Fed up with people slagging off my new Staffy pup!

Barcode

The best you can do is prove people wrong by raising a well-adjusted, happy, loving dog.

News stories about dog bites are notoriously unreliable. For instance, a child near here was attacked by a staffy, but what was omitted was the child had been putting staples in the dog for a good while beforehand. The dog was likely afraid, and where were the parents when their little darling was being cruel to the dog? I'm not saying the child is responsible. What I am saying is that context is often ignored in favour of whipping up the ignorant into a frenzy against so-called 'aggressive' dogs.

Caroline_a

Barcode wrote: »

The best you can do is prove people wrong by raising a well-adjusted, happy, loving dog.

News stories about dog bites are notoriously unreliable. For instance, a child near here was attacked by a staffy, but what was omitted was the child had been putting staples in the dog for a good while beforehand. The dog was likely afraid, and where were the parents when their little darling was being cruel to the dog? I'm not saying the child is responsible. What I am saying is that context is often ignored in favour of whipping up the ignorant into a frenzy against so-called 'aggressive' dogs.

OMG how dreadful. People like that shouldn't be allowed to have kids or dogs.

dizziblonde

While I personally am not a Staffy fan - nowt personal, just don't like terrier and bull-type breeds as a general rule... the dogs round here that cause the most bother, and have attacked my own dogs: Jack Russells and Labradors. The Staffies generally are lovely - but there seems to be a circle of bother-maker JRTs who think they're Rambo and idiots owning Labradors who thought they came out of the box as perfectly trained dogs who'll fetch Andrex on command and have them as obese uncontrolled maniacs.

Dog's been bitten twice in the last year by Jack Russells, humped and annoyed endlessly by Labradors and I had a chunk taken out of my arm by a Border Collie (owned by someone who runs dog training classes of all things) jumping up at me... Staffies... well the one we come across most often just adores greyhounds and tries to lick mine to death (and the greyhound is equally licky and reciprocates)!

As for German Shepherds being in on the "devil dogs" list - I'd love one - just simply do not have the room in this house - they're utterly utterly beautiful creatures (especially when they go through that wonky ear phase) and I grew up around police trained ones as my uncle was a dog handler.

Idiots with big gobs are a nightmare no matter what dog you have - I have a greyhound whom I tend to walk muzzled because she's still not 100% used to dogs coming in non-greyhound shapes (she met three great danes the other day and her mind nearly imploded with shock at the fact dogs come in that size) - and the comments I get, you'd think I had Hannibal Lector on the end of the lead.

Sezzler

just wondering - do some dog breeds have a greater risk of biting/ attacking because of the original purpose of the breed, weather it be hunting / fighting ???

Person_one

Barcode wrote: »

The best you can do is prove people wrong by raising a well-adjusted, happy, loving dog.

News stories about dog bites are notoriously unreliable. For instance, a child near here was attacked by a staffy, but what was omitted was the child had been putting staples in the dog for a good while beforehand. The dog was likely afraid, and where were the parents when their little darling was being cruel to the dog? I'm not saying the child is responsible. What I am saying is that context is often ignored in favour of whipping up the ignorant into a frenzy against so-called 'aggressive' dogs.

Spot on.

Its incredibly rare for a dog to attack 'out of the blue' or for no reason. If they do it will most likely be because of a medical issue.

In healthy dogs, there is always a reason for a fight or an 'attack' its just that most humans aren't aware of dog body language/behaviour to see it.

Person_one

Sezzler wrote: »

just wondering - do some dog breeds have a greater risk of biting/ attacking because of the original purpose of the breed, weather it be hunting / fighting ???

Not really, the trait that was always considered most important in working dogs was that they be trainable and obedient to their human owners. If they are trained properly they will be fine, if they are trained to be aggressive and get approval when they bite, they will continue to do so.

The last thing hunters etc. wanted was an unpredictable dog.

warehouse

scheming_gypsy wrote: »

NYou never hear about poodles or border collies killing kids because they don't have bad press.

No, it's because they DON'T.

Person_one

warehouse wrote: »

No, it's because they DON'T.

Put them in the wrong hands and they might.

The Staffy issue is ALL about the humans. Swap every Staffy in the country for a Standard Poodle or an Airedale Terrier or a Border Collie or an English Bull Terrier and you'd get the same result.

walwin

warehouse wrote: »

No, it's because they DON'T.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1288786/Familys-border-collie-leaps-car-mauls-baby.html

ihateyes

Staffy dog are brilliant, but i still dont like seeing one in the street, of its lead. My next door nieghbour has a female staffy, who is adorable. when im out il give her a wee biscuit. she loves seeing me out.

Im always terrifed as i have a dog, who would bark at her if he was out at the same time, also i have 5 rabitts, and when he got her, i had to put would between the fence and their runs, as she snarled and growled when they popped out into the run.....

Still a fantastic dog, but its all about perception, and how the dog is brought up by the owner.

Id love a boxer as my next dog!