Hi
I need some advice.
Our staffie is a rescue dog and there is clear evidence that he has been abused. He's settled in really really well and gets on with all the members of our rather large family. In particular he loves my 9yr old stepdaughter and has shown her nothing but love and affection.
He's still very mouthy and will jump up when we come in from work and use his mouth to greet us. That's really my only problem with him.. he never ever hurts anyone, but he is very mouthy, which I gather is a Staffie attribute.
However, he does not like grey haired men and has barked at both my father and my future father-in-law. My dad has just taken to just ignoring him, which is fine, I guess... but he doesn't reward Bryn for his good behaviour either and doesn't even attempt to get a relationship with him.
He's now insisting that I need to take him to dog training. However, we simply do not have any problems with Bryn. Apart from being careful when he meets other dogs and my brother's new baby - his behaviour is fine, especially when you consider that I have 3 children and my fiance has 4 and so we always have people coming in and out of our home.
so... what do you think? Does he need training in how to deal with grey haired men?
training advice needed
Moderators: emmabeth, BoardHost
Re: training advice needed
Sorry... I realise I've posted something very similar earlier.. but my Dad has just been up again this weekend, and gone on about the dog needing training and it's doing my head in!
Re: training advice needed
Sometimes family members can see problems where there are none 
Your dog sounds fine to me. He doesn't need a relationship with your father and your father doesn't need a relationship with him. Let them continue to ignore each other.
Training classes won't help the dog to like grey-haired men - and neither will your father - so he'll just have to put up with it. The dog will chill as he gets more secure, and realise father isn't worth barking at anyway.
Re: the mouthing - keep toys handy and stuff one in his big staffy grin when he comes up to greet. There's no harm in it at all, but sometimes people can misinterpret, and think they've been "bitten". So avoid the situation if there's any chance of a numpty making a fuss, and redirect the "holding hands" to a toy in his mouth.
He sounds a peach. Got any photos?
Your dog sounds fine to me. He doesn't need a relationship with your father and your father doesn't need a relationship with him. Let them continue to ignore each other.
Training classes won't help the dog to like grey-haired men - and neither will your father - so he'll just have to put up with it. The dog will chill as he gets more secure, and realise father isn't worth barking at anyway.
Re: the mouthing - keep toys handy and stuff one in his big staffy grin when he comes up to greet. There's no harm in it at all, but sometimes people can misinterpret, and think they've been "bitten". So avoid the situation if there's any chance of a numpty making a fuss, and redirect the "holding hands" to a toy in his mouth.
He sounds a peach. Got any photos?
A dog is never bad or naughty - it is simply being a dog
SET YOURSELF UP FOR SUCCESS
SET YOURSELF UP FOR SUCCESS
Re: training advice needed
yes I have Nettle.. this was taken at the seaside this Monday
Re: training advice needed
He is adorable, I love Staffies especially the Staffy grin 
Training classes don't help every dog, in fact they can make some problems worse but as Nettle says, it won't help him like grey haired men. My Greyhound raced in Northern Ireland, he won't have anything to do with people if they have a Northern Ireland accent, another dog didn't like small, thin men, she looked really aggressive when one came close to her but this was fear, she was really frightened of them.
Training classes don't help every dog, in fact they can make some problems worse but as Nettle says, it won't help him like grey haired men. My Greyhound raced in Northern Ireland, he won't have anything to do with people if they have a Northern Ireland accent, another dog didn't like small, thin men, she looked really aggressive when one came close to her but this was fear, she was really frightened of them.
[url=http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v312/Nethertumbleweed/PIXIE.jpg][img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v312/Nethertumbleweed/th_PIXIE.jpg[/img][/url]
Re: training advice needed
That last picture is wonderful, he looks so happy.
[url=http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v312/Nethertumbleweed/PIXIE.jpg][img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v312/Nethertumbleweed/th_PIXIE.jpg[/img][/url]
Re: training advice needed
Thank you Mattie.... I think the over-riding advice is to let him be. He is NEVER a problem with anyone else and seems to cope fine with the amounts of comings and goings in our home.
This weekend when we took him to the seaside, he gets so excited when he sees other dogs, but as we live in a very rural area, he doesn't get the opportunity to mix with other dogs, and it's hard to tell how it will all end up. He just wants to play, but the moment another dog becomes even a little bit aggressive with him he has a right go back... so we can't really trust him. Mind you, friends of ours brought their little yappy dogs round ours, and Bryn ended up sleeping with one of them in his basket! So he's not a 'bad' dog.
The last picture was taken with my son... he is a very happy dog and an absolute joy to have in the family... both my daughter and youngest son want dogs of their own now
This weekend when we took him to the seaside, he gets so excited when he sees other dogs, but as we live in a very rural area, he doesn't get the opportunity to mix with other dogs, and it's hard to tell how it will all end up. He just wants to play, but the moment another dog becomes even a little bit aggressive with him he has a right go back... so we can't really trust him. Mind you, friends of ours brought their little yappy dogs round ours, and Bryn ended up sleeping with one of them in his basket! So he's not a 'bad' dog.
The last picture was taken with my son... he is a very happy dog and an absolute joy to have in the family... both my daughter and youngest son want dogs of their own now
Re: training advice needed
He looks a lovely chap.
Protect him from the approaches of rude dogs (we have grillions of threads here saying how to) and don't let him "play" with other dogs because it won't be play. He was bred for a job you don't want him to do, which is why staffies love people to bits and don't care for other dogs except maybe the odd individual. You don't want to throw that switch because there is no going back once you have.
Protect him from the approaches of rude dogs (we have grillions of threads here saying how to) and don't let him "play" with other dogs because it won't be play. He was bred for a job you don't want him to do, which is why staffies love people to bits and don't care for other dogs except maybe the odd individual. You don't want to throw that switch because there is no going back once you have.
A dog is never bad or naughty - it is simply being a dog
SET YOURSELF UP FOR SUCCESS
SET YOURSELF UP FOR SUCCESS
Re: training advice needed
advice listened to and taken on board, thank you!Nettle wrote:He looks a lovely chap.
Protect him from the approaches of rude dogs (we have grillions of threads here saying how to) and don't let him "play" with other dogs because it won't be play. He was bred for a job you don't want him to do, which is why staffies love people to bits and don't care for other dogs except maybe the odd individual. You don't want to throw that switch because there is no going back once you have.
Re: training advice needed
Smashing pic that last one!
Echo the others, my dad believes my dog who utterly hates and totally distrusts him, should tolerate any and all behaviour a human may throw at him, automatically with no training whatsoever and because he doesnt I oughta get rid of him!
Thats not going to be happening of course, I shall just not visit my dad with my dog in tow, nor is my dad welcome at my house for the next 15 or so years. (Errol has successfully over come fear of a wide range of other people, who all could comply with the simple 'do not make eye contact, do not react to his barking we will deal with it' instructions - my dad refuses to do as he is told and insists on barking in Errols face and staring at him!).
So manage the situation so your dad and your dog do not have to deal with one another and develop a sweet and meaningless 'yeah yeah' response whenever the subject is brought up.
As far as other dogs go - teach your dog that you are wayyyyyyyyy funner than other dogs by judicious use of a very exciting toy/treats/etc on walks..
By all means introduce him carefully to dogs he will interact with regularly (ie family and friends dogs), but otherwise bear in mind that dogs dont particularly 'need' canine friends and certainly dont want to be friends with everyone they meet. If it works out its nice but its generally more for our benefit than theirs.
Its no bad thing if your dog is polite and tolerant of the presence of other dogs but DOESNT expect that another dog = crazy play time - it means you can take your dog almost anywhere without them kicking up a fuss or upsetting someone elses dog.
Echo the others, my dad believes my dog who utterly hates and totally distrusts him, should tolerate any and all behaviour a human may throw at him, automatically with no training whatsoever and because he doesnt I oughta get rid of him!
Thats not going to be happening of course, I shall just not visit my dad with my dog in tow, nor is my dad welcome at my house for the next 15 or so years. (Errol has successfully over come fear of a wide range of other people, who all could comply with the simple 'do not make eye contact, do not react to his barking we will deal with it' instructions - my dad refuses to do as he is told and insists on barking in Errols face and staring at him!).
So manage the situation so your dad and your dog do not have to deal with one another and develop a sweet and meaningless 'yeah yeah' response whenever the subject is brought up.
As far as other dogs go - teach your dog that you are wayyyyyyyyy funner than other dogs by judicious use of a very exciting toy/treats/etc on walks..
By all means introduce him carefully to dogs he will interact with regularly (ie family and friends dogs), but otherwise bear in mind that dogs dont particularly 'need' canine friends and certainly dont want to be friends with everyone they meet. If it works out its nice but its generally more for our benefit than theirs.
Its no bad thing if your dog is polite and tolerant of the presence of other dogs but DOESNT expect that another dog = crazy play time - it means you can take your dog almost anywhere without them kicking up a fuss or upsetting someone elses dog.
West Midlands based 1-2-1 Training & Behaviour Canine Consultant
Re: training advice needed
Aye, and there's the rub! Every dog he does se = crazy play time!! He whines and barks and gets ever so excited.... oh well, we generally manage to manage his behaviour 
