Aggressive?

[bubbledreamer]

Hello.
We have always owned really calm docile labradors, however recently i bought a 9wk old JRTX Staffie. Hes really sweet but sometimes if you pick him up he will growl really badly and bite, hes only small at the moment but this concerns me for when he gets bigger. Does anyone have any advice on how to stop this?

 

[CAYLA]

How long have u had him?
Where did u get him?
Has he had a health check?
Do u know if the mother of the puppies was well socialised and if the puppies where handled regurlarly when with the mother?

It is very unusual for a puppy of this age to be so agressive...however as the first 6 weeks with the mother are so crucial in development/nurture....could the problem stem from there?

 

[piebaldsparkle]

As Cala has already stated you need to make sure there is no medical reason for this behaviour, on the assumption that there isn't, make sure he is awake before you pick him up (to rule out him snapping because he is startled). He may be being territorial/protective over his bed, or he may be just be grumpy when he is tired (my JR is and will grumble and show his teeth, but not bite), puppies do need to sleep, so make sure he isn't constantly picked up everytime he settles down to sleep.

Now I will probably get a slating for this, but this is my own experience, with a well socalised and healthy puppy (will probably still make me a bad mum is some peoples eyes). Now Ozzie (JR) snapped once at his breeder as a 6week old pup, when the breeder tried to move him back under the heat lamp, he got a sharp NO and tap on his nose. He also snapped once at me when I picked him up to take him outside, before he went to bed as a 9week old pup, again he got a sharp NO and a tap on his nose. He learnt his lesson and has never snapped since, he will still grumble, if disturbed when he is curled up and cosy somewhere, but knows not to snap (he is 5yrs now). Thus my advice would be to nip it in the bud and make it very clear this behaviour is not acceptable (at the end of the day, this lesson may save his life in the future).

 

[Oneofthepack]

Like most youngsters he hasn't learnt what's acceptable and what isn't and the snapping and growling is his way off saying 'sod off, I don't like this'. You will have to teach him that it's not acceptable, although I wouldn't necessarily tap him on the nose. I believe the recommended way is to get him by the scruff, shake him (not madly, just enough to stop him in his tracks) and shout NO very loudly. This mimics the actions of a mother dog when she's ticking her pups off and lets him know that when you shout NO he's doing a bad thing