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?

@KurtWilde

How is it hysteria or nonsense? She asked for advice and people with concerns are allowed to give their opinion.

And the RSPCA who actually knows what it's talking about has put her mind at ease. Without hysteria. Yet here you are knowing better than them apparently..

In terms of legal responsibilities they have informed her.

I'm thinking about moral responsibilities of being a parent.

I so hope most people don't think like you.

I think if you look at the responses I'm in the majority so...

@icelolly12

Google black pitbull puppy and the images look exactly like the picture of your puppy...

Google black staffie puppy. Black staffie lab puppy and even black lab puppy and they look pretty similar too

I'm thinking about moral responsibilities of being a parent.

But that's not your problem, is it.

But unfortunately for op there's no labrador in the DNA test.

Honestly, I would try not to over worry about this, you sound so responsible and like you will do the best thing for her.

I would keep her, just tell anyone who asks she's a staffy mix. Staffs, and pit bulls, are lovely dogs who if they are brought up well can be wonderful, kind and loving dogs. Just don't let your guard down (although none of us should with any dog really to be fair) - puppy classes, obedience training, muzzle training just in case and lead walking around others.

Indeed. The fatalists have turned up. I wondered how long it would take for them to put their hysterical tuppence in.

It started off quite well but then it was though a klaxon sounded somewhere and they all appeared. OP's puppy looks nothing like a pit bull, she's more like a Labrador puppy.

icelolly12

I believe your figures for US fatal dog attacks are correct in that they resemble the figures I've seen but I dug a little deeper so there are few things I would question. There are lots of abandoned and stray pitties in the states and lots bred in the back of beyond for dog fighting so what percentage they contribute to the overall dog population is almost impossible to determine.

The wiki page which details the attacks lists a fair few fatal attacks by packs of wild dogs (the stray and abandoned pitties) rather than family pets which does change the stats on the risk of being attacked by one you own.

It's not my problem @kurtwilde, I'm merely sharing an opinion on a public forum called AIBU. Stop attempting to shut me down because I don't agree with you.

@icelolly12

But unfortunately for op there's no labrador in the DNA test.

But if you've read some of the other posts on this thread read you'll see there was no corgi dna in a corgi dog and no border collie dna in a pedigree border. Which juts goes to show the dna tests aren't worth the paper they're printed on.

@icelolly12

But unfortunately for op there's no labrador in the DNA test.

There was no collie in a previous poster's pedigree collie either.

Cross post @KurtWilde!

@PinkSparklyPussyCat

Indeed. The fatalists have turned up. I wondered how long it would take for them to put their hysterical tuppence in.

It started off quite well but then it was though a klaxon sounded somewhere and they all appeared. OP's puppy looks nothing like a pit bull, she's more like a Labrador puppy.

Yes that's what I thought. Before pits were banned in the U.K. my uncle had an absolute beauty and OPs pup looks nothing like it. He was a big soft sod, us kids used to cuddle him to bits.

wait and see what RSPCA say. Socialize her carefully with people/other dogs while she is still a puppy. Very important to do this. Always take her our muzzled. If you do this from the start she will not know any different and will get excited to go out for walks when you show her the muzzle in the same way that most dogs get excited when you show them their lead. If she shows any concerning signs of aggression as she grows you might have to rethink but I would start as above. Rule nothing in or out in your mind regarding having to have her pts if it doesn't work out but never left alone with kids, always taken out muzzled should ensure she can't do any harm. Hope it works out

Ignore the test and enjoy your dog and don't worry!

I never understand why people get these tests done. It is such a waste of money.

We had a staffy x breed that our vet was a bit iffy about. He eventually decided she was a staffy crossed with a Rhodesia ridge back - she had the tell tale ridge running down her back.

Like you, we took her on in dubious circumstances, a friend of a friend could no longer look after her. Like your lovely dog, ours was as soft as anything. She was other dog reactive. And the vet did warn us that if someone showed an interest in her, we should stress that she'd been spayed, as our vet felt she would be "popular" with the scum who breed dogs for fighting.

@yikerspipers

All these posters mentioning being bitten by jack russells and chihuahuas amd poodles and the like are winding me up. No one ever lost their face in a frenzied jack russell attack. Who cares if they note more, they don't kill children.

Unfortunately that's not true www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/crime/9692454/One-week-old-baby-boy-dies-after-attack-by-pet-dog.html

Any dog has the capacity to bite and to potentially kill.

The hysteria on this thread over a DNA test that are notoriously inaccurate is ridiculous.

I would just think forward to how you might feel if your dog ever attacked someone, particularly a child. It's really not worth the risk.

Surely the police would just use DNA tests rather than the more expensive expert to do various measurements to determine if fits a banned breed type if it was reliable evidence. The dangerous dogs act with 4 banned breeds was a knee jerk legislation anyway to pacify the public after fatalities, its not solved anything just many innocent dogs losing their lives or having to live very restricted lives. Any dog has potential to be dangerous much same way as humans, although I'm sure the stats would make us the higher risk to be around.

The US bite statistics are probably not useful as those dogs likely aren't pets in the home with responsible owners, its also more common dogs are kept outside on chains as protection or left to own devices all day than in UK. Many people also don't recognise dog breeds correctly when reporting.

Oh op she's gorgeous I think she looks a bit like a patterdale

How does the law define it banned breeds? Is is purebred only or does it need to be a certain percentage? I mean, surely a 1% isn’t a banned breed?

The dangerous dogs act with 4 banned breeds was a knee jerk legislation anyway to pacify the public after fatalities, its not solved anything just many innocent dogs losing their lives or having to live very restricted lives. Any dog has potential to be dangerous much same way as humans, although I'm sure the stats would make us the higher risk to be around

I think the ban was more complex than that. The ban was as much about the owners as the dog.

I don’t think USA statistics are reliable, the majority of owners who own these dogs in America are drug users, or train them to be aggressive to frighten rival gangs, also they are used for dog-fighting. They are also predominantly chained and kept outdoors, so lack the socialisation that the dogs in the UK have which will impact their behaviour.
Dogs are very much like children, if you don’t have boundaries, or rules in place, then their behaviour will be challenging.

If you have to ask the question you already know the answer. If you insist on keeping the thing make sure it is muzzled when older. All the training in the world will not remove the natural instincts of a pitbull.

OP I have 1 of those!
My girl ( 2 now) is staff, spaniel mix, with probably a little bit of others too.