Puppy questions -please help :)

Hi guys! I am now the proud owner of a beautiful female staffy. She is currently 14 weeks old, and we've had her for about 6 weeks - and she is a lovely, happy girl who makes everyone smile!
I just have a couple of questions I hope you can help with:

In the last week she seems to have gone backwards a bit in terms of obedience - is this normal at this age?

She farts a LOT - again this has started in the last week, we feed her premium dry food and haven't made any changes to her diet... But she has started clearing the room regularly lol. Any suggestions?

Lastly, we've really stalled with the toilet training. She goes outside 60% of the time, but we can't seem to push past this point. Any tips? We tried puppy pads recently but she just chewed them hehe!

Thanks everyone xxx

Hi and welcome to the forum. Mine farts like a trooper too, I think they all do. I know charcole biscuits can be recommeneded to help. I have just swapped my dogs food over, not for this reason, but have noticed she doesn't pop as much as she used to lol!! Her behaviour is going to be testing but patience and lots of it and training she'll develope into a lovely dog. I wouldn't bother with puppy pads, your just going to have to train them to go in one place and then again in another. Keep taking her out regularly and lots of praise when shes gone. 60% is great for 14 weeks.

Would love to see some pics of your girl

ha ha at that age thy do seem to take a step backwards in the training i think they get to a lazy point and just see how much they can get away with out doing lol

re the farting ha ha they cant half empty a room just a guess are you using royle cannine


and the toilet training i agree the pads are awaste ov time and money they love the smell ov them truly it just a game ov keep on persavering and it will just become naturall to her pritty quick

At 14 weeks old her mind is constantly ticking! This is her where her personality will really start to take shape, yes it is completely normal at this age for them to turn into little bundles of fury, with sharp teeth and a yappy voice! She will be testing the limits at the moment and its usual for you to feel like her obedience is going backwards. In fact she is just learning how far to push to get what she wants (probably play), be consitent. This is the age where they seem to go 'deaf' for a week or two and it will seem like you are getting nowhere but persevere

It seems strange that you havn't changed her diet at all and the farting has just started! Which brand of food are you feeding her? Perhaps change flavour so the main protein source is different (ie. from chicken to lamb) or maybe think about a raw diet.

My puppies always destroyed their puppy pads, sometimes after weeing on them (not pleasant) so I gave up. Also they are not great as you are teaching your pup its ok for it to go inside the house. Any accidents she has put her out of the way and clear it up so she cant see (if you are mopping use a little biological washing powder in the water to neutralise smells). The way I teach pups to go outside (and I have a flat so you can imagine!) is to constantly take them out sometimes every half an hour, so that they cant possibly need the toilet. Its very tiring and a lot of effort but so worth it. And make a huge fuss when she goes outside, act like you've won the lottery and praise her with pats and smiles and a high-pitched voice.

bigwazza wrote:
re the farting ha ha they cant half empty a room just a guess are you using royle cannine

Jesus thats what moo was on and since swapping it I have only just realised how smelly it made her!!!

As janey says charcol bono biscuits really help my Ty lol also a high quality food (see food reccomendation list in the feeding section). Staff pups are little b*ggers and will get away with what ever u allow them to lol just remain consistant and eventually she will get there - promise! Regarding the toilet training what u should be doing is taking her outside literally every half hour to an hour when she performs treat her like mad if she doesnt (and really u should stay outside with her for at least 10-20mins) bring her back in and take her out 5 mins later. It is very time consuming for a while but give her a week or 2 and she will of mastered it. Watch for her signs as well, when my Kaos was little he used to cirlce and sniff the floor so i would know to get him outside imeadiatley lol. Dont bother with puppy pads, u dont want her weeing inside on the pad, u want her weeing outside?! good luck x

Funny enough its around 12-16 weeks where they go through an overwhelming stages like everything becomes bigger and harder scarier etc than it actually is, which is why they may go backwards with training, become noisier and frightful of minor things, buts its important you don't cause too much of a fuse and brush it over and stick to it, Plently of bathroom breaks before and after feeding and watering, keep at it your doing great and i am so terribly sorry but the farting thing sounds to be a staffy thing and you are stuck with it as much as the rest of us "insert evil laugh here" lol

Hi

My lil boy is 18 weeks and he farts alot think it comes with the breed.

Toliet Training I had go back to the beginning when he was 14 -16 weeks of putting him out every half hour to an hour and this week it is paying off as i think i have cleared up about 4 accidents in the house all in the kitchen Perhaps if you have time you could try that, if someone is home during the day and of course you have carry on into the evening and put her just before you go to bed. Hope this helps

Im not sure though if it is a 'breed thing'. My girls used to fart a lot, its stank! They would literally clear the room I couldnt even stand to let them sit by me!

We tried countless foods, the best results with dried food we had were the gluten free brands. I think staffords have a very sensitive digestive system, they also have sensitive skin not sure if these two are related but it seems to be genetic.

Since starting my dogs on raw a couple of years ago they have probably had a case of wind 5 maybe 6 times. Previously it was every ten minutes! I think its all about finding the right food for your dog, what suits them. Its worth changing if the food isnt doing them any good (ie. the runs, wind, bad skin, bad ears), one year I must have changed brands 6 times!

Nosipho wrote:Im not sure though if it is a 'breed thing'. My girls used to fart a lot, its stank! They would literally clear the room I couldnt even stand to let them sit by me!

We tried countless foods, the best results with dried food we had were the gluten free brands. I think staffords have a very sensitive digestive system, they also have sensitive skin not sure if these two are related but it seems to be genetic.

Since starting my dogs on raw a couple of years ago they have probably had a case of wind 5 maybe 6 times. Previously it was every ten minutes! I think its all about finding the right food for your dog, what suits them. Its worth changing if the food isnt doing them any good (ie. the runs, wind, bad skin, bad ears), one year I must have changed brands 6 times!

Great advise

Toilet training go back to basics as Bruno said put him out every half hour and use a word for him to do it and massive fuss when he does i use the word Busy

I can help with regard to the farting! we've had jazz for 4 weeks now and she,s only farted once,and the reason....she,s been on the raw/barf diet and it realy makes a difference to her stools etc.
We give her mostly lamb and beef mince and also offal twice a week,try it you won't be dissapointed

Raw feeding normally reduces the farts (and the smell!), but it doesn't suit everyone.

Have a look at these & see if you're interested in having a go.

http://www.rawmeatybones.com/petowners/whatisrmb.php

https://staffy-bull-terrier.niceboard.com/t2170-looking-into-barf

Marty wrote:Toilet training go back to basics as Bruno said put him out every half hour and use a word for him to do it and massive fuss when he does i use the word Busy

oooh yeah use 'the word'! I use 'wee-wees' its the best thing in the world when you want them to hurry up. I must look a right state in the morning, traipsing down the stairs in my pink dressing gown with the dogs following at my feet. I must admit I get some funny looks stood outside at 7.30am going 'Wee-wees' in a high pitches voice. My girls cant help themselves when I say it they squat and let loose without even thinking!!!

[quote="Nosipho"]

Marty wrote: I must look a right state in the morning, traipsing down the stairs in my pink dressing gown with the dogs following at my feet. I must admit I get some funny looks stood outside at 7.30am going 'Wee-wees' in a high pitches voice.

The things we do for our dogs! I'm the same, only my dressing gown is blue & ancient (but so comfortable!) - I look like a rag bag with my hair all over the place & half chewed slippers to finish the ensemble!

[quote="Caryll"]

Nosipho wrote:

Marty wrote: I must look a right state in the morning, traipsing down the stairs in my pink dressing gown with the dogs following at my feet. I must admit I get some funny looks stood outside at 7.30am going 'Wee-wees' in a high pitches voice.

The things we do for our dogs! I'm the same, only my dressing gown is blue & ancient (but so comfortable!) - I look like a rag bag with my hair all over the place & half chewed slippers to finish the ensemble!

Oh the picture you paint!