Help With My Staffy Around Puppies

[MESB]

I have an 11 month old staffy. He has the most beautiful nature and is very submissive when it comes to other dogs.

The last couple of months we have had two encounters with puppies where he has showed signs of aggression. The first encounter I thought it was because he wasn't neutered and obviously neither was the male or female puppy. He stands over them growling but that's as far as I have allowed it to go. So I had him neutered literally two days after that in a hope that would fix the issue! But since then he has done the same to another little puppy. He starts off friendly and then when he does that I second guess myself if I trust him not to do anything! As I said he is usually so submissive and any other dog is always boss over him! Including his maltese and jack russell friend!

He lives with a small maltese and they play and he has never hurt him. That's why I don't think it's a size issue.

It's just when it comes to puppies any ideas at all? How can I fix this?

[persephone]

He may not have had experience with puppies - and is very unsure of them?

[*kirty*]

It may just be normal behaviour, telling the puppy to settle down. Or it may be because he is unsure of puppies, and doesn't know how to behave around them. Very hard to say without seeing it. I'd suggest you consult a good trainer and get their advice.

[Sandra777]

It is most likely he doesn't know what to do and since puppies can be very clumsy in their attempts to appease an older dog, he may think they're not getting the message so he esculates his behaviour. How much socialisation has he had with puppies? I would suggest a decent trainer to help you understand what he's doing. You may be able to get him more used to pups or he may be one of those dogs who never really "gets" puppies (a friend has one of those, he's a Stafford too and a very VERY well trained dog, he just doesn't do puppies).

In the meantime, please don't let him randomly socialise with puppies in case he esculates to an actual bite,

and also please don't reprimand him for growling and showing you that he is unsure and needs some help - firstly because a dog that has been taught that growling is bad goes straight to biting and this is extremely dangerous, and secondly because he's almost certainly confused and needs your help not your anger.

Good luck.

[Guest crazydoglady99]

It's hard to suggest anything more than above. I would certainly get a trainer asap, you may be able to join puppy school or similar.

It would be most benefit to you and your boy to get advice face to face, with someone qualified to translate the doggie behaviour for you.

Good luck, dogs are tricky sometimes.

[Salukifan]

Get someone who understands dog behaviour to assess your dog.

It could be no more than a dog warning boisterous pups off. It could be more. Unless someone knowledgeable about dogs assesses your dog, the advice you get may be completely misguided.

However, if you got an SBT thinking it would greet strange dogs happily all its life, you may have got the wrong breed. Your dog is now maturing. He may never be all that thrilled at interactions with dogs he doesn't know. If that is the case, avoidance is the best response.

Good luck. Keep him out of offlead situations where other dogs are involved until you know what you are dealing with.

Edited December 28, 2014 by Haredown Whippets

[melzawelza]

Very hard to say without seeing it. As others have said, he may just be telling off rude boisterous puppies which is not only normal but desirable for the puppy owner if the dog doesn't go overboard.

My girl is very social with all dogs and is perfect for puppies as she will very loudly tell them off for being too full-on. I get comments regularly when my foster puppies grow up from a lot of their new owners about how social and appropriate their puppies are - and I always put it down to my girl teaching them very early that launching at faces and being too full-on will get you a correction.

[Staffyluv]

Get someone who understands dog behaviour to assess your dog.

It could be no more than a dog warning boisterous pups off. It could be more. Unless someone knowledgeable about dogs assesses your dog, the advice you get may be completely misguided.

However, if you got an SBT thinking it would greet strange dogs happily all its life, you may have got the wrong breed. Your dog is now maturing. He may never be all that thrilled at interactions with dogs he doesn't know. If that is the case, avoidance is the best response.

Good luck. Keep him out of offlead situations where other dogs are involved until you know what you are dealing with.

Exactly this^^

[MESB]

Thanks for all the responses will have a look into it's with a trainer. He is fine meeting and greeting all dogs and does so on a regular basis. As I said just the two puppies he has come across so far. But will definitely keep an eye on it.

Thanks again :)

[Mrs Rusty Bucket]

Trainers I've seen recommended for Victoria

Erny (Judi Buchan)

http://www.prok9.com.au/

Nekhbet (Julie)

http://inlinek9.webs.com/

If you post what area you are in - someone can recommend someone closer or you can contact one of these and ask them to recommend someone nearer to you if they can't help.

[Pretty Miss Emma]

My boy doesn't like puppies when he first meets them. He has now learnt to ignore them, but if they push it and are too insistent on meeting him he tells them where to go very forcefully. I always try to make sure it never gets to that point as I can see when he is uncomfortable - chances are your dog may have given you some warning signs before he behaved this way and you just missed them. My boy completely averts his gaze away from them, will turn away, will lip lick and will constantly check in with me - all this often happens in about 3-5 seconds. Now I know what to look for and move him before there is an issue. And like your dog my boy generally loves meeting most other dogs!