How to educate and train the Staffordshire Terrier?

Raising the Staffordshire Terrier is not the easiest thing, because dogs of this breed always have their own opinion. But the breeders note the kindness, devotion, rather high intelligence of these dogs. They are increasingly combining the roles of security guards and companions, participating in sports and exhibiting sociability.

The only thing worth considering is the rules for training an Amstaff puppy at home. They must be strictly observed by the owner himself and his pet. Then the results of education will fully meet expectations.

The 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 really has features that need to be considered when keeping it up. But improper upbringing turns these kind, loyal and strong animals into uncontrollable and spoiled dogs. A well-trained dog is always friendly, sociable, shows curiosity and retains puppy spontaneity even in adulthood. By nature, fearlessness, vigor, reliability inherent in all terriers are embedded in their character.

For many years, breeding work with the breed was carried out taking into account the participation of the animal in the battles. In this case, dogs must be sent to the marriage, showing aggression against humans. Modern amstaffs are practically not used for fights, but even taking into account the military past, you can expect no more danger from them than from a shepherd or another service dog.

Dogs of the American Staffordshire Terrier, kind to children, indifferent or neutral-friendly to strangers, have a rare ability to adapt to circumstances. They painlessly endure the change of ownership, do not yearn too much when moving. These dogs make 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 the relationship. Such a dog is quite difficult to enter the role of a subordinate. The breed is not recommended for people with little experience in keeping pets. It would be better if a physically active owner takes care of training and education, ready to reinforce his authority both in words and in deed. With such an owner, the amstaff will be a well-educated, smart and charming companion.

Choosing the right moment to start training the American Staffordshire Terrier is not too difficult. Already at 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;
• observe hygiene rules.

During the first year of life of a puppy and a teenage dog, it is necessary to raise both a boy and a girl of the American Staffordshire Terrier breed, taking into account age characteristics and the degree of development. If you let things go by themselves, then by the year of life the dog will be practically uncontrollable. In order to raise a smart, inquisitive dog, the owner will have to make some efforts. 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 learns the world. The kid needs walks that allow him to get impressions, find contact with the owner. Under the protection of the owner, a small amstaff will feel more confident and will immediately learn the correct alignment of forces in this bundle. Depriving a puppy of active development of the environment, locking it in four walls, it is difficult to ensure the desired development of its instincts and physiology.
• 4-6 months. By this time, you can familiarize the pet with its brothers (up to four months of age this is not necessary), conduct game training on the street. Time to six months is a stage of fears of the dangers of the big world. When such weakness is manifested, the puppy needs encouragement, but it does not need to be encouraged to act. It’s better to calm, regret, comfort the baby, offer him to overcome fear together.
• 6-18 months - period of socialization. At this age, the puppy learns the norms and rules of life in society, begins to separate people according to the hierarchy. The dog is looking for its place in the "flock", begins to claim rights to the territory. This is a good time to visit the dog’s playground, where the animal can satisfy the need for self-affirmation. By this time, the pet should fully understand the language of the person, know the basic rules of obedience.
• 18 months - time of rebellion. It is typical mainly for boys - females of this breed tolerate this stage of growing up much easier. The dog tries to dominate, directly sabotages the owner’s orders, and may show attempts to escape from the owner’s control.Physical punishment should be avoided at this time. The maximum that can be done is to raise and shake the animal by the scruff of the neck. The dog should in any case show obedience, but in most cases, to achieve the desired result, a close look right into the eyes of the pet is enough.

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

Not every owner is able to properly train the American Staffordshire Terrier at home. In the absence of proper experience and knowledge, it is better to contact a qualified instructor who is able to instill obedience to the dog. Agility, handling and other types of specialized training need to be transferred only after completion of the general training course.

For an adult dog, special exercises are useful to maintain her physical fitness, coordination and dexterity. With the right loads, the amstaff will not have the desire to spoil the furnishings or engage in towing the owner from excess forces. Among the most useful exercise options are swimming, towing and running uphill.

• Swimming. A dog has been taught to him since childhood. Some puppies experience an instinctive fear of water, they have to gradually adapt to a new occupation. The benefits of water treatments for dogs are undeniable. If there is a river with the flow, it is worth choosing it for training, because it will become an excellent simulator for the development of the muscular skeleton. Young dogs through swimming improve their physical condition, get rid of excess energy. To develop interest, you can use aportirovannye objects, such as balls.
• Towing. Her Staffordshire terriers are very fond of - they willingly perform exercises at the training stage, and during competitions or walks. Before training, the dog will have to be accustomed to walking in a harness. He must learn that pulling the leash can only be done with a “forward” command. Rewards in the form of goodies will help to quickly train the dog to work in conjunction with sleds and skis.
• Running uphill. 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 is high.

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

Modern dog training techniques involve using dog interest, game form for submitting information. In this case, the training takes place without violence: the dog gains a strong emotional connection with the owner, fulfills the commands with pleasure.

The principle of encouragement and punishment acts on fixing reflexes: the animal does not learn to think, but simply fulfills the command. The skill is fixed mechanically, the dog acts out of fear or a desire to get a treat. There is no guarantee that outside the training area, the dog will wish to maintain obedience.

Pampering the American Staffordshire Terrier is even more dangerous than keeping it strict. These attempts lead to the fact that the owner begins to ascribe to the animal traits that were originally unusual for 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 adulthood. During this period of time, many owners decide to interrupt the training course, 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 will be a mild, but persistent restoration of the status of the owner as a leader and authority.

In the next video, you will be trained by the Staffordshire Terrier from the Dog Training School.