Hi guys i have american staffordshire terrier -Mad Max hes 2 years old and i have problems with him...
1.He barks all day and we cant make him stop
2.When we take him for a walk he always wants to attack other dogs
3.He jumps on everyone in the house
4.He bites people (not strong but its not ok) and furniture
5.He always tries to steal food from the table
so i want to ask u what to do with him sometimes hes very good dog and some times his very evil.
thanks.toxXxic

Sounds like a dog that never had any discipline at all and now needs ALOT of training

well mate ur right he doesnt but i want to change that in the start when we got him that was cute and fun now its bad... so i wanted to ask u guys for advice couse he is mine first Amstaff and i really want to change everything about him...thanks

WOW have you got a problem! It's much easier to stop this before it starts than to try and fix at 2, this is a mistake ALOT of people make wha's cute from a pup at 6 months really is bad once the dogs older. OK, how much exercise is your dog getting, some problems can be easy fixed by just tiring your dog out so he's got no energy left to misbehave, at 2 I'm guessing he needs at least an 1 1/2 hours of a brisk walk or more depending on his energy levels. Enrol in an obedience class and get yourself a prong collar, please take the time to learn to use this correctly, teaching him obedience exercises will work his mind and this is also tiring for a dog plus gives you better control over your dog. Now if he jumps on people try to ignore him if possible or put your knee into his chest when he jumps and reward him when his feet stay on the ground, don't turn the jumping into a pushing fight as this becomes a great game for some dogs but if he learns that sitting/keeping his feet on the ground = a reward he's more likely to behave himself, look into marker/clicker training if you don't know what it is there's plenty of info out there. At least he doesn't sound really aggresive just taken over the dominant role which you haven't filled, you need to start taking this role back and teach him nothing in his life is free he has to earn everything from you, has to sit still and calm before he gets fed, same thing before you put the leash on for a walk, no barging through a door first he waits for you to go through then follows you. It's a massive job to turn Max around at 2 but if you do these things and find a good trainer in your area it's possible if you want to put the work in. Good luck and please keep us posted!

thanks mate ill try everything that u post

He sounds like he needs full on basic obedience training. What you need to address is his respect for you, not just those specific issues. Find a trainer in your area that uses correction and praise- someone that specializes in Schutzhund training normally knows what they are doing(this type of training is popularly known for their personal protection training but their obedience training is outstanding too). Trainers that use treats or clickers have very limited success. They normally do well with young dogs or easy dogs but it doesn't sound like you fit into either one of those categories.

Trainers that use treats or clickers have very limited success. They normally do well with young dogs or easy dogs but it doesn't sound like you fit into either one of those categories.

Just for reference I've seen these trainers (as long as they also use corrections where appropriate) have fantastic results with older aggresive dogs as well. I agree with ambition that an experienced trainer is a must for your situation though, a group obedience class with a good trainer would be a big help!

Well this is always a problem... When they are pups, owners thinks things are cute and funny until they grow up.. It goes the same as kids.. Parents think cursing and acting a fool is cute and then teenage hood comes it is not and then they get mad when you try to correct them.

You will go thru alot now trying to fix these issues that YOU taught the dog was ok as he/she was growing.. Best of luck to ya..

You need the best professional help you can afford.

You need effective methods for this particular dog and CONSISTENCY in applying them -- something that you are not going to be able to provide....this is not the time to "try things out and see what will work" -- go to someone that knows exactly what they are doing.

Carla

Sagebrush wrote:You need the best professional help you can afford.

You need effective methods for this particular dog and CONSISTENCY in applying them -- something that you are not going to be able to provide....this is not the time to "try things out and see what will work" -- go to someone that knows exactly what they are doing.

Carla

AGREE

well guys here i am again..
i did everything that Toady sad and its working
now he is a much better dog and he also starts to listen to my commands
and ye i also got professional help and soon i guess he will be good thanks a lot guys i love u so much <3

REALLY glad to hear he's improving, consistency's the key!

when it gets out of control.....it is best to do the one on one behaviour modification/ training instruction

AmbitionAmstaffs wrote:He sounds like he needs full on basic obedience training. What you need to address is his respect for you, not just those specific issues. Find a trainer in your area that uses correction and praise- someone that specializes in Schutzhund training normally knows what they are doing(this type of training is popularly known for their personal protection training but their obedience training is outstanding too). Trainers that use treats or clickers have very limited success. They normally do well with young dogs or easy dogs but it doesn't sound like you fit into either one of those categories.

I use treats and clickers and have worked with very old, very hard, very aggressive, and very uncivil dogs with a LOT of success. This includes but isn't limited to Mals, Dutch Shepherds, GSDs and AmStaffs/APBT. I haven't given a correction in years, and wont do so again. Statements are like are amazingly ignorant and really show a lack of forward thinking on your end. The top trainers (even in the ring sports) in the world are using marker training and food.

And to not totally derail this thread, it sounds like you need a lot of manners. Consistency is key regardless of the method of training that you choose. Remember, dog training advice is worth what you paid for it. Free internet advice is usually the scariest to follow. People that really know what they are doing and really training dogs to be the best that they can be don't usually have the time to post (*FREE*) advice on the internet.

-Ashley

Jane Fennel: The Dog Listener
and the other her books.