Advice needed

clutterydrawer

I won't claim to be an expert but my friends had a staffy and it was a lovely dog but very very energetic, so not a commitment to be taken on lightly! but it sounds like you have considered thigns like that already

I also read somewhere that they are one of few breeds strongly recommended as safe with children as they are very protective towards them.

Just wanted to add that this thead made me happy as there is a huge surplus of staffies in rescue right now due to people getting one on a whim to toughen up their image, then realising they can't be bothered.:mad: It's good to know that at least one of them will be going to a loving home.

xsxclaire

hi our little girl cost us £200 and it was another £100 for toys 2 beds lead coller bowels and a 15kg sack of dry dog food which lasts nearly 3 months we have 4 kids 7,5,3 and 6mths she has never opened her mouth to anyone not even to play and my lot are rough with her, my youngest seems to think her ears are for teething on. she walks everywere with me even to school and nursery and all the kids love her shes 4mths old and we take her every where possable to socalise her with people and other dogs, she lives with 3 cat who shes scared of because she has the scars to prove they hurt lol. she is insured and that is £11.48 a month and flea treatment is £21 for 3 mths and her jabs were about £40 i think for the 2. we are still house training for wees but poos were really fast to train her on, she is very enagetic and will chew antthing plastic she can get her paws on but thats our fault for leaving things laying around (spiderman has no legs or arms) so after the first cost of buying things for her she costs about £75 every 3mths to feed deflea and insure her.

mrcol1000

Mutter wrote: »

.
Those who say SBT's can do no wrong remind me of parents who go storming into their kid's teacher when the child is served with detention!!

What I was actually saying is that all dogs can be bad and all dogs can be good. I don't think Staffie owners are blind to what their dog can do as in your detention dig but more that people tend to make uneducated assumptions about the dog without ever spending time with one. (that belongs to the many decent owners not the few bad ones) Therefore owners have to defend their dogs. I work for a council Dog Warden service and all day hear about horror stories of all types of dogs but its always the staffs that get picked up and they are friendly lovely dogs we pick up and then get put down because the council can't find any kennel willing to take it in.

CarolineW

I have to say that Mutter has a point. I have had staffies all my life, and love them. I just don't think there's a better breed of dog out there if you have children IMHO. Not that I'm biased, or anything

But, one of mine was a shocker with other dogs. We knew how to do basic training with a dog, and how to handle them at home, but had no idea about socialisation with other dogs, so she didn't get any. BIG mistake. The scene that Mutter described of the family waiting until other dogs were gone before letting theirs off the lead - that could have been ours (except we only had one dog). She never hurt another dog - but only because we reacted quickly!!!! It was a nightmare. We would walk her in weird places at unsociable hours if she was to be let off the lead. Mainly we walked her without letting her off the lead.

My next one was a rescue dog, and an adult. She was good with dogs on the whole, but was unpredictable. And if she decided she did dislike a dog, then she went for it. In the end, I wouldn't let her off the lead anymore. I just used an extending lead.

We have a staffie puppy now, and are being VERY careful to get her well socialised. We will be starting puppy training with her in 2 weeks, mainly so she is exposed to other dogs in a good environment. We are doing everything we can to give her plenty of positive exposure to other dogs. My aunt and grandparents all did this with their staffies, and it worked wonderfully. They were very reliable around other dogs. But it is very important to have them well trained and socialised, if you want to be able to walk them without worrying, and without causing worry to other dogs and owners.

If you get a puppy, you should be fine with a cat, etc. Ours have all been trained to be fine around hens, and we're training Kaila with that at the moment (I've never bothered even trying with rabbits, though. I would imagine that's a lost cause). My aunt's staffie was fine with their cat.

If you're getting a rescue staffie and have a cat, don't get one unless the foster home has had it with a cat and had no problems. Watch this in action. Ask how it was in the beginning, and how they introduced them to each other, etc.

I really recommend the Dog Listener DVD, it's excellent - particularly helpful with strong-willed breeds like staffies. And get enrolled on a training course near you. The kennel club can give you a list of local dog training courses if you contact them http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/about/contact_us.html

As mentioned earlier on this thread, get plenty of chews and toys, and don't leave a puppy alone for long periods of time. That way you'll save your furniture, shoes, etc.

Finally, there is no more rewarding or loving dog than a staffie. You won't regret getting one - they're wonderful.

CarolineW

Incidentally, we use the BARF method of feeding too (an earlier poster mentioned it). Plenty about it online, also cheap books available via Amazon. It is very cheap/free, and healthier for the dog.

foreign_correspondent

Dont forget if you do want a pup there are lots of pups ending up in rescues at the moment - and its not uncommon for pregnant dogs to end up in rescue either.

However, an older, steady dog is much easier and more suitable for many families - and there is no shortage of staffies with great (tried and tested) temprements in rescue! Just decide what you are looking for - good with kids? good with other dogs? ok with cats (if you have cats) ? and let the rescues know what sort of dog you are looking for!

Please do not breed and buy whilst rescue dogs die.

ali-t

han2505 wrote: »

Hey all,

Well were off to another rescue centre tomorrow and we've decided that we want to get a staffy.

x

great choice. I have one and she is an absolute sweety. They have amazing tempraments (usually) and I have never come across one that is people aggressive.

Many of them do not particularly like other dogs, mine in particular has a low tolerance for rude dogs so any dog that tries to run at her, bark or growl at her, hump her or put it's paws on her back is liable to get snapped at. The difference between a staffy and a poodle having this attitude is that staffy's won't nip, they are more likely to rip but if you are responsible and can identify the doggy body language it is very easy to intervene before it gets any where near the point of aggressions.

A great book about understanding dog body language is by turid rugaas (sp) which I think is called 'on talking terms with dogs'. It is not just for novice dog owners as it has some really insightful stuff in it.

My staffy is very people oriented and very noisy, but rarely barks. She squeaks, snuffles, snorts and grunts but has probably only barked a handful of times in her life. They fart like you wouldn't believe and if allowed to, will behave like lapdogs.

Has that put you off yet?

They are terrible guard dog and would be more likely to welcome a burglar in. They don't eat a huge amount but do have a tendency to get overweight. the majority of staffys you will see in the street are overweight - the barrel look is not what they should look like.

Congratulations on planning to give a home to a staffy, they make wonderful companions and are great with children.

maggie110

Well done on choosing a Stafford :T :T :T :T :T you wont regret it belive me :j trouble is they become addictive i know i have owned them for 16 years now, fantasic dogs in all areas apart from other bad mannered dogs they do like to correct their social skills :rolleyes: Oh yes mine lives with 2 other dogs quite happily not to mention the 3 kids ! A great site for advice and discussion is BullBreedsOnline (just google it)

UKTigerlily

ali-t wrote: »

great choice. I have one and she is an absolute sweety. They have amazing tempraments (usually) and I have never come across one that is people aggressive.

Many of them do not particularly like other dogs, mine in particular has a low tolerance for rude dogs so any dog that tries to run at her, bark or growl at her, hump her or put it's paws on her back is liable to get snapped at. The difference between a staffy and a poodle having this attitude is that staffy's won't nip, they are more likely to rip but if you are responsible and can identify the doggy body language it is very easy to intervene before it gets any where near the point of aggressions.

A great book about understanding dog body language is by turid rugaas (sp) which I think is called 'on talking terms with dogs'. It is not just for novice dog owners as it has some really insightful stuff in it.

My staffy is very people oriented and very noisy, but rarely barks. She squeaks, snuffles, snorts and grunts but has probably only barked a handful of times in her life. They fart like you wouldn't believe and if allowed to, will behave like lapdogs.

Has that put you off yet?

They are terrible guard dog and would be more likely to welcome a burglar in. They don't eat a huge amount but do have a tendency to get overweight. the majority of staffys you will see in the street are overweight - the barrel look is not what they should look like.

Congratulations on planning to give a home to a staffy, they make wonderful companions and are great with children.

I'll have to look up this book & get a copy, I just homed a rescue three weeks ago & she hates other dogs! I'm worried if an off lead dog runs up she'll go at it before the Owners can call it off or get it! lol mine used to fart tons in rescue but now she's on a good diet she never does, she does snort & grunt & snore tons tho! She rarely barks aswell, two woofs in her sleep the other night & maybe once more?

sad_dog_lady

staffies are lovely dogs love my baby far too many in rescues