To have fallen in love with Staffies?

[WellAlwaysHaveParis]

I went to a dog show earlier today, and loads of people had come with their dogs to spend the day there.

I met some people with Staffies, and the dogs were absolutely beautiful. One of them was so calm and quiet, and she would just let people pet her and stroke her, and the other one was a bit overexcited and would jump up and lick everyone who stroked him 😍

I’ve never had a dog before, as we’ve always had cats, but I’d love to have a dog one day.

I’d definitely get a rescue dog, as we’ve always had cats from rescue centres, but the idea of having a big rescue dog like a Staffie worries me a bit, as I’m not sure how I’d train it. I know Staffies have a bit of a bad reputation, but I’ve heard lovely things about them and would really love one one day. I just wouldn’t know where to start with training one and looking after one as I’ve never had dogs before.

Would I be unreasonable to think about getting one at some point? Does anyone on here have one?

(Part of this thread is a ploy to ask for your Staffie photos 😍)

Wrong bloody post with picture 🤔 that obviously relates to my great dane comment

@Allegorical
Many people don’t like them and they will judge. People will always be wary of you when you are walking them. Their reputation is what it is for a reason. Why get a dog that was originally bred for aggression and is capable of doing serious damage?

Any dog can cause damage. Ive been attacked by a chihuahua and a sheep dog.
All dogs have a hunting instinct
The reputation is what it is cos you have stupid owners who wanna look tough, so they TRAIN the dog to be aggressive. They praise it for barking, snarling or chasing. They beat them to anger them.
A dog of any breed in a loving home with proper training will be nothing like one trained to chase or attack

DogInATent awwwww she's beautiful.

Our gorgeous girl is a bundle of softness. Love her to death.

Ahhh I love this thread ❤️ Thanks for your lovely posts and photos, everyone! :)

I live in London at the moment and would love to volunteer as a dog walker for a rescue centre - has anyone done this at all?

I have! Spent the summer at an RSPCA centre in Ireland as a teenager which led to rescue stuff until recently.
Kennel based rescues cry out for dog walkers. Also look at rescues who use emergency boarding kennels near you; they usually jump at volunteers walking their EB dogs

Loving these piC's, beauties every single one and it's clear they are all loved, lovely thread :)

I'd post a pic of mine but she's got very distinctive facial markings and would totally out me!

YANBU Staffies are lovely dogs. I was fortunate enough to 'foster' an adult male who had been well trained but his owner had died. We had him for about 6 weeks because his new owner was in the midst of moving house. He was so lovely and gentle and just wanted to be on the sofa having cuddles (I don't normally let my dogs on the sofa).

I was so sad to see my gorgeous wee Friend go but I see him on Facebook and he has settled very well with another dog, a cat and two school aged children. As a PP said, you train the same as any other dog, firm boundaries and loads of love and attention and possibly a few treats

Why get a dog that was originally bred for aggression and is capable of doing serious damage?

An awful lot of "family pet" breeds were originally bred to chase, flush or bring down prey with the required aggression bred in. Cute little sausage dogs? - bred to face down a cornered badger in its set. That cute way border terriers shake their toys? - to break the neck of small prey.

The last time an insurer published the statistics (Animal Friends, 2016), the breed implicated in the most bite attacks on humans was the Labrador - a larger breed than the Staffy and with a bite just as powerful and damaging.

Thanks for the kind remarks all :)

The deadliest thing about Matilda is not, as some would say, her jaws, but rather, her noxious emissions - sometimes, it's like living in the vicinity of Chernobyl!

Her sister, now named Skye, has indeed found a home - we meet up for play dates once a year :) (photo attached - M on left).

I adore staffies. Currently have two spaniels but would absolutely add a staffie to the mix 😍

I am just saying it how a lot of people see it. I am aware they can be nice/soft. But when I see one coming I don’t know if they have a responsible owner or an idiot who has taught it to be aggressive as there is obviously a Trend with these types of dogs. So I am going to be more wary of it as will a lot of others. I don’t particularly like little yapok dogs either. My friends and my aunties terriers are horrors.

“Great Danes were, i discovered recently, initially bred for some type of fighting - will have to check - yet they get none of the stick staffs do yet they're double the size.”

Um, Great Danes aren’t double the size, they’re at least 4 times the size... a lab is closer to double a staffy.

We had one when I was growing up and he was lovely. Cuddly and like another child. The only dog that ever bit me was a Chihuahua. I'd have another staffie in an instant.

Staffies are a beautiful kind breed. As with PPs it is the attitude of some owners who have them as a status symbol that give us staffie owners a bad name. My staff is a complete pudding but as said before has an acute emotional intelligence. He is loyal and an amazing companion who we love dearly. I have been bought up and had dogs all my life but will always have staffs from now on. A pure pleasure to own.

There was a survey which said that the most vicious breed is the dachshund along with Jack Russell's and Chihuahuas. And I've met a few feisty little dachshunds in the past!

They're ridiculously trainable! Our staffy cross has growled at me once in his entire life and it was because I was trying to get him out of the cat's bed he's a pathetic baby of a dog who we should have called Shadow because he won't keep off your heels.

He's super food oriented, though, and while they can be stubborn they're really eager to please.

Meet Betty. Best wee dog ever. We rescued her after she had been stabbed and her trachea damaged by an abusive previous owner. Such a happy, easy going and loving wee soul. Like most other Staffies I've ever come across.

My friend's cat was ripped apart by their neighbour's staffie and spent 3 days at the vet's dying afterwards.

On our nearest dodgy estate, you can be guaranteed to see a shirtless man walking a leadless staffie.

I sometimes meet a staffie owner on our local common and she is always shouting 'keep back' as her dog can't be trusted.

I am very wary of them.

I sometimes meet a staffie owner on our local common and she is always shouting 'keep back' as her dog can't be trusted.

Is she saying that to you as a pedestrian, or to you as a dog walker with an off-leash dog?

Most dog walkers are sensible enough to respect a dog that's being walked on the leash in the park either has recall issues or isn't comfortable with other dogs. But there are a few that think it's cute to encourage their hound to bounce and yap around every other dog in the park.

Oh, I luffs Staffos. Dey is da best doggos in da world.

This is my Staffie voice. I swear I cannot talk normally around them . They are the best.

@EverlastingGodstopper

Aww, what a great pic! Two fluff balls.

I'm glad her sister found a home as well. :)

My friend's cat was ripped apart by their neighbour's staffie and spent 3 days at the vet's dying afterward

I'm so sorry this happened.

The issue isn't the breed of dog but the kind of owners dogs like this so attract. (Yes, obviously not all owners!)

The environment and often staffies themselves (and similar breeds...) are the ones that end up paying the price. It's really tragic.

im fond of staffies. Theyre clever and affectionate