Staffordshire Terriers are dogs with a rather difficult character that must be raised and trained. Moreover, even among them, the American variety is considered one of the heaviest. Amstaff training should be carried out by experienced people who know what they are doing. Therefore, before you get such a dog, you need to familiarize yourself with how to raise him correctly.
Staffordshire Terriers are dogs that will have to be trained from an early age.
Is it possible to train an Amstaff?
Many people are interested in how to train a Stafford on their own and whether it is even possible to do this. Due to the fact that most Staffordshire Terriers are people-oriented, raising and training them is quite easy. These animals are very loyal to their owner and therefore they are able to do a lot to please him.
Dogs also have a high level of intelligence, thanks to which they are able to quickly assimilate incoming information.
Additional Information! In the process of training and raising such dogs at home, you need to take into account the fact that they are very stubborn. Therefore, it is necessary to do everything to ensure that the pet concentrates and is not distracted by extraneous stimuli.
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In order to properly raise an Amstaff, it is necessary first of all to understand its psychology, language, as well as the motives for performing certain actions.
Temperament and character
Before raising a Staffordshire Terrier, you need to familiarize yourself with the main features of its character. These animals can be considered real choleric people. They are very active and determined.
Staffordshire also have a very fast reaction time, which allows them to make decisions instantly. However, if proper training is started in time, animals become calmer and emotionally stable.
Trained dogs are very loyal to their owner and do not show aggression towards strangers. These representatives of terriers show a tendency to dominate. They often test the owner's strength. If you show weakness in front of the amstaff, he will become less obedient and begin to take a dominant position.
Breed varieties
Show-class staff belong to high-breed dogs and have clearly defined qualities described in the breed standard.
This puppy is worth buying if you are serious about preparing for exhibitions, competitions, or want to open a kennel of American Staffordshire Terriers.
Breeding class - such dogs are also called breeding dogs, these are typical representatives of the Amstafa breed, which do not have strong deviations from the breed standard, and are suitable for exhibition and breeding.
Pet class. Such a pet may have defects. This could be an asymmetrical skull, dental irregularities, an unusual color for a Staffordshire Terrier, or an atypical tail shape.
Such defects do not have negative consequences for the health of puppies, but they are not suitable for breeding.
Basic rules of training
In order for the training of the Staffordshire Terrier to be successful, you need to familiarize yourself with how to carry it out.
Duration of training
The duration of training largely depends on the age of the dog. For example, small puppies under four months of age do not need to be trained for too long. On average, the duration of daily staff training should be 15-20 minutes.
An adult dog needs to be trained every day. Each lesson should last about an hour.
Punishments and rewards
Stroking is one of the ways of rewarding
If a Staff puppy (3 months) does everything correctly, he needs to be rewarded. To do this, simply pet the dog or give it some kind of treat. It is worth noting that the trainer should not give treats to the dog too often. She must get used to regular praise.
All unwanted actions of the dog must be stopped with the commands:
- "Ugh!";
- "It is forbidden!".
Important! If the dog is overexcited and refuses to take orders, he is allowed to run around so that he can burn off his energy.
What needs to be banned
It is necessary to establish prohibitions for a pet immediately after it gets into the house. You should not delay this, since it is quite difficult to raise and retrain an adult dog. A small boy or girl puppy is prohibited from the following:
- barking for no reason;
- begging;
- biting the owner and other people.
How to wean yourself from bad habits
To wean your Amstaff from bad habits, you should stop unwanted actions at the very beginning. The dog must clearly know the boundaries and taboos. It is impossible to exclude punishment, but it is necessary to punish in a timely manner (immediately after the offense) and correctly.
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When to train an Amstaff
Every dog owner needs to figure out when is the best time to start training a dog. With regard to the Amstaff breed, raising a small puppy begins almost from the first day of being in the house, and in principle never ends.
When is training with a dog handler carried out?
The beginning of the dog's training coincides with the moment when the pet goes for a walk for the first time. Most often this happens at the age of 3-4 months, when the dog has already had all its vaccinations.
Classes with a dog handler do not have to take place outside. It is better to organize the first few lessons at home so that the dog gets used to the learning process faster.
Two months of age is the ideal time to start training
Why you shouldn't wait six months
Some people believe that it is not worth training a Stafford before six months, as it is seriously stressful for the dog. However, in reality this is far from the case. On the contrary, you need to start raising pets at an early age. Up to six months, they absorb and remember new information much faster.
How to raise a Stafford at two months old
Raising a two-month-old dog is not so easy. There are several recommendations that will help with training such a small puppy.
Toilet training
The dog must be toilet trained. At the same time, you don’t have to immediately try to force him to go outside. First he must learn to go to the toilet in a diaper. It is spread out in one of the corners of the apartment. When the dog begins to show signs that it wants to go to the toilet, you need to immediately take it to the diaper.
Leash and collar training
The Amstaff must be walked on a leash with a collar.
A well-mannered dog must be accustomed to a leash and collar. Some people think that the dog should be trained to do this outside. However, in fact, it is better to do this at home, so that by the first walk the pet can calmly accept wearing a collar and leash.
Important! The collar should not be tight so that the dog does not feel uncomfortable.
What to allow a puppy
Each dog breeder, when raising an Amstaff puppy, must determine the boundaries of what is permitted. To do this you will have to do the following:
- teach the dog to have fun with toys on his own and not touch other things;
- Explain to your pet that you should not bite people during games;
- develop a daily routine for the puppy;
- stop chewing clothes and furniture in the apartment.
Introduction to Basic Commands
During the first lessons, the puppy must be taught basic obedience commands. It is best to do this in the form of a game so that the dog absorbs the information better. The pet must be rewarded for every command completed. You shouldn’t be too strict with a two-month-old dog, since puppies’ psyches are not strong enough.
Features of maintenance and care
The best conditions for keeping Staffords is a country house, where he will freely run around the yard and enter the house.
If the dog vegetates in the enclosure on a leash, he will become aggressive. Provided good daily physical activity, the staff can live in an apartment. In an enclosure, an animal needs a warm booth, in a house - a personal place. Coat care - combing with a brush or rubberized mitten every seven days, during seasonal shedding - every day. The peculiarity of the breed is that it sheds a lot of wool almost all year round.
Hygiene. Brush your teeth once a week. Wipe your eyes every day. Bath as needed. A strong foul odor from your dog is a sign of infection. You need to contact your veterinarian immediately.
The Staffordshire Terrier needs active and long walks (up to 2 hours). First, puppies and adult male dogs must empty their bladders frequently, otherwise they may develop kidney problems. Secondly, energetic pets need to move. Slow, measured walks on a leash will not work here. A good run and an hour of active play will be enough. It is correct to combine a walk and training, for example, spend 30 minutes out of an hour and a half on classes and repetitions of lessons. Lessons can exhaust staff more than a two-hour walk.
You can teach him to run after a bicycle (only on a leash and not on the roadway!).
Loads (weighted harness, towing) for weight-pulling and other types of strength sports are given no earlier than 10-12 months, when the animal’s bones have become stronger.
Proper feeding. Up to 3 months, the baby is given food 4 times (sometimes more). With age, the number of meals is gradually reduced to 2 times, and the volume of one serving is increased, including natural healthy food supplements in the diet. Feed your Amstaff at a certain time and follow the regime. Never distract your pet while eating.
How to train Staffords at three months
Walking and socialization help in the formation of the nervous system.
Three months is the ideal age to start serious training. Before you start training a three-month-old dog, you need to figure out how to do it correctly.
Formation of the nervous system
From the age of three months it is necessary to begin the formation of the nervous system. To do this, you need to take your dog outside more often to crowded places. It is not a good idea to raise puppies in isolation, as this can have a negative impact on their psyche.
Important! You must walk with your dog very carefully. You need to make sure that nothing scares the puppy.
Meeting dogs and people
The dog needs to be introduced to people and other animals from an early age. This will allow the pet to socialize and feel comfortable on the street. To begin with, the puppy is introduced to all family members. After that, they take him outside and begin to introduce him to other animals.
Behavior on the street
There are several recommendations that you should familiarize yourself with before going out:
- when you go out for a walk, you need to make sure that the dog goes to the toilet;
- the puppy should not be allowed to eat food from the ground;
- You should not let your pet off the leash so that he cannot run far.
Practicing commands
When training three-month-old puppies, you need to teach them the following commands:
- "To me!". This is the most necessary command, since it is used more often than others in everyday life.
- "Ugh!". A team that is indispensable when training dogs.
- "Near". Often used when walking outdoors.
- "Place". After this command, the pet must go to its place in the house.
Dog training for Staffordshire
As we have already found out, every Staffordshire Terrier must undergo a general training course. The intelligence of these dogs allows them to easily remember all the basic commands and their combinations, and their high nervous activity allows them to fulfill the owner’s requirements clearly and quickly. That is why you should not limit the staff to only initial training: depending on the characteristics of a particular dog and the desires of the owner, you can go further, choosing one or two more complex canine disciplines for improvement. Below we will tell you in what areas you can develop the talents and breed characteristics of Staffordshire Terriers.
Staffs successfully perform in many cynological competitions and sports.
Agility
A dog sport ideal for fast, agile and lean Staffordshire dogs. The essence of agility is for the dog to go through an obstacle course consisting of several projectiles as quickly as possible. In the classic version of agility, the dog must overcome a slide, several barriers of different heights and types, tunnels (hard and soft in which you need to crawl), boom, swings, slalom (vertical sticks that the animal passes like a “snake”). Agility is an incredibly exciting and fast sport, and it is of particular interest because the animal cannot be forced to go the distance. According to the rules, the dog enters the playground without equipment, that is, a collar and leash, and the owner has the right to control the pet only with his voice, encouraging and directing the tailed athlete.
Staff passes the “Swing” projectile
How are agility competitions held? Where in Russia can you learn agility and how to start training? More details in a special article.
Waitpulling
A power dog sport in which the muscular and hardy Staffordshire Terriers occupy a leading position. Its essence is that a harness is put on the animal, which is attached by a cable to a cart on which there is a load, and the dog must move it a certain distance in a minimum time. As in agility, the owner cannot force the animal to pull a load; it is prohibited to influence the dog physically, by threatening or shouting.
Of course, a certain weight of cargo is provided for the weight of each dog, and animals, in order to be allowed to compete, must have veterinary certificates of complete health. It should be noted that weightpulling promotes the physical development of Staffordshire, since training begins with minimal weights, gradually increasing the load.
Weightpulling training
Protective guard service
Protective guard service or ZKS is the most suitable discipline for Staffordshire dogs as bodyguard and security dogs. This type of training aims to develop the animal’s skills in guarding and protecting (not only itself, but also the owner or his property), as well as teach the dog to use its main tool - its sense of smell. A dog that has completed the ZKS course will be able to detain and escort a person, protect the territory and things entrusted to it, and also choose from a number of objects its own or someone else’s. Note that you need to start studying the ZKS after the Staffordshire Terrier has completed the OKD or UGS courses. This is necessary so that the animal behaves in a disciplined manner and skillfully concentrates attention on its owner and his commands.
The dog’s opponent at the ZKS is a person wearing a protective suit.
Mondioring
A protective art that combines both obedience and security tests for dogs. This is a complex, rhythmic and spectacular sport, during which the animal must instantly switch from carrying out various commands to escorting and attacking the person involved, as well as overcoming obstacles (barriers of varying complexity in combination with fetching - presenting objects).
Mondioring is a stressful test for a dog, since in the process of following commands and solving problems, the animal is influenced in various ways: smoke can be blown around the dog, it is distracted by toys, food, other dogs or noisy sounds. During the competition, the animal must show the highest level of execution of basic commands, perform high and long jumps, and also solve problems of attack, defense, guarding, searching for a person and escorting.
Defendant's attack
Frisbee
An outdoor game with a flying disc, based on the interaction between dog and owner. The person’s task is to make a series of spectacular throws, the dog’s task is to guess the Frisbee’s flight path and catch the disc before it touches the ground, and then bring it to the owner. During frisbee training, the dog is taught not only to catch and retrieve an object, but also to make the correct jumps and land technically.
Participation in frisbee competitions allows the Staffordshire Terrier not only to burn off energy and get the necessary level of physical activity, but also to strengthen the relationship with the owner. This is a pairs sport in which success depends on the well-coordinated partnership work of a person and his pet. In addition, Staffordshire Terriers are agile and agile dogs, for whom chasing a flying disc brings incredible pleasure.
Stafford learns to catch a frisbee
Canicross
A type of sled sport in which a person and a dog must overcome a certain distance for a while. The dog goes to the start wearing a special harness, from which a cable cord extends, connecting the pet to the owner. A person has a cable attached to his belt, leaving his hands free for better running technique. Participation in canicross competitions involves regular training, in which the load and distance that participants must cover gradually increase. Canicross combines obedience and physical activity, as the dog must not just run with a person, but interact with him. So, on steep climbs the animal helps the runner, pulling him along with him; on descents, on the contrary, the pet must slow down so as not to drop the person. In addition, the dog must know the commands “Right!” and “Left!”, and also calmly treats other participants in the distance, without trying to interact with them.
Jogging with the owner gives the staff a lot of positive emotions
How to train a Stafford at 4-5 months
While raising an Amstaff, you need to engage in active games.
Raising such puppies is much easier, since they have already settled in at home, are used to walking and need less human care and support. When training such dogs, special attention should be paid to teaching commands.
At 4-5 months, dogs need to be taught the following commands:
- "Excerpt". It is considered the basis of any training. Self-control must be taught from four months.
- "Sit". A common command that is often used both at home and on the street.
- "Stand". This command is not used very often, but every puppy should still know it.
- "Aport." The right command, which makes walking the dog much easier.
Brief history of origin
The United States of America is considered the birthplace of the breed. The ancestors of Staffords in Medieval England were regular participants in dog competitions with bears, bulls and wild boars. In 1835, the English Parliament banned all fighting involving bulls, but, unfortunately, fights between dogs were invented almost immediately. Because of such an unpleasant past, American Staff Terriers have long been considered exclusively fighting dogs - dangerous, aggressive and unpredictable. Since 1930, Amstaffs have not officially taken part in battles. Now the opinion about them has changed in the opposite direction - representatives of the breed are only show dogs for exhibitions and companions.
Exercises for staff
There are three main exercises that may be needed during staff training.
Towing
When the pet is six months old, it can be taught to walk on a harness and follow the “Forward” command. Most often, this exercise is used to train a dog to drag a sled or an owner on skis.
Important! For the dog to start towing, you just need to pull on the leash.
Hill run
Towing is one of the exercises used in training a dog.
At the beginning of training, the dog should run about two hundred meters up the hill every day. A small dog should not run too long distances, as such exercises strain the cardiovascular system. When the dog's muscles become stronger, the distance can be gradually increased.
Swimming
It is necessary to teach your dog to swim, as it improves endurance and strengthens the muscular system. Dogs need to be accustomed to water from an early age so that in the future they are not afraid of it. First you need to go swimming with your pet. Then he will get used to it and will be able to swim on his own.
