*new rescue dog* "blake" behaviour advice needed please x

Hello to everyone... any advice will be appreciated as i want the best new start for our new stafford "blake"....
We have had him for only just over a week from a local rescue, he was removed from his previous home by an rspca inspector as he was being neglected and had been attacked by two other staffy type males and had very bad injuries to his face, neck and chest. He has now recovered but the mental scars from his ordeal are very much still here he has no trust (as can be expected) with any other dogs he wags his tail but then turns extremley nasty i can't walk him off the lead at all because of this aggresive behaviour i have accepted this as blake was put in this situation and is scared.
He is very very loving i have 3 young children and in the home his character is brilliant all he wants is a cuddle and is like my shadow.
He won't play with toys, bones, treats he looks at me as if to say what shal i do with them, this again i expected as he hasn't had any before, he knew no commands at all not even his name this he is learning slowly..bless him.

The past three days i have noticed a sudden change in his behaviour almost like he is trying it on and seeing how far he can go which is a massive change from him being so quiet, he has started jumping up to everyones face and nipping any chance he has of a nip hes there, also i just can't stop him from jumping on the kitchen counters and dining table to the point of taking the childrens food from there hands, plates he always has a quality feed in his bowl and fresh water not to mention sardines and pasta once a day so he can't be hungry.
He has a large dog crate which the rspca advised me to get for nightime as they feel safe so when hes naughty i put him in there for time out but he goes crazy howling and has started bending the bars.....???

Any advice would be so much help, we love him to bits and don't get me wrong i knew there would be emotional problems as he has been through the mill i just need any advice on the best way to stop the bad behaviour.

We have had staffords in the family for the past 20 years i was brought up with them and we have had many foster staffords from the SBT trust but Blake is the first with behaviour problems.

Many Thanks....Lucy & Blake

we have a rescue Lottie. she was very neglected and unsocialised too. she was very shy but loving when we first got her then as you say she started to test the boundaries on how far she could go. it is a case of basic training telling her NO and showing her what is acceptable. playing comes to them the more you try to play like throwing the ball and things. tug games are out fo the question for our Lottie though becaue she will win and for her to win the game over us is giving her the upper hand which we don't want. go back to basics with the training even the sit and things and try to take her places where there are other dogs and people but make sure you are in control and the lead is short so she can't reach them. the more she is around them the more used to them she will get. you may never have a dog that you can let go play in the park but you will have a nice dog that you can walk through the park without having your arm pulled out fo the socket or embaressed because of the behaviour. long leads when she is used to it on an open feild for run and play. rescues are hard work but it is rewarding when you see the changes.

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As above go back to basics with regard to training. You cannot have him jumping up and nipping near faces.

Please dont use the crate as a punishment he will not want to go in there it should be his quiet place to go and chill out on his own.

Sounds like he is testing boundaries. If he is jumping up try turning around and ignore him. All four feet should be on the floor when meeting people if he does this then give praise. Always give praise for good behaviour.

Link below to dry food recommendations:

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

Aw bless him, not had the best start and now he's starting to settle in he will just act on impulse. So yep the best way to handle it is to go right back to basics and be consistent as he will test you. Make sure all food is put away so he doesn't get any reward for jumping up on the kitchen counters, although I know of several that can open kitchen cupboards and help themselves so it can be hard work. When you do have food out or the children have food for now just pop him in his cage with a stuffed kong or something for a diversion (failing the cage try behind a stair gate?), that way you don't have to stress or worry about him taking it from them, for the moment I'd concentrate on the important issues like basic control, get those nailed then you can build on him being around food etc. As for him being around other dogs, work on getting him to focus on you, if he can do that then you can gradually work on getting closer to the point where he should be able to pass them (it takes time!) Your local RSPCA should have a training scheme or a behaviorist that can help you build on the basics. Given time, patience and consistency I'm sure you'll achieve good things with him Good luck

Thank you for the replys....Julie good advice about the tug of war games thats one thing when blake does decide to play i'm not going to do as staffords always win, im trying not to avoid other dogs on walks i just pull him close to me on the lead until they pass as you must know some people won't even pass a stafford ive known people change direction and cross the road. Hes so highly strung he cries under his breath and wonders around a lot bless him i try and reasure him and treat him when hes good you have to laugh because although he is very aggresive towards other dogs if he sees a cat or even a bird on the floor or in the hedge he bolts in the opposite direction same with traffic e.c.t

Kathytake2...i was very unsure about using the crate as a naughty corner as he sleeps really well in it and likes to have time out in there with the door open so i wont be using it for that anymore, i have now told the whole family when he jumps up to turn away and to fuss him when he stays on all 4s, the food hes on at the moment is james wellbeloved he loves it and he was under weight but is gaining nicely and his coat is looking really healthy.

Kelpie...very right he has had a terrible start in life and just doesn't know what is expected of him at the moment i have got all the time in the world and lots of love to achieve the best from him, its very very slow and after a week he still has no clue of sit, i did try a baby gate to keep him out the kitchen and dinning room at meal times but he has springs on his feet and if i put him in the lounge he goes crazy on his own hes very anxious, ive got a kong, various hide bones, chews and a treat ball and he just has no interest in them what so ever even with peanut butter or cheese spread in them. i did ring the rspca for some guidance and to be honest i got the feeling that blake is my responsibilty, when i got him home he was really snotty and coughing they told me it was kennel cough they had in the kennels there but he hadn't had any vaccinations because he had been on antibiotic treatment and to take him to my local vet as he was getting worse with his chest.

Quick thought Lucy, if the Rspca were unhelpful, ask at your vets they should have a list of trainers and behaviorists that they can recommend (although not if he has kennel cough poor mite), there are groups out there that are non profit making, your local dog warden may know of a community training scheme too, its always a good idea to know who is in your area if you should need extra help Just take your time, be consistent and maybe look in to the idea of clicker training, it may help?? It does with some dogs. Hope he feels better soon x

Well done for taking a rescue dog. Blake has had a terrible time, imagine if you had been assaulted like that, all your trust in fellow man would be absent too. He may well have been injured before and you don't know what else went on before either. Dogs in new homes are often well behaved during the first two weeks, so be prepared for some more challenges ahead. Going back to basics will help, but I would strongly advise speaking with a dog behaviourist in your area. Make sure it is a humane and progressive one. Try to work out exactly what gain Blake is getting from his behaviour, I don't think it is only a dominance issue. Be careful if he is doing this around your kids, even adults, as an overzealous nip can easily cause a nasty bite. You may well get there on your own in the end, bill it will be trial and error. Keep us updated and good luck.

Hello I also have a rescue staff shes 3 yrs old & we think shes x with english bull terrier.
When we got her home she was good as gold & so quiet for the first few days & then we noticed a few things like once we returned from a short time out the house she would jump up & 'hug' your leg as if she was trying to hump.. & she would want to be so close to you but when she was close it wasnt close enough & she would lean.. Weve stopped both these things now just by ignoring her when we return & saying no before she even goes to jump up. We think this was her trying to be dominate.

She too is aggressive to other dogs & will bolt for cats & has broken 2 collars in 3 weeks. This is something that we need to work on & id be interested in following your progess as with Lola she is so fixated on everything else when we are out that you cant even get her interested in her favorite treats.

Lola will now play fetch (inside) & we have taught her to drop - My Partner plays tug of war with her but he initiates the game & he stops the game.
She knows shes not allowed on sofas or in certain rooms so she has the potential as Im sure blake has too.

I think its a case of asserting yourself & being the pack leader so that our dogs follow us & feel protected by us in not needing to attack or patrol for cats or birds.

Good luck !

Turning around and ignoring the nipping is the right thing to do. Keep training sessions short 5-10 minutes and use food to motivate. This should be done about 3 times per day. A bottle with stones or screws in it is sometimes usefull to teach them not to jump up on tables.