fell asleep 4 years ago she was r our last dog the house felt empty without her but its was far to soon to get another dog, my sisters boyfriend came round one day saying he was taking me to get a puppy he owns a staff and said he had arranged to see sum pups, i never would have picked this breed myself,
anyway we went 2 see the pups and came home with Tia she is coming up 4 now i could go on and on about all the good things about her but no bad HOWEVER she was a bugger as a pup i learnt when i shouted she would bark like it was a game, so instead of shouting make a high pitch sound the dog will no its hurting them,maybe your friend should have got a pre loved dog you miss all the puppy stuff its ashame that poor dogs gonna end up in a rescue hey i mite end up with it!!!!!

Answer 9

My staffy pup is the same if i tell him off he starts barking at me but if i go over to him he runs off i think its a dominance thing in male staffys i had to ask my vet because he kept nipping our other staff and she said he is trying to be the boss and Ive always been told they lock there jaws but have never seen either of my two do it.Hope your friend gets on ok they are lovely dogs but vets can give good advice on how to stop it.

Answer 10

when i broght my puppy home for the 1st time, mind you he was 14 weeks old already, he turned around and bit me on my hand when i tried to pet him, drew blood. I gave hm a few good swatts, didn't hurt him, on the behind and told him NO No bite! He had to be shown that he was lower in the pack and that i was the alpha. After that he has been the greatest dog ever, and a total momas boy. As he got older he started to get a bit nippy and would get to excited sometimes and would nip to hard, i niped his ear to show him that that hurt, and he stoped that right away, again not enough to really hurt him. I love my baby and would never hurt him. My mother had the same experence with her dobermon years ago. She needs so show her dog that she is in charge not the dog. she might even need to take her to puppy classes but they run about 1 to 200 dollars a pop