Skippys~mummy Posted December 29, 2007 Report Share Posted December 29, 2007 Martin my other beautiful half lol has a beautiful staffy over one years old from battersea dogs no history all we know is they think the breed her for puppies and dumped her she had very bad mange when walk shes can be a good girl but from no where shes started snapping at people when walk past so much he had to muzzle her when out i think its out of frear also if any stangers are holding anything she jumps up and trys to snap but i think its due to play as when martins brother jason plays with her he plays tug on a rope i told him not to also he keeps stamping his feet she dont like it i told him not to vso has martin but he still does it so if stands there she always jumping at him and try to nip him also i notice she hates people making buzzing noises , martins dad kept making this noise and she jumped and niped him on the face he had a right go at her shouting his big fan of dog whisper dad not martin , i heard hes not any good? how can we help xena and shes not a bad girl just a bit scared and she been no problem to me only play nipping hes had her 6 months she very close to martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EGAR Posted December 29, 2007 Report Share Posted December 29, 2007 First of, take a rolled up newspaper and hit as hard as you can on Jason's nose. Your girl needs constitency in her life, Martin and yourself will have to put down rules for the rest of your family what's allowed with her and what isn't. This could get easily out of control. So be strict. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skippys~mummy Posted December 30, 2007 Author Report Share Posted December 30, 2007 Thanks we are try , forgot to add jason has been ill with mental problems so maybe thats why its not getting through to him he thinks xena going to bite him martin told him dont wind her up then he keeps wanting to play with her but the games he does is not helpful also i think hes listen to much to the dad andy as i said hes a big fan of that nasy dog whisper and keeps trying to do wat he does i think the dad is in love with him thats all he goes on about martin loves his baby and only want the best for his girl wat about nipping are we doing the right thing with the muzzle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redditchlady Posted December 30, 2007 Report Share Posted December 30, 2007 (edited) Please keep Jason away from her playing with toys encouraging the nipping. In the street, try to walk her where others arent present. You need to stop the nipping by keeping hands up out of reach. Also if she tries to jump up anyone tell them to fold arms and turn away. Once Zena realises it isn't acceptable she will stop. However if adults and other people "wind" her up she will think it is acceptable behaviour. Kazz xx Edited December 30, 2007 by redditchlady Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redditchlady Posted December 30, 2007 Report Share Posted December 30, 2007 Sorry messed up with the edit. Can you go back to basics?? Walk Zena in quiet places at first. Then get full control so she is concentrating on you. (With treats etc) Then very gradually build up to going to different places etc. Make her want to ignore anything apart from you, I hope that makes sense. Max, my old GSD lad was a sod for carrier bags with people's shopping in at that age. I had to stop walking him in Stratford town centre at any time. What I had to do was take him out in quieter places. I even did the 3am walks. It takes time. Max was nigh on perfect at 2. Keep plodding on, 2 steps forward and 3 back at times. I hope things improve. There are some good dog trainers on this site. Someone else will be along shortly to help out some more. Kazz xx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skippys~mummy Posted December 30, 2007 Author Report Share Posted December 30, 2007 Thanks every one for your advice i am very greatful and will pass it all on to martin other people think there only playing but i know about dogs more then they do she can be a little cow she thinks she playing with me but it hurts when she nips and when i stay at martin xena does this at night when we are in bed but only to me and not martin, so now on i will fold my arms good idear about the treats because when shes walked she trys to walk ahead of you and her name is Xena as in Xena warrior princess after the tv show lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
staffymad Posted December 31, 2007 Report Share Posted December 31, 2007 As others have said, you need to get this under control now. She sounds to me like a teenage staffy that is allowed to do as she likes as there is no consisten approach to her training and as she is encuraged to play 'hard'. I personally would stop playing any tug or hard games with her but go to train her and therefore stimulating her mind and giving you some control over her. Has you OH considered to take her to training classes? This should give him and her a focus. As for nipping people in the street, muzzling her is ok for protecting people but it won't cure the core problem. Good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skippys~mummy Posted December 31, 2007 Author Report Share Posted December 31, 2007 Hi thanks for the advice he does want to go to training but he cant afford it hes on sickness benefit right as hes ill with kidney problems what sort of things can we do stimulat her mind , i have been hiding treats around the house and getting her to find them is that sort of thing you mean? thanks every one for all your advice oh does spoil her which i told him not do men ay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alison Posted January 1, 2008 Report Share Posted January 1, 2008 I'd say no tugging games, no physically interactive games at any time whatsoever at least until you've got this problem sorted, which you will if you persevere and get the whole family onside. You really must be firm with everyone involved and I'd be brutally honest with them - if Xena's behaviour doesn't change there's a real risk that she'll have to be rehomed (or worse). I know how cruel I must sound but better that everyone knows how serious the consequences will be if they don't do as they're told in this situation. There are lots of great fun games which don't involve physical contact, ones which Xena and everyone else will enjoy, games that'll stimulate her mind and ones which will help her use her brain. Dogs love a sense of achievement and in my experience this makes them very placid around the home and contented in general. Try ball chucking in the garden (or park if she's OK off her lead). Praise and reward like crazy if she brings it back for you to throw again or even picks it up and runs around with it at first. Tennis ball, frisbee, rope toy - whatever she likes best. Have you got somewhere you can set up a couple of "showjumps"? Two road cones and a garden cane are enough. Try jumping over them with her on her lead then progress to getting her to do it by herself, you on one side encouraging her with a biscuit or something and Martin or Jason pointing her towards it and telling her when to "go". If you find that she likes carrying a ball or toy around, give her something to hold in her mouth when you're out and about; I've found that "carrying" orientated dogs will not risk losing their prize, i.e. dropping it to snap at a person or another dog. Playing simple obedience games is something that Jason might like doing with her. I don't know what his mental health issues are but realising that he can get Xena to do interesting yet disciplined and organised things might benefit him too? Set just 5 minutes aside 3 or 4 times per day and practice getting her to sit, give a paw, lie down etc. If you time-limit the sessions it'll avoid the risk of Jason or Xena getting frustrated or bored. It's a good way of spoiling Xena (coz you have to treat at the end of it or when she's done good ) but she's had to earn it. I never give a dog anything for free - mean, aren't I? I must make it very clear that I'm not a behaviourist or trainer and wouldn't even consider myself an experienced dog owner. These are just things that I've tried in the past which have worked. Oh, and one other thing. If Xena comes to you asking to play (and again, I know this sounds harsh) don't - ignore her. You should be the one who chooses when it's play time and initiates the game. You only have to ignore her for a few minutes then when she's gone to her basket or wherever, ask her to play. You're the pack leader and should be the one who decides when everything happens. Good luck p.s. For the time being at least, please don't let Jason or Martin do that thing where people ask dogs to jump up them. Hands-off games fine, big cuddles fine but otherwise Xena shouldn't be encouraged to think that physical contact is acceptable. It'll be confusing to her to be told on the one hand that she can't bite/nip yet on the other that you want her to jump up at you. Be consistent in every tiny little message that she's getting from you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skippys~mummy Posted January 1, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 1, 2008 Hi alison i will try everything you told me xena is a very sweet girl , she just seems to get scared when shes out she fine with people when there in doors its just people she dont know and some times jason but i think its because he plays tug and sometimes he gets scared of her and shows it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacobean Posted January 1, 2008 Report Share Posted January 1, 2008 Cracking advice above. Is Jason getting scared because Xena gets overexcited and then plays harder? Games should stop before anyone gets too excited. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skippys~mummy Posted January 1, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 1, 2008 she gets very overexcited and when he just stand she jump up and nips him and growls i think she think hes playing martin told him lots of time not to and he wont for a bit then start again some times she runs mad around the room Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReikiAnge Posted January 1, 2008 Report Share Posted January 1, 2008 Have you thought about looking into clicker training for her? This would be something positive you could do with her that will help her focus and will involved positive rewards - a treat, a throw with a ball etc. There are some clicker training threads on here I think and there are various clips on YouTube. If you google you can find lots of info. You can pick up a clicker for a few quid - and use small treats that are quick for her to eat. I use liver treats, little bits of tuna cake and some kibble when I clicker train. It's a really fun thing for the dog to learn and a very positive thing to do I think Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skippys~mummy Posted January 1, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 1, 2008 i was thinking the same as i have heard so much about it , in wilko they sell the clicker and treats so will buy one and give it a go cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peachy Posted January 1, 2008 Report Share Posted January 1, 2008 Clickers are also available on the Deed Not Breed website, look here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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