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?

The real answer to the question is because all but the most shallow dog owner thinks that having a dog is so much more than owning a decorative object.

Was it either of these sparechange?

babe are you looking at the same picture as me???

if so, u crayzeeeee

The RSPCA regime a staffer campaign says it all

Only just seen your reply op, no I don't admit they look aggressive, unless you think this is aggressive. I was merely countering your argument that people have them for reasons of intimidation

A dog is cute if it's friendly and affectionate. There's a very lovely three-legged pit bull who lives at The Sofa Workshop in Imperial Wharf, we fell in love with this dog when we were shopping there about six years ago. I thought nothing of letting my kids roll around on the floor with him.

These days, I wouldn't allow it. I've endured two dog attacks since then, both from pit bulls (my latest neighbourhood). The fact that I let my kids roll around with a pit bull who lost his leg in a fight makes my blood run cold.

I am lucky enough to live in an area where people are fairly well-off but not overly class-conscious or snobby. As such my rescue staffie meets lots of other nice staffies (we live near one of Battersea Dogs Home's centres) and people with kids enjoy a stroke and a lick from her in the park. Staffies adore people- some thugs use that to their advantage as they'd do anything for their owners.
Every dog owner thinks their pup is gorgeous, I'm no exception!

I can't think of a single small dog breed that I find attractive. I also don't like dogs that have pink noses or pink on the inside of their eyes. I particularly don't like most breeds of spaniel (toys breed esp), long haired dogs or brown labs, red setters or wiemeramers (sp?). Slobbery chops dogs are not for me either. I admit I am fussy.

I do, however, like sturdy dogs that can take a good rough up without snapping in two. I have never owned a Staffie but they look unsnapable to me.

It's all to do with taste.

Greyhorses I don't doubt anyone's experience, it just hasn't been mine. And I was very wary of Staffies, actually. I had always thought them aggressive but coming into contact with so many lovely ones has changed my mind.

It does come down to ownership in the end as so many pp are saying. And I agree that there are some beautiful Staffies on this thread. I'm becoming more of a Staffy fan the more I read.

We have a 10-month old (i.e. a baby, really) chocolate Labrador who pulls on the lead something chronic. We're trying to train her out of it, but it's very much a work in progress. She could pull me off my feet if I wasn't concentrating, and I'm amazonian.

Leash-pulling is not specific to certain breeds.

If you think staffies are ugly (and I agree) have you seen a shar pei?

Staffies are lovely but some people who own them are scum.

Yabu. There are twats who have staffs for the wrong reasons. They are actually incredibly easy to train and just want praise not treats. Hence they can be trained to be aggressive as they are people pleasers.

The reality is they are gorgeous, mad, funny, cuddly little piggies. Wouldn't be without mine.

GoodbyeTo, really, you have been attacked by two pitbulls, years after they were banned?
And there was one in a Sofa place and nobody reported it? And you know for a fact it lost its leg in a fight and not (as is much more common) in an accident?

Are you sure that you can actually tell what sort of dog you are looking at, and don't just call any sort of smooth, muscular dog a 'pitbull'?

Sorry, 'pit bull'.

Just to clarify the point made about greyhounds upthread. The reason so many of them turn up in rescue is nothing to do with them as individual dogs, it's because the racing industry spits out about 10,000 dogs a year, that are no longer needed for racing; so pounds, or a bolt gun or a rescue if they are lucky is their destination.

I do a lot of training with our four dogs - 3 greys and a lurcher. I've seen staffs do their GC Gold awards and I regularly see them competing in obedience and Rally (a form of obedience) events, very successfully.

In pretty much every basic obedience class I go to, the family that is towed in by a wrecking ball of a dog which then proceeds to trash the hall invariably owns a Labrador. They are absolute thugs (exceptions made for gundogs which are usually properly trained) but because of their lovely reputation as nice, middle class family pets people just smile indulgently.

Getting a well behaved, well trained dog (irrespective of breed) takes time and effort and a lot of practice. You only have to visit any park to see owners of all breeds with dogs pulling on the lead, jumping up at people or having zero recall. Or, if they don't let them off, the dog is on a horrible extending lead, having its neck jerked, and tripping up other park users.

A huge number of dogs of all breeds end up in rescue in their teenage years because they have outgrown the cute pup stage and owners simply can't be arsed to persevere with the time commitment of training. It's simply quicker and easier to send the dog to a rescue.

Our dogs walk nicely on the lead, are carefully socialised, do controlled greetings, and respond nicely to basic commands - that didn't happen by accident. For our newest dog, she's currently doing 2 hours a week of formal classes (one basic obedience plus she's just starting Rally)plus practice at home each day of training split into 3 or 4 ten minute chunks, plus training built into her walks (e.g. reinforcing recall and loose lead walking). As a consequence, whenever we take her anywhere, we are congratulated on having a well mannered,delightful companion. She's a dream to work with, but the time commitment is not be underestimated to get any dog to this standard. I think the more general point to be made is that dog ownership of any breed is often undertaken far too lightly.

Staffies are not only beautiful to my eye (the butt wiggle! the smiles!) they are a wonderfully designed dog for health. No eye and nose issues, like pugs and dogs with small snouts often get, no spine issues, healthy hips. Our 5 year old staff rescue is the cheapest dog I have ever owned in vets' bills.
People who try to make them look tough with ear cropping should be barred from ever owning an animal again.

Black people and gay people are dogs? SaucyJack?

Yes. That's definitely what I said.

adish I will probably definitely get a staffy when the kids are older teenagers.

I have fibromyalgia so a puppy is out of the question, I think all that effort would kill me!!!
Also have a cat so rescues turn us down for older dogs.

So, when the cat shuffle's off and kids are older I will be skipping down to the shelter for a older rescue staffy!

There are some seriously gorgeous staff's on this thread

I agree that good owners know their dogs, my two are both very dog and human well, anything that moves actually aggressive and its due mainly to their breed characteristics. They are extremely protective by nature, and anything which presents itself as a threat to me, DH or DS is of instant suspicion to them. They don't like socializing with other dogs, they don't like socializing with other humans, they hate anyone other than DH, DS or I touching them.
All of this is why I have spent hours and hours training them. Training them to watch rather than attack immediately, training them to stand down if I tell them to, to accept other people touching them if I say its OK. We are extremely vigilant and cautious with them around other people, but they are the most gentle, laid back cuddle monsters you could hope for with DH, DS and I.
We also need their protection abilities, we're not in the UK and where we live there are all sorts of predators (human and animal alike) which our dogs keep us safe from.

All owners have the responsibility to be vigilant with their dogs. Oh, and we don't have staffies by the way, but some of the sweetest dogs I've ever met have been staffies, who cares what any dog looks like, surely its the character that counts?

"I will be skipping down to the shelter for a older rescue staffy!"

Glad to hear it sanquhar. I think that will be one lucky dog!