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Advice from boxer/Staffie owners please.

17 replies

Celestria · 19/10/2014 16:25

Hi there, I've made the decision to give a home to a twelve week old Staffie x Boxer. I won't be getting him until Thursday.

I know raw feeding is recommended a lot but I'd like to stick to dry feeding. I also know some dry goods are full of rubbish and I would like some recommendations of the best brand to feed him.

I am already looking into obedience/socialising classes. I have a large house with a high fence grass back garden with a Yale locked gate. I also have a large front garden. Just up the road is a huge huge grass park and a trail along a canal.

My plan is to have him in the kitchen initially. It's just floor boards as I am waiting on flooring. It also has direct access to the back garden so I can take him straight out for toilet training.

I have owned a Staffie before but only for a short time as sadly someone stole her from my garden. I know they have loads of energy and are very intelligent. I also know that if they get bored they can become destructive. So I would like to have some toy recommendations and treat ones too, to reward him for toilet training etc.

I am a little unsure on the discipline. I know and never would hit a dog or shout at one. Other than that I'm not really sure so am going to do lots of research but again would like some advice. I did have a behaviouralist with my previous Staffie for a very long story where in summary the person that I got her from was a fosterer and regimes her as the rescue was going to put her down. They believed she was untrainable. I refused to let them take her until they proved she was. So they sent a behaviouralist that totally disagreed with them and she was mine. I trained her very easily.

Anyways the behaviouralist told me some advice that I think is probably outdated now. Things like to not let the dog go in the house first. If jumping up turn your back to them.

Finally I am going to register him with my local vets pet care plan which for a set amount each month covers all vaccinations, flea and worming, health checks and microchip. Insurance wise I'd like some advice on the kind of policy I should consider.

And any other advice please, I really want to give this pup a great home and be a good responsible owner.

OP posts:
Celestria · 19/10/2014 20:45

Anyone?

OP posts:
basildonbond · 19/10/2014 21:09

Not a boxer or staffie owner, and not an expert either but we've had a pretty successful first year of puppy ownership :)

We feed mostly dry - there's a website which has reviews of pretty much everything on the market. Personally I found it a bit confusing (so much choice!) but it is a useful way of checking important ingredients.

Our pup is on Angell salmon and potato which seems to suit him perfectly (lovely shiny coat and firm poo)

The best book we found to help us in the early stages was Life Skills for Puppies

Clicker training is fun and gets quick results - google kikopup for some great free videos

If you want to go to classes run by up-to-date, force-free trainers, check on the APDT website for someone near you

There's also an excellent facebook group - Dog Training Advice and Support

Make sure you get a lifetime insurance policy and it may be worth asking your vet which companies they deal with most often (and if there are any which they'll take direct payment from)

Stuffed kongs are your friend to keep boredom at bay! Our pup also loves soft toys (we've finally found one he's not been able to dismember within 5 minutes - it's from Ancol), anything squeaky, tuggy toys and his beloved tennis balls

In general 'people food' treats are tastier and much higher value for dogs than ones you buy at pet shops - we use small pieces of cheese, chicken, hot dog etc - tubes of primula also went down well

Good luck and remember to post lots of photos :)

pieceoftoast · 19/10/2014 21:17

Positive reinforcement with the behaviour. Much like kids Grin They want attention no matter whether neg/pos so praise the good, try and ignore the bad. Although I'm no expert, just seems to work for our lovely staffy, who is actually pretty perfect apart from annoying little things like barking at the front door. She hasn't been destructive since she was a pup. She used to have a kong but she's not fussed about toys now. If your dog is a chewer then I highly recommend the black kong - my old staffy went through a few but at least it took months rather than minutes for him to destroy one!

LouietheChi · 19/10/2014 22:11

James Well Beloved is a good brand.

Growing up we had a boxer cross. Lovely girl. Soft as could be.

Genesgirl · 19/10/2014 22:22

Boxer owner here (second one now - she is 10). Don't know re Staffies, but boxers are high energy, good fun, and don't really quieten down until they are about 8 or 9. I have had other dogs but there is something special about Boxers. They like to be with you a lot which can get annoying when you trip over them for the 10th time! They really do see themselves as human. They are wonderful. Back to your question, you sound like a very thoughtful owner who has thought about most things. We didn't do that much training but both boxers responded to rewards mostly (bits of cheese) as they want to please you. The puppy stage was hard work as I remember but the cuteness made up for it. I think on the Insurance most are okay and will be fairly cheap as he is so young. Just definitely get it as Boxers can be accident prone which can result in hefty bills you weren't expecting. Hope this helps. Good luck and enjoy :-)

Natalie1989xo · 20/10/2014 09:24

I have a 4 year old staffie and she has always been fed Wainwrights as it is hpyo allergenic and she is sensitive to the colourings in the likes of Bakers or Pedigree. I clicker trained her, with treats and then gradually took the treats away. she is the perfect dog until someone comes round and then she jumps up and harasses them so I am by no means an expert but a semi successful staffie owner.

NCIS · 20/10/2014 09:33

I know the going through the door first is outdated if it's based on dominance but I've always done it purely as a safety thing (did it with DC's too) if you go in or out first then you know what's there and there is less of a risk of accidents/scaring the postman etc.
I've also turned my back when being jumped at, had no idea this was wrong. To me it's common sense, a withdrawal of attention and it doesn't hurt as much when clawed on the back as opposed to the front of you.

Celestria · 20/10/2014 09:46

Thanks everyone. Really looking forward to him arriving but also really nervous. I don't want to get it wrong! My friend has a Staffie and as much as I love him, he is very powerful, always jumps up and still has a tendency to bite though not viciously. My cousin has a Staffie and she is the opposite, full of energy but very obedient as she went to classes.

I have four school age children so getting him through the mouthing stage is important.

I also know that loads and loads of Staffies end up in rescues and I feel so sad for them. Sad

OP posts:
SouthernComforts · 20/10/2014 09:51

I feed my staff eukanuba dry food. Make sure he has plenty of water available my dog drinks loads.

PersonalClown · 20/10/2014 10:03

I feed my Staffy Simpsons Premium 80/20 mix. He's grain allergic so limits the foods we can feed him. Plus he's allergic to brewer's yeast which seems to be in almost every 'hypo allergenic' food going.

Turning away when jumping is still fine. It's the deprivation of attention that works. The door thing?? I think hmmmm. Mine is a bargy little bastard that has to be first everywhere because it's just his way but he's a lovely, well behaved pooch.

Advice from boxer/Staffie owners please.
JudgeJudyKicksAss · 22/10/2014 08:11

Hi
We have had Maisie a 10 year old bouncy rescue boxer x staffie for 7 years and she is the most gentle and soft dog I have ever owned. Be prepared to exercise your dog LOTS otherwise she will literally bounce off the walls. Kong's, chews and tennis balls are all good treats and work well with discipline - and boredom. She has only been destructive once and that was within the first week when we left her unsupervised for too long and she chewed both arms off the kitchen sofa (really!), but that was our fault as she wasn't used to living in a house then. Very loyal, gentle, vocal dog who wants to please. I hope your new dog is the same. Good luck.

Celestria · 22/10/2014 08:54

Thanks!

I have my puppy now and he is lovely. Very good natured. He's food orientated and responding well to small cheese squares with house training and lead training.

I take him out in the garden about every thirty minutes and he is learning when I say go pee pee. He does it a lot quicker now. He's had two accidents in the house but I just ignore it and clean it up. The first I took him out for a pee when he woke and he did one, but then did another in the house about ten minutes later.
The second was just now, he did a solid in the lounge after being taken out when he did a pee.

He is meeting my friend and my cousins dogs today, both Staffies. We are meeting at a park where none of them have been before and taking them for a walk with lots of treats.

I have to admit that he slept with me last night. I didn't mind but probably not something I should encourage?

I have two cats and he is desperate to play with them. Sadly they hate him. So I have stairgated the upstairs and they have all their cat bits up there. They seem happy enough with that arrangement.

I am still really nervous. I've thought a lot about getting a dog and I don't want to let him down by mucking up his training.

I think I am doing the right things. Ignoring accidents, rewarding outside. Stopping still when he pulls on the lead until he stops. I am putting his food bowl down for an hour at 8am, 12pm and 5pm then lifting it for the night.

He knows sit and does it well. I am starting on lie down at the moment. After that I will do recall.

OP posts:
JudgeJudyKicksAss · 22/10/2014 09:23

Sounds like you are doing well and your doggy sounds like a sweetheart already, food bribes and a dog who wants to please you equals happy training. The cats will get used to him soon and will put him in his place so there's no great cause for alarm there. Unless you want him to sleep with you it is probably best to nip it in the bud now - he will settle by himself but not if he knows big brown eyes and sad crying work on his new mum! Be firm. I have always left an old item of my clothing I have worn all day in the dog bed at night whilst they settle in, its meant to help the bonding and comfort them.

SpicyBear · 22/10/2014 10:21

Sounds like you are doing great.

The bed thing is entirely up to you. If you don't want him to sleep there long term, don't start with him in the bed. If you are happy to have a furry hot water bottle for hopefully the next 15 or so years then crack on!

If they are not happy being left all night straight away I advocate having their bed next to yours then gradually moving it further away to where you want them to sleep rather than ear plugs and crying it out.

ClaimedByMe · 22/10/2014 10:27

The better the quality of food you feed him the less likely you are to get the staffie toxic farts!

Sounds like you are doing great though, I have never had a puppy although have a staffie, they are such people pleasers are usually quite easy to train.

PersonalClown · 22/10/2014 10:34

The only thing I will warn about in regards to the bed is that you may wake up achey after having Pup in the bed!

My Staffy is a very tactile dog. He likes to be touching you at all times so sleep is fun. Every time I move or roll over, he has to adjust to make sure he's curled up in the small of my back.

Doesn't do my backache any good!!

Celestria · 22/10/2014 11:30

I'd love to have all my animals in bed with me, but the cats won't go near him Smile

Yes last night ghost was sleeping over my shoulder. Then over my face. Then I was spooning him. Then he was spooning me. He woke me at three am so I took him out for a pee then straight back to bed and he was asleep.

He is curled up asleep after a morning of chewing empty toilet rolls, chasing the cats, walk to the shop and trying to hump one of the kids teddies. It's a dogs life Smile

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