HelpMePlease ! LOL - Hello and looking for advice!

Hi all,

Girlfriend for whatever reason decided to get 2 staffis 4 years ago because the kids couldn't decide on a puppy.
I met her shortly after that, and when I first went into the kitchen, the two puppies had eaten everything.
I still have a picture of the fridge, missing the door, the food and with big chew holes in the insulation.
(also, washer door ripped off, dryer destroyed, cooker missing cooker nobs etc)
One staffi was vicious, which she got rid of after it bit me (to another person - not put down!) and she kept one staffi.

I built as kennel for it, a big one, 6 foot by 6foot square and high. It was like a 'pen' with proper wire fence etc. I lived 50 miles away and it got the dogs out of the kitchen. Is was meant to hold two dogs but as I said, she got rid of one.

Anyway she moved house three times since then, each time I build a kennel, gated off the back yard etc.

Trouble is that the dog is very 'chewy' and boisterous. She doesn't get much attention unless Im here. She's always standing in her poo (sorry, jumping around in it as she poos near the gate) so the yard( her section of it) gets cleaned up regularly with hosepipe. Dog gets bathed once a week. KEnnel gets mopped out etc.


Ive tried hard with this dog, to get it house trained, but its almost as if I ended up adopting it (by proxy) and the damned thing just wants to be with me, sat on me, walking with me, just played with and having belly tickled.


Heres the problem for me is that I am very allergic. my hands break open and weep, and I sneeze a lot.

I wish the dog wouldn't stand in its poo, and that it was able to come in the house and sit on the sofa with her or the kids, but its just a nutter. It doesn't really respond to a smack on the nose or any other sprayed water or shouting at. Its just a boisterous 4 stone dog with teeth and powerful muscles.

Im at a loss. Ive only ever owned collies because long hair and the face they don't make me sneeze.

Tried all sorts with it, its well looked after, fed well, has medicine for back knees and fish oil in food for joints because it has a weak back leg.

I just want the damned thing to calm down. Unfortunately, as its an outside dog - Im at a loss.

There are other issues (what really? ) but for now, hoping someone can help or advise me on turning it into something other than an unhygienic bull in a china shop.

Just to add finally, its injuring itself due to its stupidity, and short of a padded cell I don't know what to do.

IT thows itself at the fence or the back door when it hears its lead, its cut its paws and front of legs loads of times from doing this - and deep cuts too. I made sure everything is sanded down and no sharp edges on anything in the garden. Still it swings its head into tables and corners of chairs when shaking its toys and just generally that constant bouncing on its back legs its whats done its knees damage in the first place.

Sigh....

Hi &

Welcome to the staffordshire bull terrier niceboard. We are pleased you have decided to join us, and hope you enjoy your stay. We hope to see plenty of pictures of your staffordshire bull terriers or any other breed you may have in your household

If you would like to enter your dog(s), puppy(s) or another pet(s) you may have into our Monthly Competition, voting starts on the 20th of every month, if you are lucky your dog maybe placed on our Hall Of Fame page on our website.

Just one last thing before you look around could you please just have a quick look At This Poll, we would love to know how you found us.

Here are some links that will get you started with the website:-

Please read the Forum Rules before you start posting.
Here are a List of Tutorial & FAQs that will help you around the forum.
You can ask for Help here if you are having trouble doing something on the forum.
How to update your Profile information
If you have any ideas to improve the forum please let us know Your Feedback Here.
We have a Website with alot of information if you would like to view it.
Make a Donation to help us to keep improving our forum and website.

Welcome from Iza and me Sorry you are having problems I'm sure someone will have good advice for you.

Hi and thanks.

Yeah I guess I just ran in and spurted my problems all over the hello thread!

She is a lovely loyal dog and clearly intelligent as she has a mental map of all the houses with cats in the area. She can work out how to open a door.

Training something as thick skinned and single minded as a staffi is no easy task.

How often is the dog walked and waht are you food are you feeding?

Hi, Walked once a day for about 3 miles. Its completely happy when out walking. I need to take care with other dogs (put her on the lead) but when no dogs around it walks so close to my legs I have to keep pushing it out with the side of my legs or Im standing on its feet. It prowls the streets looking for cats and squirrels and has a fair old swagger.

half a tin of quality petfood mixed with mixer once a day. in the morning it has tooth cleaner and a 'joint' bone for its leg or joints or knuckles or whatever. a few biscuits here and there. Doesn't have many scraps or leftovers but will give it chicken off the bone every now and again as anything rich upsets its stomach meaning things just get messy'er

hia from me and sasha ,right first things first,you say the dog is not getting much attention unless you are there,staffies crave attention,they are very much like children they just want to be with people and are never happier unless they are sat on your lap,you dont say were you live but if you are in this country a staffie living in a kennel out doors will not be good,could you not get a crate for indoors??one walk a day is not enough for a dog this age,twice a day for an hour at least,a tired dog is a happier dog.try changing her food too,tinned food is not that good,contains a lot of water and not much goodness to it.

Hi Stella,

What do you suggest instead of tinned food.

I like to think Im fairly careful with what I give her. I dont give her bones now because the tips are broken off three of her four canine teeth from biting bones (and probably other things)

Id like her to understand that if her behaviour improved she would get a lot more love and attention inside the house. Constant pining and whining drive us insane. All dogs I have had before seem to recognise a 'time' when its walkies. This one wants to go from 5am till evening and as much as I keep meals and treats to set times and walkies to set times she doesn't seem to learn.

In this house and the past house Ive put two baby gates up at the back door so she cant go into the bathroom (loves to eat toilet role) or the kitchen but has he own indoor space near the washer and the dryer which are covered up to avoid her chewing them. Come winter I bring her in at night and she sleeps inside.

She will be on her back legs with her front paws over the gate whining a lot of the time and just rarely settles if at all - even in the front room.

We've not had her 'done' - will getting her neutered help?

http://staffy-bull-terrier.com/dry_food
a good dry food is a lot better than most wet foods from supermarkets,and her diet may be some thing to do with her behaviour,have you thought about taking her to see a beviourest

Hiya from me and Vinnie, all good advice above I agree the tinned food isnt good I use nature diet as a wet food its very good can be bought at most pet stores. I agree the walking would be better split in to 2 hourly walks a day or sometimes I do 3 45mins walks.

Hi & Welcome from Flo and me

There's not really anything I can add to the suggestions above. Walks and interaction are as important as diet. Also, remember that you can teach an older dog new tricks, Staffs are very smart & with the right attention you will do well.

Hi and welcome to the forum from Rocky and me

Some good advice already given

Hi an indoor crate is a good suggestion, it sounds to me as though the dog has never been taught the difference between playtime and quiet time. Depending on the content of his food as others have said multiple E numbers can make them hyper. Plenty of vigorous exercise (will it chase a ball?), look carefully at his diet, and then bring in an indoor crate and make sure the kids have playtime with him which will add to mental and physical stimulation. When he is tired and goes to his crate make sure the kids do not bother him as this is him learning to have calm periods. Also outside he can choose his nap times and may not be in the routine that fits the rest of the family. With an indoor crate he can feel part if the family and when you need to go out you can lock the door but make sure he is nice and worn out first. Mental stimulation can help just as much as physical exercise I use to use a puzzle ball with my staffy cross you put a few treats in and she had to push it round a certain way for the treats to fall out, Kong make one along with their other hard chewing toys which are good for this breed as anything else will not last long even washing machine doors by the sound of it. The good thing is it sounds like this dog looks to you as it's pack leader if you are consistent with everything you do the dog will follow they are born to follow. The kids are usually the hardest challenge so set out rules that everyone must follow for the quickest and best chance of success. I have a new pup arriving in two weeks and my old dog was great rest her sole I cannot remember teaching her everything she could do and had to read up again recently so stemming behaviour problems are fresh in my mind at the moment. Good luck sounds like he is full of character and just needs someone to show him how to behave it's not going to be easy but it will be worth it.

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

Your dog needs far more attention and more walks.  Staffies crave attention, they are just big babies x

Staffies are the most loyal of all apart from if u have a good dog biscuit do they become a traitor. You could try short 10 min training sessions in the house basic commands sit stay paw leave etc. be consistent and firm with your training remember 10 minutes a time no longer than that.

Oh dear. It's funny, I used to work in rescue kennels and often got dogs in that were similar to the one that you describe - I often wondered how they managed to get into such a state and who kept dogs in this way - now I know.

To be honest, I'm hoping that you're a "troll" or that your over exaggerating, but if you're not, I'd like to be able to help "the damned dog" in one way or another.

Staffies are companion dogs - they were created genetically to compete in sport and keep their owners company. The ultimate family dog - they need to be with you, they need to be inside the house. Your dog sounds manic, she has clearly not had the socialization, good quality training or exercise that she needs over the years, and her behaviour and health now is the result. She will need to be rehabilitated, and I think you need to hire a trainer to do this, a positive balanced trainer that won't condone you hitting your dog or spraying her with a hose pipe when she loses control of her behaviour because she has no other coping strategies in place through your lack of training.

You have many behavioural problems going on here. Your allergies would be worse from long dog hair than short? She wouldn't have to jump in her own poo if you walked her properly, cleaned the yard as soon as she goes and fed her a good quality diet so that she isn't going as much. Even better, if she could live indoors and receive the care and attention that dogs should, you wouldn't have this problem at all. She sounds to be in a real state of distress. Poor dog.

Hi and welcome from Oz and me

Hi and thanks everyone for your advice which has been helpful. Ive considered the suggestions regarding food and as I have already tried both dry, mixed and wet food over the past 4 years but I will look to change her diet and Im going to get her 'done' when shes past her next bleeding.

I walk the dog twice a day at weekends, throw balls for it, buy footballs from Sportsdirect at 2 for £3 and its in no way mistreated Rachel33. In fact I used to work at kennels myself as a teenager (along with my mother - I used to go fishing around the back of the same said kennels in my sparetime) so Im no stranger to looking after a dog.

My point is that I don't want the dog sat on my lap (or on the top of my bloody head as it would rather do) and this dog does get a fair amount of attention. I shouldn't need to keep pushing the dog away from me, it should be able to go and sit down or lie down without 24 hour attention or AT LEAST go to another member of the family for a belly rub.

I'm little annoyed with Rachel33's reply which seems to suggest that I am in some way mistreating this dog. I found the reply patronising.  I explained in my original post I didn't go out to buy this dog myself, I do suffer from the 'dander' which this dog gives off which I have NOT experienced with the number of rough collies I have owned previously and so my allergies are a very real concern.

So, in a nutshell, while not being a 'troll' (ridiculous comment), it does seem that the best suggestions so far are a change in diet and regular walks. Thanks also for the suggestion of an indoor cage / playpen.

I dont think Staffi's need to be defended from the Vicious Dog's allegations we see on mainstream media, Im aware of what a lovely dog it is and, from my humble experience, 8 out of 10 people I meet know that Staffi's are not a 'Dangerous Dog'.

I've had many people come to me to say 'hello' to the dog, Ive had people shout from cars 'what a handsome dog' she is and a quick walk through town will get her a lot of attention.

Can I suggest, as a newcomer to the forum, that Rachel33 tries to be a little more constructive and a little less condescending to future posters? This may encourage people to seek advice rather than be 'branded' a bad owner?

I do clean the yard, she doesn't live in her own excrement - she stands in it, but I cant be on hand to wipe her arse 24/7.

The dog is over 3.5 stone of muscle, taller and heavier than a staffi should be (according to wikipedia) and no amount of love, hugs, walks, playing or time spent in the house so far has helped and I cant afford to keep replacing Washing Machines, Building Kennels, Repairing Cookers and tumble dryers, replacing refrigerators and redecorating chewed walls so she can 'damned well stay outside' until a solution can be found.

Oh and Rachel33 - just to add regarding the spraying of water as a punishment I never mentioned the hosepipe, I used a spray bottle like you would use to clean windows with. If you also read my original post again you'll notice that I said she is bathed and her kennel mopped out once a week.

I certainly don't believe this dog is in distress and this is a completely ridiculous comment.

So far my wallet is in distress including shelling out for dog beds made of Kevlar (60 quid bed that lasted 7 days) and Metal edging to stop her third kennel being chewed to pieces.

To everyone else who suggested indoor cages and the like, I thank you for the suggestions. An indoor cage does seem like a good idea although Im guessing it would need to be a very large size to avoid tipping over. I will need to give this some thought.

Extra difficult this time of year due to the fireworks. Currently she's penned in to her 'space' between the bathroom and the kitchen as we are eating tea and shes pining like a baby which actually hurts my ears. Ive read that Staffi's are very vocal and this one certainly is.

Its been great to get some good suggestions and heartwarming to see some of the pictures and comments on this forum.

Hi,

Do you know when this dog was last seen by the vet ? There may be a medical issue that may explain some of the problems you are experiencing with this dog.

There is a product called Adaptil (DAP - Dog Appeasing Pheremone) which is available in different forms which has a calming effect on a dog. The pheremone is a version of that produced by a bitch after having puppies which calms them.
It is available in the form of a collar, a spray or a plug in and may be purchased online, try Amazon.

The indoor crate may work well for you, you could spray the adaptil on the dogs bedding/blanket in the crate.

What do you clean the area with where the dog has toileted ? A biological detergent may be an idea this would discourage repeated fouling in the same area.

Who else is in the home ? Is everyone involved with the dogs training ? Consistency is key, please try to all sing from the same songsheet.

The Staffordshire Bull Terrier is a breed of dog that craves human contact and they love to always be with their family. This dog may suffer from separation anxiety too which will add to all the other behavioural issues you are experiencing, please have a read of the link below for some suggestions for this subject:

https://staffy-bull-terrier.niceboard.com/t40727-separation-anxiety?highlight=separation+anxiety

I was sorry to read that you felt Rachels comments were inappropriate and sorry for any offence these may have caused. We wish you all the best of luck with this dog, I'm sure all the issues can be overcome in time. Please let us know how you get on, we would love to have an update.

Hi and welcome from Harrie and me.

Sounds like your doing all the work and the GF and kids need to get involved you said in your post it mainly gets attention when you are there and thats why it would jump all over you it sees you as its best friend.

I dont know how much time you spend at your GFs house but when you are not there the others need to do the jobs like walk play and pet it.

Also as you said they are smart so look at mental stimulation as well maybe dog obedience would help.

Cheers

Try crate training her indoors? And I understand the short haired dog allergy thing as my sister gets it with short haired dogs

Hello again. Yes, I'll admit that I was rude, I actually didn't believe that you were a real owner, I thought you were somebody trying wind us up with an awful scenario - people join the forum to do that quite often.

I've gained my opinion from what you wrote in your first post, which has now been contradicted in your second post. I didn't just pull it out of nowhere. I don't think that the dog is in the right home - it sounds like she's causing a lot of stress and tension and neither you nor the dog are happy in this current situation. Not your fault - you didn't take on the puppy 4 years ago, and it does sound like you've put in a lot of effort, but Staffies are a full time dog. They CRAVE affection - if you want a dog that wants to be left alone in the kennel in a garden, don't get a high energy companion breed (which a staffie is). I have spent a huge amount of my time helping people with their dogs - I have seen these situations time and time again, and have unfortunately had to put to sleep more dogs than I can remember, from situations like these, so yes, I'm probably not as patient as I used to be, and I'm blunt by nature, I don't pussyfoot around, it takes too long.

I am generally very welcoming and polite, if you check my posting history you will see that

I really don't like the way you talk about your dog, referring to her as an "it" and "damned dog" is telling me that as much as you say you care about her you really don't. I know you didn't buy her in the first place and just inherited her, it's not your fault but it's not hers either.

From reading your post and how you speak about your dog, who really should be part of your family not something you consider as an inconvenience, I think you should probably hand her over to a non-kill rescue centre and let her have a chance at finding a family that will love her and have the patience to train and nuture her. I feel so sorry for your dog.