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?

Lottie I wonder if you live where I live as we had a recent case of a yorkie mauled to death by a staffie (have known this from local FB group).

That dog is gorgeous lostcot!

YABU.

I don't have a staffie, I don't have any dogs, but I think they're cute and I think you saying they're ugly is pretty rude.

Some of the photos on this thread are just adorable!

lostscot I am with you here... :)

Probably same area! This sounds bloody awful but if I come across staffies more rurally I am not weary. Dpup has a few staffie friends who she jumps all over and never an issue. Its more the quick town park walks I fear (the ones where the youths go to smoke their weed and get drunk/paying very little attention to their dogs whereabouts!). There is a local woman who lets hers off and it HATES other dogs if i see her I re route!

It's interesting that the UK has a very different view of these dogs to many other countries, where they are invariably on the banned or restricted breed lists.
petolog.com/articles/banned-dogs

Have you been slaughtered enough yet OP?
I have no issue with any type of dog as such, but when you live on a scheme and all you see running around is staffies and Jack Russells it does kind of taint their image.

I have a staffie who is lovely.

The comments about social class and Staffies piss me off.

formerbabe I am far from a "scumbag" your comment is offensive and uneducated. Your comment makes you sound a twat.

My parents have had spaniels for years, we had one when i was a teenager and he bit me so many times, even bit me on the face when i bent down to pick my shoe up. They have one now who is really narky, HATES other dogs, will go for them and is terrible with my DD who is 2, I have to watch them like a hawk as she will turn on her in an instance. I really hate the bloody dog.

I also fucking hate poodles, nasty pointed faced things. (sorry to any poodle owners out there) but they are snappy also.

And also op where you said - When I was growing up, people had cockerspaniels, labradors, daschunds, poodles, terriers etc, you do realise that staffies are part of the terrier family dont you?

This is the Staffie recently in the news because it helps it's blind Jack Russell friend to live a normal doggy life. I think he has a nice face.

I quite like their faces, but choosing a pet is about more than what it looks like.

I think they're more attractive looking than pugs and French Bulldogs. So ugly.

I wouldn't have a Staffie as we don't have the room. They're lovely mutts though. I don't like smaller terriers, the ones I've met tend toward snarky and ill trained. Favourite dog I've ever encountered was the mahoosive lazy Chowchow who liked to stop for a rest/cuddle with random strangers every few yards. His owner was powerless to stop him as he was several tonnes of fuzzy happy fur :o

"I quite like their faces, but choosing a pet is about more than what it looks like."

What they look like should be the very last thing you take into consideration when you're getting a dog, it's way way more important that a dog will suit your lifestyle and that you'll be able to fulfil it's individual needs than that it looks cute.

Cute's no use to you if you pick a clever, active breed and expect it to make do with a quiet walk in the park.

in London, there's definitely a thing going on with "dog as knife substitute". I'm not convinced those dogs are treated terribly well either, which is a worry.

PS maybe I should add "in rough parts of London with gangs" but that's pretty much everywhere now!

Because staffies are very sweet dogs [bisquit]

I agree butterfly but apparently it's "classist" to say that

Good point VodkaJelly. There's a clue in the name, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, which may have escaped some!

Fancy saying Staffies are ugly, why not have a nice poodle instead? #shudder# I think I've been either nipped or humped, sometimes both, by more poodles than all other breeds put together. In an excellent book my mother had called Our Dogs, which I think was by James Thurber, the author claims that poodles don't really exist, although I believe that may have been wishful thinking. They also get a passing mention in the Spitting Image song:

"I've had a nice Pot Noodle
But I've never had a poodle
And I've never met a nice South African"

Please note that no disrespect is intended to Standard Poodles, which are real working type dogs and look fine if you don't clip 'em funny.

Dixie she is beautiful to me!

DJThreeDog oi my pugs are beautiful thank you very much I love staffies as well btw

the only reason dickheads who want a weapon choose a staffie is because they will do anything for you. In the right hands that means an adorable, loveable, gentle friend. In the wrong hands, when ordered to be agressive, you end up with a killing machine As they will do whatever their master wants to make them happy.

My staffie is the gentlest dog you could meet. She is fantastic with toddler dd, and would make a fantastic pat dog. She is a cuddly friend to anyone who looks her way, including my previously staffie hating ils, dps elderly grandmother etc etc.

I hate that they have been given such a bad name. However, I am seeing more and more elderly people near me with staffies and it's great. They are a perfect companion dog.

PUGaLUGS what a beautiful puggy

This is my boy. How could anyone say he's not gorgeous? I am quite posh and live in a vair naice area btw.