Eileen

I know what you mean about couch cuddles, Ruthless, I kept saying to my OH that's one of the pleasures of having a dog. But when we moved house, we bought a new couch, and we don't let Dolly on it anymore. Not to protect it, but to protect ourselves!!! I was covered in bruises, many of which were from our muscle-bound pocket rocket launching herself with all her might onto the couch whenever she felt like it. (Has anyone been able to teach the command "gently" to a staffy? ) I miss having couch cuddles, but I think her manners have improved.

It's worth keeping an eye out for symptoms as well as checking every day. I know it sounds alarmist but paralysis ticks are buggers. They cost us thousands, and we used to check our dogs everyday, religiously. Places the vet found them once their back legs had gone: in the anus up the nose in the tear duct

Yes, Dogdude, I am beginning to think you are right. It's just she loves being offlead so much And given what the breeder has said last night, so many owners have called to me "oh he just wants to play", when now I think back to the way the dog has approached us, perhaps that wasn't their intent at all. And Winterpaws, I suspect you are right, because I am sure that if I am concerned, my body language isn't going to really be radiating leadership, is it? So I think we will still go to K9 Force, just for my peace of mind, and for a bit of knowledge's sake. I also realised last night, after talking to the breeder, that all the books in the world don't make up for interactive advice, you know "So when the dog does this, what does this mean?". "Well that depends on this, and this".

Oh poor old thing! Dolly got covered in hives about 3 months ago, yuck, she was pretty disfigured. I gave her half a clarytine (sp) tablet and doused her body with ACV, which seemed to take the itch out of the hives till the antihistamine kicked in.

Of course I don't mind I am just a little weary so I won't do a blow by blow retelling of the conversation if that is ok. So I explained that Dolly was very sociable before I had surgery, as I took her to the dog park every day, but she hasn't really been back for two months. (OH was more doing the walk around the block thing, as we have moved suburbs, and it is a longer hike). I noticed one day about 3 weeks ago walking her onlead through a different park, a largish kelpie cross ran straight at her - he seemed like he wanted to play, but she wasn't having a bar of it, and when he wouldn't go away, she eventually started snapping at the air. This worried me - so this, and a few other incidents I recounted this evening I discussed in great detail, such as this morning when we went back to the dog park, another dog ran straight to her, she didn't like it at all and her hackles went up. So her breeder was explaining the sort of body language to be looking for in other dogs, particularly their approaches to her/us, as she thought that would be triggering the change in Dolly's behaviour. We then talked about my body language and what sort of unconscious rewards I might be setting up for Dolly. She recommended some play dates with dogs I know and trust, to make sure I am reinforcing that playing is good. She also said it was important to get on top of it, as it would be very sad if she became a fear biter, as it is not in her nature at all. There might be more, but as I said, I am quite weary, and I can't remember it all.

OK so I have just spoken at length to Dolly's breeder and the problem isn't as bad as I thought. She has been extremely helpful and given some good advice. I will try to follow that first, and then if Dolly's stressed behaviour continues around certain dogs I will organise to meet with K9 Force.

Wow. Ok. That's some recommendation. Thanks guys

Thankyou. I just had a look at the website and it looks like he is helping someone with a fear aggressive dog now. It's a bit of a drive, but that's ok, I guess.

I am worried my dog is becoming fear aggressive, a subject I've raised already once before, wondering if it was a fear period (she is 9 months, and this is definitely new behaviour). However, I don't know enough about it to make any decisions and correct behaviour, and it doesn't seem to be going away. Who would someone recommend in Sydney to help me?

What is wrong with me??? She is desexed. DESEXED!! I think I was so busy imagining how hormones could be affecting an undesexed dog while I was typing my answer, I accidentally wrote undesexed. Sorry for the confusion. eta Thanks Erny, that is helpful. When she was little and she got a fright, she used to run toward me and up my legs so I would pick her up. I don't that anymore, I try to walk her away with me between her and the other dog. I use a strong clear voice and upright body posture. I guess I will keep an eye on her, and if it persists, call a behavourist.

Oh ok. Thanks for your reply, maybe if it continues I ought to get someone to look at her. She is undesexed.

My 9 month old stafford girl has been very well socialised since her first week home. She has always been submissive to older/bigger dogs at the dog park. Lately this seems more pronounced. She has also snapped (just at the air) toward a few bigger dogs that have ignored her "I would prefer not to play with you" body language. This in itself is a bit odd, cos she has always been BUSTING to get near other dogs to play with them. I am hoping this is not going to turn into a problem, but I do not have enough "dog with other dogs" knowledge to know whether this is normal or she is becoming fear aggressive? eta if this is not normal, it would be great if someone could point me in the right direction of how to "unscare" her.

We had our girl Stafford in a pen next to our bed for the first couple of nights. It meant when she got a bit weepy I just dropped my hand in and she was quiet. I empathise, when Dolly was tiny, that puppy screaming sound was so hard to listen to. It was like she was being tortured.

Talk about synchronicity, Tony! I watched the Dog Whisperer this arvo and it was on this very topic! It was very interesting.

I am sorry, Rysup, she was a gorgeous girl

Be careful of the snakes Newfnewf!! (Where abouts in the Kimberleys do you live? My parents live on the Warmun community) Dolly got so used to us pulling her down the stairs that one day we found she started sitting at the kiddie gate at the top of the stairs. We wondered if it meant she needed to go, ran her outside, and presto, a wee! The it just started working like that. It was bizarre. But I was very dedicated to rushing her outside all the time for wees. My boyfriend said I was obsessed and if I ever wrote a book about my time with my dog I would call it the "Poo Diaries". :rolleyes:

Good luck with everything Newfnewf

We found a kong was too heavy to be a good toy for Dolly when she was 8 weeks old. We had greater success with stuffed toys. Re puppy preschool, as all the other pups have had the same level of vaccination, it is apparently ok. I was worried too, but was reassured by the vet. Enjoy puppy preschool, it is really fun!

I have a dally that does this sort of thing and she is just 'talking' to me. It is not a real bark but a loud 'whoa whoa'. She does it when I get home, when I pick up the food bowls to feed them, she also does it if I am very late in feeding them as a reminder and to the other dogs to make them play. She has no dominance issues and is just a talker. Have you thought that maybe you have taught her that a wagging finger is a signal to Bark? No, I had not! That is very interesting. I'll have to think about that. Um, I certainly did think it was her just talking, and a natural extension of her staffy talking that she already does. But this just seems defiant.

Thanks Erny that's very helpful. By ignoring her, I mean usually when she is barking to be fed, or played with. When I tell her off, she barks back, especially if I hold my finger up and wag it.

I didn't think there was another thread, though I have to admit I didn't look that hard! Thanks ST, for your post. Re training methods, I am not really following any specific program, we make sure she sits and stays before she is fed or gets any treats. I have started letting her in our bed in the mornings (from about 5am) so that I can have a bit of a sleep in, could this be affecting her behaviour I wonder.

My 8 month old stafford pup barks at me when she doesn't get her own way, and also when she wants me to do something like feed her, play with her etc. Is this a sign of bad behaviour and should I be stopping her? If so, how? eta, atm I react by ignoring her. Is this the wrong thing to do?

We have a paved courtyard too, and we scrub it down twice a week with hot water and Simple Green. It is an environmentally friendly disinfectant and is also, as I understand, not poisonous if ingested, which is great, as Dolly has kongs full of treats which she drags all over the place and eats, plus bones etc. Just makes me worry less about her ingesting poisonous residue. Also doesn't matter if you hose it down the drain. It does get rid of the smell.

Not wanting to hijack your thread either, but I totally empathise. Especially with the "in you dreams" look. How can a puppy make that face so well? lol

The fur on Dolly's back and legs is lifted in a pattern like hives and she is biting at it quite agitatedly. It is worst around the base of her tail and over her haunch muscles. Is there anything I can do to soothe it for her?