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?

YABU there is nothing wrong with staffies they are called nanny dogs for a reason they are extremly soft and very loving. Sick of hearing people saying that they should be banned because they are aggressive any dog can be aggressive when they aren't trained properly not just staffies. It's the owner not the dog.

My staffie was attacked by a spaniel and seriously injured. He didn't even fight back, the softest dog going - doesn't even bark! The dog in your picture is not a staffie anyway. You sound very ignorant.

Christ on a bike op you’re so shallow. I sincerely hope your kids are beautiful, for their sake.

I know a middle class woman in her 80s who has a staffie. She has it because the dog needed a home and was struggling to find one because older staffies picked up as strays don't have people falling over themselves to adopt them

Said dog is incredibly friendly, including with other dogs, and likes nothing more than a good belly rub. I happen to find her quite charming, and beauty is in the eye of the beholder

These zombie threads are doing my head in

These zombie threads are doing my head in

D'oh, didn't realise! My eyes were too busy popping at a PP referring to her dog as "a spastic".

Me too, Butchy.

Am

staffylover291016 that was a typo, yes?

I hope spastic was a typo...

Staffies are just gorgeous. I wouldn't have one (too big, too strong, need too much exercise) but I've never met one that I haven't loved.

They are gentle, funny, athletic, loyal, smart, affectionate and great to live with. As a breed, they have very few health problems and the responsible breeders worked really hard some years ago to screen and breed out the one they did have (something to do with their blood, iirc).

It's not the fault of the breed that that are popular with aggressive chavs who don't even start to train them.

One of my clients has a lovely Staff. He sits next to me on the sofa when I visit and somehow manages to insinuate himself under my arm so I end up cuddling him. I've no idea how he does it, it's very subtle.

Compared to the over-bred, deformed, can't breathe, struggles to give birth naturally, slobbering monstrosity that the bulldog has become, staffs are utterly adorable.

Because not everyone is bothered about a dog looking 'nice' in the conventional sense. Personally,I think all staffie type dogs are gorgeous. I've yet to meet a bad 'un.

OP agree with several previous posters' comments that the picture you posted doesn't actually look like a staffie. It looks more like a pit bull.
Tabulahrasa That photo! This is exactly why I LOVE staffies! That smile!

I used to think like you OP. When we decided to get a dog I wanted something cute and fluffy like a lhasa apso or a spaniel.

We went and looked at the local RSPCA shelter and as soon as I saw our dog I knew he was the one! It was love at first sight. Knowing he had been abused and abandoned made me even more loving of him.

Oh, and he's a staffie. Im so glad i changed my ignorance towards the breed or i wouldve missed out on so much joy and happiness.

Im a massive dog lover, and I’ve met some lovely Staffy’s actually, they really can be lovely dogs.

However, I’m sorry, I’m really not a fan of any of the bull breeds. I’d take a Staffie over a French Bulldog anyday though. I honestly think they are so ugly and have never met a well behaved one. No idea why people pay £2,000 for them, especially as most of them are inbred and riddled with health problems.

I just think your a moron and would only get a dog because it was ‘cute’. People like you are the reason poor dogs get put down or thrown into a shelter cause they grew up to be too big and not what you expected.

They're intelligent (mostly) so harder to train, but my staff x is adorable and lovely. Also dogs are not decorations, the ugly ones are lovable too.

My cat was attacked by a terrier but lived perfect peacefully with a staffie/boxer cross who was the gentlest soul.

The Big Issue seller I buy from has a staffie. I wasn't mad before, but now I like them and she's such a gentle, lovely dog (who I often buy treats for.)

Theirs nowt wrong with staffies. A lot wrong with many dog owners.

I don't think they are ugly at all, they are just a pretty as any other dog breed

These are my 2 crazy, loving nutbags. They like nothing more than snuggling up while I read a book.

Oh, and a friend brought her baby to mine for a coffee, a number of years back. When she set the car seat down on our floor, I told the dogs to "Watch the baby". When she was ready to go, said friend went to pick up the wee one, but my dogs stepped in and wouldn't let her near the baby until I called them off.

My dogs have also protected and kept a wee lad warm by flanking him, when he fell out of his buggy and lay on the freezing cold ground, (at a local park where we lived, a few years ago). The child's mother was seeing to her other child at the other end of the park, and didn't see her son falling out of the buggy.

BTW, did you know that staffies and Chesapeake Bay Retrievers are the only 2 breed in the UK, out of over 190, that the UKKC recommend for families with children of all ages? I have never been bitten by the dogs that have been demonised over the decades (GSD's, rotties, dobes, staffies), yet I have been bitten by a lab, boxer, a yorkie, a JRT and a toy poodle.

So it goes to show OP, that you should never judge a book by it's cover.

A pp made a point I have also thought about previously- Huskies do seem to be more popular these days, and I get the impression they are becoming a 'status' dog. I was told by a Samoyed owner that those breeds are very independent and difficult to train. I wonder if they will be the next type of dog to get a bad reputation/fill up rescues. They seem more interested in other dogs than in people in my experience.
I love Staffies generally but am always wary of any dog, and have thoroughly trained my children to be polite around dogs! DP really wants a Staffy because he grew up with them. My dad is unhappy about this because he feels their mouth size and jaw strength makes them more of a danger to kids if they DID bite. I can see his point but think their happy loving nature reduces the risk anyway (obviously any dog we got would be well trained).

Totally agree OP. They are ugly dogs which are strongly associated with owners who want to portray the "hard man" image. of course there are going to be people who bleat on about how their staffordshire type is a big softie or "gorgeous" but the general perception is that they are ugly, status dogs.

If I were every getting a dog it would be something like a labrador or a spaniel. They are much more attractive animals.

I know this is an old thread, but I'm melting at all the gorgeous pictures - and I have a whippie - who are the most pathetic, soft-arsed breed unless you're a rabbit or similar small furry creature in the world, officially. Loving all the soppy staffie smiles. My brother has a staffie/whippie/godknowswhatelse cross, and she too would lick you to death. Sadly she's, an old girl of 14 now so much slower going. My brother's going to be devastated when he loses her - he lives alone and she's been his constant companion since she was a tiny pup.

I hazard a guess that those posters that are outraged about the dog/social class thing probably don't live on rough working class estates (in my case one of the most deprived in the UK) and therefore such assumptions are merely an observation of dog ownership in your surroundings, not a 'disgusting' stereotype. I'm sure OP knows that it's not a blanket staffie-status-aggressive connection but for me personally, that is the dog ownership I am surrounded by every day.

Over two years old - should have checked that date before posting...