A sad tail......

[Canker_Canison]

Sorry for the awful pun.

On Sunday I found out my sisters nextdoor neighbour was dumped by his wife, 4 months ago. I'm always the last to know.

Anyway, he was left with the two staffy bitches, but has been finding it hard to cope with them. To be honest it sounded like he had been neglecting them over long periods. The younger of the two is a little on the skinny side.

I offerd to find them either a new home or split them if things got bad. After speaking with friends & family nothing had changed. But he had put a dead line on this weekend or he was going to dump them outside the RSPCA.

These are the most loving dogs I have ever met. Lola just wants to lay down next to you & watch tv while Sadie is a little more active. Both love kids & have been socialised with quite a few dogs.

After speaking to my partner we came up with a plan. We both have dogs, mine doesn't get on with male dogs that still sport a pair of hairy ones, & hers is a hormonal nutter. But our dogs do get on.
I couldn't cope with 3 dogs, so if I took Sadie as a play mate for Harley & Lola would go to my partners being the more laid back.

Tuesday I picked them up & brought them to mine. Everything was great, with the exception of Harley trying to shag the sh!t out of them. But by late evening Lola was becoming very agressive towards Harley...Who stood his ground. When I took Lola & Sadie to my partners it was even worse, her dog went psycho.

This is all down to dominance so I started using some Ceasar Millan vodoo on Lola when I got them home. Things are a little better, but it's stressing the life out of me. It's like walking on a knife edge, I'm constantly having to correct Lola & set boundries. They all play together & once settled are fine. But there's always problems around food & the area around me when I'm watching tv.

Given time I'm sure this will all settle down, but I can't even think about bringing my partners dog into the picture until it does settle down...then we have to go through it all again.

So, I'm trying to find Lola a new home. I've spread the word & mention her to all the people I usualy see while out on walks. But I need to grab the attention of more people. I just don't know where to start. The other problem being that I don't want her ending up with chavs, she's just too nice to be subjected to the life style of the status dog.

My sister's neighbour point blank refused to take Lola back, even with the offer of supplying her food until we find a new home for her.


If there's anyone here that has some good advice or idea's I'd love to hear them. Dumping her outside a rescue centre or RSPCA is not an option.

[racin-snake]

to be honest the dogs will work it out themselves if your the leader you can settle the dispute packs are stable if theyre left to sort differences out
i know some of these scraps look and sound vicios but in fact the more noise and so on is better
it as you said is a dominance thing
they will have to find their pecking order
these disputes don't escalate too far if left they in fact (though it don't look and sound like it )
try resolving the problem by ostracising the aggressive one but don't remove it from the scene
just let it know the behaviour isn't tolerated and don't favour either dog
if dogs are ignored they don't like it
there status and whole agenda is to be the bosses mate
try it but there are rescues for staffys so a last resort is to go there
but let them resolve the dispute themselves with little adjudication from you as anything that's unfinished will maybe escalate
this will be when your out

be the pack leader your decision respected is final they do not have another option

ime not a big lad but have walked and controlled four German shepherds at once three males one bitch
and they've had their moments too
try it be the boss see if it resolves anything

oh and on the second read of your post when you take your dogs to her house
ignore them and do not let anything go unnoticed
her dog is just being territorial ime sure
if all partys stay in the right frame of mind the dogs will think its normal

any fright or alarm triggers the pack to unstable
don't think of the dogs being a pack
you are part of the pack too
her pack (her and her dog ) are a separate pack it all depends on how its done think like Caesar honestly dogs are far more stable than humans they follow instruction without a sound
gesture and body language mean far more than any instruction spoken
oh and dont TRY it just be positive and Do it
but your partner will have to be as confident no insecurity the dogs can see and feel that
SO IF SHES UNSURE DONT LET HER BE THERE
it will cause more bother

[RedSpider]

when i had to rehome my jack russel, i had a hell of a time finding a home for her until i joined a jack russel forum. there was a section for advertising jacks for rehoming and also for anyone to advertise that they are looking for a jack to rehome.
I'm thinking that theres probably a similar site for staffies.
something to think about

[MrFug]

Thats a sad situation Canker, I hope you find a good home for her.

Staffys are particularly hard to find homes for, despite the fact that they make great pets. The local animal sanctuary near me has 80% staffys. I suppose as a last resort you could find an animal rehoming centre that has a "no put down" policy.

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk

[Grizz]

couldnt top racins advice.
i think you said it all in your post, the new dogs are stressing you out and all the dogs are picking up on it and goin nutz.
you said yours and partners dogs get on, thats cause they pick up on your lack of stress there.

seems to be a nice few dog lovers/owners on the site, maybe you might find a home from someone on DK.
Good on you anyway for taking them out of their situation.

[Canker_Canison]

I'm hoping to introduce their cage, if my brother-in-law can pick it up. It's huge so might have to more things around to make it work.
With luck it will give them a safe area they know. Harley won't go near it as his previous owners used a cage with their second dog.

Things have quietened down a bit through the day. Harley & Lola have their battles (but it's playful, not agressive), I've stopped putting human food in their bowls, if it can't be fed to them by hand it goes in the bin. They're seperated when I go out, Harley has his usual access to the bedroom & diningroom, Lola & Sadie are in the livingroom. The cage should allow me to leave them together.

Managed to grab a pic during a lull....



Sadie is on the left & Lola, the right.

Sadie has almost the same markings as Harley, including the white tip of the tail. Lola is a freak... she has a superfluous nipple.

[racin-snake]

let the cage be in their head mate its an artificial boundary these dogs wont hurt each other
the cage will make the other dog worse
try using it open if one wants to go in to get out of the way fine but let them create their own laws and pecking order
if you think dogs are not capable have a look... a tail wag in one direction says more than any words could in a fraction of the time
be a leader firm and fair they will just go with the flow
they will be happier to just get along conflicts are instability dogs like stable relationships
feeding time unlike any other is the best time
the calmest dog or most respectful gets fed first on any day
they will click to that right away
honestly they will show you how it works if you observe and try to think like they do
they are born with instinct nothing is learned just re affirmed
dogs know other dogs by a different method to how we learn
they are born with this pre programmed if you like race memory

they will settle if the environment is calm and that's why dogs are better than we are far more social than humans

we have a lot to learn from these animals ...
ps.. these look like staffys not pits or anything like a far off mix ..stable as ~~~~ dogs theyle show you how to be relaxed
remember theyre looking for stability and leadership
you give them that you have stable dogs ...believe me theyre fine more you worry they will see your not a good leader and take advantage

[chucklor]

Hope everything works out Canker, I would love another dog but commitments mean that I have to leave my Jack Russel with my 70 year old mother when I'm away and I don't think it would be fair. I think a lot more should be done when people buy dogs, more checks, registration, I know in this situation that no one is to blame, but inevitably in most situations it's always the poor dogs that suffer and all they have to give is love and affection, and like you say it would be no good if one ended up with the burberry brigade, best of luck mate......chuck

[wetdog]

tough call there dude, as a staffy owner i know you cant let them sort it out. blood and guts everywhere. perhaps a small clue to your whereabouts may help a little.
my son MAY be interested.

mick.

[racin-snake]

on another note
a mate who has two huge Irish wolfhounds had a tough time when he got the second one a bigger pup but a lot younger too
he found out that when they had a argument with each other if he opened the door to the yard they both went out and played instead
he firstly though they would not fight in his house if he opened the door
so in a few seconds what he thought was a vicious fight was playtime

it want the open door that made them agree
it was the mis direction of opening the door not to fight but it meant walk time mis directed them by saying something else they forgot about the dispute which in any case was a bigger area to go hard at it
instead they played
pure accident on his behalf but it worked opposite to what he thought was going to happen
just goes to show dogs don't hold grudges or live in the past ...they live minute to minute

he learnt this trying to stop two big muts from wrecking his house

[Canker_Canison]

I really should add, these are KC registered. With luck I'll get the paperwork with the cage.

The cage was always left open for them previously, it was just a place they were sent when left alone.
Their previous owners, when together, read loads of books on dog behaviour. They are easier to control than my own dog, but he's been improving over the 3 years I've had him.

I'm in the North East. Not far from Smoggy & Kianniamh


Just witnessed what could be a change in the pecking order. Harley had been going nuts up & down the stairs (lurcher staff cross), the continuing battle/play actually had Sadie pinning Lola instead of going for Harley. Previously those two were like a tag-team from hell

[racin-snake]

good luck mate and relax its great to see your willing to give the dogs a go mate its in fact humbling to see some folk endevour to give dogs a second chance


hope you get there mate ....

[SouthernComfort]

Just to add to the above points, make sure you are aware of when the bitches break,things can turn nasty very quickly. Also as has been mentioned before, when dealing with aggression or dominance issues use distraction tactics and be firm, any signs of food aggression can be a serious problem, need to sort that asap. Monitor their interactions, especially around food, and they will be sure to let you know if anything is bothering them.
Tip my hat to you mate, not many would take that burden on. Good luck and hope it all works out ok.

Did you try contacting your local staffy club?, they should provide some assistance on finding them a decent, new home.

[Lainie]

awe canker how thoughtful of you to take them on. i hope it all works out for you.

[Canker_Canison]

It's a happy ending.

Lola was picked up by her new owner last night. There's a cake shop over the road from the shop I volunteer in. One of the women there contacted her daughter.
She met all 3 dogs & instantly loved Lola's relaxed personality. She has only ever had Staffies & won't have any other breed of dog. It was heart breaking dropping her off, but it's worked out so well.

Sadie pined for about 1 hour before she bonded with Harley, since then she's been amazing.

Harley relaxed for the first time since tuesday night, snoring on his back with his legs stuck out in all directions. He's got a play mate that likes to play rough & she's not challenging him for alpha position. There's a small problem with special foods, but she'll learn not to go near his bowl. Had the pair of them out on a run, she tries to keep up with Harley & he doesn't leave her behind.

Received a text today, Lola settled right in on the first night. She may of lost the company of Sadie, but she now has an 8 year old boy to play with.
She will be visiting me in the shop sometime in the next week. Given her new home is on one of the routes I use with Harley we could see her from time to time.


Everyone's happy & neither dog ended up in a rescue centre.

It all brings a lump to my throat & tears in my eyes.