How to educate and train a Staffordshire Terrier?

Raising a Staffordshire Terrier is not the easiest thing, because dogs of this breed always have their own opinion. But breeders celebrate the kindness, dedication, rather high intelligence of these dogs. They are increasingly combining the roles of guards and companions, participate in sports and demonstrate sociability.

The only thing that is definitely worth considering is the rules of training amstaff puppy at home. They should be observed strictly both by the owner and his pet. Then the results of education will fully meet expectations.

American Staffordshire Terrier has a very specific character, generating a lot of rumors. Opinions about the features of this breed are very controversial. For example, in the USA they are considered one of the best companions and family pets, and in the EU countries they are classified as potentially dangerous animals.

Amstaff does have features that need to be taken into account in the content. But improper upbringing turns these good, loyal and strong animals into unruly and spoiled dogs. A well-trained dog is always friendly, sociable, shows curiosity and keeps puppy spontaneity even in adulthood. From nature in their character lies fearlessness, vigor, reliability inherent in all terriers.

For many years, breeding work with the breed was carried out taking into account the participation of the animal in the battles. At the same time, dogs that had shown aggression against a person were necessarily sent to the marriage. Modern amstaffs are practically not used for fights, but even taking into account the combat past, they can expect no more danger from them than from a sheepdog or from another service dog.

Kind to children, indifferent or neutral-friendly to strangers, American Staffordshire Terrier dogs have a rare ability to adapt to circumstances. They painlessly tolerate the change of ownership, not too long to move. Such dogs produce good service animals, as well as participants in therapeutic programs for children and the disabled. With this category of citizens, Amstaffs are patient and gentle.

This dog can be considered a leader who prefers to play a central role in relationships. Such a dog is quite difficult to enter the role of a subordinate. Breed is not recommended for people with little experience in keeping pets. It would be better if a physically active owner is engaged in training and education, ready to reinforce his authority, both in word and deed. In such an owner amstaff will be educated, intelligent and charming companion.

Choosing the right moment to start the training of the American Staffordshire Terrier is not too difficult. Already in 2 months the puppy is able to:

• respond to your name;
• know the location of the couch;
• run up at the call of the owner;
• wear a collar or harness;
• walk on a leash;
• follow the rules of hygiene.

During the first year of a puppy and a teenage dog’s life, both a boy and a girl of the American Staffordshire Terrier breed must be reared, taking into account age characteristics and degree of development. If you let the matter take its course, then by the year of life the dog will be virtually out of control. To independently educate a clever, inquisitive dog, the owner will have to make some effort. Conventionally, the first year of a pet's life can be divided into four global periods.

• 1-3 months. This is the time when the dog knows the world. The kid needs walks, allowing to get impressions, to find contact with the owner. Being under the protection of the owner, small Amstaff will feel more confident and immediately learn the correct balance of power in this bundle. Depriving the puppy of active development of the environment, locking it within four walls, it is difficult to ensure the desired development of its instincts and physiology.
• 4-6 months. By this time, you can familiarize your pet with your fellows (up to the age of four months, this is not necessary), and conduct game exercises on the street. Time to six months - this is the stage of fear of the dangers of the big world. If such a weakness occurs, the puppy needs encouragement, but it does not need to be prompted to act. It is better to calm, pity, console the baby, offer him to overcome fear together.
• 6-18 months - a period of socialization. At this age, the puppy learns the norms and rules of life in society, begins to divide people according to the hierarchy. The dog is looking for its place in the "pack", begins to claim the rights to the territory. This is a good period to visit the dog site, where the animal can satisfy the need for self-affirmation. A pet by this time must fully understand the language of a person, know the basic rules of obedience.
• 18 months - riot time. It is characteristic mainly for boys - female individuals of this breed endure this stage of maturation much more easily. The dog is trying to dominate, directly sabotage the orders of the owner, may be trying to escape from the control of the owner. At this time, physical punishment should be avoided. The maximum that can be done is to lift and shake the animal by the collar. The dog must in any case show obedience, but in most cases, to achieve the desired result, a close look is directly in the pet's eyes.

By one and a half years, the dog is considered fully adult. If up to this point, training was “easy walk”, then at the age of eighteen months, you can move on to more serious workloads and requirements. This will only benefit the pet.

Not every owner is capable of correctly training the American Staffordshire Terrier. In the absence of proper experience and knowledge, it is better to turn to a qualified instructor who is able to inculcate obedience skills in the dog. Agility, handling and other types of specialized dressings need to be transferred only after the completion of the general course of training.

For an adult dog, special exercises are useful to maintain its physical shape, coordination and agility. With proper loads, amstaff will not have the desire to spoil furnishings or to tow the owner from excess forces. Among the most useful exercise options are swimming, towing and running uphill on an inclined plane.

• Swimming To him the dog is taught from childhood. Some puppies have an instinctive fear of water, they have to be gradually adapted to a new occupation. The benefits of water treatments for dogs are indisputable. If there is a river over time, it is worth choosing it for training, because it will become an excellent simulator for the development of the muscular frame.Young dogs with the help of swimming improve their physical condition, get rid of excess energy. For the development of interest, you can use aportirovochnye objects, such as balls.
• Towing. Her Staffordshire terriers are very fond - they willingly perform exercises both at the training stage, and during competitions or walks. Before training, the dog will have to be taught to walk in a harness. He must learn that you can pull the leash only by the command "forward". Promotion in the form of delicacies will help to quickly accustom the dog to work in conjunction with sleds and skis.
• Running up the ramp. The beginning of training requires the use of short distances of 100–200 m, since the load on the shoulder girdle and back in this case turns out to be high.

The most important misconception regarding the training of amstaffs is that these dogs are not amenable to education. Zoopsychologists and cynologists are confident that the breed, although it requires a firm hand and serious control, is quite a trained one. Particular importance is attached to the contact of the host with animals: the sooner the puppy is in the house (the optimal age is 2-3 months), the easier it will be to control, understand and predict behavior.

Modern methods of dressing involve the use of the interest of the dog, game form of presenting information. In this case, training takes place without violence: the dog acquires a strong emotional connection with the owner, performs commands with pleasure.

The principle of encouragement and punishment acts to reinforce reflexes: the animal does not learn to think, but simply executes the command. Fastening skill occurs mechanically, the dog acts out of fear or the desire to get a treat. There is no guarantee that the dog will maintain obedience outside the training ground.

To spoil the American Staffordshire Terrier is even more dangerous than to keep in severity. These attempts lead to the fact that the owner begins to attribute to the animal the features that were originally unusual to him. As a result, predicting the behavior of the dog by its own standards, the owner is disappointed.

At the age of about 1.5 years, American Staffordshire terriers have serious behavioral problems associated with entering into puberty. During this period of time, many owners decide to interrupt the course of training, expecting the animal to calm down over time. But this opinion is extremely erroneous. If the dog rebelled and refuses to execute commands, then the only right decision would be a gentle but persistent restoration of the status of the host as a leader and authority.

In the next video you will find the training of the Staffordshire Terrier from the Dog Training School.