Staffy

[Kovacs Mihai]

Good day,

A month ago i adopted a american staffordshire terrier, is 6 years old and very well trained by his previous owner but had to give him to addoption because of moving out of country.

I am married and have 2 kids( one 12 years old and one 4 years old ), in first week the dog was absolutely brilliant but like 3 weeks ago he start to be little rough with my 4 year old son. 

Here i have to mention that he got a lot of attention form all of us specially from my 4 years old who didn't let him alone a second( like calling him all the time, hug him, kiss him ). 

Rocky( the dog ) comes and licks him or hump him and after that try to grab his ears or hands, pants, jumps on him. He never bite him to penetrate his skin( just grab him ), scratch him and hurt him because of his power.

My family attached on him and specially the kids and i don't really want him to go but i am afraid to don't really bite my son. We always keep an eye on my son but sometimes is to fast and he goes straight to the dog.

Not sure if he plays or trying to dominate him but in both cases i just want to see how to stop this before something can happen.

[karen15]

I would get someone in to help you and teach your family how to work with the dog. Staffies are beautiful but being blocky and solid can easily knock children over. Children behaving inappropriately with dogs is the main cause of bites. Dogs warn before biting but children don't see and most often parents are also oblivious. You need help to establish rules to keep everyone safe and that is best done by a behaviouralist working with the dog in its family situation. 

[Bundyburger]

Get a professional trainer if you want to keep the dog. If he is going to be near the kids, keep him on a lead at all times so you can control when, where and how he interacts with them.

[Rebanne]

The dog humps the 4 yo! Get help fast. And you need to teach your son some manners as well as the dog. If need be lock the back door and take out the key so the kid can't get outside to the dog when you are not watching.  Buy a crate and train both kid and dog that when the dog is in the crate that's it - it's a no go zone. But you need a professional trainer quick smart

[juice]

Agreed , humping the child is a huge trigger warning . There are lots of things you just mentioned in both the child and dogs behaviour that send alarm bells ringing . You need help or this will go wrong fast , he has already started to assert himself in a very short time . 

[Animal House]

Agree with the others @Kovacs Mihai where are you located (which state?) someone here will be able to recommend a behaviouralist who can assess the dog and hopefully get you on the right track.

[Purdie]

Many years ago before I new better we got a puppy from a pet shop an American Staffordshire Terrier cross who knows what and at first all was good

My youngest child was 3 at the time.

I had had dogs and pups before and new how to care for and train them;but this pup was different she did not respond to training;was not affectionate to us and only would respond a little to my eldest daughter.

By the time the pup was 4 months old any attempt to train sit come etc was met with total refusal or she would try to bite us so we got help from a  Vet and dog trainer.

The dog then began to go at the children for no reason; she would walk up to my son then grab him and pull him to the ground and nip him on the hip leaving bruises.

Then slowly walk away like nothing had happened.

This was within feet of me with no warning.

We tried to follow the instruction from the dog trainer but nothing worked.

Over the phone he would say she is very dominant and you have to teach her this and that and I did try but I became afraid of her.

 

Then she would be out walking with us and be calm and happy then suddenly jump up and grab my daughters hair and not want to let go.

My 6 year old at the time went to put a bowl of water down for the dog and she was grabbed by her ear and was bleeding.

nothing worked with the dog;she ignored me and if I told her no and sit she would growl and go for me.

The dog was never treated badly and we tried to work with the trainer but it got to the stage where the children were frightened of her and stopped wanting to go outside with her even when I was with them.

It came to a head when she was about 6 months old when she was on the couch with me and I went to get up and she went for my face luckily I moved quickly.

It was all very upsetting and I new I could not trust her and I did not want to re home her not knowing if she would be safe around anyone particularly children.

I called my sister in Law who was a Vet nurse and had owned  a strong willed dog before for advise.

She offered to take the dog for a trial and see if she could train the dog herself and see if she could improve her behaviour.

My sister in Law had another dog of similar breed and the two got along well although my dog was the dominant one.

My dog bit my Sister in Law twice not badly  in the following weeks and I said that I would take her to be put down but she said she wanted to keep on with the dog 

And over time there was mild improvement only because my sister in law was just as stubborn and dominant as the dog I think and with good management the dog went on to have a good life with my sister in Law and her other dog.She was single no children,

The point I am trying to make after woffling on is that some dogs and I think some breeds to a degree are not suited to the average family home with children.

The person you adopted the dog from should have given more thought as to what would have been the most suitable home for the dog.

Will you be able to trust the dog again ?

Are you willing to pay for and follow advise from dog behaviorist and trainer?

Are the children afraid of the dog?

If you decide to re

home the dog I would suggest you seek advise from a rescue group who may  be able to help you find a home that is a better fit for the dog with experienced adults and no children 

and are given the dogs history.

A few years later we adopted a dog from rescue who was a great fit for our family and was wonderful and gentle with children and easy to train and she was with us for 10 years.

 

 

[Animal House]

Gosh Purdie, that's awful.  I have to say if that was my dog would have been straight to the vets and put to sleep after grabbing your son and biting your daughter. 

[persephone]

It's a shame the OP  seemingly hasn't been back since the day they originally posted . I hope everyone is safe , and the situation was resolved.

[Purdie]

1 hour ago, Animal House said:

Gosh Purdie, that's awful.  I have to say if that was my dog would have been straight to the vets and put to sleep after grabbing your son and biting your daughter. 

 

Yes I was about to to do that and would have if my Sil had not asked to take her; being a Vet nurse I wanted to ask her   my Sister in Law to be with me at the Vet she worked when I took her in but she insisted she would take the dog;I was reluctant and I told her that if there were any problems I would have her put down

The dog did well in her new home was kept secure and never near kids and my Sil loved her to bits.

I was sick with worry about it but obviously I did not want the dog around my kids any more too risky.

The dog was outside sleeping in the garage and the kids inside to be safe; a ridiculous  situation.

A lesson to learn here;