Staffies

CaroLondon

During my recent (and ongoing ) bout of doggy broodiness, I have spent hours trolling through various rescue sites pining, and have been amazed by the amount of Staffies / Staffie X's there are that have been abandoned or given up.

They aren't dogs I have had much contact with, and if I am honest, I don’t like the look of them much, I seem to be much more a big cuddly dog than a powerful one "kinda girl" but I have read on here (and on other sites) that they are wonderful dogs they are, so was wondering why there are so many of them in need to adoption?

I do hope my question will be answered in the good grace it is being asked, I am genuinely curious as to why this breed so much more than others, although I have seen a few cuties so I can see the almost see attraction, just don’t think they would be my kind of dog (if I ever manage to get my own again!)

Caro

wizard3891

Hi there, We rescued our staffie last year and shes fantastic, I think alot of these staffies are breed in homes who have no intention of keeping them and try to sell the pups on to others who later realise that they are too much hard work.

Too many chavs take on staffies as some sort of pathetic ego thing and can't look after them properly.

You speak to any normal person who owns or has owned a staffie then they will tell you that these are the most loyal and rewarding dogs and the image they have is a minority of a*sehole owners giving them a bad name.

Fire_Fox

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00nts91/Wonderland_Series_2_Seven_Pups_for_Seven_People/

getcarter

I also think some of the problem is that although they all seem to absolutely love people, many of them don't like other dogs. Which is a shame because you can never have too many staffies!

(going to dogs trust fund raising event at the weekend...what's the betting I end up with another dog, got to keep repeating.........I do not need another dog....I do not need another dog!)

Pee

I had a Staffie. She came with the boyfriend so I didn't really choose her, and looking back, don't think it was love at first sight, but she was the best dog you could wish for. (I've only had collies and collie/ labrador crosses before.)

She did seem to attract attention from other dogs sometimes, especially terriers and especially females. They would have a swearing match and because of that I always had her on a lead when other dogs were around. She wasn't good with other dogs, but she was great with people and she did have some doggy friends, but I would say if you want to socialise with other dogs, maybe a Staffie wouldn't be the right choice.

If I had another dog, I would have a Staffie, but I wonder would I have a rescue one. The reason I say this because most Staffie owners are great, but there are those who aren't and it is their dogs that I expect end up rescued. My dog had always been treated with love, but if a Staffie was shown aggression and lived in fear I don't know what the result would be.

Penny35_2

We bought a staffie puppy on Saturday. He is so clever. First night put him in his bed in the kitchen..not a peep all night and one wee. Every night since put him to bed no noise and has been clean every night.

Has been clean in the house every day since Monday, he already goes to the door and paws it when he want to go to the toilet. I am amazed how clever he is.

We are thrilled with him. We plan to take him to puppy socialising classes so hopefully he will be friendly with others. I have another dog, not a staffie. They have loads of fun playing.

honeyD

I love staffies. We had a few when I was younger and they are great dogs. At the minute I have a staffy cross, not sure what with lol, and my parents have his brother and they are the softest dogs ever lol. I think if they are brought up the right way to not be agressive etc then they are such lovely dogs and good with kids too. Its the people who bring them up the wrong way that give them a bad name which is unfair as they can only do what they learn from the people who own them.

UKTigerlily

I have a rescue Staffy I got last year & am so against breeders, whether 'reputable' or not, how can it be right to breed these poor Dogs when thousands more must die as homes aren't available? I think quite a few get these Dogs as either they hear how good with kids they are or they want a status symbol Dog but then realise a Staffy isn't 'hard'

Mine has just qualified a few months back as a Pets as Therapy Dog, she never barks, not when the door goes, not when the post comes, never . . . she is fab with my Cat & has never harmed her, loves all people & kids & doesn't shed much so is nice & easy to groom! She will walk as much or as little as I want, if I decided to walk all day i'm sure she'd be up for it, if she has to miss a day or two (Like when she was Spayed) she's fine also. She's 100% house trained & loves travelling, her only downside is she won't tolerate other Dogs, but Foreign Correspondant & her lovely Dog Badger are coming over on Monday to help with that!

I'd never have another breed now! Also, today a guy came to sort a broken window for me & I asked him (As I do everyone I don't know) if he was ok with Dogs before he came through, he said oh yes what do you have & I said a Stafford Terrier & he was so happy & said that's what he has & he'd never have another breed either & was really happy to meet her (& Chaya him!)

tandraig

I had a staffie years ago - my husband got her for me as a 2nd anniversary pressie - so her name was Anni.
she was just so lovely! kind and gentle with people - though she did alarm new mums with babes in strollers as she would try to get in for a cuddle with baby! before everyone jumps on me - I was alert for that and would hold her closely to heel. she was a bit eccentric - i would send her off to look for a stick and she would bring back a branch! how she expected me to throw it i dont know! she was also completely reliable with the kids - when they were babies she would come come and 'get' me if they so much as whimpered. my husband was working in the garden one day and could see her through the window - I went up to change the beds leaving the baby in carrycot - she jumped up on the chair next to it (naughty anni - she wasnt allowed on furniture) and gazed lovingly at the baby until she heard me come downstairs!)
when i took her out for walks no-one could come within a yard of me without her giving a warning growl! when my husband took her - different story - she obviously thought he could look after himself!
I had her for twelve years and could tell many tales - like that my daughter used to dress Anni up in baby clothes or paint her toenails or cover her in jewellery! and i am sure the dog enjoyed it. she loved playing footy with my sons too!
so - staffies have a bad press because of the idiots who think these dogs make them look hard - this makes me giggle cos I know how soft these dogs are - I knew most of Annis litter mates and they were all great family dogs!
would have another one in a heartbeat!

Rev

I think one big reason there are so many in rescues is because of idiot chav's buying/breeding them as a status symbol. They're powerful dogs and a lot of chavs seem to see them as a weapon, not a pet. When it doesn't do as they wish, it's useless to them. I hate the bad press staffys get, it sickens me because it's not the breed, it's the owner and how it's brought up.

I have two staff crosses and seriously, they're the most loveable dogs ever. Giant softies. They've been to socialising classes and nether has ever so much as barked at another dog, or a person. They're like big babies, and I love mine to bits.

Blooming hard work though, since they're so high energy, they need a lot of exercise or they become bored and destructive, chewing and such. But they're worth every single bit of effort.

Rev

tandraig wrote: »

I had a staffie years ago - my husband got her for me as a 2nd anniversary pressie - so her name was Anni.
she was just so lovely! kind and gentle with people - though she did alarm new mums with babes in strollers as she would try to get in for a cuddle with baby! before everyone jumps on me - I was alert for that and would hold her closely to heel. she was a bit eccentric - i would send her off to look for a stick and she would bring back a branch! how she expected me to throw it i dont know! she was also completely reliable with the kids - when they were babies she would come come and 'get' me if they so much as whimpered. my husband was working in the garden one day and could see her through the window - I went up to change the beds leaving the baby in carrycot - she jumped up on the chair next to it (naughty anni - she wasnt allowed on furniture) and gazed lovingly at the baby until she heard me come downstairs!)
when i took her out for walks no-one could come within a yard of me without her giving a warning growl! when my husband took her - different story - she obviously thought he could look after himself!
I had her for twelve years and could tell many tales - like that my daughter used to dress Anni up in baby clothes or paint her toenails or cover her in jewellery! and i am sure the dog enjoyed it. she loved playing footy with my sons too!
so - staffies have a bad press because of the idiots who think these dogs make them look hard - this makes me giggle cos I know how soft these dogs are - I knew most of Annis litter mates and they were all great family dogs!
would have another one in a heartbeat!

That sounds exactly like one of mine lol, especially the wanting to play with every single child it sees, and bringing back half trees when in the park lol.