behaviour/body language & training book recommendations please :)

Hi all, please could you offer some recommendations on dog behavior, reading their body language and training etc even if they're in seperate books. Read and tested please lol!

Here's a link for body language. The website has alot of good info on it

http://staffy-bull-terrier.co.uk/dogbodylanguage.html

Have you a specific problem? Someone could help, there all so different, what works with one is not so great on another Xx

Hi, nothing really in particular more for our own development sort of thing Although the other day we had a kind of near miss with another Staff (the other staff being aggressive) and would like to know more about body language to see if I could have picked something up had I have known more/what to look for.

I read the link thanks very interesting. I've called Milo submissive but have noted he's a persistent little bugger with the play time. One of my friends has a bitch collie cross and one has a neutered rough collie male both about 9 yeas old. Milo just wont take no for an answer and reading your link the 'in your face' bit is definitely what's going on. The male collie a month or so ago on returning to his house from a walk together did give him a real telling off and grabbed the scruff of his neck when he really had had enough which only ever so lightly grazed him-needless to say he got the message that time! Yesterday I was at my other friends' place and her dogs' were loose (the other dog is an 11 year old staff x JRT) in their 30 plus acres. Milo stayed by the house (which I was pleased about) and ignored the other little bitch as she's more in your face back (means business-which he respects!!) but for the 1/2 hour or so we had lunch was persistent in bugging the other bitch. I went out and yelled from time to time but he returned. I didn't want to leave him in the car as it was hot and if he's tied up he just chews the leash (only ever done this twice on picnics)

What should I have done. And how can I curtail his persistence in asking for the rough and tumble/running around like crazy fools play when the other dog has already asked politely to 'not now please!' x

Is he about 14 mnths now? They get to an age where they can start to test your patience or boundries lol. Stick with the training, but also accept that not all dogs get on with other dogs Xx

Hiya Janey, he's approaching 9 1/2 months I accept that no problem just not sure how to make him listen to the polite requests of 'leave me alone I don't want to play' as he doesn't listen to the dogs, although if the other dog says no loud enough/in the 'right' way he respects that decision end of lol! x

Its late so sorry for my sp!

Personally if a dog is off lead I asume its friendly, and I will let Moo approach, if the owner says other I can call her back and she will listen.

Recall is so important, and whilst there young, meeting other dogs is fun, but you don't want to meet one that can 'really' put him into place.

Being at someones house I am unsure of. i don't think its anything to worry about just keeo he training up Xx

Have you tried exercising him thoroughly before he will be around other dogs?

janey wrote:
Personally if a dog is off lead I asume its friendly, and I will let Moo approach, if the owner says other I can call her back and she will listen.

Oooh, that really annoys me out on a walk! When Dempsey is off lead I keep as far away from dogs as I can, but occasionally we have to go withing about 20/30 yards. I really bugs me when other people just let their dogs run up to him - they don't know if he's friendly or not. They don't know if I'm friendly or not! I always put Dempsey on lead if we're going to approach another dog & not until I'm sure that everyone (dogs & humans) are happy will I let him off. Courtesy.

jstaff wrote:Have you tried exercising him thoroughly before he will be around other dogs?

Good idea.

With my two i have to cross an area of ten football pitches and a main rd before i get to another area with pitches and wooded bits. If i get them tired out chasing the ball on the first park then by the time they meet dogs in the second they are not as interested . I put mine on the lead if i'm walking towards dogs i don't know and if some muppet insists on walking straight into us when they are playing ball i put kasidy on an extending lead because she finds big strong masculine dogs irresistable and will go visit if they get close.
I followed a link from above and read Suzanne Clothiers article, made me understand why they react in certain ways and realise that sometimes i've told them off when they shouldn't have been.

Caryll wrote:

janey wrote:
Personally if a dog is off lead I asume its friendly, and I will let Moo approach, if the owner says other I can call her back and she will listen.

Oooh, that really annoys me out on a walk! When Dempsey is off lead I keep as far away from dogs as I can, but occasionally we have to go withing about 20/30 yards. I really bugs me when other people just let their dogs run up to him - they don't know if he's friendly or not. They don't know if I'm friendly or not! I always put Dempsey on lead if we're going to approach another dog & not until I'm sure that everyone (dogs & humans) are happy will I let him off. Courtesy.

Ooooo you wont like me Caryll but I too go by the same thing I'm afraid, if a dog is on a lead I assume it's not friendly (but of course I'm aware it might be for an entirely different reason such as training,injury etc) and always recall Milo and put him back on his lead out of courtesy.

jstaff wrote:Have you tried exercising him thoroughly before he will be around other dogs?

Good idea.

No and tbh to be honest I don't think it matters to him! Today for example we met a friend on the heath with it's acres of wooded/open heath/boggy/pathed areas with her 8 month old bitch crossbred dog which is currently similar in size and shape to a greyhound (so bigger than MILO) and the dogs were non stop and not even tired enough to stop for a rest when we stopped to watch the kids play/climb the trees etc. we were out for 2 1/2 hours for goodness sake!! She was great with him and he met his match for full on playfullness. He did nip her ears a few times making her squeek-no big deal. He however also pulled her hair (I'd describe it as a loooong rough coated style) maybe even her skin under/to the side of her neck which he did several times and she was so good at tolerating it, I yelled he stopped! I've never seen him do this behaviour before, but whatever it was it was play, play, play, fun, fun, fun, lol he's still not sleeping it off, no doubt he'll sleeplike a dead dog tonight though! We've already been home for 4 hours!!!