Mummamia Posted May 15, 2013 Share Posted May 15, 2013 My staffie now 7 1/2 years old starting leash grabbing about 4 or so years ago. She became protective of my dog who has now past away. She would grab at her leash and try to pull her away from growling dogs. After she past we had 7 months of sorting that out and it was pretty much non-existent. I then adopted another dog who came from a rescue who was obviously not well loved to say the least and completely non-reactive... Staffie girl started leash grabbing again and when she couldn't grab hers she would grab her own... I can stick my fingers in her mouth and tell her to let go... Takes a few secs but she lets go... I now have a a foster girl as well. She has been with me for 6 months and during this time the leash grabbing is elevating and staffies' protective instincts are more elevated. She is now leash grabbing frequently and even when we walk towards dogs she has known for years... I babysit many rescue dogs of all ages... I have fostered 3 and there has never been any problem between them. Even with one who when returned to rescue showed she could become very aggressive. Yes I have tried many different methods for months at a time to stop it but crikey this is such a pain... Makes my girl seem aggressive to people who don't know her... I've started calling her the security guard... Staffie has never hurt another dog (scared the crap out of a couple of owners though) but growls and snarls and head butts... She has been bitten 3 times, not vet worthy but told off... I now keep her onleash in the park unless I know everyone around... This is hard as dogs sneak up on you... Staffie also fits... (I say non-epileptic - one vet said mild epilepsy) Has been doing this since I got her... Diagnosed as a head trauma prior to me adopting her at about year old... Fits under times of stress... perceived or real. Example... Huskie scaring crap out of foster girl at dog park (foster is completely anti agressive). Staffie then grabbing leash full on and pulling to save the foster...then mouth tremble, froths and body shakes... Hard to describe in words... But goes away for the the time of the fit and then returns... Staffie is one of the most obedient dogs around... Other than this issue... Does anyone else have this problem? Please share... Has anyone had this problem and cured it? Please share... Does anyone have any suggestions that I may not have tried... thanks Mia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corvus Posted May 15, 2013 Share Posted May 15, 2013 She may not be grabbing the leash to "save" another dog, but as a redirection of her own distress. I would assume the leash grabbing is a warning that she is too close to another dog and move her away. Don't let the other dogs complicate the issue needlessly. First assume a simpler cause and if she's still leash grabbing if she gets more distance consider again the protective hypothesis. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salukifan Posted May 15, 2013 Share Posted May 15, 2013 (edited) She may not be grabbing the leash to "save" another dog, but as a redirection of her own distress. I would assume the leash grabbing is a warning that she is too close to another dog and move her away. Don't let the other dogs complicate the issue needlessly. First assume a simpler cause and if she's still leash grabbing if she gets more distance consider again the protective hypothesis. Took the words right out of my mouth although its possible that distress is not the motivation for the redirection. I've seen dogs redirect when they are triggering to aggression and they grab the closest thing. Some also do it when they are very excited. Essentially it's a signal that your dog is highly aroused. Solution is what Corvus has proposed - put some distance between you and the trigger for the behaviour - and that's other dogs. Edited May 15, 2013 by Haredown Whippets Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mixeduppup Posted May 15, 2013 Share Posted May 15, 2013 When I first got Maybe she displayed that behaviour as she was dog reactive but kept all her feelings inside. I just socialised the bejeezus out of her and it stopped. Displacement behaviours can be hard to read but this sounds like one and the stimulation from another dog has her more anxious than if she were alone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mummamia Posted May 16, 2013 Author Share Posted May 16, 2013 Thanks so much for taking the time to offer your thoughts... My dogs are socialised daily come rain, hail or shine (except cyclones) on a daily basis for a minimum of 1 hour daily... I have a number of friends who know dog behaviour and have been emersed in it myself for years... We keep coming back to the protection issue and can give many examples as to why... I have been socialising my dogs in the same areas for 14 years and meet up with friends daily... I can't avoid dogs in my area and there is no longer a clear trigger as to what sets her off... As I said she can see a dog friend she has known all her life now (not necessarily coming towards her either ... just in her line of sight and from a distance away) and will grab the leash and carry on... This usually results in fitting... There is no longer a deffinate pattern that I can predict...It seems the foster has elevated the issue... Foster is soooo anti aggressive and has her own little issues. (It's great to have a dog that always runs from trouble...) I now keep staffie onleash almost all the time so she doesn't get a chance to add in head butting another dog to the growling and snarling... It's my responsibility not to worry anyone else regardless of real or perceived... Yes I have thought that this might be adding to the problem, but what can I do but the best for everyone... A few years back she was on a paste that helped and reduced fitting instances... I might try that again but it doesn't resolve or completely stop the issue... I was hoping someone on this site could offer something that noone has thought of... All thoughts gratefully received... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salukifan Posted May 16, 2013 Share Posted May 16, 2013 (edited) <font size="3" face="Times New Roman"> </font><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"> Text problems.. trying to fix</font> Edited May 16, 2013 by Haredown Whippets Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salukifan Posted May 16, 2013 Share Posted May 16, 2013 (edited) There's an easy way to put the protection theory to thetest... Take her out on her own and see how she reacts without the presence o fthe other dog. Does she redirect onto her own leash? A visit from an experienced dog behaviourist however is the best way to find out what's really going on. I still think it's more likely than anything else that you are dealing with a hyper aroused dog experiencing barrier frustration (being restrained) and redirecting onto a leash. The more you pull and tug the leash, the worse her frustration. All the carrying on doesn't necessarily mean aggression.Just a dog thwarted from getting what it wants and not having a lot of self control. Obedience training and desensitisation would be the 'cure' IF that's what a behaviourist diagnosed. One piece of advice you should heed, regardless of the cause of this behaviour is to keep your hands out of your dog's mouth. It's unsafe. Don't engage in a tug of war or attempt to remove the leash.. getdistance between you and the trigger for the behaviour. Edited May 16, 2013 by Haredown Whippets Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogsfevr Posted May 16, 2013 Share Posted May 16, 2013 So does the dog fit more on walks & often before fitting grabs the lead ?? or does the dog fit at home or any other scenario as well?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mummamia Posted May 16, 2013 Author Share Posted May 16, 2013 So does the dog fit more on walks & often before fitting grabs the lead ?? or does the dog fit at home or any other scenario as well?? Leash grabbing and fitting are not directly related... Dog fits anywhere anytime... At least once a day... Example... She was licking one of the other dogs eyes the other day and as she started to fit her tongue stayed straight out and stiff... even with jaw gnashing (no harm done to tongue...just was a more interesting one) There is frequently no obvious cause... If you know anything about this type of thing I'd love to hear about it... The videos I've showed vets have only come to the conclusion that it's neurological and would have started as a result of a severe whack on the head... I have not found any vet or anyone who has seen this exact thing before... As she was found on the streets at about 10-12 months before she went into a shelter 'it's possible' she was hit by a car... I've looked on internet for something similar but i've only found videos of epileptic dogs and mine doesn't fit into what I see happens with these dogs... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted May 16, 2013 Share Posted May 16, 2013 The leash grabbing may well be tied in with the seizure stuff... in that she reacts to stimuli in certain ways .....and tends to become much more aroused and 'obsessed' than other dogs ? Will she let go the leash for a piece of cabana, or chicken? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mummamia Posted May 17, 2013 Author Share Posted May 17, 2013 The leash grabbing may well be tied in with the seizure stuff... in that she reacts to stimuli in certain ways .....and tends to become much more aroused and 'obsessed' than other dogs ? Will she let go the leash for a piece of cabana, or chicken? Fits happen anywhere anytime... But yes she she does fit frequently after leash grabbing... Fits are definately stress related... Though I don't always have any idea what the stressor was... No new ideas so tried treats yesterday and spent some time in the park going over basics with treat reward... basics are not an issue with her but wanted her to know I had them... On way home with all 3 of mine on leash... SIX off leash little white foo foos came around a blind corner on the path... My staffies' nightmare... I told her to wait and sit and she did... She always does. She just kept looking while the owners put them on leash... I quickly reached in my pocket and managed to drop them on the ground under her nose... She didn't even look down... I got one and put it to her nose and she didn't take it... HOWEVER, she made a half hearted grab at the leash and I said in my own way NO! That was it and we were able to walk on and cross paths with foo foos about 15 or so metres away off the path... So a situation I would have said "yep here we go" had a small success... Will keep this up and see whether it was just a coincidence as she does not react to all dogs... There's no clear way of predicting her reaction... P.S. She has a large number of lovely lttle foo foo friends. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogsfevr Posted May 17, 2013 Share Posted May 17, 2013 Does she lick often before fits if not leash grabbing. For me the leash grabbing & licking could be ways for her to alert to a fit or she trying to soothe the panic of what is about to happen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted May 17, 2013 Share Posted May 17, 2013 For me the leash grabbing & licking could be ways for her to alert to a fit or she trying to soothe the panic of what is about to happen yep.... Circuitry overloads , and the reaction is to bite/grab , and /or seize .... using treats ..even if her brain won't let her take them , may be good to help break the cycle a bit ...keep her a bit calmer , and divert some stress ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mummamia Posted May 17, 2013 Author Share Posted May 17, 2013 There's an easy way to put the protection theory to thetest... Take her out on her own and see how she reacts without the presence o fthe other dog. Does she redirect onto her own leash? A visit from an experienced dog behaviourist however is the best way to find out what's really going on. I still think it's more likely than anything else that you are dealing with a hyper aroused dog experiencing barrier frustration (being restrained) and redirecting onto a leash. The more you pull and tug the leash, the worse her frustration. All the carrying on doesn't necessarily mean aggression.Just a dog thwarted from getting what it wants and not having a lot of self control. Obedience training and desensitisation would be the 'cure' IF that's what a behaviourist diagnosed. One piece of advice you should heed, regardless of the cause of this behaviour is to keep your hands out of your dog's mouth. It's unsafe. Don't engage in a tug of war or attempt to remove the leash.. getdistance between you and the trigger for the behaviour. You seem to be making assumptions without asking questions. Nor does it appear you are reading the information that I have provided... In hindsight I should have kept my questions simple and left it at leash grabbing issue and if anyone has experience with dog fitting in this way... It's not possible to provide all information required to allow someone to give a proffessional opinion in a forum such as this, I thought as this is where dog owners go there may be someone who can give me ideas I have not tried or I would find someone who has an animal who fits in a similar way... Thanks for your input though... I have considered it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mummamia Posted May 17, 2013 Author Share Posted May 17, 2013 Does she lick often before fits if not leash grabbing. For me the leash grabbing & licking could be ways for her to alert to a fit or she trying to soothe the panic of what is about to happen This is possible and I'll watch it... Although, she 'just happenned' to be licking at the time a fit started and her tongue stayed straight out and stiff... Should have got that on video... I touched her tongue and it was stiff as a board... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corvus Posted May 17, 2013 Share Posted May 17, 2013 If fits happen anywhere, any time, it seems for the moment they should be left out of the equation. You also say she started to get upset when the little white dogs came around a blind corner. I presume they were not frightening the foster dog just by being there, but they got her anxious enough that she was not interested in treats? If so, this really points at an issue independent of the foster dog's emotional state, don't you think? I'd still be inclined to treat this as a relatively simple case of the dog being anxious about other dogs. I'm betting there's a pattern to it. I'd be looking first at tension and movement in the other dogs. Some dogs are incredibly sensitive, especially if their anxiety is quite specific. Have you tried a nice, structured approach based on keeping her below threshold and teaching her alternative ways to cope with her anxiety and arousal? If not, go take a look at the reactive dogs thread in the training section. Lots of modern and sophisticated methods being talked about over there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandra777 Posted May 17, 2013 Share Posted May 17, 2013 You say the dog is a "staffy". If you are talking Staffordshire Bull Terrier, has she been DNA tested for L2-HGA? Fitting under stress is one of the key symptoms of that condition - but usually the fits are much worse than you are describing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mummamia Posted May 17, 2013 Author Share Posted May 17, 2013 You say the dog is a "staffy". If you are talking Staffordshire Bull Terrier, has she been DNA tested for L2-HGA? Fitting under stress is one of the key symptoms of that condition - but usually the fits are much worse than you are describing. This is interesting... I had a quick look at a couple of articles and read one womans sad story. This sounds far more extreme than what I experience with mine although I could relate to some of it... The articles stated 'tremors' One vet had remarked at her jaw 'tremors'. Fits consist of 'jaw tremours', (can be just this) then if elevates mouth frothing (usually)and more elevated body shakes... Eyes go glassy, tilting head upwards and usually moving side to side and she isn't able to focus until it's past... She is not a pure staffie. She has something else. I've always thought a bit of cattle so if 'staffy' to have this issue, is only if they are pure then it can't be that. I have spent alot of time researching the 'staffy' origins and found people are *very* passionate about this and who isn't and whether there are seperate breeds now. I can see both sides... However she is recognisable as a 'staffy' and rarely, if ever, questioned as to whether there is anything else in her... I've just called her the staffie in my posts to identify between my three dogs and not use names... So Staffie, new dog and foster... Regardless of whether this is what's going on with her it is very interesting... Thanks so much... I'll go see if I can find some videos... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandra777 Posted May 17, 2013 Share Posted May 17, 2013 She is not a pure staffie. She has something else. I've always thought a bit of cattle so if 'staffy' to have this issue, is only if they are pure then it can't be that. If both of her parents were part Staffordshire Bull Terrier it is possible that she could have inherited L2-HGA from them both without being pure bred - cross bred dogs get lots of genetic issues just that way despite what idiots want us all to believe about how healthy they are :) L2 can manifest in many forms and there is a DNA test for it if you think it's a possibility ($60 AFAIK), but you'd have to research it a fair bit and knowing why won't help stop it so perhaps not really a useful path to follow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackJaq Posted May 17, 2013 Share Posted May 17, 2013 I think you might be talking about American Satffordshire Terriers Mummamia, which is a different breed again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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