lindadiosa Posted October 1, 2009 Share Posted October 1, 2009 Hi Guys, I'm please to say that we finally got our beautiful red girl staffie we wanted. Her name is Monte and she has been with us for a week now and she is nearly 11 wks old. She is really placid and content to be with us around the house but when I say us I mean my husband and I because my poor son (8yo) he has had to pretty much be away from her. She sees him and that's it, she loses it. She starts to 'bite' his pants, his socks. At the start he would sit on the floor and just try to pat her and hold her but she just wants to go at his hands, his feet anything she can grab with her teeth. After all the research and reading all the posts here, from the start I said to him, to stand up and say NO in a firm voice even give her his back but it just doesnt work because even when he is just sitting down on the couch watching tv she will go up on the couch (clearly not allowed ) and start pulling off his socks and do her thing he obviously pushes her off and it all becomes ugly with me trying to get socks of out of her mouth... a full on power struggle. This has happened a few times this week and it's the first week! When we were seeing this starting I would straight away giver her a kong toy with liver treats inside so she can get distracted but you can see she wants his hands or feet. So far she has left a few marks on his hand from her teeth which really scares me. He now avoids her and the whole excitement of the new puppy in the house has become the opposite for him. She will be starting puppy school in about three weeks and my husband and I have been very active with her giving her toys and training her with treats. She now sits before feeding and coming into the house, although we have a doggie door she has already mastered. She also has been really good with toilet training with only a few accidents inside and she is JUST so PRECIOUS!! Apologies for the long post feeling a bit disheartened at the moment. :p Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teebs Posted October 1, 2009 Share Posted October 1, 2009 Heya, congrats on the pup, they are little shits arent they? I am sure someone with more experience will come and post, but what I did to stop my Bull Terrier jumping on people was put him on a lead, all the time, when ever someone new was around, it did take a little while, but he did learn that the only time he got a pat from other people, was when he had all 4 paws on the ground. He is great now and never jumps up. My staffy is a bit more of a pain, she gets very excited still, but i do the same thing, she isnt allowed any attention from people who visit, unless 4 paws are on the ground. good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poodlefan Posted October 1, 2009 Share Posted October 1, 2009 Time for you to step in and take charge Mum! I'm not averse to a puppy being growled at, told "BAH" or "NO!" and physically removed from a child. I also recommend puppy be on lead around your son so he can gain some confidence without worrying she's going to mouth him. They are tough little buggers and mouthing and biting is what they'd do with littermates. She has to learn that mouths on people is a no go and its up to the adults in the house to teach her. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nekhbet Posted October 1, 2009 Share Posted October 1, 2009 your pup has been there for a week and has noooooooooo idea what 'no' 'stop' 'dont' etc means. She also would not know that the couch is off limits in this time space, you are expecting a lot from just being there a week. to your pup those are just noises! You need to make it black and white! If you see that little glint in her eye stop her right then - either 'BAH' in a low growly voice, or just remove the dog. I would not bother with treat for sock, grab the scruff, 'BAH NO' loudly and put the pup away from the situation until it settles. I would also be right there with the two of them to nip things in the bud 8 year olds have neither the timing nor the physical presence to deter a nipping puppy it's a SBT, you need to be tough at the beginning as they can be very exhuberant, physical adults! If you need a hand I do travel and can come fix all the problems before puppy preschool and get your skin and fur kid getting along Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sas Posted October 1, 2009 Share Posted October 1, 2009 I'd pop the pup on a lead whilst your son is around and step in and repremand the pup when it displays these behaviours around your son if you're finding it difficult to manage another way. If you're not sure how to manage it, just one session with a good trainer should assist you :p Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoL Posted October 1, 2009 Share Posted October 1, 2009 Welcome to the wonderful world of Staffords :p Firstly you need to take charge and start laying down some ground rules - remember no means NO not sometimes yes. Think about how you want your adult Stafford to behave and start taking steps to shape your pup, it's easier to do this now than to change bad habits later on. So, every time she starts mouthing behaviour, growl or say BAH, give her something she's allowed to chew (say a toy or chewy bone). She also has to learn that you, hubby and son are above her in the pack but like Nekhbet said don't excpect too much too soon. She's only a baby and you have to have patience, perseverence and most of all consistency, which means that EVERYONE in your family needs to enforce the same rules in the same way. Take her to preschool or take up the offer of training, especially if this is your first dog. Most of all, enjoy, take pictures, show them here, pop into the Stafford thread, they grow up so quickly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TYLER23 Posted October 2, 2009 Share Posted October 2, 2009 We are in the exact same boat, a very bitey 10 week old SBT. We had our first puppy class last week and the advice we were given was not dissimilar to what others have said. - Be consistent and correct the biting the same way every time she does it - Only play with her in short sessions with regular time out to contain the excitement levels - Always supervise play with your child. Perhaps let your child interact with pup when the pup is winding down and getting tired, ie less likely to bite. - Yell "ouch" or "yelp" in a loud high pitched voice like her littermates would have done, and withdraw your hand for 10 seconds - If she still bites. then give her no attention for 10 seconds, either turn your back or leave the room - Give her plenty of alternatives, chew toys, and meaty bones to grind her teeth on. We have been practicing the above for a week, and there is very slight improvement, but i guess Rome wasn't built in a day Good Luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lindadiosa Posted October 2, 2009 Author Share Posted October 2, 2009 all that info is great!! I think my expectations are a bit high I will put all this into practice and will let you know. Also she had her first little walk around the block this morning and as my husband put it 'it was not a success' it was then when I said to him we really have to take it easy with her and expose her to a lot but not expect the world. Also I can't believe how they can look at you in a way that make you feel so bad. How do they do that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nekhbet Posted October 2, 2009 Share Posted October 2, 2009 oh that is genetic and staffys never grow out of it ... well most dogs dont our rottie is the best at it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GotAnyBlacker Posted October 2, 2009 Share Posted October 2, 2009 Poppy was a biting machine when she was little. She grew out of it and is now the laziest dog ever. Hang in there Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MsBex Posted October 3, 2009 Share Posted October 3, 2009 Certainly feel for you Have had our puppy almost 4 weeks now, but by the end of the first week I was thinking "OMG .. What have I done!!" He's still quite nippy when playing, but in comparison to the first week has gotten a helluva lot better, particularly with my 6yr old who copped a fair share of nips. More knowledgable people than I have given great advice in here, so just wanted to add that even in the few weeks we've had our puppy have noticed huge positive changes in his behaviour, so there is some light at the end of the tunnel Congrats on your red SBT! I love the breed! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alpha bet Posted October 3, 2009 Share Posted October 3, 2009 Don't wait another three weeks to get help. Your pup is already 11 weeks hence she will be 14 weeks before you get her there. 14 weeks is also fairly old to be starting puppy pre-school, so Im assuming that perhaps you are going straight into an obedience class. The danger is that by then your son may be really fed up and he will lose the chance to bond well with the pup. There are heaps of trainers out there who can help - Check your local paper and find someone - ring them first and talk about concerns you have and then choose someone who sounds like they have a lot to offer you that way you can get good value for money. Most trainers are happy to take the time to talk to you, if they are busy they will usually give you a time to call them back for a longer chat. It can be very difficult to offer advice online like this. You seem to have been reading up and have got some ideas about taking charge but it is no where near as good as having someone there to talk it thru and show you some ideas. What area are you from - there are many trainers online who might suit or other members here may have someone they can recommend you talk to. Best of luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Georgieboy Posted October 11, 2009 Share Posted October 11, 2009 (edited) Welcome to the wonderful world of owning a Staffy! Or at least a similar world to my experience anyway! Firstly they do grow out of it! We tried ignoring him, pushing him away, telling him off etc, but what worked for me was to yelp (loudly) like another dog would if it were bitten then pulling my hand away and moving awayfrom him. We found this technique to be really effective. They really are beautiful dogs, keep trying and eventually you'll be rewarded with kisses instead of bites! Edited October 11, 2009 by Georgieboy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PuggaWuggles Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 You just have to be consistant with the "NO".we had the same problem,Biting feet and pants,sometimes just 'NO"did not work,when it didnt work,i Growl at him until he looks at me,then "NO".This works every time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poodlefan Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 Welcome to the wonderful world of owning a Staffy! Or at least a similar world to my experience anyway! :p Firstly they do grow out of it! :p Actually, if you don't train bite inhibition and deter mouthing, they won't. Some dog owners learn that lesson the hard way. ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zac's Mate Posted December 13, 2009 Share Posted December 13, 2009 (edited) Deter the mouthing and be firm, it will pay off, it just takes time. I've had a few staffy's before and my current boy was a real handful. He's 2 years old in Feb 2010. He's an angel now but he was real bitey up to 4, 5 months old. We were real firm with him and also had the advantage of an older dog at home and she's very well trained. She kept him in line as best she could and eventually our hard work payed off. We were concerned about the biting, he especially loved going for ears,which made it hard to give him a cuddle. The flip side is though he still has a fetish for ears but now he loves to show his affection for us by gently pulling on our earlobes and giving a little lick. They are such an affectionate breed. Edited December 13, 2009 by Zac's Mate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
becandcharch Posted December 13, 2009 Share Posted December 13, 2009 I would like to suggest that lindadiosa post some cute puppy pics before you give her any more information! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aidan Posted December 13, 2009 Share Posted December 13, 2009 Indeed "no" must mean "no". I take a different approach, your son isn't going to be able to growl him away and yelping can make a dog with any drive get very excited. If you find you aren't able to use either effectively this thread has some alternatives: http://www.dolforums.com.au/index.php?showtopic=183894 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staffyluv Posted December 13, 2009 Share Posted December 13, 2009 all that info is great!!I think my expectations are a bit high I will put all this into practice and will let you know. Also she had her first little walk around the block this morning and as my husband put it 'it was not a success' it was then when I said to him we really have to take it easy with her and expose her to a lot but not expect the world. Also I can't believe how they can look at you in a way that make you feel so bad. How do they do that? Welcome to the addiction of Staffords... She sounds like a typical stafford pup and you have some great ideas and advise to kick start you in her very basic training. She only needs 5-10 minutes of training at a time, it is about all she can handle at her age (a few times a day)... Did I read in the first post she is only 11 weeks old - IMO she is much to young to be taken on walks around the block. General play time is plenty of exercise for such a young pup - leave the big walks for a couple of months when she is much stronger. But you can still get her used to the collar and lead.. Get a soft puppy collar and a light lead and let her wear it when you are training (sit etc), she will then associate it with learning and want to pay attention when it is on. Good luck and I would love to see some pics of the little angel when you get a chance Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bully Posted December 13, 2009 Share Posted December 13, 2009 Some great replies. This article explains most of what has been suggested New Puppy Owner Blues Good luck with Monte. I'm sure that in time she'll be the perfect mate :D Pele is the 2nd Bull Terrier puppy that we've had. I swear that she was worse than Jessie, altho' my partner said otherwise She was a pirhana! We started calling her "Perilous Pele", then it became the "Ferilous Perilous", shortened to the "Feral Peril" but we survived. Pele will be 5 in February and is almost the perfect dog Hang in there :p Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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