Fed up with people slagging off my new Staffy pup!

Jenjenf21

I just want to say a BIG BIG thank you to everybody who has contributed to this thread, good and bad! Iv enjoyed reading all of it and really appreciate the comments and words of encouragement some of you have given me!

Thick skin is growing on me now, and although i hate the situation im glad that other people understand what i was feeling and have the same problems with their pets...(although im not glad about the problem i wish it wasnt around but you know what i mean!)

Shes having her injections Saturday, i cant wait to get her out and about and at training lessons etc...and show her off!

I have sooo many photos already but normally of her sleeping as soon as she sees you sit down or a spare lap avaliable shes leapt on it and is soundo within minutes!

I did have reservations before getting a dog, not just a staffy but in general, but i can honestly say its the best thing we have done. Our house will never be the same and i love it, as sad as it sounds I cant wait for our first Xmas with her! Its funny how i really feel now that there are dog people and not dog people, no matter what the breed. Its nice im in the doggie club now lol!

Can somebody tell me how to load photos on here and il gladly show off my little podgey girl!

Thank you all again so much honestly really appreciate the support!:)

hethmar

Its probably best to upload the photos to a site like photobucket and then you can use their facility to add them on here.

hethmar

Red_Elle wrote: »

Am gobsmacked at anyone who would let a child overwhelm a dog. Climbing all over them isn't fun for the dog, although some may tolerate it. You don't want any dog to see a child as an equal play thing - that's just asking for trouble.

Yes, I do agree, though you cant watch kids 24/7 unfortunately. I remember one snowy year I wondered where the boys and Connie (our rottiexlab) were, heard laughing and the boys had attached their snow sledge to her and she was towing them round our land on it, they were screeching with laughter and she was grinning ear to ear and wagging her tail. But I put an instant stop to it as little as they were, they had to realise she wasnt just an extra automated toy (I think she was more disappointed than them when I took the harness off!)

Flearoy

warehouse wrote: »

It's not a "Staffy" it's a Staffordshire Bull Terrier. They were bred to be fighting dogs. Giving them a fluffy name doesn't hide the fact that they can kill a child if the mood takes them.

As could a labrador or retriever, which is not a fighting dog. Remember the face transplant woman from France? A lab ripped off her face. SBTs havent been bred to fight (by civilised people at least) for generations.

Misty_Blue

Not a poodle, but something even smaller and fluffier. ANY dog can bite and ANY dog can kill a child.

http://www.igorilla.com/gorilla/animal/2001/pomeranian.html

As has been said by the numerous sensible posters on this thread, if it suddenly became "gangsta" to own a Golden Retriever, attacks by that breed would go through the roof.

Staffs are generally lovely, people friendly dogs.

Red_Elle

hethmar wrote: »

Yes, I do agree, though you cant watch kids 24/7 unfortunately. I remember one snowy year I wondered where the boys and Connie (our rottiexlab) were, heard laughing and the boys had attached their snow sledge to her and she was towing them round our land on it, they were screeching with laughter and she was grinning ear to ear and wagging her tail. But I put an instant stop to it as little as they were, they had to realise she wasnt just an extra automated toy (I think she was more disappointed than them when I took the harness off!)

True you can't always watch. I was 5 when I decided to try and ride our red setter, who promptly bit me (very minor nip) and then I got a smack for annoying the dog :rotfl:

Person_one

Folks, lets not go too far the other way and start being mean about little fluffy dogs!

If they are badly behaved its the owner's fault just as much as when a Staffy misbehaves, poodles, chihuahuas, dachsunds, yorkies, pomeranians etc. can all be wonderful dogs if they are trained and treated properly.

I have two toy breeds, if I had a pound for every time someone made a 'hilarious' crack about them or told me to get a 'proper' dog I'd be able to keep them in organic corn fed chicken and prime rib!

Francesanne

warehouse wrote: »

It's not a "Staffy" it's a Staffordshire Bull Terrier. They were bred to be fighting dogs. Giving them a fluffy name doesn't hide the fact that they can kill a child if the mood takes them.

I would imagine that could apply to many breeds of dogs. It's not the dogs fault for getting a bad repution by the morons who train theese poor animals to be aggressive & vicious. Normally done by ill treating the poor animal so they become aggressive. Being starved, beaten & burnt would make any dog aggressive.

heretolearn_2

Well I had two encounters with dogs recently that went for me, both owned by people I knew but hadn't met the dogs before, both assured me that dogs were safe as houses - and mutual friend who is normally terrified of dogs also told me she is happy round both these dogs. (by the way, I like dogs).

1st: we were at mutual friends house and the other friend was there with their dog. One of those taller solidstaffies (the better quality ones). I sat on sofa with other half, dog growling at us. 'Oh he's fine' they say 'how strange he isn't like that'. Dog then seriously lunged teeth first at us, owner grabbed collar in time, was really aggressive towards us and had to be shut out in garden for our safety! Owner was very upset at the behaviour and soon left with dog. We've been told by several people that this was totally out of character for this dog.

2nd: couple of days later was at another house and their collie snapped at my hand while I was standing up. Got a scratch and a good dollop of slobber,

So I'm now wondering why all dogs I meet these days hate me. But also ruminating on the unpredictability of ALL dogs. Both these are family dogs, usually friendly, and reasonably well trained it seemed to me, and are NOT normally aggressive. I do believe it could have been any breed that just 'turns' or takes against a stranger. But the staffie could have done me a lot more damage I think....

Red_Elle

heretolearn wrote: »

Well I had two encounters with dogs recently that went for me, both owned by people I knew but hadn't met the dogs before, both assured me that dogs were safe as houses - and mutual friend who is normally terrified of dogs also told me she is happy round both these dogs. (by the way, I like dogs).

1st: we were at mutual friends house and the other friend was there with their dog. One of those taller solidstaffies (the better quality ones). I sat on sofa with other half, dog growling at us. 'Oh he's fine' they say 'how strange he isn't like that'. Dog then seriously lunged teeth first at us, owner grabbed collar in time, was really aggressive towards us and had to be shut out in garden for our safety! Owner was very upset at the behaviour and soon left with dog. We've been told by several people that this was totally out of character for this dog.

2nd: couple of days later was at another house and their collie snapped at my hand while I was standing up. Got a scratch and a good dollop of slobber,

So I'm now wondering why all dogs I meet these days hate me. But also ruminating on the unpredictability of ALL dogs. Both these are family dogs, usually friendly, and reasonably well trained it seemed to me, and are NOT normally aggressive. I do believe it could have been any breed that just 'turns' or takes against a stranger. But the staffie could have done me a lot more damage I think....

Can't speak for the first instance, but the second one isn't so uncommon. With some dogs any movement that they consider sudden, or anyone deciding to step away from the group will be rounded up. We have a border collie and when we first got him he did his fair share of nipping. Nothing nasty by any means, more a mouthing, which border collies do. I would not consider it aggression, but it is definitely a behavioural issue.
He was a rescue and had probably been taken back to the home for this. He will occasionally try and 'mouth' one of the cats, but usually gets a bloody nose if he does that.
I'd be wary of some border collies around anything that runs, including children. Ours goes quite motionless around children and loves to let them stroke him. He seems calmer around them (less threatended) than adults, but we had to build up his trust with adults.