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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To think that staffies, are publicised badly?

55 replies

EllenandBump · 09/12/2011 19:37

My sister and her partner have two amazing staffies who are brilliant with my 18month old son i trust them explicitly with him. I also know two other staffies that are exactly the same with him. Sometimes i think it is the people that raise them that causes it, and not the breed of dog. I know a staffie can be really full on and energetic, but that does not make them aggressive. also i think its unfair on the rspca rehoming website that all the staffies have to go with children at least 8 +. I think this reinforces that it is not safe to have staffies and young children. My little boy loves them bouncing all around him, and as soon as he cries they go straight to him to check that he is okay. Maybe they should assess every family and every dog individually, rather than generalise them!

OP posts:

Pandemoniaa · 09/12/2011 19:40

It's always the owner who raises the dog, regardless of breed. But sadly (and I'm sure this must have been discussed about 20 million times) the staffie got a bad name from being accessory of choice for cockjugglers.

FabbyChic · 09/12/2011 19:42

They are Im terrified of them and I love dogs. But I dont like them dogs, I dont like the fact either that the owners never put them on leads.

Pandemoniaa · 09/12/2011 19:45

Nothing like the broadest of generalisations, eh Fabby!

Far from never being on leads, the worst offenders round here keep the poor dogs on chain-like versions which are jerked regularly in order to create an impression of viciousness.

Staffies can be the nicest of breeds. It just depends on who owns them and why.

MenopausalHaze · 09/12/2011 19:48

The owners never put them on leads? What? None of them? Ever? God you don't half talk some bollocks sometimes!

FourEyesGood · 09/12/2011 19:52

I've never read a good or bad word about staffies. I don't even know what they are.

JosieZ · 09/12/2011 20:03

My brother has a staffie cross (because that is all there was in the dogs home!). She is a lovely dog. She had had her canine teeth removed 'because she broke them on the cage at the dog's home' according to the kennels - yeah right!

She is a lovely dog but dislikes and goes for some other dogs and when a sheep jumped out from behind a bush once, when on a walk, chased sheep into the lake, jumping on said sheep trying to bite its neck, each time she jumped on the sheep it sunk into the water so dog jumped off (rather than drown) and about half way across lake dog gave up, allowing sheep to swim (yes sheep can swim!) to the other side and safety.

Like I said she is a lovely dog and I'm sure she would be lovely to children she knew but wouldn't trust her with any other children or animals.

villagegossip · 09/12/2011 20:04

It's always the owners. Too many people like the idea of owning a dog without the responsibility that goes with it.
That includes fully researching the breed and what it was originally intended for - it's job.
The main problem is lack of exercise (off lead running for several miles per day - whatever the weather) as they are busy dogs, and daily interaction within the home. Staffies are fab little dogs that thrive on being part of a family.
Whilst they continue to be over/inter bred and viewed as status symbols, they will continue to get bad press and will struggle to shake the negative perception a lot of people still have of them which is a real shame.
They are the most common breed satuating rescue centres today.

EdlessAllenPoe · 09/12/2011 20:07

they do seem to be the dog of choice to out-and-out knobs. And to nice people who love the friendly, loving nature of the breed.

as ever with dogs, it is really all about the people.

ElizabethDarcy · 09/12/2011 20:14

Fabby... have to laugh... hahaha...

I had a staffy and he was the most amazing dog ever... it is the OWNER that needs to take responsibility for their dog and here in the UK there is a huge, WRONG generalisation about this breed. In other countries they do not have a negative image at all.

Chundle · 09/12/2011 20:14

Staffies can be lovely BUT they are territorial dogs and they don't like other dogs on their patch. We have a staffy that lives two doors down every time we walk past with our dog it flies out the garden and goes for our dog ( we have German shepherd), however our dog being bigger gives it a bite and it goes away.
Now the problem lies where the staffy one day thinks that a child is invading its space and goes to bite the child.... I would never take that risk. But then I wouldn't with any dog. I don't leave my dog with my kids and I certainly don't let my dog bounce around my toddler

hollyonthesleigh · 09/12/2011 20:16

"RSPCA chief vet Mark Evans said: "Staffies have had a terrible press, but this is not of their own making - in fact they're wonderful dogs. If people think that Staffies have problems, they're looking at the wrong end of the dog lead! When well cared for and properly trained they can make brilliant companions. Our experience suggests that problems occur when bad owners exploit the Staffie's desire to please by training them to show aggression" sums it up perfect to me.

thepeoplesprincess · 09/12/2011 20:18

I don't think Staffies are publicised badly. I do however t;hink they're publicised as being publicised badly.

Original poster

EllenandBump · 09/12/2011 20:20

They are ever so gentle with him though and only want to lick him and say hello. They sit at the bottom of his high chair and wait there, while i am busy cooking or etc.

I am not sayin you should leave a child unattended with a staffie, but you chouldnt leave them alone with ANY dog. My sisters have never hurt my son, there isnt an ounce of aggression in them.

And why are little dogs always seen as being cutesy and cuddly, more than once a jack russell has snapped at me or a yorkshire terrier. x

OP posts:

olgaga · 09/12/2011 20:27

Any breed of dog can be lovely or horrible. To be honest, I wouldn't leave your 18 month old alone with them, (not saying you do of course) even if you do "trust them explicitly". However lovely they are, I don't think you can trust them - they are animals, after all - not able to take responsibility for what they do. Especially two of them - they have strong pack instincts, and need their a "pack leader" (owner/familiar adult) around.

At 18 months, children are also easily knocked over and injured by "full on energetic" dogs.

NeuromanticisedVisionsofXmas · 09/12/2011 20:34

"She's a lovely dog..but goes for other dogs and bit a sheeps neck....I'm sure she's be great with children though"

Its this gubbins that makes people think dog lovers can be nuts. They aren't, the vast majority, but if you want to know why people think so, thats why.

ilovesprouts · 09/12/2011 20:37

my dd has 2 its not the breed its the owners any dog can turn inc my heinz 57 and she has a ds1 whos 18m

FabbyChic · 09/12/2011 20:39

Where I live Ive yet to see one on leads and all the younger guys seem to own one. I've seen 3 or 4 when I walk my dog and not one has been on a lead.

glenthebattleostrich · 09/12/2011 20:44

Our german shepherd was very territorial, Chundle. He went nuts if any other animal went near our garden but he was the sweetest, silliest pup when out and about.

My brother has a staffie and she is amazing (and, when out for a walk, kept on a leash with a harness Fabby!). Every staffie I've know (and there are lots, they are a very popular breed with my family and friends, and have been for many years, because they are such good dogs).

My Dad always says it's very rare to find a bad dog, it's bad owners who are the problem.

antsypants · 09/12/2011 20:46

I would never trust any animal explicitly around my child, or anyone else.

Simplifying it, you are giving an animal with no real understanding or appreciation of human behaviour responsibility to adapt... Ridiculous.

That being said, I agree that an animals temperament is influenced by the way it is trained, and I would never sanction cruelty to animals, and that includes those that dismiss their natural behaviour an instincts but insisting that they behave like humans.

Let dogs be dogs.

smartyparts · 09/12/2011 20:48

I agree with Fabby - on the estate in our town, I often see them without leads.

I was in the convenience store last night behind a hysterical child who didn't want to walk out of the door as there was one (complete with chunky studded collar) waiting by the doorway, without a lead.

I'm sure they are often lovely dogs blah blah, but the fact that stereotypical thugs seem to have them (discounting all the non stereotypes that also love them) added to the fact that they look a bit mean, gives them a very bad press.

NinkyNonker · 09/12/2011 20:48

It is the owners normally, and bad breeding. One of our dogs is a Staffie Cross and she is the gentlest thing going.

Pandemoniaa · 09/12/2011 20:49

Can I just point out that the human as dog pack leader myth has been well and truly debunked?

Dogs like routines, they like to know where they stand and they are happier if they don't rule their humans. But they don't have a secret plan to dominate the world if allowed to go through the door ahead of their owner or eat before them.

issey6cats · 09/12/2011 20:52

three staffies in our family my oldest sons male just wants to be everyones friend, my daughters female is an absolute sweety she has had a bad start being passed through three homes before my daughter took her on and she is so grateful for the love she gets now, my youngest son has a young one about six months old and he is fab with thier two children, tutor at college has an 18 week old female and i just want to put her between two slices of bread and eat her she is fabulous and loves everyone lots of licks and wriggles all the staffies i know are ace dogs on the other hand my friends rough collie (think lassie ahh) flew at her daughter for no reason other than she walked past the dog bit her daughters face and put 40 stitches in her face so any dog can go for anyone at any time, my border clooie hated children, my cairn terrorist hated other dogs but loved children

Original poster

EllenandBump · 09/12/2011 21:00

I am always in the room with them, just when my little boy cannot be running around, ie when the oven is on (staying at mums so no playpen) or once the central heating is on (normally after about 7pm ,when he's getting sorted for bed), just when he starts whinging ( which he does about 10 seconds after being put in his push chair) they go straight to him no matter where they are in the property. I dont even leave him alone with the cats or rabbits. A rabbit can still give a very nasty bite. My mum had one bite her really badly when i was a kid, and she still has the scar now. You cant leave a child alone with ANY animal. I just dont see how the rspca can say that staffies should only go with 8year olds plus, cos when i was on the website i was looking through, and one even said that she was great with children of all ages, but as she was "getting older" she should go to an adult only home. She had been handed over because the couple had seperated and they had a baby and she was fantastic with it, and she couldnt take it to her new home... landlords dont understand.

OP posts:

olgaga · 09/12/2011 21:01

Can I just point out that the human as dog pack leader myth has been well and truly debunked?

Only in terms of how wolves behave! Dogs will always respect authority - but only if it's around.

You should never leave a small child alone with a dog - let alone two. If you are with dogs and children, you should always be watchful, and be prepared to intervene.

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