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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To tell my sister if she buys a Staffie I won't bring DS around to hers?

436 replies

Annarose2014 · 15/10/2015 10:17

I suspect I am. I've heard so much about them being amazing, wonderful Nanny dogs.....

But I've also heard of a lot of attacks. I'm desperately afraid of them, truth be told. I don't trust them. Especially as the dog wouldn't live with DS, but only see him about once a week so its not like DS would be "his" charge.

Sister has wanted one for years and is bitterly disappointed as this is the year she's finally in a position to buy a dog.

But in fairness I just said that she could certainly get one, but would have to see DS elsewhere other than her place as I wouldn't be comfortable with DS in an enclosed area with one in case DS did something wrong and the dog felt threatened and we wouldn't be fast enough to stop something happening.

AIBU?

OP posts:
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12
tabulahrasa · 16/10/2015 19:50

No idea where you've quoted that from, but that... "is inclined to test for position in the family pecking order. Confident leadership and obedience training are musts" is completely outdated advice based on dominance theory which was based on one flawed study which the author retracted.

And I don't know about your children but mine don't look like dogs or cats...

WeAllFloat · 16/10/2015 19:56

Well, as long as you are deluded convinced, then I hope you never live to regret you stupid choice in family pet. Many have. I for one, will not trust them near my kids, but then, I wasn't so stupid to buy a time bomb as a pet.

sparechange · 16/10/2015 20:02

Good grief. If you are as whiny and hysterical in person as you are on here, your choice of pets is the least of your children's worries

tabulahrasa · 16/10/2015 20:02

I'm not deluded...I don't currently own one either, I went bigger, lol.

I'm just capable of understanding things and logic.

Animal aggression is a completely different issue to human aggression. Dogs don't kill children because they've mistaken them for cats.

WeAllFloat · 16/10/2015 20:06

Really spare, my kids don't have to tread on eggshells to not be mauled, so are very happy thanks.

WeAllFloat · 16/10/2015 20:06

And this is mumsnet, tab, can we lay of the lolz??

Salene · 16/10/2015 20:07

If staffie are such terrible dogs why are they only 1 of 2 dogs the kennel club recommend with children..??? The other being the Chesapeake bay retriever

Also The staffie is the ONLY breed described by the Kennel Club as "totally reliable" in its Breed Standard.

So people that make assumptions on the breed without taking time to know a staffie are totalling blinkered and really have zero clue about dog breeds

LeftMyRidingCropInTheMortuary · 16/10/2015 20:08

You only need to look at a staffie to know it's evil. #fact

Instinct is there for a reason, OP. Keep that brute away from your innocent children.

sparechange · 16/10/2015 20:09

Yes, good point. Up and down the country, children are gingerly creeping around houses to avoid awakening the multi-headed hellbeasts disguised as pets. Hmm

You sound utterly deranged Confused

LeftMyRidingCropInTheMortuary · 16/10/2015 20:09

Plus if your sis chooses a staffie, you have to wonder about her standards in general! Is she a secret ned?

LeftMyRidingCropInTheMortuary · 16/10/2015 20:10

Better deranged than a kid with no face left.

sparechange · 16/10/2015 20:10

What is a ned?

tabulahrasa · 16/10/2015 20:11

A ned would be a Scottish chav.

WeAllFloat · 16/10/2015 20:14

Better deranged than my face rearranged. Boom! A rhyme end the evening.

TheMotherOfHellbeasts · 16/10/2015 20:15

LeftMy Grin

LeftMyRidingCropInTheMortuary · 16/10/2015 20:15

Or a "towney" you Englanders call it.

(Thanks Tab & WeAllFloat).

LeftMyRidingCropInTheMortuary · 16/10/2015 20:16

NED = non-educated delinquent.

True fact.

LeftMyRidingCropInTheMortuary · 16/10/2015 20:17

Mother - you clearly understand my GSOH. Please now direct that towards the post about the highway code where I am getting flamed! Or the one about men playing videogames.

sparechange · 16/10/2015 20:18

A towney is someone who lives in a town? So owning a staffie means you live in a town?
Most of the people I know who had them live in the country though. One of them is a farm dog

freerangeeggs · 16/10/2015 20:18

My mum has a pair of Staffies. I have to say, they are the most affectionate, lovely dogs.

However, they are exceptionally strong. I can see the ripples of muscles clearly in the older one's back, which is ironic in an animal who's afraid of her own farts. They could easily hurt a child without even meaning to. They sometimes hurt me when they're overexcited by jumping all over me (they're not the best behaved, frankly; don't get me started) - as someone said above, I wouldn't be surprised if they could scale a 6ft fence and have seen them clear 4ft ones easily. I wouldn't leave a child alone with them for that reason.

I wouldn't get them myself because I don't really understand why people want expensive designer dogs as pets anyway when there are so many lovely mutts in shelters. They're also really needy and, although they're very loving, I find them a bit annoying. I don't know if anyone has mentioned this yet but they never shut up, constantly making little huffing and growling noises, and never leave you alone - they just suck up all your attention. I'd rather have a more laid-back pet.

Salene · 16/10/2015 20:23

Yeah staffie a are very vocal dogs , always grumbling and talking away to you . They make sure everyone knows they are there. And they are attention saps. They want cuddles constantly. Very much a family pet.

JenniferYellowHat1980 · 16/10/2015 20:23

YANBU. We had a Staffie growing up. He bit my brother when he was about 4 and a neighbour, twice, who was about 10. If he ever got out he would attack sheep or chickens.

He was loyal to me, but as he got older, growled at my DF and my friends. He used to sleep on my feet, but if I got up in the night he would growl when I tried to get back in.

I loved him dearly at the time, but now I think my DPs were nuts. There's no way I would take me DCs to a house with a Staffie - or many other breeds for that matter - unless they were restrained.

LeftMyRidingCropInTheMortuary · 16/10/2015 20:26

Snort. Nah, sparechange.

My understanding of "towney" is that it's someone who wears baseball caps, kappa tracksuits, gold jewllery from Elizabeth Arden, burberry scarf, drinks cider, smokes roll-ups, claims benefits, has a massive TV, goes on holiday to shitty package deal places in Spain, has loads of badly behaved children, a criminal record, frequents Cash Generator, sells dodgy goods on the side...etc. In Scotland we call them neds. Or "schemies" cos they live on a scheme. In Australia, I believe they are called "bogans".

Lol - I see what you mean - country folk call Londoners "townies" - yeah, sooooo not the same thing.

JenniferYellowHat1980 · 16/10/2015 20:27

That said, I know a 14yo old who has significant scarring on her face from an attack by her nan's Labrador, when she was 4. I wouldn't risk any unrestrained dog around a child, personally.

UptownFunk00 · 16/10/2015 20:33

YABU.

Surely your DS can visit and the Staffie be outside for an hour or two?