Staffyluv

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This thread is worthy of this photo.. Ollie kisses with Cory by Jodie Moore Photos, on Flickr Every kid deserves staffy.

Oh, my heart just skipped a beat.. She was such an awesome save.. Ollie was allowed to do as he pleased here.. We had kisses all round.. Ziggy is not really a kissy dog. He will give a lick occasionally but he is more inclined to snuggle his head under your armpit or put his head on your lap and want your arm around him than to kiss you.. I miss Ollie dog kisses..

I think you may be right.. Zig came across a gorgeous lab pup and he was quite scared, so Zig drops and does the big belly crawl right up to him.. As soon as the pup stepped forward toward him, he gave him a big lick.. Then it was play bowing all round.. Zig does it at the vets to when he wants to get closer to the vets cat.. Not that the cat is worried, I am sure she would put him in his place...

Thanks, will add it and promote it from the business page next week...

Yep & dogs need responsible owners, so how come so many idiots can't get that through their thickheads? Because it is just too easy to have them - both I mean, parenthood and pet ownership should be a privilege not a right I totally agree... To many little ones are born to parents who don't care for them well enough..

He is so cute.. Congrats on your new addition..

Zig has to hold my sock while I am putting my shoes and socks on.. When I unfold the pair and sit one beside me, he picks it up until I need it then gives it to me... He does the bathroom stuff but will get into the shower if given half a chance.. He doesn't lick but sits and watches if you let him in there. Otherwise he sits at the door until I come out.. When ever he wants something he comes in and puts his right front paw on my hand or leg (depending on how I am sitting). Our morning ritual is him following me around and woo wooing at me while I get ready to take him for a walk.. Edited to fix a bit.

Awesome news and congrats.. Do you have a Facebook page as well?

I thought it might have had something to do with how submissive he is. But after reading more on it, perhaps he is just displaying non threatening behaviour so he can say hello.

The old boy we met this morning was just lovely. He was calm, low slow wagging tail, really relaxed.. Zig is usually so excited at the sight of another dog that he can be a bit intimidating to oncoming owners. So I make him sit and wait but today he dropped and crawled towards them.. I am glad that he can be so gentle when meeting other dogs that are older or younger.

Just because you can breed, doesn't mean you should. I hope his parents get what they deserve.. Little people need responsible parents.

How devastating for everyone involved..

I have seen Ziggy get on his belly when meeting pups and younger dogs but today at the park, there was an older dog and he did it again. This older guy was a big dog - about lab size. He drops and crawls over to them. He doesn't do this with all dogs and I honestly had only really noticed it more with pups. Once the intro has gone well, he gets up and is all for a sniff, a play bow and a look how much of an idiot I can be jump.. There are so many conflicting suggestions on Google, I thought I would ask on DOL..

Anyone that has ever had the love of a dog, knows what she is going through and understands this is how it should be.

Can't help with the limb amputation query but wanted to wish you luck. My old stafford had a toe removed and recover was quite good, even for an old dog.

We finally took the sporn harness for a run this morning. Ziggy was a totally different dog in it. No pulling at all and his loose lead walking was probably 90% of the walk, so not sure if it was the harness or he was just being a really good boy. He was out front a bit as usual but that's OK as he comes back to me when someone comes towards us. I have a sore back, so I am really limited with his exercise at the moment. He is only getting about a half hour walk a day and one or two 10 minute training sessions in the backyard... This is down from at least 45 minute fast walk and about 5 10 minute sessions for tricks, training and playing..

West Queanbeyan do awesome rescue rates if you talk to Hamish..

Check the place out at different times during the day and week - you will probably find (as I did) that the good owners and dogs go at a certain time that is different to the ones who allow their dogs to run riot.

We have had a very different experience to others at the dog park. My boy was the 'in your face' dog - he wanted to say hi to everything that came into the park. We have spent many months working on this (and we still are). We now have a set group that he plays with. We do meet others but mostly it is the same group at the same time each week for up to half an hour. His time running free is limited and as soon as he even looks like he is getting over excited or his recall is not straight away, he is removed from the park. We go home. I know his limits and we play within them now. NOT all owners who take their dogs to dog parks are totally clueless. There are some really nice parks around and some really nice owners and dogs... I do agree that dog parks attract a lot of clueless people - but go at different times and different days to work out when is the best time. We go between 7-8am on Saturday or Sunday for about half an hour and lucky for us, these days it is nearly always the same people.

Management & training would be on a case by case basis ofc. I do think your expectations as to how much you're going to be able to rehab the dog might differ tbh. I've seen some quite miraculous recoveries of dogs who've been beaten coming right out of their shells (it does seem to happen fairly often that dogs ARE mistreated a few of my friends' have had dogs who plainly had terrible histories), but I'm not sure you'd be able to get such dramatic recoveries with a genetically bad dog? I think my favourite story of a dog who did the hard yards but recovered amazingly well was Little Leo the poodle, who many here will remember. Leo was bred by a member here called Sivaro, she found out he was being used interstate as breeding stock at a puppy mill, and after her frantic request for help for him here, another member called Ambervale rescued him. Leo was so terrified and beaten down when Ambervale first got him, but with her care he blossomed into a really happy, smiley little guy who led (and presumably continues to lead) a full life, not unduly affected by his previous rotten circumstances. I'll see if I can find the thread for anyone who's newer and hasn't read it, it used to be a sticky, it's a really amazing story and definitely worth the read. Yes I remember Leo's story.. It was heartbreaking and then it turned around completely.. ETA I completely agree with HDW post about people blaming their rescue dogs bad behaviour on the fact that they are a rescue. Also the point about it is often the trainer, not the dog... Most of Ziggy's issues have been more, my issues and our wonderful trainer has helped us so much...

why? Is it hurting them? Many of the undesirable behaviours that have been described, especially nervousness, are probably much more likely to be inherent in the dog than being caused by past ownership. Plenty of dogs cope with terrible ownership very well. The stories people tell seem to propagate a harmful myth that all dogs are bred with equally stable temperaments and that bad ownership is the only problem. It ignores the fact that some dogs are well bred or fortunate enough to be a happy dog despite less than perfect owners. It ignores the fact that some people breed dogs with terrible nervy temperaments. Badly bred dogs with temperament faults are more likely to end up being dumped. Its not the dogs fault and it's good that they are happy in a new home, but why shouldn't crappy breeders get as much blame as anyone? I agree GM.. But I think it is human nature (for a lot of people) to want to know why their beloved pets were found in a pound.. After all, we adore them, why didn't their first owners? I know I look at Ziggy curled up in the middle of my bed an wonder how anyone could dump him in the pound (he was found in the cages out the front).. Sure he has his issues but he was only 6 months old.. Genuine question: Should training a dog that has bad breeding be different to a dog that has had little human contact or a dog that was beaten every time the previous owner looked at it?

I second Ruthless.. I have a flat collar and normal lead already but just ordered the 3 way leash and a really lovely martingale collar for Ziggy... Google Ruthless Leather Designs and it comes up..

Anyone who spends that sort of money, just for a colour (without checking breeding, health testing) gets everything they deserve. Hopefully the breeders have health tested etc.. My sons mate just spent $1800 on the runt of a litter of all rare blue English staffys

Firstly, I am so very sorry for your loss.. I can totally relate as I lost my 14 year old Stafford to cancer, after a six year battle, in October 2011. I missed him so much, I went straight to the pound and got Ziggy, a staffy cross a week later. Try to make things as normal as possible. Feed at the same time in the same place, play and walk at the same times you would have normally.. My boy has had fosters come and go and he gets more attached to some than others. Your dog is older and more set in their ways, so try to keep as much as possible the same. However, I do believe dogs grieve when they lose a mate, so also let the dog hang with you more. Maybe a trip to the vet if things don't improve over a few days to make sure the dog isn't to stressed. All the best and again, I am sorry for your loss.