Snapping whilst zooming..!

Hi there

When Elsa is zooming around the house in the usual Staffy way, ears back, scary eyes, stopping to growl at the sofa then zooming off in her little loop around the house, she gets to a point when she will stop to snap at me or my husband as she goes past, even jumping on the sofa to snap then run off.  It starts off quite funny, but then she passes the funny stage and it gets to a point where it could be quite a nasty nip/bite if she caught you.  

But, if you try to stop her in her tracks she'll avoid being caught and then wags her tail and barks at you. You can tell that she just wants to play...   And if you give her a toy she will direct her boisterous playful mood to the toy.  

So my question is, do I let her do her zoomie to the point when it gets to the snapping bit and then direct her to a toy and play with her or am I making it worse by doing this?  Will she see this as being reward for her snapping?  Or should I make her take some time out until she completely calms down and then play with her?

Thanks
x

am interested in this as I have the same with Buddy he zooms to the point he is using the back of the sofa as a springboard- it is in front of a big window I need to divert his attention before he goes over the sofa and through the window ! - he also snaps when zooming at anyone near him ...

I would say a firm no for the biting then totally ignore them then when they stop reward vocally id do this at the crucial point as they open their jaws to bite you. The no has to be very loud not shouting and with authority. mia sometimes does staffy zoomies even at her age its when i use a towel on her after shes been in a spattering of rain they're play biting and sometimes dnt know when to stop

when I bring Buddy in from the rain I have to keep him on his lead until almost dry or he goes mad zooming around - the wet must do something to his mind

I let mia off lead and she goes to the bathroom as she knows thats where the towels are the time i have finished drying her she runs once then has a roll on my carpet

Hi. Okay, so playing with her isn't the best thing then? I will say no and ignore her in future. Thanks for the advice. X

Make a staffy calm? Iza sometimes growls and mouths when playing
i stop if she is getting too carried away, turn my back on her and resume play when i want to not her. I'M sure you will get it sorted over time as she is only a wee thing still.

My pups a loon when the zoomies start, he tends to snap too but I ignore him and he usually stops then think it's attention lol. We had a bit of a fright the other night, Marley was having his zoomies as usual and he tends to bound off the sofa but this time he cleared it he jumped from the back straight over couldn't believe it as my settle is high at the back, we're now trying to divert his attention when they start

buddy is the same as Marley - but if he clears my sofa he is going through a 9ft pane of glass and there is no where else in my room the sofa can go we are trying to get him in the garden as quick as possible but if we don't get the door open again 9foot pane of sliding door glass here we come !!

ColinW wrote:Make a staffy calm? Iza sometimes growls and mouths when playing
i stop if she is getting too carried away, turn my back on her and resume play when i want to not her. I'M sure you will get it sorted over time as she is only a wee thing still.

Yeah, I'm sure I will get it sorted over time, she's a proper little cutie.

i could connect Spud up to my electricity meter and have enough power to get me through winter when he starts his zoomies!!
It's hilarious/scary...he will hurl himself everywhere and whizz around the garden, back into the house, jump on the sofa, zig zag back and forth, snap at me on the way past for another lap....even occasionally running up and down the stairs, then another sprint around the garden..rinse/repeat!!

When pepsi starts zooming I stay out of her way,if I am sat watching the TV I have to keep a eye on where she is,she caught me up the side of my face one day when zooming.

If she starts zooming i would put her outside but play with her, only let her back in when she is calm and burnt out so she associates outside with play and inside with calm. I would not tolerate zoomies in the house.

As soon as buddy starts to zoom out he goes as fast as I can get him.. runs round the garden and I stand with my back to him until he calms and sits by me - doesn't always work sometimes he sits and as soon as I get him inside he starts again... crafty dog....outside is definitely Zoomie land ..

Sounds like time for one of my favourite commands - 'enough'! I believe it's important to start teaching an off switch from fairly early on. Having a small puppy doing zoomies is amusing, having a 23kg staffie x with no off switch is less fun. And having all 3 of them at it at once would be impossible.

It's not hard to teach - you start off pairing the word 'enough' with a treat, then start doing it during very low key play and build up until you can call 'enough' in a nice happy voice at any time and they should stop what they are doing.

That way, you can let them have fun while knowing you can call it to a halt if it starts to get OTT.