Newly adopted english staffordshire terrier need help

Hi i recently adopted a English staffordshire terrier from my local pound. I love her so much and is a wonderful dog. But shortly after i got her i learned she has bounced from pound to aspca and back to the pound. By any means i couldn't understand why until now. My grandfather recently passed away and like a responsible dog owner i carried her with me on my travels for the funeral and stay with family. At first she did wonderful. Next thing i know she is jealous of the other dogs getting around and human and was jumping on the other dogs. I would correct her and place her in her crate for time out. Jewels would do great for a little while than became jealous and possessive again. If we ignored all the dogs she would play like they were best friends but if we had to walk by them she would start up again. I love my dog but can no way at all have a aggressive dog with me having a one month old granddaughter. Please I need help!

Hi &

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welcome from me and mia , I think you should contact a good behaviourist imo there should be good ones in your area it wnt be an overnight fix I realise this but you have recognised theres a problem and thats a good thing

I agree with Crystal, it's probably the best to get someone out to help you. I would like to think that her behaviour is due to having had such an unsettled life leaving her with a deep need to feel safe, together with an uncertainty about how to interact with other dogs. In all likelihood she's not aggressive, just uncertain and not knowing how to act properly

I'm guessing that you're in the States, as you got Jewels from the ASPCA. There are some fab trainers who have set up organisations using their methods, I hope someone of that school of thought is near you. Where are you and we can maybe help find someone?

In the meantime, identify what she can cope with and what she can't. Don't ask her to do what she finds too hard for the time being. She needs to learn how to deal with this stuff, and repeating it badly won't help, plus it'll stress you as well. If that means not asking her to interact with other dogs just for now, walking her in quiet areas on a long training line, and being careful of how your all are around her when other family member dogs are present, then so be it for now.

I say for now because I believe that this sort of problem can be addressed successfully with the right method and with the right help. Hang on in there, hopefully we'll be able to help you get that help soon.

I have recognized there is a problem and have made great strides on fixing all of her behavioral issues. I have taken dogs i was told are untrainable and trained them at voice command and they turned out to be wonderful dogs. I just need to know where to start to make the beautiful lively dog a better companion and how to start correcting it. I know its not a packing order issue its a jealousy issue. anyone who pays her any kind of attention becomes her human. Unfortunately at this time i really don't have the extra money to pay for a trainer. i guess i was just hoping someone could give me some tips on breaking it. I have already broke the food aggression issue and the despiteful issue to when she got made at me she would pee on something of mine or tear some thing up. I only have this one issue left and she will be the perfect dog companion.

i realize she is 4yrs old and were trying to overcome heartworms which i adpoted her knowing she had but if we can just over come this she will be the perfect pet and companion. As soon as i get back to Florida from this whole funeral thing i will start looking into getting some help for her. I just dont know where to turn with this issue. Thank you for the suggestions.

could you be cheeky and ask to pay the classes up most dog trainers are willing to help the dogs ?

ah bless you she is gorgeous

Thank you after losing my two boys of 10 years which weighed 100 and 115 lbs i decided on a smaller dog she weighs 29 lbs full grown. I love it just not sure of the insecurities.

you will get there takes time tears and a lot of patience l know the kind of situation you are in as was in the same situation with mia when I first got her I didnt have the funds either and done all her training myself and got a few pointers from a puppy training class I took mia there aged three I got there in the end and you will too.

mia aged 13

thank you mia05 i am hoping so i get so much joy but yet disappointment at the same time with my little girl. Jewels has wonderful potential but at the same time can be spiteful and hard headed when it comes to the insecurity issues she is having.

Ok, let's see what we can do. It's always hard trying to figure out what's going on without being there so bear with us if we make wrong guesses!

Firstly, can you give us a bit more information - how long you've had her; anything you know of her background other than that's she's been in several homes and shelters; what she's like other than this incident; how she reacts to people and dogs generally, etc. Also, it sounds like you've got some solid dog experience yourself - what sort of methods do you use now?

Can you also describe her reactions with the other dogs when you were staying with the family. When you say she was jumping on them, was she biting, pinning, bouncing up and down?

Re your concern about your grandchild, have you seen any negative reaction towards people at all, and children specifically, or are you worried Jewels might become possessive towards her? Generally, staffies are brilliant with people, especially kids. Here, they are known as 'nanny dogs' because they're so good.

While you're working on her behaviour, I would keep the MAT idea in mind - management, avoidance, training. Some things you can manage, other things you have to avoid, and with time you train. Management could mean keeping Jewels on a line, not a flexi one, just a long training line that give her the freedom to move but gives you a safety net. You might want to look at muzzle training her, and it's probably also worth having a pet corrector in your pocket, just in case. Any situations that are too much for her at the moment, avoid.

Jewels is very, very pretty, by the way. She sounds like she's due some good luck, and that she might have found it with you.

Its such a shame for rescue dogs. You've done a wonderful thing taking her on. She sounds very insecure and scared that you are going to leave her. You have become her world and she wants to protect you. I'm no expert but it does sound like she has taken on the lead role but isn't sure how to handle it. As you said if someone fusses her they become her human, this is a pecking order thing. She doesn't sound dominant, more insecure, and rightly so, she has been through a lot poor thing.

If I were you, let her know that you don't need her to protect you. Become very firm (but kind) with her, use firm strong body language, things like getting her down off the couch for now. If you can't afford a trainer find a good training group class. Being consistent and firm may well make her feel more comfortable. By her peeing on your stuff that is her claiming you as hers. Gradually turn the tables so that you are in charge and she should relax a lot more and look to you for leadership.

By you doing this, you can't do anything wrong, because all dogs need firm leadership anyway, so you can't do any harm.

There are lots of experienced people on here that can give you good tips, so hopefully some of this will be helpful in some way.

'If we ignored all the dogs she would play like they were best friends but if we had to walk by them she would start up again''


There is a start, she is great when humans aren't involved, so you have one thing to go on. Is she being jealous or protective? Is it with a pack of dogs or also one on one, for example.