To pick my children up whenever I see a stafforshire bull terrier?

[DarlingDuck]

I am really frightened of bull terrier type dogs, my brother and I were chased by a pit bull when we were young and our dog was attacked and almost died. Whenever I see a stafforshire bull terrier I cross the road, aibu?

Marne pmsl about 'won't go out in the rain' none of my 2 staffys have liked the rain....must be a 'staffy thing'

'If it's not the breed it's the owner why were pitbulls banned?' - Because you can't ban idiots unfortunately. I've been trying for years. Apparently is goes against human rights or something . They had to ban the dog instead The idiots moved onto the next breed. When they ban the Stafford, I'm sure the idiots will move onto another breed. I wonder how long it will be until they move onto your family pet?

yanbu

I'm sure DogsBestFriend will correct me if I'm wrong but my vet told me the new 'must have' breed for the idiots is now wolf breeds. Huskies, malamutes etc.

The Staffy's true nature is starting to win over the bad press so idiots are looking to the closest thing to a wolf 'coz it's a wild animal innit?'

YAB ridiculous and not doing your kids any favours whatsoever

As I am sure has been said, any dog can be vicious and bite. IME Staffies are the best dog you could ever have and its only knob-ends who treat them badly that gives them a bad name. A staff would rather be sat in the house on its bum (they sit like humans which makes me ) watching telly than hang around on the street with the odd turd of an owner who think it makes them look tough.

Those of us that really know what Staffies are like laugh at these tossers. Pretty much like Id laugh at you scooping your kids up to get them away from what is probably one of the most placid dog breeds you will ever come across. (my Evil Bastard Dog wont go out in the rain, wont stand in puddles, wont walk in mud, wont eat biscuits unless they have been dipped in tea first and totally loves kids, but cant eat a whole one)

Ignorance is what gives these dogs a bad name.

for posters who don't much like dogs (and those who do...)
If you're interested, a few ideas:

1. Have a look at the Ivan Mishukov story (he was the 4yo boy somehow left to fend for himself in Moscow, 'adopted' and protected by 'feral' dogs for 2 years). This and other accounts of children looked after by dogs or wolves are really interestingly discussed in a bookcalled 'Savage Girls and Wild Boys: a History of Feral Children' by Michael Newton.

(There's also a lovely novel called Dogboy by Eva Hornung - fiction, obviously, but quite inspriring.)

1. Have a look at today's Staff thread (in The Doghouse - thank you Empusa).

1. Don't know how much there is really in this, but I've heard (informally)from various counsellors that fear of dogs is not so much about dogs themselves, but more about what they represent - unpredictability, instinct over 'reasoning', etc...

These are just thoughts from someone who loves dogs, and often thinks it's a bit of a shame when people rule them out of their lives...