Why do people continue to get get certain breed of dogs?

[Zeelove]

We all know that certain breeds have a really bad reputation. Why do dog owners continue to get them? For the record I've never witnessed any of these dogs act in a bad way, but still. Surely if your going to get judged for keeping them, why would you do it? Is it a status thing?

^ my best mates dog and that is her clean laundry basket btw lol
she's wasn't so amused as I was lmao

I have to say... My dog has a bad reputation! I mean muddy paws all over the house. Bad bad dog!!!!

My chihuahua slipped her lead and attacked a Rottweiler outside our house the other day. No harm done thankfully although I was mortified. The Rottie was cowering and my tiny hell hound tried to go back for round two. It really isn’t about breeds.

One of my neighbours has five kids inc a newborn in a tiny three bed house and bought a husky x Rottweiler puppy. That lasted all of a few weeks before she rehomed him. I was judging so hard my eyes were bleeding.

Bloody spaniels don't know why people buy them,one of them knocked ddog over this morning mind you the other two we saw were lovely and greeted him nicely. Just goes to show it's not the breed OP it's the owners you should be blaming if the dog behaves badly.

I have a staffie. I got her because she's beautiful in her square headed, grunty, farty way. She has welcomed kittens and puppies into her pack as well as our two children.

She is now 13. Today she has played with a Labrador puppy and swum with a rottie whilst on a walk. She has also laid upside down trying to get my 9 year old to tickle her tummy.

Frankly, I don't see why I wouldn't have chosen her, she's pretty perfect.

Anachronistic I would've been judgey in that situation too.

I have a couple of friends who love to boast about how much their cockapoo/ cavachon/ whatever-achoo cost and always become offended when I describe them as designer mongrels. Why pay £800+ for a cross breed when there’s shelters full of them ???!!

I have never met an unfriendly staffie. I have always had small dogs though and it took me a while to figure out if you squat down to greet a staff you end up flat on your back.

I’ve never been bitten by a dog. Been bitten lots of times by the bloody cat. Once was bitten by a snake and was bitten by quite a few mice while on an animal handling course.

Cats are by far the bitiest.

I have a yorkie :). I find treating them like dogs rather than babies helps. He gets bitten by the cat a lot too.

I have a couple of friends who love to boast about how much their cockapoo/ cavachon/ whatever-achoo cost and always become offended when I describe them as designer mongrels. Why pay £800+ for a cross breed when there’s shelters full of them ???!!

Are there really shelters full of them? I've been looking for a mongrel to rescue, I like that they are fairly robust and free from too many genetic issues but I can't find one suitable. Most of the rescues near me are full of Staffies, Greyhounds, Lurchers, Huskies, Jack Russells etc but very few mongrels at all.

The only thing dangerous about my Staff is his farts!! He's a big softie, scared of the noise when its windy, and to him the ball is life! I think its just responsible dog ownership to not leave any dog unattended with children. They are just as unpredictable.

As pp, I'm more concerned about why people continue to buy breeds like pugs and Frenchies - who seem like fashion accessories with no quality of life.

I like that they are fairly robust and free from too many genetic issues but I can't find one suitable

Most “designer” mongrels are not fairly robust and free from genetic issues. Give that most pedigrees, especially the poorly bred ones used for producing these crosses, have health issues, crossing with another pedigree doesn't help at all, and in fact can make it worse. For example crossing two small skulled breeds prone to syringomelia.

Finding genuine, no pedigree in its recent history, mongrels is next to impossible now as dogs don’t roam and breed.

There are lots of poo and other crosses in rescue, either discarded from puppy farms or when the owner gets it home and realises that they still moult, the kid is still allergic, or that cockerpoo is actually a serious bundle of intelligent energy they cannot handle, rather than a cute decorative ball of fluff.

really sorry I meant I had been looking to adopt a 'proper mongrel' like you used to get when I was a child and it was literally a Heinz 57 dog

If I ever had a dog again it would definitely be a rescue one and not from a breeder. Shallow folk buying designer dogs are not true genuine animal lovers in my opinions. I do see why people go for breeds for allergy reasons. I'm allergic to their saliva so I can't have one.

I have Staffies mainly because there are lots in the rescue centres who need homes. Plus they are cuddly, funny and nice to have around the house. If someone judges me because of that, so what? It’s not my problem what people think of me.

And I’m not sure what ‘status’ Staffies are supposed to give me other than the status of a mild-mannered middle-aged woman who likes dogs.

I have a staffie because she is wonderful with children. She is a very placid dog, never reacts when other dogs snap at her, she just runs away. Dd recently fell off of the sofa onto poor ddog. She didn't even look up, no reaction whatsoever. Dd is taught to be very careful with her, and treat her with respect, but accidents will happen. Ddog is bombproof and a wonderful family pet.

This thread is as confusing as it is pointless. 3 minutes of my life I'm never getting back.

I do see why people go for breeds for allergy reasons

There are only a couple of breeds that are less likely to trigger allergies. Yorkies and poodles being the obvious two, although there may be more.

I have never got the logic of thinking “i know, i’ll take a poodle, cross it with a dog that is more likely to trigger allergies, and somehow expect it to produce puppies with poodle allergy status”. Bit like breeding a racehorse with a donkey and expecting racehorse offspring.

Why not just get a bloody poodle?

I saw someone on fb asking about yorkipoos. They wanted a yorkie, but is was essential that it was crossed with a poodle because x was allergic to dogs. They obviously had no clue that yorkies are a breed less likely to produce allergens.

Basic lack of knowledge. Ignorance on genetics.

I have been turned to Staffies. We dog sat one and initially i inisited I’m seeing t with other dogs, cats and children before I would let it anywhere near mine. She’s a well trained dog and it shone through. She slept on my pillow most nights cause the cats bullied her out her bed. No joke.

And I have seen Labradors trained for fighting. The big loveable goofballs, Britain’s favourite dog can be trained for guard dogs or protection. If you want your dog to be a violent thug to improve your violent thug image that’s what will happen - much the same with children.

Never met a nasty staffy, that being said Iv only ever met Staffies owned by nice people.

You do however, in my town at least see the stereotypical 'gang' walking round looking menacing complete with staffy on a chain lead. That's what gives staffies a bad rep, poor things.

I wouldn't have a staffy because they're too big for me, I have a miniature schnauzer and he's perfect for us but he's got little man syndrome and can be far more of a menace than a staffy.

Staffies are lovely. I've met three akitas. One nearly killed my on lead dog. One bit me, and two keep trying to get through from next door, digging through the fence, to eat my dog.

I'm not a fan. I tried with the neighbours dogs, but they don't want to know.

The only Staffie I knew regularly was A) lovely B) happily bossed around by a gang of chihuahuas.

I like pitbulls. Have met heaps of nice ones (country where they aren't banned).

In the 1970s we did have a Doberman who bit many people. She was a rescue & very prejudiced.

I’ve got a Yorkie, she was hand raised from birth and we found her - adore her but not a breed I would ever choose.

Our other dog is a staff. He is more placid than the yorkie who barks at every fucker and can’t be let off the lead because she has small dog syndrome.

The dogs i am most wary about are greyhounds, whippets and lurchers.

When i was young ther was a lurcher at the farm down the road. Back in the day when dogs would happily roam the streets it would wander round killing kittens and cats, rabbits, small dogs and chickens.

Don’t blame them to some extent- natural prey drive and all. But i do keep my small dog closer than with other breeds- but he does look like a rat onna stick.

That lurcher was euthanised in the end. It was a very prolific and killed several pet dogs on the street. Owners fault for not keeping it under control.

Because they like them. Im a terrier fan so go that way rather than working or hound..