# staffy cross whippet not getting on with other dogs and going to attack them



## doglover4457 (Jul 8, 2016)

Hiya, I have a boy 3 year old staffy cross whippet he doesn't get along with other dogs at all he goes to get out of his lead and colar then to attack the other dogs, which is unacceptable and needs to be sorted out. He origanally was from a woman who had a child will illnesses so she couldn't take him for a walk so really he has never met another dog face to face or been trained how to act around them. I was just wondering if any one had any ideas of what to do and how to help him get along with other dogs?


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## labradrk (Dec 10, 2012)

Unfortunately it is not as simplistic as "helping him to get along with other dogs". Firstly you need to work out how he is reacting - is he ACTUALLY being aggressive, as in out to cause harm, or is he just entirely under socialised and has no idea how to react around them? because if it's the latter, his lack of social skills will come across as extremely rude towards the other dog, which will cause a reaction from them....in human terms, that would be like me running up to total stranger and flinging my arms around them while shouting in their face. Not cool, and my advances would be very quickly rejected!

You need a behaviourist who can assess him for you. Where about in the country are you?

And please, don't let him fail due to equipment failure aka escaping the collar/lead. You need a well fitted harness, and ideally a double ended lead so you have the security of having two point of control (one on his collar and the other the harness). I use these harnesses which are made to measure, tough wearing, and the most reasonably priced that I've found for the quality: http://www.sassdogequipment.co.uk/dog-harnesses/tracking-harness/


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## doglover4457 (Jul 8, 2016)

We can't get him one of the harnesses because he needs a special colar for when he runs because it can make him crack his neck full. We have asked a specialist about this already and I have been looking for a training person to help with this. Thankyoufor your help.


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## Guest (Jul 9, 2016)

doglover4457 said:


> We can't get him one of the harnesses because he needs a special colar for when he runs because it can make him crack his neck full.


I don't understand what this means. You mean your dog can't wear a harness because of neck issues?
If anything a body harness is safer than a collar for dogs who have neck issues.

If you can share your general location, someone can recommend a professional in your area.


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## doglover4457 (Jul 8, 2016)

I mean because he's a running dog they have thin necks and need a special colar because if they run to fast they can break there necks, this is why he can't wear a harness because he needs the special colar for running and I live in England.


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## Guest (Jul 9, 2016)

doglover4457 said:


> I mean because he's a running dog they have thin necks and need a special colar because if they run to fast they can break there necks, this is why he can't wear a harness because he needs the special colar for running and I live in England.


Okay, I'm talking about a body harness, that goes around the dog's body. Not a head halter that goes around the dog's head.


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## Rafa (Jun 18, 2012)

doglover4457 said:


> I mean because he's a running dog they have thin necks and need a special colar because if they run to fast they can break there necks, this is why he can't wear a harness because he needs the special colar for running and I live in England.


A harness fits around the chest and back, it doesn't go anywhere near the neck.


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## doglover4457 (Jul 8, 2016)

Sweety said:


> A harness fits around the chest and back, it doesn't go anywhere near the neck.


I know but we can't get any harness for him because of the type of dog he is. We have asked specialists about this.


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## doglover4457 (Jul 8, 2016)

Sweety said:


> A harness fits around the chest and back, it doesn't go anywhere near the neck.


I know but we can't get any harness for him because of the type of dog he is. We have asked specialists about this.


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## labradrk (Dec 10, 2012)

doglover4457 said:


> We can't get him one of the harnesses because he needs a special colar for when he runs because it can make him crack his neck full. We have asked a specialist about this already and I have been looking for a training person to help with this. Thankyoufor your help.





doglover4457 said:


> I mean because he's a running dog they have thin necks and need a special colar because if they run to fast they can break there necks, this is why he can't wear a harness because he needs the special colar for running and I live in England.


Never heard of a Staffy cross breaking it's neck while running, not sure why a 'specialist' told you this.....

Whereabouts in England, it's a pretty big place.....


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## labradrk (Dec 10, 2012)

doglover4457 said:


> I know but we can't get any harness for him because of the type of dog he is. We have asked specialists about this.


Of course you can. ANY dog can wear a harness, including SBT's and Whippets, and your cross is not somehow a unique exception to the rule. You have been given some very false information here. Which "specialist" told you this, as it sounds like they may be special but definitely not a specialist!


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## Guest (Jul 9, 2016)

Yeah, confused dot com here too. 
@doglover4457 there is no specific type of dog who can't wear a body harness. I can see not putting a head harness on a dog who can pick up speed, especially not attached to a longer leash or long line, but a body harness is a perfectly good option for whippets, staffies, and their crosses. 
There are many options as far as harness designs out there to choose from, that will fit your dog comfortably, safely, and keep him secure so that he can't escape and injure another dog. 
I'm not sure what kind of specialist you saw, but I would love to see their reasoning for advising you as they did.


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## SingingWhippet (Feb 25, 2015)

As previous posters have said, there's no body shape a dog can have which precludes them from wearing any type of harness. It's just a case of finding the right one, which can sometimes be challenging!!

I've got a whippet cross who's not a million miles away in body type from the average staffy x whippet and she's a complete escape artist to boot.

I can highly recommend using a harness with an extra strap around the dog's waist such as the Ruffwear Webmaster or Indi-Dog Houdini Ultra. The extra strap prevents the dog from being able to back out of the harness. Both these harnesses completely defeated my escape artist though I prefer the latter as it's made to measure which is brilliant for awkwardly shaped dogs.


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## Lurcherlad (Jan 5, 2013)

Surely, the neck would only be vulnerable if the dog is running with the collar attached to a long line or harness - a definite no no.

If you have to keep him on a line it should only be attached to a harness.

If you are using a greyhound collar it should only be used on a short lead.

Using a harness and collar with a double ended short lead attached to both just gives a backup if the dog gets out of one or the other. Any strain should be on the harness end as a rule, rather then the neck.

As suggested, a harness with an extra strap behind the ribs will be safer.


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## Sarah1983 (Nov 2, 2011)

doglover4457 said:


> I know but we can't get any harness for him because of the type of dog he is. We have asked specialists about this.


What reasoning did they give for that?


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## doglover4457 (Jul 8, 2016)

Sarah1983 said:


> What reasoning did they give for that?


We asked at the shop 'pets at home' when they had a dogs specialist in. They said to us you can't get a harness of any kind for him because he needs a special colar that is thinker at the bottom than the top because when he runs there could be a possibility that if he runs to fast a harness wouldnt support his neck where as the colar would and this would prevent him from breaking his neck/injuring his neck.


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## Rafa (Jun 18, 2012)

doglover4457 said:


> We asked at the shop 'pets at home' when they had a dogs specialist in. They said to us you can't get a harness of any kind for him because he needs a special colar that is thinker at the bottom than the top because when he runs there could be a possibility that if he runs to fast a harness wouldnt support his neck where as the colar would and this would prevent him from breaking his neck/injuring his neck.


Frankly, I've never heard such nonsense in my life.

He can support his own neck. Staffies tend to have very well muscled necks. How on Earth would a collar support his neck whilst he's running?

I don't know who this 'Dog Specialist' is, but he doesn't know what he's talking about.


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## doglover4457 (Jul 8, 2016)

Lurcherlad said:


> Surely, the neck would only be vulnerable if the dog is running with the collar attached to a long line or harness - a definite no no.
> 
> If you have to keep him on a line it should only be attached to a harness.
> 
> ...


We use the greyhound colar with a short lead. This does not help though as he can slide out of it no matter how tight it is, so the only option is to somehow make him get used to being around other dogs but we don't no how to because he's just to aggressive towards them and then this makes us paranoid and makes us not want to take him out because he could really hurt another dog and we don't want that.


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## Rafa (Jun 18, 2012)

doglover4457 said:


> We use the greyhound colar with a short lead. This does not help though as he can slide out of it no matter how tight it is, so the only option is to somehow make him get used to being around other dogs but we don't no how to because he's just to aggressive towards them and then this makes us paranoid and makes us not want to take him out because he could really hurt another dog and we don't want that.


You can't make him get used to being around other dogs.

This is why you need a harness he can't escape from.

You've had good advice here, but you don't seem to be listening.


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## doglover4457 (Jul 8, 2016)

Sweety said:


> Frankly, I've never heard such nonsense in my life.
> 
> He can support his own neck. Staffies tend to have very well muscled necks. How on Earth would a collar support his neck whilst he's running?
> 
> I don't know who this 'Dog Specialist' is, but he doesn't know what he's talking about.


Well really I want to get him used to other dogs and for him not to be aggressive towards them am not really fussed about a harness, colar, lead anything like that just want him to be less agressive because it's really hard to take him out somewhere and there not be no dogs around that he could possible hurt


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## doglover4457 (Jul 8, 2016)

Sweety said:


> You can't make him get used to being around other dogs.
> 
> This is why you need a harness he can't escape from.
> 
> You've had good advice here, but you don't seem to be listening.


Trust me I am listening but when you have been told by so many people different things then you really don't no what to do and considering am not that old and still in education I don't no what to do, thanks


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## Lurcherlad (Jan 5, 2013)

Until you have him secure in a harness and/or collar you cannot work on his issues.

First priority is to make sure he cannot get away from you and attack another dog otherwise you will have bigger problems on your hands. If an owner gets caught in between two dogs and gets bitten by your dog you will have a massive problem.

I suggest you find a good behaviourist to come and assess him so you know what is causing his behaviour and then help you work on this problem.

Do not use anyone who talks of dominance/alpha techniques or forcing him into situations where he is unhappy.

The way to teach a dog to accept other dogs is not to make him mix with them, but rather to keep him far enough away from them so he can relax and be rewarded and that gap can very slowly be reduced. A stressed dog cannot learn.

In the meantime, keep him away from other dogs as much as possible. A couple of quiet days at home will allow time for the stress hormone to dissipate too.

BTW how long have you had him and did you get him from a rescue? If so, perhaps they have a behaviourist who can help?


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## Guest (Jul 9, 2016)

doglover4457 said:


> We asked at the shop 'pets at home' when they had a dogs specialist in. They said to us you can't get a harness of any kind for him because he needs a special colar that is thinker at the bottom than the top because when he runs there could be a possibility that if he runs to fast a harness wouldnt support his neck where as the colar would and this would prevent him from breaking his neck/injuring his neck.


Hi, I don't know what the conversation was, but greyhound collars are not wide so that the neck is supported while they run. 
Sighthounds tend to have heads that are smaller than their necks so they can easily slip their collars. In order to help prevent this, owners often use martingale collars that have a piece that tightens when the dog pulls which makes the collar harder to slip out of. They're designed to be wide to help disperse the pressure of the martingale tightening and avoid causing damage.
Has absolutely nothing to do with supporting the neck. In fact in any lure coursing venue I've ever been to, dogs run without any collar at all, so clearly sighthounds can run fast without needing a collar to support their neck. That's one of the stranger things I've heard!

Basically if he's getting away from you, you need equipment to keep him from escaping the leash. A body harness might be a very good solution here.

As for getting him used to other dogs, you really need to enlist the help of some one on one training that addresses your individual dog's needs. 
If you share your general location, members can recommend trainers in your area. There are a lot of charlatans out there (and just confused individuals) and it's best to get a good recommendation rather than go with just anyone.


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## doglover4457 (Jul 8, 2016)

Lurcherlad said:


> Until you have him secure in a harness and/or collar you cannot work on his issues.
> 
> First priority is to make sure he cannot get away from you and attack another dog otherwise you will have bigger problems on your hands. If an owner gets caught in between two dogs and gets bitten by your dog you will have a massive problem.
> 
> ...


We have had him since the 1st of November 2015 and no he is from a friend but she didn't take him out for walks as she was always with her disabled son, so from him being about 1/2 months old till the 1st of November 2015 he has never met another dog face to face and this is why I think he is aggressive towards them as he doesn't no how to act around them or what to do around them.


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## Lurcherlad (Jan 5, 2013)

doglover4457 said:


> We have had him since the 1st of November 2015 and no he is from a friend but she didn't take him out for walks as she was always with her disabled son, so from him being about 1/2 months old till the 1st of November 2015 he has never met another dog face to face and this is why I think he is aggressive towards them as he doesn't no how to act around them or what to do around them.


Chances are he is scared, so it is important not to overwhelm him, which is why keeping him away from other dogs is key.

What area are you, as someone may be able to recommend a good behaviourist near you to give you some guidance?


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## Sarah1983 (Nov 2, 2011)

I'm afraid I'd be taking that "specialists" advice with a pinch of salt. He's FAR more likely to break his neck hitting the end of a long line on even a sight hound collar than on a harness. I thought the collars sight hounds wear were to prevent them slipping them anyway, nothing to do with supporting their neck.

As for his issues with other dogs, your best bet is to get in a reputable professional to see exactly what's going on and help you with it. If you give your general area chances are one can be recommended. He may never actually like other dogs or be a social butterfly but there's a lot can be done to make things better. Although it certainly isn't likely to be a quick fix.


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## doglover4457 (Jul 8, 2016)

Lurcherlad said:


> Chances are he is scared, so it is important not to overwhelm him, which is why keeping him away from other dogs is key.
> 
> What area are you, as someone may be able to recommend a good behaviourist near you to give you some guidance?


I live in wigan but if i got a behaviourist then they would have to be a resnable price because I don't have a job because am still in education but as he is my dog I have to save up and pay for everything for him.


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## Lurcherlad (Jan 5, 2013)

Maybe have a look at Victoria Stillwell's website?


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## Burrowzig (Feb 18, 2009)

I agree that a body harness is the best thing to walk him on. Lots of greyhound, whippet and lurcher owners use them as they are much gentler on the neck than even a sighthound collar. It's not going to be easy for you to pay for a behaviourist, but it could be worth investigating student behaviourists who would consult as part of their training, supervised by a mentor. A friend of mine who did this when qualifying. She did live near Wigan, but has since moved abroad.
If you train your dog to accept a muzzle, you can be confident she can't bite other dogs (even though she could still bruise/terrify) but other owners should be more likely to keep their dogs away.


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## doglover4457 (Jul 8, 2016)

Lurcherlad said:


> Maybe have a look at Victoria Stillwell's website?


I've messaged a Jo Pay, she's from the wigan area and has had 18 years in helping people train there dogs and that, just hopefully she gets back to me soon. Thankyou.


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## Lurcherlad (Jan 5, 2013)

I see she requires a vet referral. This training may be covered by your insurance BTW.


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## LoopyL (Jun 16, 2015)

Lurchers should ONLY be attached to a harness if on a long line. Maybe you misunderstood specialist or they have no idea what they are talking about.
I'd get in touch with Jim Greenwood who specialises in lurcher behaviour, does events around the country & isn't expensive. 
http://www.jandjgreenwood.co.uk/


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## trio25 (Jul 1, 2014)

AS others have said the first thing is to make sure your dog can't escape and attack other dogs, this only reinforces the behavior that you don't want. I have a dog reactive lurcher and I walk him on a harness as he cannot get out of it. My boy is scared so when he first came to us I tried to avoid all contact with dogs as that was what the problem is. Over time we have built up to walking with other dogs and he now has doggy friends, but it started at a distance and I still stick to groups where I know people and dogs are on lead. He has been with us for a year and it is only in the last month he has been comfortable off lead around dogs and this was in a controlled situation with friends dogs he has got to know well. Try not to force him into situations that make him feel like he has to attack!


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## Burrowzig (Feb 18, 2009)

LoopyL said:


> *Lurchers should ONLY be attached to a harness if on a long line*. Maybe you misunderstood specialist or they have no idea what they are talking about.
> I'd get in touch with Jim Greenwood who specialises in lurcher behaviour, does events around the country & isn't expensive.
> http://www.jandjgreenwood.co.uk/


This could be read as saying lurchers should only wear a harness if on a long line, not a lead. I think you meant to say if a lurcher is on a long line, it must be attached to a harness.


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## LoopyL (Jun 16, 2015)

Yes I did


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