Staffie breed advice?

newMS · 27 August 2011 at 8:40AM

mine ( CHarlie) is currently fast asleep on the sofa with his legs in the air snoring his head off .. he is a 23kg boy aged 3 soft as grease who cries if you take his bandana off lol

brook2jack · 27 August 2011 at 9:07AM

I got my staffie from a rescue as a flea ridden pup and love her to bits . She is nervous of men as a result of her early experiences but is definately a people dog and enjoys being with you. However she doesn't get separation anxiety and is ok to be left alone. You have to watch her weight as they will pork on easily especially !!!!!es. She loves a good chew though has never destroyed anything but toys have to be very rugged as with her powerful jaws she can make mincemeat out of most things. She has been a joy living with a greyhound and a family with older dogexperienced children.

She , like alot of Staffies, "snarks" when very excited to see you and wants a fuss. It looks like a cross between a smile and a snarl with a very waggy tail and is a facial expression they only use on humans and I think if it as their equivalent if a smile but it does look weird. She has also quite a good range of vocalisations from deep sighs to snoring to huffs etc.

However she is a terrier with many terrier traits. I love them but would never have a terrier with young children or children who cannot read and act on dog body language . If she is frightened or worried she could snap or bite and she has powerful jaws . we have had to work on training so she isn't possessive over bones/food. I would not trust her with small children who might pull ears and frighten her although she has been socialised with small children on a lead on the school run and is bombproof there. She is not aggressive at all but can be scared and has to be given space when frightened and if we had not worked on training could have been possessive over bones/food.

She has no problems with other dogs though occaisionally she and our other !!!!! have a bone war over who is top dog, however she is not a dominant dog(unlike our grey) and gets on well in kennels.

bugslet · 27 August 2011 at 9:38PM

I volunteer for some dog charities doing transport to non destruct kennels and of course staffies feature a lot. I'm aware that any Staffie with behavioural problems would get put down simply because there are so many of them that they have to give the 'best' ones the best chance, but the ones I've seen, which haven't always had the best of starts in life, have been terrific. Never an ounce of problem with them, friendly and soppy.

As above though, any dog with small children has to be monitored - it's so easy to mis read a dogs intentions and children don't always give the right signals to a dog.

Good luck!

meritaten · 27 August 2011 at 10:10PM

Oliver14 wrote: »

Thats actually a big Myth if you repeat something enough eventually people will believe it.This myth of the Child loving fighting dog has also spread to Pit bulls in America. It was perpetuated by Lillian Rant in the Staffordshire Terriers - owners companion. No dog is a Nanny dog and you should be careful with all dogs around Children. Staffies are no more superior than other breeds with Children.

Not saying that staffies cant be good with children just that the Nanny dog myth puts people into a false sense of security.

An interesting article here
http://thenannydogblog.blogspot.com/

So you read this quote about American Pit Bulls and believed it?
I had my staffie over 30 years ago - and the book I got from the Library about the breed was at least that in age! and it mentions 'Nanny' dogs. Obviously, Breeders of APBs and ASBTs picked up on that and totally forgot that THIER dogs are NOT like the original Staffordshire Bull Terrier.
The original SBT was a working mans breed - and although they were bred as fighting dogs they were also bred with the owners families in mind. They HAD to be good reliable dogs with the kids and people - considering how many people were living in the home!
but, I do believe that unless you bring your pup up properly and KNOW that dog then it shouldnt be left alone with children and babies. It took me a good few years - but MY staffy was a genuinely fabulous dog with my kids - and any kid she came across!
The Springer was great too - but my kids were a lot older when I had her and I wouldnt have dreamt of leaving her alone with my baby grandson - simply because I had no experience of how she reacted with babies. as it turned out she was fine - when she had enough of them she simply sighed loudly and walked away and hid!

I think you shouldnt automatically trust your dog - but by observing them, you WILL pick up on whether they love kids and would protect them or if they dont. or if there is something your dog wont tolerate (tail pulling etc), then you know not to put the dog in harms way and risk her/him retaliating.

FagAshLil · 27 August 2011 at 10:27PM

I've had to smile reading these posts as my boy matches most of the descriptions.

He's 2 and still thinks he's a pup who can snuggle up on your lap. He's the lickiest dog ever - everyone who comes to the door has to receive a sloppy kiss. The RSCPA chugger fella who came the other week ended up rolling on the front lawn with my daft lad! He's a rubbish guard dog!:)

He's endlessly patient with my kids and follows me everywhere - even to the loo, like a toddler. He sighs like the weight of the world is on his shoulders and then will spring up and chase his tail like it's the newest game in the world!

He's currently draped over the back of the sofa, all four stone of him, dozing and watching BB.

I have never seen him display any signs of aggression. Not even when other dogs have attacked him. He just rolls on his back with this goofy grin and then scarpers!

When it's his time to go over the rainbow bridge, I will definitely have another Staff. I don't think I could live without the love! :A

hethmar · 27 August 2011 at 11:38PM

Not to be a party pooper, but your friend - why on earth is she breeding more of the most unwanted dog in the country? Thousands are being pts every year and yet still they are being churned out. PLEASE tell her to have the dog neutered asap.

Please get her to listen:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wG3r3wH1vNk&feature=player_embedded

http://www.staffycampaign.org.uk/index.php/staffies-in-the-media/57-cbbc-ricky-looks-into-staffie-problem

clairibel · 28 August 2011 at 8:45AM

hethmar wrote: »

Not to be a party pooper, but your friend - why on earth is she breeding more of the most unwanted dog in the country? Thousands are being pts every year and yet still they are being churned out. PLEASE tell her to have the dog neutered asap.

Please get her to listen:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wG3r3wH1vNk&feature=player_embedded

http://www.staffycampaign.org.uk/index.php/staffies-in-the-media/57-cbbc-ricky-looks-into-staffie-problem

He is my husbands friend at work and i don't think hes breeding them more of an accident i think. Not entirely sure on that one.

I understand the problem with staffies but thats people for you, they don't care a lot of them. The more i know about people the more i love dogs

My son is 9 and is used to dogs as we've had our dog now for 3 and a bit years and she is very protective of him, even with me and his dad, if we mess about with him she's there in between us

I will observe the parents as they live in the same house and be thorough before i make my decision, but from responses here i have a good picture of this breed. Thanks.

dibuzz · 28 August 2011 at 9:30AM

We've had our staffy for almost 4 years now and I've never loved a dog like I do with her.
She was hard work at first, we adopted her from the local dogs home after she had been found as a stray. After a few days of looking lost she started to accept cuddles and attention and is so friendly. We have had problems with her wanting to attack other dogs but have worked on it and she ignores them now but I still wouldn't trust her off the lead, she is too important to me to risk it but with puppy you can train it straight away.
We don't have any young kids in the family but even though I trust her I wouldn't leave her alone with a baby when (if) I ever get grandkids. I do feel guilty saying that but obviously a baby would have to come first.

Caroline_a · 28 August 2011 at 9:44AM

clairibel wrote: »

He is my husbands friend at work and i don't think hes breeding them more of an accident i think. Not entirely sure on that one.

I understand the problem with staffies but thats people for you, they don't care a lot of them. The more i know about people the more i love dogs

My son is 9 and is used to dogs as we've had our dog now for 3 and a bit years and she is very protective of him, even with me and his dad, if we mess about with him she's there in between us

I will observe the parents as they live in the same house and be thorough before i make my decision, but from responses here i have a good picture of this breed. Thanks.

Why oh why don't people get their dogs neutered?? I despair of people who seem to think that keeping a male dog entire is the 'manly' thing to do, and b1tches 'should be allowed to have a litter of puppies'.

candygirl · 28 August 2011 at 9:50AM

We have two staffies, male and female, and they're the best dogs i've ever had:)They're soft as poo, and brill with my DGD, but not overkeen on other dogs, although are a lot calmer nowadays due to their age.When anything happens to any of them I will be getting another staffy:)