mervil

iTrader: (5)

Lovely looking pups took us no time at all to decide on what dog to get, I go into a lot of houses with lots of different breeds and by far the friendliest ones are the Staffs! Jack Russells and the little ones are the worst, yapping like mad and tugging at your trousers! In our local park, I'll only let our Dave off the lead if there aren't any other dogs there, or if one of the 3 other staffs are there, due to to the other dogs (Labs, Sheepdogs and boxers) not being friendly at all! If they come into the park, I leave, even though Dave wants to play

ALi-B

iTrader: (1)

This usually becomes about because the owners have not established pack heirachy properly and treated the dog like a human, which often results in one very confused and unpredictable dog taking dominance, its usually the softy/half soaked owners that suffer this worse as they are TOO trusting of their pet and molycoddle it! Especially women who often have a habit of treating dogs like babies, especailly when they are pups where this causes big issues later on in life and is well documented as causing negative behavioural issues with dogs (especially small dogs - look up "small dog syndrome").

Establishing dominance is based on really simple things like walking too heel (if the dog takes lead..he's in charge ) not allowing the dog to jump up to greet people (no its not cute/being freindly, its actually a pack behaviour trait), allowing it lay ontop of you on the sofa (Again not cute: the dog has "owned" you...literally!), and loads of other small and simple yet very influential day to day things that if done wrong can cause behavioural issues.

A dog naturally assumes its the leader if its not correctly brought up, and so cannot be trusted with anyone new in the pack as it will dictate if they are to accept this person or not (the latter with nasty consequences, as often documented). Combine that with halfsoked/inattentive parents/owners not keeping an eye out and letting dog+kids both be out of sight. Doesn't matter on the size or breed of the dog; Look at the papers recently for the Jack Russell that killed an infant...who in their right mind left a baby in such a position so that it could be attacked, regardless if the dog was "lovely" or not?

Arguably Jack Russels are very head strong and suffer from SDS because of this, so if the owners doesn't show dominance it'll likely try to be the leader and protector or at least one of the higher members in the pack. Thats why they are often nippy/yappy/biting little *******. If brought up properly, they aren't like this...honest!

That said, I have a JR cross and he's a superb little dog...he was a bugger as pup as he did try to dominate, but we soon sorted that out and he doesn't show any of the negative JR traits (except for "digging" a bed on a solid floor ). But even so I'd never leave him unattended with small children. Not because he's a JR; But because its basic dog owner/parent/guardian common sense.


Anyhoo, OP nice dogs Like the fact you gone with the dog because you know their parents rather than picking a random pedigree breeder, which is often no better (sometimes worse if over-bred).

jef

iTrader: (13)

lovely looking pups, as most pups ae, i long for a dog, but i just know i cant provide adequeatly for ne. 98% of the time be fine but then there is holidays, and i have no help there, and wouldnt put them through a kennel experience. not that im sayiny all kennels are bad, but the guilt wouldnt let me do it.
plus a few other influencing factors like picking up its every sh*t - pathetic i know but now and then it could be a problem - if im ill or whatever - as much as i truly love animals -esppicially dogs i just don think im quite up to 100% pure care considering shift patterns, school runs, kids in and out of house ect - plus the area where i live is short on decent dog walking areas - shame as i see friends or neighbours in same situations withdogs, but theyve no problem letting it suffer the minor problems, grrr. i want 1

jef

iTrader: (13)

so ali-b, scenario is youve had a dog in family 2 parents, 1 kid - dog knows its bottom of pile - not maltreated - you have visitors doc instinctivley still maintains 4th rank over visitor 5th and 6th over for tea? even if not aggressive and eg my dad over who is great with animals in general - see a problem there?

or do you more mean anew addition baby to the family the dog ahs to be re-taught to its new stauts belwo the new born?

presumably just breed dependant?

ALi-B

iTrader: (1)

Not quite; The human owners should be alpha male, as the alpha it is you who decides if the new person or visitor is accepted into your territory (the house). When the dog is the Alpha its up to them; thats where one part of the problem lies.

The other part is of course the dog will try to assert dominance over the visitor or new arrival. But its down to Alpha to recognise when the dog is doing this and take corrective action if need be - hence the need for supervision by the owners/pack leaders. Its can be the most minor or simple of things which can be easily be misinterpreted, like jumping up or pawing visitors is not good and you need watch out for it: This is with any dog of any breed; they are all domesticated wolves and that instinctive behaviour should always be bourn in mind. Granted some dogs are more placid than others, but in the wild its that individual temperament that dictates their pack heirachy, not necessarily the breed.

If it were breed based you'd be making the assumption that all pit-bulls and rotties would constantly try and be Alpha male, and thats simply not the case..putting two male rotties together won't automaticaly mean they'll constantly fight each other to death to be the Alpha. Admittedly thats probably the historics behind the breeding of fighting dogs..but Rotties aren't fighting dogs, nor GSDs, nor Jacks. Staffies, Pit-Bulls maybe...but technically they are terriers...a dog orginally bred for hunting and pest control.