Staffyluv

A personal story, not so much heroic as silly but... When my oldest son was a toddler and my brother and his mates were about 18 years old, my brother owned the most adorable Dobe. Dylan the Dobe and my son were insuperable when he was at my mothers place (brother and dog lived at mums and mum used to look after the kid while I was working). One day Dylan was out the back and wanted to come in to be with my son. My brother and his mate were mucking around with the my son in the kitchen, playing catch.. They were actually throwing the kid to each other and he was laughing and squealing. Have no idea what the dog was thinking but he got a run up and came straight through the kitchen window and put himself between my son and brother.. Not growling or anything but just seems to want to stop them mucking around with hi like that.. Poor silly dog needed stitches across his chest, mum needed a new window and everyone was in shock.. So for the next couple of weeks the dog slept on the lounge room floor and the kid slept beside him when he was there.. He also sounded the alarm when my son managed to get out of mums front door once as a toddler. Dylan is one dog that, even though he wasn't mine, will always stay in my memory because he was such a special guy..

You guys realise that they have just made it super easy to, and clearly have the intentions to, add more breeds to BSL under the menacing category? Owners of any large, powerful breed should be very afraid. They wouldn't have put that in unless they intend to use it. It is positively terrifying, isn't it! As the owner of a rescued bull breed of unknown origin, it really does scare the hell out of me, where this is going.. It is hard, I love bull breeds and can't imagine owning any other breed or type of dog. I also choose to rescue, rather than buy a pedigree dog from a breeder. Don't get me wrong, I would love another pedigree SBT but my heart is in rescue. Buying a property out of town, is looking more and more appealing..

I give Ziggy a can of sardines in oil once a week with his morning kibble and he doesn't have dry skin anymore.

Me three.... On the weekend when someone asked what kind of dog I had - I said a Stafford. Oh a staffy they say, American or English? I said no he is not an Amstaff, he is a staffordshire bull terrier..... And they are like, so an English staffy then?...... No just an SBT! Very annoying. It isn't like there are no differences between the two breeds - the AST has about 10kg+ on an SBT.. That is a whole lot more dog.

This is how I pronounce it and people always look at me like I am stupid ! Thank you ! Same :laugh: You see their brain ticking over for a few seconds, then it sinks in what I have said and they just move on. I know it actually is vy-ler but is why-ler forgivable? They already think I'm weird just for that!! For me, rott-why-ler is fine :) Most Rotty people pronounce it that way as well - I do half the time, particularly if I'm talking to the average person on the street :) As long as you don't go with rott-wheel-er, you're good. Saying rott-vy-ler will just get you a bonus point :D But then you get those that say Rockwyler Or Rocky for short

Go Mr Ellz! I agree.. I dislike the 'english' staffy thing - it really isn't that hard. SBT or AST..

I have never heard of them SnT.. I did discuss it with the vet but was told that everything they could give me, would make him drowsy to a degree and he needed to be alert. Will google them because I am going to take him back after we finish the initial 8 weeks for a follow up.

Haha, yes he does have the Staffy Stubborn Gene.. He wouldn't lay down and try to go to sleep, where he wouldn't have to put up with the nausea - he remained standing with his head hanging and panting the whole way to Kurrajong and back (from Canberra). :laugh:

Everybody loves Cocoa

All of my dogs are asked to wait for their dinner and then I say, OK eat now. I have had a couple of resource guarders come in as fosters and they are usually OK once they realise everyone gets their own dinner.. So they can't have been bad resource guarders in the first place.. I am not a behaviourist so won't discuss what CM does in that video.. The man obviously knows what he is talking about as he does get some amazing results with difficult dogs from what I have seen of his show. But I guess his methods, like all trainers, aren't for everyone.

Zig has never bitten, me or anyone else. He has never shown any aggression or bitten another animal. Even when he was attacked, all he did was drop to the ground. He doesn't defend himself, which honestly, I don't think is a good thing at all. I only answered the poll based on Ziggy. The last foster dog we had here, Zippy, killed and hunted birds in the backyard. But never bit anyone or anything else. She was very submissive when it came to other dogs..

Zig gets two or three off lead runs a week these days. I used to take him every day but I spend more time just walking him on lead and then brain training now..

Of course.. Post em up :)

Foster girl, Zippy, Amstaff - 7 months old and came first in beginners obedience (on the left) and my boy Ziggy, staffy cross (more like an Amstaff), came 3rd in advanced obedience.. Zig third and Zip first 15.9.2013 by jamoore photos, on Flickr Zig Trying to message me - make my dinner by jamoore photos, on Flickr This is dangerous - asking me for pics of my dog :)

Raineth, Zig and I have always been one step forward and two steps back.. It can be very frustrating. Well, what can I say about today - other than it was totally awesome. I got so much out of it and Steve spent heaps of time with us.. He is doing up a training program for Zig and I to follow, so we may just go and do Rally-O next term, instead of obedience because I want to give his program 100%.. I know the higher obedience class won't tolerate that level of excitement (I have already been spoken to a couple of times, by someone in the class about talking to Zig too much and making him too excited).. I came home and did a few minutes in the back yard with Zig, the same as what Steve was doing and the 'drive' he shows to do the same things, is unbelievable. It is well worth the time and money to pick this his brain and get him to show you how to train.. Poor Ziggy was so sick going up and coming back. We stopped 3 times on the way up and the towel in his crate was soaking wet with drool. But he was fine as soon as he got out of the car. Coming back we stopped 4 times to break it right up but it really made no difference.. He pants with his head down the whole way, poor guy. He is exhausted after the trip, working with Steve and then the trip home.. So sound asleep on the lounge now..

Thanks Teekay, I am really looking forward to tomorrow..

So far the only thing that seems to happen is that he pulls up limping on his left back leg after 15-20 minutes, if he is allowed to run at full speed the whole time (like he wants to).. So we are working on slowing him down. He can still have a run but it has to be on soft ground (not paths, concrete, roads or hard ground) and it is preferred that it is not a full on run, just more like a doggy jog :) No jumping either - he loves to jump the equipment at agility (which we won't be doing) and at home, he tends to jump onto the lounge - even when it is low enough for him to just slide onto it.. Hopefully we can halt the damage or slow it down enough, that it doesn't impact his life much at all. We are off to Sydney tomorrow for our K9 Pro training session - I can't wait.. I am so excited, like a kid on Christmas Eve.. Going to bed early because it is about a 3.5-4 hour trip and I want to stop a couple of times so Zig can go the loo and have a travel break.

Zig did the same thing - they are conditioned to sit when you stop and then all of a sudden you want them to stand.. It must be confusing to even the smart dogs - so it took Zig a while to get it. At home, I used to get him to heel, then stop (he would automatically sit at this point), so I would reach around in front of his face, going toward his back leg (saying stand) and put my hand just in front of his hind leg and lift him into a stand position, saying stand a second time when he stood.. Then treat (in our case ball, yes stand, yes, yes).. In class now that same signal that goes around in front of his face, only needs to go to his ear now and he knows I want him to stand. He will also stand on vocal command only.. (Wish I could get him to drop on vocal command as easy as he stands). He has been having issues with a limp - I thought it was his leg and the vet thought it was his back, so we did the x-rays and sadly at just two and a half years old he has been diagnosed with hip dysplasia.. Serious enough to warrant a discussion on hip replacement, stem cell therapy, physio, hydrotherapy and costs.. The vet suggested that I should choose between Rally-O and Obedience, so we are just going to do obedience. No more full on running at the park with all his mates as it puts too much pressure on his hips and he pulls up limping within 20 minutes of play time.. Our obedience club are so awesome - they know I have no interest in trialling so our trainer said to not make him sit at each 'stop' command anymore because the the sitting and standing and sitting and standing will be hard on his hips. She said we will make allowances for our class clown :) I am sad for him - all the things he loves.. Jumping over stuff, running as fast as he can chasing balls or playing shoulder bargy with his mates at the park - all has to stop or I have to teach him how to reign it in (how do you teach a dog to slow down??).. I guess it will be another learning curve for us and we are definitely up for the challenge.. Right now we are doing cartrophen injections and I am researching HD and reading as much as I can - seems supplements play a big part in keeping dogs joints healthy. We are going to x-ray again in 6 months and if it has become worse, then we will look at stem cell therapy. I am looking at selling my house (yes) to buy a place with a pool, so he can do hydrotherapy (the closest place to us is a couple of hours up the highway). I know quite a few other dogs around this area who have similar issues and they can come and swim with him :)

No I wouldn't consider fostering under those conditions. That is not the ideal foster environment, with a dog that is already confused about its position.. Bringing another dog in (temporarily) could confuse the issue even more. You need to treat her as you always have. She obviously feels she needs to step up now the other dog is gone for whatever reason - you need to show her she doesn't. I would be thinking about bringing in a behaviourist if you can't handle it yourself, to give you some pointers on how to deal with this change in attitude and position.

I love the Earthborn holistic for Zig, he has done really well on it. But being a bit fussy, will now only eat it out of his treat ball, lol.. So I put his half a cup of kibble into the treat ball morning and night, then he carts it around and drops it, sending the kibble bits scattering all over the place so he can chase them all down. He also gets roo, beef, chicken or barf patties at dinner.. Sardines, cottage cheese, egg and lamb or beef ribs and chicken carcasses to change it up.. Liver treats always give Zig runny or soft poo as well, so we limit those.

Nope, not a cheap shop at all.. I think from memory, that quilt was about $300+ They sell really beautiful furniture and homewares.

If I was in your position, I would be giving Dais the rest she needs and only doing stuff with the behaviourist, so it isn't so full on. The rest of the time, I would be spending time with Leroy on training - maybe sign him up at the Queanbeyan obedience club, they can help with loads of training issues and a few of the advanced trainers will spend extra time with you, if you ask for help. Steve Courtney has already been suggested (Zig and I are off to see him on Friday and I can't wait). It has only been a few weeks - some 'foster dogs' take at least 3 weeks to start to get the house rules and some take longer. I would give Leroy a chance, if he is a nice dog. Give him some training, set some boundaries and give him some time (he is still really young and they do settle down in time).. It does sound like you have your hands full and only you know what you are capable of handling under the circumstances. I wish we had a pool here that we could let the dogs swim in..

We use a seatbelt attachment for short trips - to the park or training. Longer trips is the crate in the back of the car..

Aww Ziggy looks comfy :D OT I really love your bedspread ... Where did you get it from? I have been looking at getting one but the ones I have seen are quite boring, I love the patchwork style. Zig is always comfy - never mind anyone else.. I think this one was from the furniture store 1825 - they have an online store as well that you can get their stuff through.. I can't remember how much it was. I have 4 of them, the others are proper American quilts - they even have the funny sized pillow cases (that don't fit our pillows properly).. I just adore patchwork quilts and am always amazed at the work and craftman/womanship that goes into them.

On my bed IMG_0247 by jamoore photos, on Flickr