my staffy

Question
how can i get my dog to stop runing away from me and attacking other dogs?

Answer
Hi Nicola,

Very simply, you need to prevent your dog opportunies to get away from you, and also prevent him from being able to get near other dogs. Your dog should never be left outside alone, or be off his leash.

You need to spend the time to train your dog, and if your dog isn't yet neutered, he needs to be neutered. There are reduced cost neutering services, contact your local animal shelter or Humane Association to see where in your area.

If you can't trust your dog not to attack, he needs to wear a muzzle. A basket style muzzle is the most humane, allowing the dog to pant, drink and even eat while it's worn. Sooner or later you are going to have legal problems, if your dog attacks. That can mean having your dog taken away, so you need to take this seriously.

These web sites give instruction in training your dog:

http://www.dogtrainingbasics.com/come.html

http://www.expertvillage.com/video-series/362_dog-training-basics-video-series.h...

You also need to make sure your dog KNOWS you're the one in charge. To do this, follow the "Nothing in Life is Free" training method. Read about that here:

http://k9deb.com/nilif.htm

If you've tried, and can't get your dog trained, then it's time to get the help of a professional dog trainer. You simply can't ignore this problem and think it will go away, because things can get a whole lot worse!

Best of luck,

Patti