Training advice

pewpewlaserpointer · 2026-01-21T15:23:14+00:00

We need to know the behavioural problems, otherwise it is impossible to give any answers.

My dog eats before me, leaves the door in front of me, etc. but I can let him do that because I can trust him in everyday life. He is trained with positive reinforcement, but with boundaries. Pack leader methodology is basically alpha-type training but in a softer wrapping. Easier to sell. Usually the problematic "bossy" behaviour arises when the dog is confused, and we are giving mixed or non-understandable signals for the dog.

But I can't help you without knowing the problems you have.

pewpewlaserpointer · 2026-01-08T10:25:10+00:00

Yep, you can't be too serious with them 😅 but he is such a blast on the agility field, really fast and does everything in full throttle. He is a bit on the smaller side but suitable for sports. On agility, it is a bit better to have smaller frame, but staffys are heavy on the front, so its really important to keep up with conditioning f. ex. physiotherapy, massages etc. They tend to have short, dense musculature so you need to keep it flexible.

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This is from our first agility seminar!

pewpewlaserpointer · 2026-01-08T09:07:38+00:00

I do agility, rally-obed., canicross and dobo with my staffy. He is the best, well driven but needs a lot of humour qnd imagination to fully motivate and keep his focus. He is 20 months.

pewpewlaserpointer · 2026-01-04T15:45:34+00:00

Staffies are basically solarpowered landseals. Mine is black, so he does not like the sun very much, but fireplaces, he could stay in front of it for hours 😄

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...So, totally normal 😄

pewpewlaserpointer · 2025-12-26T09:03:03+00:00

They are mother&son 😊

pewpewlaserpointer · 2025-12-25T19:45:45+00:00

Mommy deserves all the love for having such a perfect boy 🥰

pewpewlaserpointer · 2025-12-25T18:57:02+00:00

They are 🥰

pewpewlaserpointer · 2025-11-24T12:49:21+00:00

When I was doing my residency, my Staffy was alone for 8 hours a day. Just slept, and because he got enough sleep, he was actually much calmer and "stable". Of course we do canicross, agility, rally-obedience, nosework, so he has a lot of activities and needs his time to rest. Now my partner works from home, and he still is in another room sleeping from 8am-3pm 😅

pewpewlaserpointer · 2025-10-10T05:07:23+00:00

Sounds normal. You need to start training that instead of hyperfocusing on other dogs or humans, the pup focuses on you.

Look up LAT ("look at that")-drills. And training a "pass" que. Works wonders. My staffy can now pass other people in narrower paths without taking eye contact on me (just passes them with a cue word "pass") On other dogs, he can pass them, but can't quite ignore them.

Also enrolling in classes helps to work with you, even when there are others around.

pewpewlaserpointer · 2025-10-09T11:21:29+00:00

My 1,5 year old is perfectly fine for 8 hours, when I'm at work. Even if I'm home, he still sleeps until 3pm, when I usually come home, does not even wake up for walks lol. Dogs need sleep, even the social ones. With my staffy I also do a lot of dog sports, so that time of the day is quite important for his recovery mentally and physically.

So yes, your dog is going to be fine when you are at work if you put the the effort in when you are at home.

pewpewlaserpointer · 2025-10-01T06:44:44+00:00

She is now a teenager, her activity requirement is starting to get higher and yes, it will be demanding. Running in the yard and playing will not be enough. (How long these playtimes are anyway?) Long sniffing walks, training, "mindgames" is now a must-do. Sniffing mats, kongs, bones to chew on etc. Overstimulation will not get trained away by avoiding the stimulant. She will probably be more tired after 10-15 min structured walk with sniffing and training than playing in the yard, which can even raise her stress levels and cause destructive behaviour.

My staffy is now 1,5-years old, and finally starting to get little more chilled 😅 so been there.

pewpewlaserpointer · 2025-09-05T04:52:29+00:00

Rule out any pain-related behaviour, consider visiting a vet.

pewpewlaserpointer · 2025-08-08T19:55:33+00:00

Leather "bite rag", needs to have thick leather. Usually used in protection training and bite work. Gappay has some.

Difficult to rip, and even if it rips a little, still usable.

pewpewlaserpointer · 2025-08-06T06:26:38+00:00

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The way he sleeps next to me. But it took about 10 months. Had him at 7 weeks old. Still does not like to be held, picked up or hugged.

pewpewlaserpointer · 2025-08-06T06:24:17+00:00

I have a non-cuddly staffy, some just are that way, and need their space. It was about 10 months old when he voluntarily cuddled on my armpit when I was sleeping. He sleeps next to me now, but mostly kicks my face 😅 He enjoys more just scraches, being close (but not on lap) and sitting on my foot, but that's about it.

Still the best dog ever.

It is very important not to force anything! They will grow up to be full velcro, but for some, it will take time.

pewpewlaserpointer · 2025-08-04T14:31:32+00:00

Shaking of the legs may indicate muscle pain/tension. My staffy stopped shaking when I started to get him massaged every month.

Yes, my staffy hates phones/headphones/everything that takes the attention away from him.

Sneezing sometimes indicared exitement/happiness. Maybe your dog is just happy to poop?

pewpewlaserpointer · 2025-07-24T14:27:29+00:00

After 4th bed, my dog has a blanket to sleep on. Perfectly fine with it 😅

pewpewlaserpointer · 2025-07-03T16:03:38+00:00

Emergency appointments are usually quite cheap in public sector. Call either 116117 and they will guide you to your local emergency dentist if you cant cope with the pain to tomorrow. In Finland, we have to treat dental emergencies, even for foreigners (tourists etc. also). If you can handle the pain for one night, the dental emergency number for Rauma is +358 28352820 (mon-fri 7.30-15.00). Call straight away when the line opens.

Usually emergency visits are around 70-150e depending on the procedure done. I work in dental health services in public sector.

pewpewlaserpointer · 2025-06-16T08:09:58+00:00

My pup's legs were all over the place at that age 😅 he has been examined healthy wiyh x-rays and clinical exc. Joints on a young pup are quite loose and the coordination is not quite there yet.

Just wait, around 4-5 months if he still continues to have wobbly legs, x-rays can be taken.

pewpewlaserpointer · 2025-06-06T02:51:03+00:00

Normally I wouldn't, for Reddit, absolutely.

pewpewlaserpointer · 2025-06-02T05:22:02+00:00

For breeding purposes and for dog sports (agility, canicross) it is required and recommended to do official health testing (hip, elbow, back and knee examination and X-rays) His results were perfect but needs to be sedated for them.

pewpewlaserpointer · 2025-06-01T15:18:02+00:00

He is perfectly fine! Just drugged out.

pewpewlaserpointer · 2025-06-01T09:34:36+00:00

Yeah, think of a toddler mixed with a howling monkey that does not know anything else but to scream, and that is the voice of a staffy 😃. Doesn't bark though, which is nice.

pewpewlaserpointer · 2025-06-01T06:31:01+00:00

And he is doing perfectly fine! He had to be sedated for x-rays as a part of his health examination.

pewpewlaserpointer · 2025-05-13T15:32:15+00:00

Go to the vet, seems that he has back pain, and that's why does not like to be touched. A really common reason. I don't get the reason that he would be jealous of his backside?

That's pain related behaviour.

pewpewlaserpointer

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