staffylovers

Can someone answer two questions for me please? What is a martingale? I know it's some type of collar...but can you describe it please? And what exactly is flyball training?

Thanks Mrsdog and Myska. First off dogs must be at least four months old and have their 4-month vaccination, please bring current vaccination certificate with you. It is $20 to join and $3 each time you attend. Time is 8am on Sunday morning. He has had his 4mth vac. but I don't have the certificate....I do have the receipt however. Will that do? Can we come tomorrow? If yes, where are you located? What else do I need to bring? Should he have something to eat or come on an empty stomach? How long do the classes run for? Is there a mixed group? Pups and adult dogs? What do they do on Sundays? I know what agility training is...but what is flyball and clicker training? Forgive my ignorance...new to all this. I'm learning and want to expose our little guy to a fun active lifestye, as we love him dearly :-). He is such a clever little thing! Myska....I think I read in a previous email that your classes begin March 4th...is that right? So, we can do Sat. afternoons at Peakhurst and Sunday's at Sutherland? Many thanks

Can someone please tell me a little about Sutherland Training? How do the Sutherland/Peakhurst/Hanrob training schools differ....do some concentrate on specific training needs? Do they have a website? Can we just turn up? Have we missed out on classes? Thank you :-)

i started mixing it with raw food and it still didn't work, he would eat the raw and leave the biscuits. I then decided to change to eagle pack. They are a much smaller biscuit to what he was used to and i usually mix it with youghurt or warm water to soften it and it has worked for me ever since. I even add raw food to his diet now and he will eat his biscuits with it, when youghurt is added. That's more or less our experience too. We're not supposed to fee our amstaff pup yoghurt or any other dairy products. I used to mix in a little low fat cottage cheese but was told not to do that either. He loved it!! Just out of curiosity did the vet tell you why you should not give him raw food?? Not a balanced diet. Nothing other than chicken wings or necks and the occassional meat bone. Apparently, the biscuits have all the necessary vitamins, etc that the pup needs...and this suffices (so I was told). And introducing him too other food types....spoils him..and he will not want anything other than the 'gourmet' meals.

Thanks for the info Erny. I have heard of Hanrobs. The vet mentioned it today, along with one in the Sutherland Shire and the St George district. These probably don't mean anything to you...as you are Melbourne based...aren't you? Our pup was such a good boy today, he has pee'd (LOL) outside on all occassions and has been very well behaved, even if he is teething! We can't show him, yep b/c he is not a pedigree, etc but if we take him to group training he can have heaps of fun with agility training, etc. I hope....does anyone have any input re group training? Is this another way to inject money into a worthless program or is it genuinely fun, great exercise and a social event? Gee, I have to stop writing a thesis...sorry everyone. I'm just 'a little' excited!

I took our little man to the vet today and she told me definitely no more raw meat other than the raw chicken wings I have been feeding him. She claims that he will eventually come around and start to eat his biscuits.. Now I don't know what to do, she has confirmed that whatever we have been doing we should keep up b/c weight wise he is perfect and has a healthy coat. Jenny do you have an amstaff? Are you speaking from experience? It all gets quite confusing...wanting to do the right thing and not quite sure what the right thing is.

Thanks Erny. Puppy school is over for us...it only lasts for 4 weeks. I will have to find a training school to better educate our pup and us. We're based in Sydney. The time out area is our front verandah, we have blocked it off and we place him there when he is 'naughty'. Although he likes being outside he does not like it so much when he is out there on his own. We selected this area so that he does not associate it with his play or sleep areas.

Erny, thanks for the info We have taken our little man to puppy school for basic training and for the opportunity to socialise with other pups. We also take him out for a drive every now and again. Soon, very soon he will be out and about...displaying his skills no doubt :D Overall he is a 'good boy'...he listens to commands (on most occassions) but we obviously have to work on the areas requiring further training...just like kids. Erny, do you think the 'time out' process is the most effective for biting or misbehavious? Or are there other methods you have found more effective?

Hi Jodie, Yes, we've tried it....we've mixed it with his biscuits, but he turns his nose up at it. Nothing like the real thing, he says. LOL

Hi.... Our American Staffy is almost 16 weeks old, we have had him for 8 weeks. Can anyone offer advice on stop biting techniques and house training please? He bites when he gets excited; when some comes home after work, when he wants to play or seeking attention or when he gets cranky. We don't like to hold his muzzle as that makes him upset but we say firm NO twice and then put him in 'time out'. Generally that works but not 100%. Again, he uses his piddle pads or goes outside on most occassions but sometimes he sniffs around and then decides he is going to release himself wherever it suits him. He is in the house most of the day...with one of us for companionship. He cannot go out and about freely as he has not received his last vac. However, that will be very soon!!

TiffanAmber thanks very much for the pdf and Fudgie Dog I would be really grateful if you could email me your booklet. Any bit of help would be valued. Many thanks to everyone for their valuable input.

Thanks for the info....in addition to the raw meat...don't they also need veges? Is that what BARF is? Is it a sufficient diet for an American Staffy? I will look it up and do the research...thanks curlyking and kelpiecuddles. What he loves most is the aroma of human food...which we do not offer him. Some weeks ago, I lightly steamed chicken breast, veges and brown rice...he absolutely loved it, but he was acting a little looney when he needed to relief himself (motion 2). I mentioned this to the vet and she said I should just give him his dry biscuits and the raw chicken wings or necks. We bought him from a pet shop...so we had no contact with the breeder. We just want to do the right thing by our little man and make sure he remains healthy. He's not over or underweight but we just want to maintain his well being. He probably is a little spoilt...the bugger!! One other quick question...I have also been told by lots of people not to give him beef....is this another tale? Sorry to be such a pest...I do appreciate the feedback :-)

We are new staffy owners....our little man is almost 16 wks old and seems to be a fussy eater. We have had him for 8 weeks and we have tried Pro Plan biscuits, S/Diet and Eukanabu. Not keen on any dry food...we basically have to force feed him. He loves chicken wings (he eats them whole or sometimes chews them...is that normal?) So I don't think he's getting enough of the nutrients that he needs since he isn't eating enough biscuits (he is currently having an hypo moment) probably coz we're all busy doing something else) what should he be eating and how much? I have spoken to vets, trainers, pet shop owners and other dog owners and they all have something different to say...totally confused.