Staffordshire Bull Terrier crosses- what are they like?

[LoveInAColdChamberOfSecrets]

My neighbours have a Staffie/lurcher cross. As a semi-grown puppy, it jumped up and bit me on the shoulder, tearing my coat and terrifying me. It's now an adult and very big, strong and fast, and I'm afraid of it, although I think that's partly a hangover from being bitten.

There isn't a fence between our gardens at present, but I am now expecting a baby and will be putting up a fence, partly to keep the dog out and partly to keep the baby in once it's bigger, as at the moment it could toddle into the courtyard where people park their cars. However, there is a covenant in our deeds which stops a fence being over a metre high, which I'm sure the dog could jump over. Is my extra paranoia regarding the dog's breed justified? I have been Googling and there seems to be a split of stories between Staffies being lovely family dogs and them attacking other dogs and children. I know a lot must come down to the individual dog and owners, but are they inherently more aggressive than a Lab or whatever? The only dogs I'm really familiar with are spaniels, retrievers, pointers, labs etc, so I don't know if I'm being paranoid because the dog "looks" scary with the big jaws and big chest in a harness!

Please don't flame me, I'm pregnant, hormonal and anxious about my baby and the dog.

"Is my extra paranoia regarding the dog's breed justified?"

NO.

"are they inherently more aggressive than a Lab or whatever?"

NO.

My sister has a 'bull lurcher' which is a sighthound kind dog x with a bull terrier type dog. His face looks very staffy to me. He is the most gentle dog I have ever seen with the kids.

Staffies are nick named the nanny dog because of their natural love for children and their gentle nature. The crap you read in the paper is just that, crap!

All dogs have the ability to bite. Even the lab. When you say it bit you was it aggression or over exicted puppy play?

The breed is irrelevant really. Can the dog also get out into the car park then? If the owners are the sort that let their dog run loose in an area where there are cars I would be concerned.

I had this one open to reply when I got back from walking the dog.... see there's no need as it's been said :)

The most dangerous dog in the world is quite probably the Untrained Dog. I had and have a Staffordshire Bull Terrier and I also look after a bull breed x greyhound (lurcher) from time to time and my son has been around them all of his life. Bear and the Ginger Gangly one were and are the most gentle dogs around children. OldLady generally just keeps out of the way. Admittedly I do have to do a bit of training with the Ginger Gangly one, but her gentleness around children is inherent. (Actually... she did hurt my son once by wagging her tail around him. It's enormous!)

It's always the owners of untrained dogs that terrify me.

I read somewhere that actually the most bites that are seen in hospital are from Labs just that they aren't picked up on by the papers because it doesn't fit in with they stereotyping of dogs.

There seems to be a bit of a shift in the media at the moment. Perhaps because they have already managed to do the damage by stereotyping and have got bored.... but there has been 2 recent reports in national news about attacks on children, one being a lab and one being a westie.

Breed is irrelevant, but true reporting is essential otherwise people do assume that staffordshire bull terriers are child eating beasts and labs are cute dogs that play with loo rolls and westies are lovely fluffy little teddy bears. I have serious doubts we'll ever have true reporting on much though.

Had a wonderful conversation a few weeks ago (I'll admit, staffies aren't my thing - just through personal taste - I'm not a terrier or bull-type person at all - same as some people ain't fond of big dogs or small dogs or whatever else) with a couple of women about their dogs - it went along the lines of me being insane to have dogs with a cat (yeah right, I'd bet on the cat any day cos she's tough as nails) and then diverted to "I never let my dog off the lead (staffie X jack russell) because you always know she's got that staffie in them and you never know if they're gonna turn do you."

Two relatively sane (well, as sane as you can be working with children), educated women thinking that!

Biggest pains in the rear I've come across lately ain't staffies at all - it's the previously mentioned Trevor the Terminator Terrier and the completely bonkers ankle humping Jack Russell round here, and a few badly trained (to overstate it - untrained is more the way of it) huskies! Oh and a few completely hideously obese and out of control labradors that people got because they thought they were nice easy family dogs (Andrex has a lot to answer for). Seriously - the day you see a normal sized Lab around here is so rare you mark it in your diary!

all the staffies I've met since I've had my dog (11 month lab) have been lovely and friendly. He was attacked for the first time today, by a yellow lab, very frightening because so unexpected, it appeared out of nowhere and just went for my dog. The owner managed to get it off quickly and my pup was ok apart from a bleeding ear.

Get the biggest fence you can get away with. It would be horrible to have to worry about a giant dog leaping into your yard and knocking down your baby (even affectionately).

Staffs are actually one of the best dogs to have with a young family as they have a naturally loving nature! All dogs are capable of being aggressive and I think it has a lot to do with how they are handled by their owners. However based on what you have said regarding this dog in particular and the fact that it has already bitten you I'd suggest getting the highest fence you can and just being extra careful when your child is of an age where it can play outside. Personally I'd have a word with you're neighbours and tell them your concearns! They might be able to put your mind at rest!

Staffs are actually one of the best dogs to have with a young family as they have a naturally loving nature! All dogs are capable of being aggressive and I think it has a lot to do with how they are handled by their owners. However based on what you have said regarding this dog in particular and the fact that it has already bitten you I'd suggest getting the highest fence you can and just being extra careful when your child is of an age where it can play outside. Personally I'd have a word with you're neighbours and tell them your concearns! They might be able to put your mind at rest!

no, it is the individual dog and not the breed so dont worry about that aspect. however, i think for your own peace of mind you should put up a fence. 1m will not be high enough to stop a dog jumping over. maybe you could bend the rules by putting a 1m high solid fence and then 2foot trellis? could you also put an extra deep kickboard at the bottom of the fence? how strict do you think they will be on the 1m? where i live you cant have anything above 2 or 3 foot (cant remember which) at the front of the houses. my neighbour has a 4foot high wall. no-one is bothered by it afaik.

as soon as you put the fence up plant some quick growing evergreens your side that will grow taller than the fence

Although lots of private estates have these strange covenants about not having a caravan on your drive, or breeding llamas in your garden and so on, they are mostly unenforceable. Our estate has one about satellite dishes - but cable hasn't been put in, so 95% of the houses have them, and so far the world hasn't ended.

Regardless of the breed, if there was a large loose dog wandering around in my garden with a small child, I would get it fenced, with a nice big high solid fence, and I would be happy that my child was safe, and damn the consequences. Anyway, once your child is toddling, a high fence is a good idea for keeping them in as well as everything else out.

But like others, I can say this is NOTHING to do with breed, and everything to do with the individual dog, and sadly the idiots who own them, and don't look after them. DH and I took one of our greyhounds along to a charity dog show this afternoon - you know the type of thing, waggiest tail, best rescue etc. for Help the Heroes. We were able to have lovely afternoon and raise some cash for an excellent charity. Out of all the dogs there, have a guess which ones got into a fight? A bulldog with a major attitude problem, a Westie and a pug. Most of the Staffies, mastiffs etc sat around looking hot and licking anything that came near

Thanks, everyone, for replies - I can't reply properly just now but will come back ASAP. Thanks again!