# Random Info and Questions about my 7 month old puppy!



## DrPlague (Jan 26, 2011)

So first I just want to say Hi forums! 

So my sister decided to breed her American Johnson Bulldog with a Argentine Dogo. (Mother and father, respectively.) 

They produced beautiful puppies! Two of which she gave to my mother and I. 















Blue and Mera! The boy is my Mothers and the female is mine. We don't live together.

So my first question. They see each other maybe once every 2 weeks. When they do see each other they play fight quite a bit and sometimes come out with scratches and im worried about scars and what not. Is there a way to calm them down or do I just have to let them play together more?

Neither of us are able to walk them often as my mother broke her neck a few years ago and in the winter in Canada it's just to cold. They are both very healthy though!

We both feed them puppy chow and benefil for puppies (Random kinds.) With a Raw egg added in once a week. We also get them raw bones as a treat and something to work on for a day or two.


So im curious when a good time to start leaving her out of the crate or cage as I call it when I leave the house? I recently started letting her out at night to sleep beside my bed and to my surprise she doesn't move all night and is so awesome I love it! She always waits for me to get up!

But I know when I leave the house, or any of my friends for that matter she always freaks out crying and wanting to follow them onto the deck to watch them go and try to go with them.

I'd like to leave her home by herself out of the cage but I know she'd have a spaz attack when I left. Is there any tips for this besides just putting stuff away and hoping for the best by leaving her there?

My puppy recently started destroying all the toys she has so im curious about Kongs. My mother and I couldn't figure it out.  What do you do? Just put some peanut butter or something in it and give it to the dog to try and figure out?


Also, curious if anyone has any tips on how to stop a dog from watching and begging at your feet while you eat. My puppy is pretty good at it but my mothers isn't. I think she may sneak him food all the time which would defeat the purpose of the question I suppose.


Im sure I have other questions I just can't think of any more off the top of my head!

Thank you!


Edit!!

I forgot to mention. Mera is SUPER shy of people since birth and we don't know why. I mean she is super loving and will jump all over people excited when she sees them and knows them. But on the street she barks at people walking by and sometimes gets so scared she poops or pees a bit. If it's dark and a friend of mine stays the night, she'll hear them throught he door going to the bathroom and start barking and if they open the door she can only see the shadow and will freak out barking and pee a bit.

Also, if she climbs up in front of you in your face, if you look her in the eyes she usually looks away like 3 seconds later.

Her brother is nothing like that. Super cuddle dog although he's VERY bad in public. We have to use a harness so he doesn't make his eyes red choking himself trying to pull us.


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## Conard10 (Sep 25, 2010)

There are a lot of more knowledgable folks on the board but I'll try to help with a few of your questions.

Regarding the rough puppy play---dogs do play rough and wrestle and that's ok. Our 9 month old loves to play rough...but we have our limits. If I see it's getting too rough or there's any bullying I will separate the dogs for a timeout. I'd say if there are bad scratches, they are playing too rough and it should be interrupted.

You mention not being able to walk them as much as you would like. How much exercise are they getting? A 7 month old needs a significant amount of exercise.

If your pup freaks out when you leave then it's not time to leave him out of the crate. Even though he's fine at night in your room, he may get very anxious when you leave and become destructive. Even if you put things away, dogs will resort to eating floorboards, furniture and anything else they can get their mouths on. For the safety of your dog and your house, I would continue to use the crate. Sounds like he might have separation anxiety....you can do a search and find a ton of information on that. 

There are a ton of different ways to use a kong. We stuff our kongs with either peanut butter & kibble or plain yogurt & kibble and then freeze them. 

You may also want to check out a dog food site, such as the below to read about the quality of food. 
http://dogfoodanalysis.com/

Are you doing any training with the dogs or going to training classes?

On a side note, I really hope your sister isn't planning breeding her dogs in the future. There are so many needy dogs in shelters.


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## katielou (Apr 29, 2010)

Good lord this sounds like either a troll or a recipe for disaster.


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## Trillian (Jan 17, 2011)

katielou said:


> Good lord this sounds like either a troll or a recipe for disaster.


+1..........


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## DrPlague (Jan 26, 2011)

katielou said:


> Good lord this sounds like either a troll or a recipe for disaster.


And why is that? Because I can't walk them that often? Give me a break. These dogs are treated so well and loved so well that truly hurt my feelings! Sorry my mother broke her neck and lost her companion and we thought maybe a dog might be a good idea. 

Anyway they still get to run around the house and get their play time, they're perfectly fit.


Anyway, thank you for the none ignorant and none snobbypost Conrad. Thank you for the links also! I had no idea that the beneful I was getting was 1 star! We seen they loved it and a vet told us to get the healthy growth puppies kind and well, they're the super healthy looking and her brother was one of the medium sized pups whom is like now the biggest of them.

Im going to try a Kong again also! Training? Not really. I taught her the basics like Sit,Lay Down, Go pee, Stay, Wait, Enough when im done playing. She knows the name of toys and what not. Very smart puppies. They also respond to the hand signals for Sit and Stay but more so my puppy than my mothers.

I would like to get her some help with the shyness though, we don't really have any dog parks in my city. She gets used to people like 15 minutes after they're around she's hanging out with them but still sort of "Watching" them. Speaking of watching, when I say Mera! Who's That!? She starts to bark at the door like a very awesome guard dog.

Thanks for the help again Conrad! I like this forum and plan on sticking around a bit but these two posters, in the puppy section where people are meant to ask questions and get help. Wow is all I can say. Hah.

EDIT--- I just want to say my puppy is so well mannered already it's stupid. Im seriously upset by your posts. Haha.


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## Jare (Aug 12, 2009)

DrPlague said:


> So first I just want to say Hi forums!
> 
> So my sister decided to* breed her American Johnson Bulldog with a Argentine Dogo. *(Mother and father, respectively.)
> 
> ...



First off, I am not calling you a troll, but you asked WHY some people did, so I'm going to answer you question and keep any personal opinion out. I have highlight most of the things that would lead someone here to believe you're a troll.


The paragraph I highlighted, and the last thing I'm not saying makes you a troll, but the shyness is probably from her not being socialized enough, and for the last thing, you should probably never *stare* a dog in the eyes.


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## lil_fuzzy (Aug 16, 2010)

Nothing wrong with staring a dog in the eyes, I work on making and keeping eye contact with my dogs regularly, and they keep eye contact for ages, and are generally very 'stary' dogs.

I agree with the shyness around people being from lack of socialisation. She's a bit old to be properly socialised now, as this should have been done before she was 3 months old, but you can still work on it and she can prolly get a lot better than what she is. Just have all new people give her really yummy treats. If she won't let them go up to her, have strangers throw the treats to her. Don't let strangers walk up to her if it makes her uncomfortable tho, keep them at a distance where she feels safe.


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## Jare (Aug 12, 2009)

lil_fuzzy said:


> *Nothing wrong with staring a dog in the eyes,* I work on making and keeping eye contact with my dogs regularly, and they keep eye contact for ages, and are generally very 'stary' dogs.
> 
> I agree with the shyness around people being from lack of socialisation. She's a bit old to be properly socialised now, as this should have been done before she was 3 months old, but you can still work on it and she can prolly get a lot better than what she is. Just have all new people give her really yummy treats. If she won't let them go up to her, have strangers throw the treats to her. Don't let strangers walk up to her if it makes her uncomfortable tho, keep them at a distance where she feels safe.


I need to be more clear. I agree with your post lil_fuzzy, but the important part is the part I put in Italics. IMO there is a big difference between keeping good strong eye contact while working with your dog, and blankly staring at a dog in the eyes to where it becomes uncomfortable and looks away. A lot of dogs look away and become uncomfortable, but then theres dogs that will become uncomfortable and growl or even snap. Usually the growl snap happens when some ignorant person looks a dog they don't know in the eye and the dog decided its too much. It was just a bit of information when I said OP shouldn't stare his/her dog in the eye. They made it sound as if it was a random act of staring at the dog, and then stated the dog looks away, obviously uncomfortable. If OP is working with the dog, training, making her focus, eye contact is good.

ETA, when I said italics, I meant for the word "Stare" to be in italics only, but the rest of the sentence bold.


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## doxiemommy (Dec 18, 2009)

Some vets recommend food for economic reasons, they have deals with certain manufacturers, so they heavily recommend those brands of food. PLUS, vets don't receive all that much training on nutrition of the various foods out there. Just because your vet recommended it, doesn't mean it's a high quality.

Also, I understand the cold weather, and your mother's health problems, but playtime is not a substitute for a brisk walk. Hopefully, you will be able to find a way to make daily walks part of your puppy's life, because, honestly, playtime just not going to be enough. I hear what you're saying about your puppy being fit now, but, it probably won't last as he ages. 

And, keep in mind, dogs that don't get enough exercise, both physical and mental (as in training or puzzle games) often become destructive and develop barking or digging or other similar behavior problems.

Good luck with your puppy!


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## InkedMarie (Mar 11, 2009)

can someone tell me what an American Johnson Bulldog is? I know what an AmBull is, no clue what the Johnson part is


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## Trillian (Jan 17, 2011)

InkedMarie said:


> can someone tell me what an American Johnson Bulldog is? I know what an AmBull is, no clue what the Johnson part is


I thought the SAME thing...so I googled (?) http://bensamericanbulldogs.com/


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## InkedMarie (Mar 11, 2009)

Trillian said:


> I thought the SAME thing...so I googled (?) http://bensamericanbulldogs.com/


ah ha. Makes me think of the kind of pitbull that has a certain name, of course I can't remember what that is at the moment, still trying to wake up here LOL


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## xxxxdogdragoness (Jul 22, 2010)

Staring into your dogs eyes (a dog you know of course) I don't see a prob with it as long as the dog doesn't find it awkward, I mean mine star at me all the time, esp the puppy, they watch mein whatever I'm doing eso around the house at night. I guess they always want to know where I 'am.

As for the aggression in public, I think more socilization is in order, what about order. Perhaps enrolling her in an older puppy class with a qualified trainer would help with her socialazion


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## pugmom (Sep 10, 2008)

I'm on my phone so I can't post as much as I want to...I'll come back later to fill in
but one reason your dog maybe leery of strangers is because of the breed

Dogo were breed for big game hunting and used for guarding ....this breed of dog needs lots of socialization and a very responsible dedicated owner.....they are not known to be good with strangers


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## hanksimon (Mar 18, 2009)

1. As long as they are playing, fighting is fine and a small amount of bloodshed is OK as long as neither dog takes offense. It's like two teenagers wrestling - they probably don't feel the small nicks. However, if you believe that they are getting too excited, you can do a brief timeout each time it escalates. I recommend that you do something like have them sit for 30 seconds, then let them go back to it. If you can't get them to sit, then a whistle or a yelp should startle them so that you can separate them briefly, and after they calm a little let them have back at it. Usually that is enough.

2. Like any adolescent athlete, the dogs need exercise and training. A 30 min. walk, in addition to inside play is minimum to keep them healthy as they become adults.

3. Look into training them for Bite Inhibition (Sticky: The Bite Stops Here) and Socialization with lots of people and lots of dogs .... one or two at a time at first. These things will help reduce the chance of scarring from playing, and will help significantly with fear and barking at strangers.

4. You can leave her alone after you know what she will do. If she is trustworthy with you on the weekend as far as housetraining and chewing, you could try having a friend stay over for an hour while you leave the house, to observe the results. If the dog calms down after you leave, then you could try another experiment with the friend leaving the house for 10 min., then for 15 minutes, and so on, until the dog has been alone for a couple of hours.

5. You can also give the dog a Kong filled with Kibble, wetted and frozen, to give her something to occupy her when you are gone, reducing (but may not eliminate) the chance of destruction. 

6. What's the difference between a Johnson and a Stradfordshire ?


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## pugmom (Sep 10, 2008)

hanksimon said:


> 6. What's the difference between a Johnson and a Stradfordshire ?


They are two different breeds......American Bulldog and Staffordshire Bull Terrier or American Staffordshire Terrier


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## hanksimon (Mar 18, 2009)

Since you answered, let's further reveal my ignorance:
1. I assume that an American Bulldog is a predominantly white dog that looks somewhat like a boxer (in contrast to an English Bulldog).
2. I believe a Staffordshire is an older breed, and a Pitbull is a more recent mix (100 years or fewer) of a Staffordshire and others (American bulldog?)
3. I think a Staffordshire is a medium sized dog ~ 40 lbs ... But I don't know where the 90+ lb PitBull comes from...

???


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## pugmom (Sep 10, 2008)

hanksimon said:


> Since you answered, let's further reveal my ignorance:
> 1. I assume that an American Bulldog is a predominantly white dog that looks somewhat like a boxer (in contrast to an English Bulldog).
> 2. I believe a Staffordshire is an older breed, and a Pitbull is a more recent mix (100 years or fewer) of a Staffordshire and others (American bulldog?)
> 3. I think a Staffordshire is a medium sized dog ~ 40 lbs ... But I don't know where the 90+ lb PitBull comes from...
> ...


an American Pit Bull Terrier should be no where near 90+ pounds....they usually range from 35 to 60...no one is really sure exactly what went into making the APBT....they think a mix of bulldogs and terriers

You can google.com American bulldog....they don't look anything like boxers to me really....besides having a little shorter muzzle then some breed...they have much different body shapes and head shapes......Colors for ABD as follows: Solid or varying degrees of white, all shades of brindle, brown, red, or tan are acceptable. Solid black, black and tan, and/or any degree of merle is unacceptable. A full black mask is not preferred.

which staffordshire are you asking about.....American or Safforshire bull terrier


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## hanksimon (Mar 18, 2009)

American or Staffordshire bull terrier - Difference ?

I didn't know there were two !!!! 

Is the Staffordshire bull terrier the bull terrier with the oversized snout ?


As far as the Am Bulldog, I consider that it looks more like a boxer than a Pitbull, and I think that some people think that a Pitbull is the same as an Am Bulldog....

Thanks....


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## pugmom (Sep 10, 2008)

hanksimon said:


> American or Staffordshire bull terrier - Difference ?
> 
> I didn't know there were two !!!!
> 
> ...


Staffordshire Bull Terrier









American Staffordshire Terrier









English Bull Terrier









American Bulldog 









American Pit Bull Terrier









Boxer









Hope this helps a little

oh and to bring this back around a little.....Dogo Argiention


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## hanksimon (Mar 18, 2009)

Wow! I appreciate it! Google doesn't know everything ! Even if I had searched, I wouldn't have been so comprehensive.

Thanks!


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## BrittanieJo (Sep 23, 2010)

Your dog needs more exercise is probably the bottom line here. If she had more exercise and more exposure to everyone out in the world I would bet you would see a marked improvement in her nervousnesses and all. My dog is about 7 months old as well. She either plays at the dog park, or goes for a walk, or both for about 2 hours pretty much daily . I manage to do this after teaching all day or after my husband has worked all day and dealt with ridiculousness from his soldiers lol. I've lived in cold environments (Northern Ontario included) and we STILL walked our dogs every day .Sure the walks might have been shorter in the winter (can't fault you for that!) but you still go. Thats just my opinion. As for the begging thing we broke Aggie of that by standing up and walking her out of the room every time she begged and saying out while we did it. So she begs, we stand and walk towards her till she backs up far enough then made her sit and stay.We also try to feed her when we are eating which keeps her busy. If she finishes first she will just lay next to the table or head outside to do her business. Definitely NEVER feed her from your plate and she will realize eh this isn't working and they are gonna keep making me move. Might as well go find something else to do lol.


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## xxxxdogdragoness (Jul 22, 2010)

i have been lucky, i havent ever had a begger, not from me anyway. Izze will beg from fiancee & anyone else (if she thinks im not looking lol) but if i tell her no & to lay down she will & doesnt do it again. of course it doesnt just happen like that, there is work involved in it... basically any behavior you want your dog to have you will have to put in the effort to achieve it.


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