Not to understand why anyone could choose to have those ugly looking dogs?

[meadowquark]

I may be wrong but it seems that about 50% dog owners in my area have those staffie or staffie type dogs (sorry I cannot distinguish between them), looking aggressive, ugly (sorry) and always pulling the owner on the lead. I honestly don't understand why people choose to have these dogs. When I was growing up, people had cockerspaniels, labradors, daschunds, poodles, terriers etc. Is this a new fashion? Safety? Knife alternative?

I am sure they are friendly and trainable but if I hear a bad story of one dog mauling another dog, it is very often that type of dog.

I am just wondering why wouldn't people keep sweeter looking dogs instead.

Sorry I don't meant to offend any dog owners - I just would like to understand why?

[momager1]

oops...zombie ...sorry

[bloodyhairy]

Staffies are beautiful and amazing. In the right hands. Just like any dog.
We had one growing up and she totally made our childhood.

[momager1]

I have two soft as they get standard poodles... our old girl is blind but still loves to play..our young pup just turned one. Their best friend is our neighbours staffy. ... he looks terrifying.. until he knows that you are SAFE to be on his property..then OMG THE SLOBBERY KISSES. All dogs can be arseholes...all dogs can be sweet as sugar. Its all in how they are raised (barring a bad breeder that has bred for aggression)

[Xmassprout]

Why resurrect such utter tripe?

[FrostyChocolateMilkshake]

Oh dear! Just realised this is a zombie thread 😂 who keeps resurrecting these!?

[FrostyChocolateMilkshake]

@WorraLiberty

I've never seen a Staffie that wasn't gorgeous.

They're normally mad, friendly bundles of fun.

Unlike twattish dog owners who don't train/keep their dogs under control, not matter what breed they are.

So YABU.

Totally agree with this.

[FrostyChocolateMilkshake]

@KylieSusanDowers1988 there is so much wrong with your comment I don't even know where to begin. Wow.

[FrostyChocolateMilkshake]

Staffies are gorgeous dogs OP. Every staffie I've come across has been soft as a brush. They call them a "Nanny Dog" for a reason.

[Cherrysoup]

Only ever met one nasty staffie and yes, the owner was as dodgy as fuck. It almost killed a chihuahua in the park, cost the owner £2k in vet bills. 😢

What’s this about urban dogs? Does it matter where you live? I take mine to the river, woods, park, it doesn’t matter that I live in an urban street. I’ve also got a horse, he happens to live at a yard surrounded by fields up the road.

The only ugly dogs are those not fit for function, brachycephalic faces, I can’t bear to think of a dog being unable to breathe or having to have surgery to remove excess soft palate. Beyond my comprehension. It’s shocking how people are influenced by social media/what celebrities have/trends.

[flirtygirl]

Damn didn't notice its a zombie



Zombie thread people.

ZOMBIE


ZOMBIE

[flirtygirl]

English bull terriers are gross to look at. They make me feel sick.

Staffies whilst big and lumbering are sweet and I am not a dog person but the ones around my old area were all big friendly baby types of dog. I just keep away as don't like being greeted by a friendly bouncy dog.

French bulldogs have that same muscular in your face look but most owners say there are soft hearted too.

It's not about how the dog looks anyway. It about their training and temperament.

I couldn't own anything bigger than a handbag dog as I need no fur anywhere and the tiniest of poos and wee to deal with.

[honeyloops]

Imagine the uproar if someone started a thread like, "AIBU or are spaniels just hideous curly little wankers? I don't understand why anyone gets them, they're clearly just trying to look middle class."

(I have a personal vendetta against cocker spaniels on account of the fact that every one I ever come across is poorly trained and a constantly-barking shite - I know it's the owners' fault really!)

(Springers however are my absolute favourite)

(OP you're a snob, and staffies are big snuggly babies)

[WiddlinDiddlin]

Why staffies..

Well, they are cheap, easy to get hold of, cheap to feed and generally economical to house.

They carry some status for some people.

IF you can for a second imagine you are a vulnerable young person living in a rough area, where members of even your own social group may be quite intimidating and you can't really trust anyone...

And you are living on a low budget in a small flat.

And going out on your own is scary.

And you probably have a stream of people wanting to come IN your flat because you've got a flat and they haven't...

And you probably have some shitty relationships and lacking attention/affection...

Then YES, a solid lump of staffie is going to be the dog for you. Fun, friendly, easy to train, intimidates the bad guys, makes you feel safe, survives on fuck all... of course you do.

And that is why staffy types (never actual pedigree staffies in fact they wouldn't appeal being far too small and not remotely intimidating compared to the longer legged, bigger, non-standard type) are much more numerous in rough areas.


I used to live in exactly such an area, when I wanted a dog the first one available was a mixed breed with a good dollop of bull terrier type in there.

At any point if I had wanted another dog, a staffy type would have been attainable within HOURS, for less than 50 quid.

Any other sort of dog would have taken weeks or months to find, a pedigree sort of dog would have cost mega money.

There are perfectly good reasons for owning a staffy, you don't HAVE to be some sort of dodgy thug to want one, but since the government decided to label pitbulls as dangerous they immediately made them VERY desirable indeed and so the staffy type became even more popular!

[Hagbeth]

Here's also a list of breeds that have killed in the United Kingdom during recent years.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fatal_dog_attacks_in_the_United_Kingdom

[Hagbeth]

The "nanny dog" is a myth and if you search you'll find several sources to why this myth came about.!
Quote: "Well-meaning pro-pitbull advocates once circulated a myth that Staffordshire terriers were used as nanny dogs in 19th century England. While pitbull-type dogs have been enjoyed by families for generations in both English and United States history, there’s no evidence that they actually cared for children like nannies.
There’s no such thing as a nanny dog.
No dog should be unattended with small children, or expected to tolerate tail-pulling, ear-grabbing and other abuse from toddlers."

[Mwahahahaaaa]

Staffies are actually very lovely dogs. Their problem, compared to other breeds, is they are cheap, which can attract owners who are not really committed to having a dog. The dog gets neglected and that is where it’s behaviour problems come from. Also because of this lots of people give them up to shelters so people who want to ‘adopt not shop’ will often get a staffie. But they are lovely dogs and with good owners they make great pets.

[andyoldlabour]

Since 2010 the vast majority of fatal dog attacks in the UK, have been carried out by Staffie/Pitbull/Bull Mastiff type dogs.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fatal_dog_attacks_in_the_United_Kingdom#List_of_fatalities_(2010-2019)

[Boshmama]

YABVVVVVVU

What a ridiculous thing to spend your time thinking about.

[Ticklemeelmo]

This thread is over 4 years old!

[Sunflower20]

I love 'ugly' dogs.
But not keen on staffies either. Just a personal preference I guess, probably will have my mind changed if I come across a lovely one.

[FizzyIce]

Clearly you do mean to offend or you wouldn’t have said it in the title or your op.

[Scoobyloop]

ZOMBIE

ZOMBIE

ZOMBIE

ZOMBIE

ZOMBIE

ZOMBIE

ZOMBIE

For some reason Flojo decided to reignite

[Marshmallow91]

You are definitely being unreasonable. He's my beautiful boy.

[churchandstate]

When was the last time you heard of a person being mauled to death by a Labrador?

It also isn’t a coincidence that the vast majority of dogs in shelters are staffies/bull breeds.

It isn’t. If this type of dog is often chosen because it looks a bit more aggressive than a lab, that may explain why it might be a bit more aggressive - because it’s owner is an idiot. Nothing to do with the breed.