Hi everyone! Newbie looking for reassurance :)

Hi guys!
I've been a lurker for a while but decided today to make my first post I'm the mummy to a gorgeous 13(ish) year old staffy x American bulldog.
He's the most patient dog you'll ever meet, fantastic with kids (although jealous of babies) and has such a character! I've been laid up in bed the past couple of days and in my boredom discovered Caeser Milan... I don't particularly like the way he treats dogs (based on a few snippets of TV I've seen), but I do think what he has to say about 'balanced dogs' makes sense. I think Rex is pretty much perfect, he does what he's told most the time, the exception being at the park off the lead, he's chasing deer and there is someone watching. Other than that good as gold. He follows me everywhere, even tho I'm not his 'number 1' (my boyfriend rescued him years before we got together) and has *literally* leant how to open the lounge door so he can sneak upstairs to bed with me! Anyway, I'm just looking for reassurance really... I've never had dogs (parents always had cats) but have always loved them. The only "symptoms" of being an 'unbalanced dog' are:
-he never listens to commands when guests are round. I like to call it 'showing off'. Hes perfect when we're home alone
-he likes to pull ahead for the first 10m of our walk, until we cross the road then he's straight to my heel
Erm that's actually it I think! He doesnt get overly excited when we come home... hes happy to see us, wags his tail etc, but will rarely move from the sofa to greet us. The doorbell or letterbox go however and he'll leap OVER the sofa just to bark at it! It sounded like loads when I was reading Milan's articles! I'm not looking for a perfectly behaved show dog, I just want him to be happy! Caesar said that having to be pack leader one minute, obedient hound next can be very stressful for a dog and I wanted to check I wasn't doing that to him as he's had such a bad life!
Thanks in advance! And nice I meet you all finally!
Xx

Hi &

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Hi and welcome from us and Suki. I think he sounds very happy and normal to me.

You could try having guests over more often so he gets used to company or keep him on lead until he is calm. For the pulling at the beggining of the walk it's most likely he is just very happy and excited to be out and able to burn off energy. Suki does this all the time and we don't really worry about it.

Hi and welcome from me and the Monster

I agree with J on the having more guests and allowing him to calm down on lead. I did this with Logan and with repetition it really helped

I also got a few high value treats and toys that Logan loves and kept them in the cupboard until guests came over then my guest would give him a toy. Logan was happy to then chill out and enjoy his toy rather than misbehaving in front of guests.

The whole pack leader thing is very controversial and maybe not the best way to deal with these situations.

The problems you are having are very common and can be easily solved with patience and repetition

Thanks Jstaff and suki rereading my post I sound ridiculous to be worried! It's one of those things that feels worse in your head if that makes sense, getting it 'out there' helps to rationalise! And now I just sound like a mad woman
He's absolutely fine once he's met the guests, just curls up in a corner or on the sofa or something. Not hyper or anything, He just doesn't listen when we send him out for wee wees or to his 'nest'.
That's another thing I should probably ask! His bed is 'bed' if he's naughty or 'nest' if we just want him out the way, for example eating or playing wii! We say it in a different tone of voice but point, he usually listens but sometimes looks really confused and acts like he doesn't know what to do. Should we stop?
SRM xx

Thanks Mat & Logan! I don't really believe in the whole pack leader thing... To regimental sergeant majorish for me! When my boyfriend got Rex he was awful apparently. The pound wanted to put him down and he was considered a dangerous dog, but because he knew the owners (very long story) he was allowed to take him home. He had a lead that was less than a foot long, so he HAD to walk to heel because otherwise hes rip your shoulder out trying to bark and get at people. It took a good few months to a year, but with love and socialisation he has become the most fantastic pet ever He has been never been hit in the seven years we've had him and we never raise our voice to him. He knows when he's been naughty, but his only punishment is being ignored for twenty minutes an that seems to work. He is sooo different from the 'dangerous dog' he once may have been!

Welcome no dog is perfectly behaved, because no living thing is, but he sounds like a wonderful part of the family and a very well-behaved one too, so I wouldn't worry. He sounds very balanced to me, and I wouldn't give much credit to the idea of having to be 'pack leader.' He knows he's meant to listen to you and as long as he knows that without you having to boss him about, that's all that matters.

As for the bed, it's best not to use it as a time out because you want their bed to be somewhere 100% good and safe, not somewhere to ever be used when he's being naughty. If I were you, I'd put him in another place for a bit of a time-out rather than his bed.

Hi and welcome to the forum from Rocky and me.

Sorry but as soon as I see that mans name mentioned I do tend to switch off

Hi from me and Moo

Hi and welcome to the forum!

If I were you, I wouldn't worry about it. The selective hearing when guests are around is most likely excitement, as it's out of routine and there are new people and scents. If you want him to stop, increased exposure to having guests around would probably help with the excitement, as he'd get used to it after a while.

The pulling for the first ten minutes on walks is most likely also excitement. He's probably just very eager to go out. You could try working on the 'heel' or 'watch me' commands to fix this if it's a problem for you. Otherwise, you could introduce an extra walk to tire him out a little more.

Welcome to the forum from the kids and I!

jstaff wrote:Hi and welcome from us and Suki. I think he sounds very happy and normal to me.

You could try having guests over more often so he gets used to company or keep him on lead until he is calm. For the pulling at the beggining of the walk it's most likely he is just very happy and excited to be out and able to burn off energy. Suki does this all the time and we don't really worry about it.

mojo does the same thing to me when I bring him out also he calms down after a bit of walking is as good as gold after that 1st 5 mins

Hi and welcome from me and daisy

Hi & welcome from darcy & me

Hi & welcome.

One word of advice.....

Ignore most of what Cesar Milan says - he works on the 'pack leader' principle which has been totally discredited.

hi form me and the boys!

I have an american bulldog, any chance of some photos of yours

welcome, A lot of people call Cesar Milan for his methods, but he keeps a pack of about 40 to 50 dogs of all breeds living together that's no mean feat.

Welcome

Nikita & Shéara

Hi from me & Katy, she goes mad when guests arrive but soon settles down, she also pulls like a tractor on 1st 10mins on a walk so don't worry too much Look forward to seeing some pics

Hi and welcome from me and the furballs, hope you enjoy the forums

Hi and welcome from Me n Steffi

Hi and welcome to the forum from me and the zoo xx

Hello from me and Pixee. I wouldnt worry at all, he sounds happy and content. I agree with Tara about the bed. Pixee has her bed in our bedroom, downstairs she has a mat to lie on in the kitchen, lounge as well as her two chairs, and the dining room. When she is told off, she is generally told to lie on her mat, normally the kitchen and left to calm down. As to the pulling on lead, Pixee will do that if we walk straight on the footpath to a field, I generally say heel, if it doesnt work, I make a noise in my throat, that works. She is very good at heel. I am lucky I live next to the canal, and so all walks are normally straight out the garage off lead, I tend to go on footpaths after a walk, and by then she is calm. Patient is the key, and you staying calm as dogs can pick up on your feelings. Now photos please

Hi from me and the girls

Hi and welcome from me and Vinnie

Welcome! In reading your post, I think the very concern you show probably means your dog is excellently balanced. Mine pull too, but it isn't affecting their balanced nature. Kinda just who they are.

Hello and welcome to the forum from me and the kids

Hi & welcome to the forum