f a o staffordshire bullterrier owners

[agent4]

Iv been reading a lot of posts about Staffs fighting other dogs.I have 3 staffs why is it that people seem to think that our dogs are a Pit Bulls. I understand that people think that there fighting dogs. Just gets to me when people post things like MY DOG WAS RIPPED TO BITS BY A STAFFORD. Try owning a staff and you will understand what kind of dogs they are.

Your replys please xx

[kipchik]

We had all this with our rotties,one bad'un and they're all labelled!!

[Snappy]

I work with dogs and it makes me really mad when people judge them by stories about bad dogs. My boyfriend is one of these. He was scared of dogs before he met me, for no reason at all. I havent got any time for people who are scared of dogs, not all dogs are the same! He panics when we have our labs out and the local staffie (very soft staffie) comes around. It makes me so mad because he wouldn't if it was a lab or a jack russell who could be just as likely to attack. Please don't cross the street when im walking a rottie or german shepherd, they aren't all bad!!!

[logman]

I cant understand it either, it seems to me that when a dog gets a bad press others cant resist to join the que to twist the knife and all because they believe everything they read !

Staffs are some of the friendlyest dogs I've come accross, whats wrong with these people ? Please dont let it afect you. All the best

[PatriciaH]

People have opinions...i myself love all dogs,my nephew was attacked by a dog when he was five years old for no reason- he was walking through the park with his mum and the dog ran to him and pinned him down,no injuries -thank god- but that put him off dogs for life, its the owners that are at fault (usually)

[curiosity]

I agree Patricia, Dog lovers do need to have some consideration for people who are genuinely scared, and also need to feel guaranteed that their dog will not attack. I think Staffs are great big softies. I had a boxer for 14 years and when we had kids and went to the park as a group, he started to pin other dogs down in the park and growl, didn't bite, but try telling the old lady with her poodle that your ugly (beautiful) boxer is on top of, is not going to be hurt ,cos hes just making a point that he is protecting "his pack".

[Annlinda]

You are Very lucky to own staffies that get on OK with other dogs.The staffie owner who lives in the next village has one that ripped an innocent Cavalier King Charles' jaw, ears and neck. I'm sorry but they were bred to fight bulls and nature does take over when they decide to attack. They are brilliant with children but I would never ever trust one near my dog or cat. They are killers.

[aggiela]

I invite anybody to come and meet my staffy x. She is the friendliest most affectionate dog I've ever owned. She loves children and has been known to run away from cats! I experienced a similar problem with my last dog who was a Bull Mastif.There was a story in the paper of one mauling a local boy. What it didn't say in the paper was that the boy had threw stones at it and was swinging from a tree kicking it in the face when it attacked! I truly believe a dogs character is down to who owns it.

[agent4]

You are Very lucky to own staffies that get on OK with other dogs.

This is because I have trained my dogs to be responsible and have control when out in society.

I agree that u should never under estimate a dog as nature can take over but therefore u cannot not say u would never trust a staffie. It should go for all dogs.

I think people who have these opinions which they are obviously entitled to, show some ignorance.

My advice would be, do not read the sun or daily star newspapers.

[Dagman]

I personally put my dog on his lead as soon as I see another. I get sick of people who don't follow suit and their dog comes bounding over and attack (various breeds and sorry but the most common is the staffie or rottweiler, totally wild, eyes bulging, no attention to screaming frightened owners etc!). I have a border collie and he has 'never' attacked another dog. Yes he has been attacked by collies, alsatians, labs etc however I have had dogs for over 30 years and I'll stick to my perceptions of the worst through experience. You say you have 3 placid dogs and that's good, but there are a lot of dogs out there not owned by you but owned by people who don't know how to handle them. Really it's the owners' not the dogs fault. The posts should read; "my dog was ripped to bits by an incapable staffordshire dog owner !".

[kipchik]

If you cant handle a rottie then you have no right to own one,but some people allow the dog to rule the roost,if you own a rottie you must let them know from day one that they do not run you,you have to break them as pups,if not you end up with dogs like dagman is talking about,don't know about staffs but would think the problem again,lays with the owners!!!!!

[saffyjay]

The problem with staffies is that when they bite they cant let go! I had staffies through growing up and they were great, but when one of them decided to go for another dog he had suddenly taken a dislike to he couldnt let go! The scary thing was that our staffy was so afraid himself i dont think he was expecting not to be able to let go, his jaws had to be forced apart, after that he ran into the house and wouldnt come out of his bed for the rest of the day.

[loulou2204]

When staffies bite, they can't let go!!!??? What an absolute load of rubbish! It is a total myth that staffies lock their jaws when biting.

Unless your dog had a problem with its jaw, then it could have stopped biting the dog it had a hold of.

You said its jaws had to be 'forced' apart! Well, no wonder it ran into the house and was wary of coming back out. It knew it had done wrong and it had its jaws forced apart!

I have 4 staffies, all different ages, 2 males & 2 females. They are all rescued and they all get along with each other and other dogs! Not one of them has had a fight whilst they have been living with my family. We take them for walks up at the local common and they all run free off the lead. They have 99% recall so are very good at coming back when called.

I go up to the common everyday so most of the regular dog walkers know us, but only yesterday did I get shouted at by a man with a child in a pushchair and an older son (8 or 9 years). He shouted that it was a public place for familys and my f**king dogs should all be on leads! Especially being the breed they are!!!

OH MY GOD!! I was furious! Firstly, my dogs didn't go anywhere near him or his children, yes they are staffies, but would he have said the same if they were poodles or spaniels?? And secondly, how dare he use the 'F' word directed at me and in front of his 2 children!!

GOBSMACKED!!

Ignorant little man!!!

[nindo12]

Its not that we think that Staffie's are "pitbulls", It's that they are equally as unpredictable as "pitbulls"! They are breed from the same bloodlines as PBT's and cannot be trusted around other dogs unless they have been raised with them as pups. I currently own a boarder collie, Bullmastiff and i did until yesterday own a staffie which i took on about 6 months ago as she needed a new home, she'd never really shown any signs of aggression and then out of the blue whilst walking my dogs she lunged and clamped down on my collie's nose! Had that had been any other dog, they would have released on my command but being a fighting dog by nature the staffie will not let go! I to had to force its jaws open in order to save my other dogs life! I will never again own a dog like that, whether it be a Pitbull, Am Staff or even the staffordshire bull terrier. Get a Rottie, Dobie or Bullmastiff if you want a dog that you can trust!

[Vikmyster]

I agree with agent4. I have grown up with dogs and about two years ago me and my partner got Staffie she is the most loving and friendly dog I have ever known. Partners mum has got a male Staffie and they both get on really well.
It also depends in my opinion how they are brought up - if you are going to hit them all the time they will think sod you.