1. Praise Good Behaviour

   Lavish praise on your Amstaff when he/she does what they are asked. Don’t be half-hearted about it, dogs can tell the difference!

2. Try To Time Your Commands

   Correct timing is imperative. Amstaffs must be shown the error of their ways or their poor compliance to obedience commands at the very time these events occur. To correct your dog after the fact would only confuse him/her as to what they’re being corrected for.

3. Be Consistent (and Persistent)

   Always, and I stress ALWAYS, be consistent in your training. Never, for instance, give your Amstaff a command that you can’t or won’t enforce. It only causes your Amstaff to think he/she doesn’t have to do as you say.

4. Be The Pack Leader

   Remember that all dogs, including Amstaffs, are pack animals, and as such have a pack mentality. To be comfortable and happy, your Amstaff must know their position in the pack (in this case, your family). Obedience training is your best tool to establish this for him/her. Without it, they may very well assume that he/she is the alpha dog (the pack leader). And if he/she is permitted to get away with improper behaviour, why should he/she think any different?

5. Be Happy When Training

   Never train your American Staffordshire Terrier while you are angry or feeling frustrated. It won’t be fair to the dog and it probably will do more harm than good. Amstaff training doesn’t need to be a drag, and these puppies LOVE to please. So, make the time, balance the learning with games, and smile!

6. Keep Them Off the Furniture

   It is best to teach your Amstaff to stay off the furniture. Let’s face it… we all let them get up for cuddles from time to time! But, it needs to be by invitation or permission. Doing otherwise would encourage him/her to think they are an equal pack member.

7. Food Manners

   When feeding your Amstaff, have him/her sit and wait until you tell him/her it’s ok to eat. Again, this helps establish their position in the family.

8. Don’t Expect Human Reasoning

   Do not expect your Amstaff to think like a human. During training, try to think more as he/she does so you can help him/her understand what’s expected of them.

9. No Feeding From The Table

   If you don’t want your Amstaff to beg while you are eating, then never feed him/her from the table.

10. Love and Respect your Amstaff

    Treat your Amstaff with LOVE and RESPECT while training (and firmness when necessary) and you will be rewarded 10 times over!

There you have it! If you’ve got a question about Amstaff Training, why not get in touch? We have a MASSIVE amount of experience.