How Far To Let Him Go?

[3Woofs]

My amstaff puppy Angel is 11 weeks today.

A little background info.

Angel has supervised playtimes with my stafford bitch MIssy who really isn't interested in her at all and will growl and pin Angel when she's being too nippy or annoying..... this I'm happy with.

My Amstaff boy Buster has for the past few weeks only been allowed to interact with Angel while he is on a lead as he is extremely excited by Angel.

Today I allowed Buster and Angel to play has he has really calmed down around Angel.

Buster kept over the top of her dominating her and Angel submitted at first but then started biting and trying to stand on his back.

Buster got more forceful and chased her down to pin her again and there was lots of saliva but Angel just wouldn't give in and kept jumping up at Buster and fighting back not wanting to submit.

This puppy is a real dominating little so and so!

Anyway I kept pulling Buster away from Angel after each initial correction because he hasn't really been exposed to pups before and I'm worried he'll go too far in disciplining her. Was this wrong?

Everytime I've had pups they've always submitted to the older dogs at this age so haven't had the "pleasure" of having to deal with such a dominate pup before.

Sorry for the essay...... would appreciate some advice.

Thanks

[Sandra777]

If Buster is showing no signs of losing it and getting dangerously nasty - which is unlikely but not impossible - I would leave him to correct Angel.

Keep Missy out of it completely, there is a chance they will get over excited and accidentally hurt Angel if there's two adults involved.

Sounds like Angel is used to being allowed to get away with things with Missy which Buster doesn't allow so she needs to learn a new set of rules for interacting with Buster. No biggy, pups are clever, they can remember which adult they can take liberties with and which they can't.

[3Woofs]

Thanks for the reply.

I don't think he'll hurt her on purpose. While Angel was hanging off Buster's lip, he kind of just kept trying to lay on her and squash her.

I'll let them play again tomorrow and see how we go.

[alpha bet]

Can be difficult to give advice online, especially if not sure of all the facts.

Firstly, hold old is you staffy Missy and the amstaff Buster.

Secondly, are Missy and Buster desexed.

These points can be key in deciding when to step in and when to let them sort things out.

I have had a large number of amstaffs come thru training school and have found that it is important to teach them to contain their 'enthusiasm'. You achieve this by monitoring their behaviour in high excitement situations (such as playing with other dogs) and keep blocking them if they start to raise their levels. With experience the amstaff will respond to light blocks from the handler and you generally find they will play more relaxed and turn the cheek if another dog becomes worried/upset/excited and wants to react strongly. It is then easier to step back and leave the dogs to sort thing out themselves. You are in charge of all the dogs.

As an 11wo pup the other dogs will still see her as baby.... she will get away with more now than she will in a few weeks. However you should also act if she is overthetop.

[3Woofs]

Missy is 2 1/2 and recently desexed, and Buster is 23 months and entire (showdog).

I trust Missy . She is the dominant dog and won't take any crap from Angel and puts her into place. I never intervene when Missy does this.

Angel backs off straight away and seems to respect Missy.

On the otherhand with Buster, Angel just didn't back off when he told her off. He's a good boy though and he came to me and ignored Angel when I asked him to. His body language is good when he is around her though and he seemed quite relaxed even when she was biting at his face and he was trying to squash Angel. Tail was down, ears were down and he was looking at me like he was wondering what he should do.

I'll try again today and see how we go.

Angel had been awake for awhile yesterday when they had their play and she tends to go feral when she gets overtired.

Maybe she's be more respectful this time.