Worried

Today I am going to visit an elderly couple who rescued a Staffie from a dogs home, well the thing that worries me is they are having problems with him and contacted a behaviourist, apparently this so called behaviourist has told them that he will "knock it out of him" so I am going to offer some help. The Staffie in question is a 2 year old, not sure if he has been castrated. He is highly aggressive towards other dogs, like a lot Staffies really. He has got through two closed doors in their home and he is very boistrous!! I am not sure weather they know his full back ground, do rescue homes inform new owners of back ground?

Anyway, I am going there today armed with a crate, and i will take him on regular walks and help as much as i can as I am not happy about the behaviourists words!! I will look more into that too I think, maybe go along with them to see this behaviourist.

They really are a lovely couple, once owned a pit bull who was lovely!! So I would love to help them, I just need to convince them that I can i guess!!

And I am up at stupid o'clock cos i can't sleep!!

Good morning early bird

I am certain that you will be of far more help to these people than any behaviourist whose 'cure' for aggressive behaviour is to "knock it out of him" Aggression either breeds aggression or breaks the spirit completely.

If they have previously had a docile dog then the Staff's feisty temperament is probably rather bewildering to them. They need some words of reassurance that the problem can be managed if not completely cured. Perhaps if you introduce them to the NILIF program that will help with the boisterousness and, to some extent, with the aggression, and it will help them to feel that they are doing something positive. Also an explanation of the SBT temperament if they are not used to Staffs?

Check the credentials of this so-called behaviourist.

Good on you for helping. I hope things work out for the dog & his owners

I think it's really great that you are trying to help Lots of people in that situation would have no help and would end up giving the dog back so well done. I also agreee that you will probably be much more help than the behaviourist. I hope that this behaviourist didn't come recommended by a vet
I think rescues normally tell people the background of the dog they are adopting if they know it. I could be wrong? But I was told all about Brandie's past before I took her.
Anyway, good luck! I'm sure you'll be able to help them out and hopefully things will work out well

Good luck with it,think if its a stray they can't give any information,because obviously they don't know the dogs background.Sounds like you will be far more help than this so called behaviourist.What a nice person you are giving up your time.

Good on you for trying to help. Sounds like the sort of thing I'd get roped into but as you say go and visit the behaviourist with them. And listen to what he/she says.

Two years as you know is hyper especially if no ground rules have been set down for him when he was younger, and lots of Stafs get hyped up completley - rescue kennles are not the best places for them dogs barking etc etc sets them off into "defense/have a go at me I'll have a go back mode" and hightens that part of their makeup that most keep under wraps - aggresion to other dogs.

Castration may be part of an answer but start as you say with long walks to tire him and don't forget mentally (set up games) kill the plastic bottle. See if they will buy a basket ball larger than he can carry, and let him go in the garden with then hide "treats" in a kong, play hide and seek (improves recall) get him to learn to lie down quietly with a "smoked/raw bone" then see if he has enough energy to go through doors.

He sounds like he's just never had any "rules" and no one in their right mind can live with a Staff without groundrules.

You should be able to help loads,I hope as long as he has no underlying issues the people nor the rescue are aware of.

Good luck - shame I don't live close I'd join you in the walking/thinking challenge.

Karen

good luck saz they need help and its great you are prepared to help them,

Thank you everyone for your help and advice !! Just popped round there now and they are not in, it is a lovely day here today so i presume they have taken the dog for a walk !!

I will try to get pics of him also so you can see him, he is adoravle, reminds me much of kai, but more bouncy

I really can not wait to help make an improvement !! If this goes well i may attempt being a foster home for others, we will see

I think it's great that you're trying to help this couple out Saz with this dog. I agree with everything that has been said on this one, BUT having said that, I'm also a firm believer in putting a dog to a family that suits them, i.e. maybe they're a bit too old to cope with this? Wouldn't they really be better off with a more docile dog that they can enjoy and take out for walks etc. etc. I know it would be a terrible shame to have to send the dog back, but I also think this might be putting a terrible amount of stress and expense (behaviourist?) on an older couple who might not have the income.

I know you are kindly helping them all you can, but I am also thinking of them out with this dog who is aggressive to other dogs, and what if he pulls the lead out of their hand (they are old you say!). I don't think these are easy dogs for anybody to handle, I like seeing them in experienced hands. I know they probably are experienced having had a pitbull in the past, but maybe that was better behaved than this one, maybe they had it from a pup and brought it up properly, unlike this one with all the baggage unfortunately for him. Oh well, you can only do your best I suppose, and I hope things turn out well for this dog and he stays with them. Sorry if I'm putting a dampener on things, but that's just the way I'm thinking!

I totally agree with everything you have said Helen, believe me if I think that they can not cope ion any way with this dog, as sad as it sounds, i will advise them to send him back to where he came from!! If I am correct to which Hiome he came from, I have already been in contact with them about their advertisings. They advertise a Staffie in a shop window in my area, I emailed them to tell them that this is not a suitable area to adverise the breed for home replacement!! I offered to do home checks, left them my number, they have not contacted me once!!

If they do send him back, it will be for the dog not for them, I will find them another pet if need be. They approached me for a while ago, asking if I was having puppies, they truely are an amazing couple!! The pitbull they took on was also a rescue, but he was very relaxed. I will do all i can for the dog at the end of the day, but if i believe he is not suitable to them then all i can do is advise them, weather they take my advise is another thing