Staffyluv

My little guy is now 11 months old...

And Ziggy letting her use him as a chew toy

Miss Pippa in the office with me this morning

And Miss Pip in the office with me this morning..

Ziggy letting Pippa use him as a chew toy this morning...

Thanks for that... He only does it to bigger dogs than him. I usually take him to the park after a half hour walk or about a half hour before the others are coming... He is very excited to see the other dogs.. We always have fosters here so it's not like he does not have enough doggie contact... I think working on his recall will be beneficial and also his leave it command... He is clicker trained so I MIT take his clicker and see if that helps with the recalling.. But I guess I will need a whistle for when he is further away. I try to get between him and the dog today to get him away but he just would not back off. I did resort to leaving the park, which was such a shame as he was being so good with the other dogs... But I don't like him being rude to other dogs, especially those dogs that do have issues...

That is it in a nut shell Ams... He just does not get that this is not nice... He only does it to the insecure dog.. Apart form this with these dogs, he is great at the park... Most people comment on how great he is.. He plays really appropriately with big dogs, puppies of all ages and sizes and even old dogs (he seems to realise he can't be rough or pushy with other dogs).. But the poor insecure dogs, he is just in their faces so bad... It happens with Lando when we go to one dog park and he did it with a big black dog today.. today he would not even respond to 'leave it'... But yet the other staffy and the little foxie were great... He was very good, even watching where he was running so he did not go over the foxie (mind you he and the other staffy were happy to run shoulder to shoulder and over each other sharing the ball together)... Thanks for the advice, I will work on him being more responsive to me and look at me..

Ziggy is an 11 month old staffy cross that I have had since the beginning of November last year. At first he was scared of everything but with love, training and reassurance he has developed into a great little guy. His recall at off leash parks has (up until the last week) been awesome... He sits, stays and fetches... My problem is this: He has developed this behaviour of being really pushy with very shy dogs. He is in their faces non stop and no matter how many times leash him and walk him away as soon as I let him off again he makes a bee line for the shy or frightened dog... And he won't come when called... I don't just let him do it. I get him and leash him as it is obviously distressing to the other dog. He is not hurting them, he just gets under their chin and tries to lick them constantly... Until I leash him and take him to another part of the park but when I let him off again, once he seems to have calmed again, he goes right back.. Any suggestions welcome.. Thanks in advance

They could all be foster failures... But if they were, we couldn't save the next one. Our local pound is overflowing at the moment - there are so many that need help

So cute this morning. Pippa has a little lump under her desexing scar so she on rest and more rest... I have put the lead on her so I can keep her with me and Ziggy insists on holding the lead while we are sitting down and she is not in her crate. He isn't chewing it, just holding it...

I agree Pav.. Seeing her in the pound pics I thought maybe some there but having her here and taking better shots of her you can see there isn't any staffy in her She is awfully cute and such a little sweetheart. She has a lovely temperament so far and is easy to train as well. Very people focused and loves the cuddles but she adores my Ziggy (can't say I blame her)... Thanks for the input everyone... I was curious to see what others thought. The main thing is she is safe, looking for her forever home and desexed...

She is an absolute sweetheart and she has my son and all his tough mates giving her cuddles all the time. She doesn't like people in baseball caps, so it was funny to see them all tell the next one to arrive with a cap on to take it off cause Pippa doesn't like it...haha... She is already sitting and will sit and wait for her food. We are going to work on drop and stay next.. She copies everything Ziggy does, so it makes training ambit easier.. She is going to be a big girl, she is only about 4 months old and already a bit taller than Ziggy, who is 11 months now. Ziggy has grown into a really lovely dog.. He is now much more confident and does not shy away so easily. he is a pleasure to train (most of the time) and such a wonderful ambassador for staffy crosses at the dog parks.. We have so many people tell us that they usually leave when the staffies turn up but they are happy for him to play with their dogs and even the tiny pups... He is really great with 2 babies that come o the park all the time, a 5 month old corgi and a 13 week old schnauzer pups. He loves the little dogs but really loves any dog that wants to run. He will run all day if there is someone to run with.

Mine sleep on the furniture and eat first, yet they'd turn themselves inside out and jump through hoops to please me. The way to train your Stafford with success, is to build a strong bond and find out what makes them tick. The whole notion of dogs on furniture and dominance is out dated and it's rather "bark busters". Thankfully some of us have moved on and have a better understanding of our animals Totally agree with these comments.. My lad (staffy cross) is all about doing what I want.. He absolutely buzzes when he gets praise. He sleeps on my bed every night and has cuddles on the lounge for an hour or so before we go to bed...

Ollie was vaccinated every second year and he had the annual heart worm injection at another appointment. Our vet never did both at once with us. It is the same with our new guy. He was vaccinated and desexed and went back 2 months later for annual heart worm. I have never had an issue with it (touch wood)... In saying that, with what I have read about it lately, I will be reverting to monthly tablets once the 12 month injection period is over... Only because of the chemical overload.. I am also considering vaccinations every couple of years as Ziggy will probably never go to a kennel and it is another thing that does not need to be done as regularly as every 12 months...

I spoke to soon with Ziggy and comfortis. He had is monthly dose last night after dinner at around 6pm and then about 10.30pm he vomited dinner up... I won't redose him as it was in his system for a while. The only difference to other times is that we have a foster baby here and they played heaps after dinner, so maybe it was because he did not just chill out and relax and was hyped up... I hope so. He seems fine today (has not slowed down) apart from not being that interested in breakfast but when I gave the foster some lunch (she is only a baby and has 3 meals a day), I also gave him some and he ate it...

I am the same, I don't see any stafford in her at all (apart from maybe coat colour).. She is very adorable though and so puppy soft. Little mite is curled up under my desk after her lunch. Thanks everyone, I was just curious what others thought

Side on near the clam shell pool

No, she was just dumped at the local pound.. Poor baby.

She is really tall and leggy, she is actually a bit taller standing than my boy... The pound registered her as a staffy cross but I think she is going to be much bigger than that... Personally I can't see staffy at all - her head shape (and I will try to get some more pics as she is so cute) is totally wrong. Her nose bridge is almost straight like a BT (almost, not quite)... A few people that have seen her said ridgy cross. I think she is a bit of everything too becks - but gosh she is so cute and really sweet to go with it.. She can sit already and will now sit and wait for food. She lays down when I tell her to (when she is on the lounge with all of us)... She just loves my Ziggy and copies everything he does. I laughed at her yesterday - it has rained here non stop for ages and every time Ziggy goes out and gets wet, he gets toweled off at the back door. She stood there patiently waiting for me to towel her off to, every time they came back in... ETA - not standing side on but here is one laying on the lounge. I will try to get some more today

One more because it is my fave..

another

New foster baby... Pippa. Her desex papers say staffy cross and that she is 4 months old... She is really tall and leggy and does not weigh much - about 10kg... She is the sweetest little girl, loves cuddles and is really good in her crate of a night - she is a pleasure to have here.. Edited to add, here she is with my 'staffy cross' Ziggy. Zig is 11 months old and weighs about 23kg now..

And another with her and Ziggy

Here is another

Finally some pics of the precious girl. This is her with Ziggy and my oldest son... She is so wriggly that we had to find a way of keeping her still long enough to take a picture