Strange Behavior from my Dog

Hi All,

We got Jagger in 2011 October, and Madumbi in November. They wer best buds for a year until tragically Madumbi was hit by a car. We got a new pup shortly after this time a girl, Daisy who is about a year younger than Jaggger. We are now approaching Jagger's 2nd Birthday and Daisy is approaching 1.

The first time I noticed his behavior was when Madumbi was alive, and I was visiting my folks. Madumbi was inside and Jagger was outside. When we saw him outside and let him in, he did not want to know anything. Hid behind the couch, we I tried to take him out he wet and lay by the front door. He was also shaking like he was shivering. Fast forward to about a week ago, and we never really saw it again bar a few short instance at home.

As of last week, it has happened almost daily. He won't come to the room to sleep at night, just hides behind a couch or lies down at the front door shaking. Yesterday, Daisy got a little close to him at supper and he growled a little and snapped but not seriously, I assume him to be alpha in their relationship so little spats are not punished. Plus Daisy is so blasé, it's like she just walks away and sits down. Even if yelling at her, she'll push her nose right into you like it's nothing. Nothing gets that dog down.

After the spat, his tail is raised, hackels up and he leaves the food to go sit at the front door. He looks at her from the corner of his eye like he can't trust her. In the morning he still wanted nothing to do with her. I let them out for thier morning toilet and they were both waiting at the door to come in. I open the door and he usually bolts in. Daisy got in and he turned and went and cowered by the car. I went to hime and it was like I was going to smack him the way he reacted. I picked him up and he was all stiff, shaking. I put my face to his and he licks me like mad, as if nothing is wrong. Took him to the room and put him down. He usually jumps on the bed. This time cowered and walked into the bathroom like we had shouted. Eventually got him into the bed, but if Daisy just moves, he gets this untrusting look and jumps off the bed to hide in the bathroom or in the walk in cupboard.

I try not reward this behaviour, but sometimes to get him out of it, I bounce his ball. IT's like a switch goes off and he changes from 1 extreme to another and its as if the behaviour was never there. I don't want him performing like tis to get to play with the ball everytime, and I have tried being a little sterner when he is in the mood, like calling him to come seriously, but he won't. Just shakes like I'm about to beat him.

I know this is a long post, but I need to add how sensitive he is. I can't give him a whack ever. He squeals before I even land a smack. Daisy, and previously Madumbi, feel no pain. They are usually the dog at the bottom of any play with any other dog, get stood on bitten etc, and never moad. You just have to bump old Jagger wrong and he cries. But this not coming to me and acting like it is the end of the world, really has me worried and he is such a good dog, did well at puppy classes, dis exceptional at obedience and now is taking to agility really well.

Please Help a little. He's my boy and I don't want a strain on other relationships even though ours is still strong.

Firstly, we do not condone EVER hitting a dog no matter what they are doing.

Where did he come from i.e. his parents breeding? Was be tested for all health problems? Have you been to a vet? What is he fed? How long is is walked for and how often?

Roro wrote:I know this is a long post, but I need to add how sensitive he is. I can't give him a whack ever. He squeals before I even land a smack. Daisy, and previously Madumbi, feel no pain. They are usually the dog at the bottom of any play with any other dog, get stood on bitten etc, and never moad. You just have to bump old Jagger wrong and he cries. But this not coming to me and acting like it is the end of the world, really has me worried and he is such a good dog, did well at puppy classes, dis exceptional at obedience and now is taking to agility really well.

Please Help a little. He's my boy and I don't want a strain on other relationships even though ours is still strong.

This really concerns me. It sounds as though you use physical punishment for your dogs? This is totally wrong, and it's no wonder Jagger is acting this way.

Staffords are very sensitive dogs. Yes, they have a high pain threshold but that doesn't mean you can hit them & they feel nothing. Emotionally they suffer far more than many other breeds. It really must stop now, and you will need to work on rebuilding your dog's trust.

Something has seriously frightened him, and what you will have to do is build his confidence again. Every interaction with him in & out of the house must be positive. Plenty of treats & praise for things done right & distraction if he does something wrong. Can you think of nothing that has brought about this fear?

Staffies are incredibly sensitive dogs, a calm 'no' is often far better than a stern NO or yelled command. If they are scared by you, nothing will help except positivity. You might think it is nothing but they are very intelligent and get their feelings hurt very easily. You will have to spend a long time building the lost trust back up.