Just found out that puppy is partly a banned breed

[EvilGoldfish]

(Reposted from dog section as I didn’t get any replies yet and I’m really anxious!)

I know we should have done things properly to start with but my heart completely over ruled my head sad

We were on a waiting list for a Staffordshire bull terrier puppy, when my niece told me of a family she knew giving their 10 week old staffy female away as they couldn’t cope.

I went with full intentions of taking her to a local rescue as the details sounded dodgy (no microchip, no vaccinations, no contact details for who sold her to them) but I couldn’t bear the thought of her being picked duo as a bait dog. They had her in a tiny cat cage, no toys/bed and on adult butchers food. The first thing she did when they let her out was run up for a belly rub.

Obviously, she is completely adorable and I ended up taking her to the vets to be chipped, 1st vaccinations and to get checked over.

I know all puppy owners can say this but she is so responsive to positive training, loving and eager to please. She has only had two accidents in the four weeks we’ve had her, she sleeps at the foot of our bed and usually only needs to get up once in the night. Her little tail wags like crazy the second she sees anyone, including strangers and other dogs (dogs from a distance as her second vaccination is next week) but especially children. We are starting KC puppy scheme classes in a few weeks.

I feel like I have to predefend her as we have just received the wisdom panel DNA results. The breakdown is as follows (can’t post pictures yet?)

36% American Pitbull Terrier
21% Staffordshire Bull Terrier
18% American Bulldog
15% Rottweiler
3% Presa Canario
2% Boston Terrier
1% Bulldog
1% Dalmatian (?!)

I’m absolutely distraught. I’ve contacted the RSPCA (anonymously) for advice but wanted to know what others would do in my position? While I wait for the RSPCA response I wanted to try to figure out what my options are (google returned a LOT of conflicting advice).

Is she going to be taken from me when she gets bigger, even if she is a perfect family pet?

What are the chances of her suddenly turning into a rampaging beast, despite her being a very good natured puppy, and will be trained/socialised well?

So she's a mutt? Then she's not banned. Just say she's a mutt.

Olde English Bulldogges have some pit in them and 're perfectly legal. My friend adopted one from a couple he knows who breed them and had too many. He's a lovely dog and very calm despite being unneutered. Doesn't pull on lead and ignores other dogs etc.

My advice is, get her muzzle trained now.

If at some point in the future you are given a court order to muzzle your dog, you'll be doing her a favour by starting her on it as a puppy.

I'm not saying you have to muzzle her on every walk, just that you should train her to wear a muzzle and keep her familiar with wearing one as she gets older.

I am also NOT saying she needs a muzzle but the process is usually that a dog from the dangerous breed list can remain with their owners if they have undergone assessment, been proven to have a nice temperament, are insured, neutered and muzzled in public.

If you feel self conscious just tell people she has allergies and will eat anything and it gives her a horrible belly.

American pitbulls do get seized in the UK, so keep all her paperwork with you (keep pdfs on your phone of her insurance, vet details, training/behavioural assessments, her microchip number, evidence of neutering).

And how can you ever have your children’s friends over for play dates? You can’t put them risk

The same way a person with any breed of dog has their kid’s friend’s over. Put the dog in another room. My child minder has a cocker spaniel. No way would I be ok if I thought dog was running about with the children. Dog is contained. My dog is ok with my kids, but would t have her around someone else’s kids. It’s common sense.

Would not*

@EvilGoldfish - this is the kind of thread I love to see. An owner acknowledging their breed and acting appropriately.

You are now armed with knowledge - and hopefully will have many happy years together.

I have a giant breed, but would suggest similar to what I’ve done. It’s all about manners and consistency is key.

Food bowl put down - she waits for the signal/command that it’s ok to eat. Going out of an open door (whether on or off lead) - she knows to sit and wait.

Employ simple hand signals for the basics (sit, down, wait and stay). It might take time for her to learn, but is really helpful. Dogs like continuity. Your voice tone can change depending on your mood, but hand signals are constant - there is no misinterpretation.

Basically, train her and then train her some more. Whether you have a giant breed like mine, or a smaller but powerful breed like you, it’s about positive training. My giant breed will never barge someone out the way to get out of an open door - because she automatically knows to sit and wait at aAnd open door.

@yikerspipers

Hopefully my children will never be anywhere near a staffie (whatever that means) pitt bull cross. Honestly, what is wrong with people wanting these breeds?

The fact that you’re commenting without even knowing what “staffie’ means, let alone anything else, speaks volumes.

Staffies get really bad press. And they shouldn’t. They’re often known as nanny dogs as they can be great around children.

It’s a tale (tail) as old as time - the more you learn/understand the nature of your breed, plus what you put into the relevant training for that breed, the better outcome you will get - for you, your breed and for anyone who comes into contact with you.

There's a reason those dogs are banned though. It's a risk. I have guarding dogs and I would never get them from rest he because I have children so I know they need to have balanced parents and be well socialised. I wouldn't take the risk with kids

Olde English Bulldogges have some pit in them and 're perfectly legal

Isn’t it the other way round? Pits are an american breed so they will have some english bulldog in them. If the bulldog came first there were no pit bulls for them to have any.

I agree with pp who said it’s highly likely the comparison is an american dna database. Pit bulls are a mix of staffies and other bulldog and terrier breed, so what they are recognising as “pit bull” is actually staffy or bulldog dna.

NOT directly related to OP's post ...

I'm always amazed by people on these threads who cite cases of a one-week old, immobile and weak baby killed by a JRT, or a five year old with injuries from a Westie, in defence of the bull breeds.

Similarly, yes Labradors are statistically high for bites - but that's mostly because there's so darn many of them, they had the highest registered numbers for many years by a long chalk, let alone the number that weren't registered on top of that.

As per my earlier post, I think these DNA tests are utter rubbish, so am not talking about this puppy at all - but where on earth do people see the comparability between those cases and grown adults who are killed by bull breeds and other grown adults in the vicinity are utterly unable to stop them when they try to help?

How about talking about my favourite case, the hulking Stephen Potts, who had his arm ripped off by his own American Bulldogs (and was still arrogant and stupid enough to take six of them out shortly after - with one arm, obviously! - and have them attack and injure someone else, unfortunately, or that would have been decent karma)?

I don't think all bull breeds are bad, but surely anyone can admit that they are a very different proposition to injuries from more 'standard' breeds, and that there is a significant problem with the standard of breeding and animal husbandry in their rearing and maintenance - and when this all goes wrong, it often seems to have horrific consequences?

I agree whitney. Big dogs do cause more damage. Of course they do. Though I am always surprised these threads never mention breeds like Great Danes if it's just about size and strength of the dog.

But the best/most reliable predictor of canine-human aggression is a history of abuse and/or neglect.

Having heard about how Stephen Potts 'kept' his dogs that continues to ring true. He bred them like this.

Better animal welfare controls - especially over how people breed animals and set them up for a lifetime with humans - are critical for the dogs and for human safety.

Having heard about how Stephen Potts 'kept' his dogs that continues to ring true. He bred them like this.

Oh absolutely - as I say above, would have been great karma if he hadn't continued to be an idiot in taking them out when he couldn't control them.

Staffies get really bad press. And they shouldn’t. They’re often known as nanny dogs as they can be great around children.

A village pub we used to go to had a Staffie as a pub dog and he was the softest, friendliest dog you could meet. He used to take himself off for a walk in the evening and then wander around the pub playing with beer mats. When he used to see me he'd immediately roll over so I could give him belly rubs.

Blame the deed not the breed.

So much hysteria.. a dog isn’t born bad or good, it’s how it’s raised - same as children. We don’t run screaming from kids from families with dubious histories, we take each person as an individual and a dog isn’t really any different. Until this puppy actually does anything “bad” can we just calm the fuck down and accept that she’s in a fabulous home prepared to put in all the leg work to shape her into a perfectly well behaved dog and that the overwhelming odds are she’ll be perfectly lovely for her entire life.

@PuckyMup for the most part I agree - I have two dogs that in some countries are considered a dangerous breed. However having done my research there is very little evidence to suggest they actually are dangerous. Pitbulls however are different. In the US they are responsible for 66 percent of dog attacks that's a very high number.

Btw we did the wisdom panel test, and our dog came back 50% staffie and 50% American staffie, which is basically a pit bull. She just looks like a big staffie, and she’s gorgeous. I have four cats, and a small child. My dog goes out regularity with a dog walker and she’s great with other dogs. She’s especially good with nervous dogs as she’s good at reading their body language. We use to walk with a highly reactive lurcher to help build its confidence. Every dog is an individual at the end of the day, and I never make assumptions based on breed. My dogs been attacked twice, black labs in both instances. The lab actually has a bite force similar to that of a pit bull. Thank goodness my girl was wearing a thick jacket otherwise she would have same off much much worse. She didn’t even try to attack back, just tried to get away. The whole banned breed thing is bullshit, cruel and ineffective. Enjoy your pup!

’Everyone asks either if she is a staffy or a Labrador’

"We don't know, she's a real Heinz 57! She's a rescue so we don't know her background"

That's a factually correct but ambiguous answer. She's a mongrel. Good enough.

Make sure she's well trained, including using a muzzle, only off lead in enclose areas and never left alone with children. Which is what every dog owner should do, irrespective of breed.



I hate this kind of comment! Why do Pitbull lovers kick off and say you can't judge a breed, then go after chihuahuas? Of COURSE breeds matter. You know a collie will herd, a GSD will protect, a bull terrier will be a good companion but can't be trusted with other dogs

The nanny dog thing is a ridiculous myth which originated in the 1970s. Take five seconds to think about what an obvious and dangerous lie it is, and never put a child and a dog in such a situation.

Bin the test and just get on with loving and training her. The tests are unreliable anyway

The problem is that you’ve done the test so you can’t just discard it simply because it’s told you something you don’t want to hear.

Your dog, your choice as to what to do with the information.

However, I think if you intend to allow your children to have friends over, you need to be honest with them about what type of dog you have and let them choose if they are happy with any risks.

I think DNA shows everything back to the year dot. EG human DNA might show you are part Scandinavian —- but that could be almost 2000 years ago.
I’ve had rescue dogs all my life and I know bad dogs are made by bad owners.
Go with the dog training lessons. If your dog responds you’re on the right track.
Treat your dog like a dog, not a human. Never feed her at the table, don’t let her hide food around the house and garden, don’t let her get possessive of toys.
Train your dog to wait for you to go through a doorway or gate first, she must wait for you to tell her to get into or out of the car.
Dogs are pack animals so you must be a string, calm, consistent pack leader. Your dog will grow into a calm compliant dog.

Don’t panic —- only dog who ever bit me deliberately ( not my dog) was a pedigree from a “gentle” breed. It was treated like a baby by its owner.

I would keep the puppy/dog on a lead, have him/her off on a field away from other dogs. Ignore the dna results and never leave alone with your child as you wouldn’t any other dog and I’m sure you will be fine. I think it’s how you treat dogs unless they have any neurological problems like our not deceased Shih Thu.

There's a pitbull that lives a few roads away from me. He is massive and they're licensed to have him. He is the cutest cuddliest big softy I have ever seen. He is literally a big ball of love.

No dog, or animal for that matter, is born "bad". Animals are not moral beings. But, they are specifically bred to display certain instincts and behaviours. We can't be surprised when they display them. And everyone has an anecdote about a sweet cuddly pit bull, but the hard facts are they are responsible for the majority of fatal dog attacks.