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Original poster

Have just got a staff pup,,,,,,,

107 replies

pucca · 13/03/2007 10:59

Can anyone offer any advice about training this breed and all other puppy related things?

The pup is a 11 week old bitch, very cute, looks like a cow (the colour).

Just wondering if anyone has a staff who could give me some pointers?

TIA

OP posts:

MellowMa · 13/03/2007 11:05

Message withdrawn

LittleB · 13/03/2007 12:39

I'm getting a puppy this summer (a border collie) so we've been doing lots of reasearch. I can recommend a book, 'the Perfect Puppy' can't remeber who wrote it though. Also try enroling in a local puppy class, it'll be great fun and get your puppy well socialised too, your vets should be able to give you details of local classes. have fun!

SparklyGothKat · 13/03/2007 12:41

Our staff was very chewy when he was younger and destroyed so much stuff. We ended up crate training him for at night and when we are not at home, which he is really good with now. They are lively and have lots of engery, good luck

Rhubarb · 13/03/2007 12:42

Staffordshire Bull Terrier? Have you got kids?

You are joking right?

MellowMa · 13/03/2007 12:42

Message withdrawn

SparklyGothKat · 13/03/2007 12:44

RubyRioja · 13/03/2007 12:46

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Rhubarb · 13/03/2007 12:49

I have lived with dogs all my life and worked with them. It was a staffy that once pinned me against the wall of it's kennel just because I turned my back on it. It had me up against the wall, I had my hands round it's throat and it was straining to get at me. I was 17. I managed to somehow give it an almighty push, enough to run out of the kennel and lock the door. Then it came bounding up to the door wagging it's tail, friendly as anything.

I wouldn't go out and purposely buy one of these dogs if I had kids. I would class that as irresponsible.

But that is my opinion.

MellowMa · 13/03/2007 12:50

Message withdrawn

RubyRioja · 13/03/2007 12:51

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

mrsjohnsim · 13/03/2007 12:56

hiya,
staffies are great dogs when they are trained nicely.
Whatever you do, don't do alot of tugging and pulling games with him/her.
No chasing people etc, just balls and toys.

I think they have a very bad press because tere are a few horrible people who use them a "status symbols".
Rhubarb, I honestly think they are good family dogs and can be great fun, as with any other dog, you need to treat them right from the start.

OH, and neutering - needs to be done before the first season if she is female- to prevent mammary tumours, and at about 6 months if he is male- just to chill him a bit too.

GEt puppy microchipped, nearly 50% of dogs reported stolen are staffie.
and neutering the males means that people won't nick them breeding.
Hth and good luck with your puppy

(can i ask how much it cost btw?)

mrsjohnsim · 13/03/2007 12:57

sorry, now i see she is female

Rhubarb · 13/03/2007 12:58

No idea why. It was a very friendly dog, but when I was in the kennel I turned my back on it to pick up it's food bowl, I heard it growling behind me, I turned around and it went for me.

Could have been because I turned my back, could have been because I picked up it's food bowl. But the scary thing was how quickly it went from friendly playful dog to vicious brute back to friendly dog again.

here is quite a good article on the pit bull and it's reputation - it's an unbiased article I think and blames the owners rather than the dog. But what you have to bear in mind is that these dogs are extremely strong and were bred to fight. If your dog came across another and started to attack, I would not like to be in it's way. A lot of people, children included, have been seriously injured by getting in the way of fighting pit bulls.

Again, I wouldn't buy one. There are, in my opinion, better dogs to choose than an ugly brute such as this one, but if you are going to buy one you need to arm yourself with all the info on it, bad as well as good. Don't blind yourself to what this dog can be capable of just because it looks cute now.

Original poster

pucca · 13/03/2007 13:04

Yes it is a staffordshire bull terrier, yes i have kids, but these dogs are actually the best to have with kids, i wouldn't get an adult dog as you don't know the background hence why i have got a puppy.

I know of many families with these dogs and they are fab!

This isn't the same dog that killed the little girl, and i didn't want this to start into a "tarring of the same brush" type thread, which unfortunately a lot of people do with staffs.

OP posts:

SparklyGothKat · 13/03/2007 13:04

We are actually wondering how our staff will react to the baby when its born. He is friendly and is very good with our kids (who are 5,6 and 9), but he get jealous of me stroking my cat and will push the cat out of the way to get my attention, if I nap on the sofa he will sit waiting for me to wake up and will come up to me as soon as I wake up for a fuss. So I am concerned as to how he will be. We know someone who would take him, if we had to rehome him.
Anyone had a baby after getting a staff and its been ok?

Original poster

pucca · 13/03/2007 13:06

MJS...We got her for nothing from a friend, as people are tarring them with the same brush as other breeds, and the guy was struggling to sell the pups.

She is KC registered and fully above board.

OP posts:

hertsnessex · 13/03/2007 13:07

hi,

ive had staffies all my life. had 2 until recently. they r great dogs, perfect with kids as they r known as nanny dogs, i got mine before i had kids, and they looked after the kids, i knew if kids were in the garden with dogs, that if someone came and tried to take or hurt the kids, they wouldnt have a chance.

i dont think any breed of dog is 'bad' with children, its in the upbringing and breeding.

staffs cost between £300-600 now depepnding on whether you want kc reg, or show dog, sometimes more if its a really good line.

its still such a shame there are such ignorant people around today, more labs attack people than staffies, but you dont hear alot about that.......just oooooh, cute andrex pup......blah blah.

i like most breeds, and would never say someone was irresponsible for buying a particular breed even though i have a cpl i dont like due to past experiences - but that was due to those dogs, not the breed themselves.

tips for training are be firm, be strong, never let them get away with a thing!!!

they are very loyal and very obedient dogs, enjoy having her.

hertsnessex · 13/03/2007 13:10

sparklygothcat,

i had 2 who were 1yr old when i had my ds1, then 1yr later had ds2. they adored them, wouldnt dream of psuhing infront of the boys.

i had tons of choc buttons to hand when i brought ds1 home from the hosp, they loved him for that alone i think.

when either of my ds's cried, the dogs would run to them, and often beat me to it!!!

id take sensible precautions, like with any dog, but as he already knows what kids are like, im sure he'll be fine again.

MellowMa · 13/03/2007 13:13

Message withdrawn

Rhubarb · 13/03/2007 13:17

I'm sorry but if you are not supposed to leave a toddler and a baby alone in the same room together then I would suggest you do not leave a dog and a baby alone together either.

You cannot accuse those who have a different view than yours to be "ignorant" I think that shows more ignorance personally.

Would you buy a new house without knowing every detail about it, including the bad? So why is it not sensible to know every detail about your breed of new dog, including the bad? The article I linked to is a guardian article that is actually very good and a bit of unbiased reporting.

No-one said that the dog which killed the little girl and this staffy were the same breed, that is you jumping to conclusions.

I am giving you my experiences with a staffy who was supposed to be a friendly family dog in the kennels whilst the family were on holiday. My family also bred Kennel Club dogs and I've lived all my life with dogs, so please do not say I am ignorant.

I have also made clear that these opinions are my own. What you buy or do with your life is none of my business, but if you come on MN you must expect to get some advice you might not care to hear. I have not said you must never buy such a dog, just that I wouldn't and IN MY OPINION it would be irresponsible to buy one when you have very young children around.

But you do whatever.

wannaBeWhateverIWannaBe · 13/03/2007 13:33

I would never buy a staffy.

I agree that a lot of how dogs behave has to do with how they're trained/raised etc, however staffies are notoriously agressive towards other dogs, and that alone makes them unsuitable family pets IMO.

What happens when you, and your children, are out with this dog and it goes for another one? it's instinct to them and is something they've been bred to do so is hard to predict when it will happen. if your children get in the way they'll get bitten.

you should not purely judge a dog on how it is with children, how it is with other dogs should also be taken into account because you cannot avoid it being with other dogs at the same time as being with your children, and by having a dog that is notorious for attacking other dogs you are putting your children at risk of being bitten.

hertsnessex · 13/03/2007 13:42

"notorious for attacking other dogs"....???

due to the breeds 'fighting' history, this is still a perception of some, but lets face it, when it came to crufts, i didnt see any sesperate area for 'THOSE dogs', so i really dont think this statements is correct.

the view of this breed is often ignorant, as everyone remembers the pit bull days, that is where such alot of the 'fear' of this breed comes from, its such a shame such a fab breed gets tarred by another.

rhubarb, telling someone that buying a staff is 'irresponsible' is ignorant. every dog and every breed is different. my aunt had a yorkshire terrier that was the most evil thing ever.........but that didnt mean that all yorkie dogs were the same.......opinions are one thing, calling someone 'irresponsible' for buying a family pet is wrong.

Rhubarb · 13/03/2007 13:52

Yes they do have a reputation for being aggressive with other dogs herts.

But I am ignorant and you so obviously are not so there is no point arguing with you is there?

noddyholder · 13/03/2007 13:53

I don't like them either sorry!I know a couple with 2 who had to get rid when they had second child as they are unpredictable

wannaBeWhateverIWannaBe · 13/03/2007 14:03

no it is not a perception and I have seen it first-hand.

and at crufts the dogs are all kept on leads as oppostd to in the park where the dogs are potentially not.

I think some people are blinded by the statement that they are "known as the nanny dog" (which is a very irresponsible term IMO) and fail to take on board the fact that they are known for being agressive towards other dogs.

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