Staffys - tell me honestly, do they deserve such a bad rep

[tellmewhentheLangshiplandscoz]

Evening all

So we're looking for a dog to adopt and the rescues we're watching seem to have lots of staffys (why is this?!) We're considering going to see one this weekend (x with Shar Pei). He's four and according to the rescue shows no health or personality concerns associated with this breed and is pretty much a staffy through and through.

I've always loved this breed but DH is wary due to their rep.

Can you tell me honestly what they're like? I read something interesting on BBC which said they are actually s breed the kennel club recommends around young kids so that was a surprise!

Also a good friend of mine was attacked by one a few years ago requiring stitches and although I haven't asked her yet - I'm s bit worried what her reply would be tbh - I'm concerned she may refuse to walk her dog with us/come to her home. This is really niggling me enough to not consider him

My friend has a staffy rescue and she's a lovely little dog. Adores humans and is everyone's friend. Their neighbours either side both have staffies too. One side get's on well with their girl but the other doesn't so they have to be careful when she's out in the garden.

My sister had one years ago and he was lovely but scared of little dogs. Would cower when he saw any approaching/.

Also, I regularly attend dog shows where they have breed specific stands where the breeders show their dogs. The only dogs I've seen who revel in the human attention were bernese mountain dogs, golden retrievers (they just lay down all day for belly rubs) and staffies. The Staffies were sooooo excited and happy to get attention. They were so gorgeous too! I loved them.

An ex friend of mine has an 8yr old male staffy.
Went on walks with her and her dog (and my male non-staffy) for years. No issues. Lovely dog.
One day on our usual walk it attacked another male staffy. Badly. Saw it, ran over and had it by the neck. No provocation at all.
I stopped going out with friend and dog after that.
She uses it for stud and claims it has never showed any aggression and is fabulous with children and other dogs.

@GingerAndTheBiscuits

Staffy or seal?

Ahhhhh this picture has made me very happy

[quote Orchid18]@troppibambini6 your new pup is gorgeous, and very similar looking to my girl.
@Etonmessisyum Get in the bin! Staffies are VERY attractive, and don’t have the ‘clinkers’ problem you get with Goldies 🤢[/quote]
This! How on earth can anyone say they're anything other than beautiful?!

Thanks for these beautiful pictures and yes - they are definitely half seal

Thanks everyone who has posted including those with warning stories, it's important to hear all views.

[quote AllTheUsernamesAreAlreadyTaken]@tabulahrasa

Will rescue centres make that distinction?

These were all involved in fatal attacks and I can imagine them all being described as Staffies by rescue centres as they have been on the legal documentation and media coverage.[/quote]
They’re not staffies though, they could have some staffy in there, they might be a mix of completely different breeds altogether, the second picture look more like American bulldogs... which are a very different breed.

The point is though, being called a staffy can’t pass on breed traits from staffies, looking a bit like a staffy but being something completely different altogether can’t pass on breed traits from staffies.

So if people want to include breed as a factor in fatal attacks, they should be more accurate, otherwise what’s the point?

Staffys are wonderful dogs , i am a vet nurse in an area where they are very popular and we see a lot of them .
It is very rare that we see an aggressive one , they are generally happy, friendly , tolerant souls.
Saying that obviously they are very strong , even the smaller built ones and if you get one that is aggressive to other dogs it is going to cause a lot more damage than if he were an aggressive poodle.

They absolutely do not deserve a bad reputation.
Personally i would not go for a shar pei x, often an untrustworthy breed who often get chronic skin problems , really miserable for the dog and a total pain for you with vet bills !

Sharpei dogs are the ones with sort of folded up faces aren’t they? I suppose the skin problems would probably be determined by how ‘mixed’ they are. Are they still likely to have skin problems if they don’t have the folded up face?

That’s the thing with crosses like this, it’s so hard to predict what they will be like. Sometimes you see a mixed dog and they are definitely more one breed than the other.

A purebred staffy is a relatively small dog. According to wiki “it usually stands 36–41 cm at the withers. Dogs weigh some 13–17 kg, bitches approximately 2 kg less.” Not dissimilar in size to a cocker or a beagle.

The dogs in the image above look much bigger so likely to be crosses, pit bulls or American bulldogs.

We had one when I was a child called Eric and he was absolutely lovely. I can't remember what he was like with other dogs but I have heard they can be reactive.
He had a lot of energy though, and chewed up the door frames when he was left alone.
This was nearly 30 years ago now though so I think people generally treat their pets better nowadays and learn about them before they have them.

@QueenofDestruction

I would never want one. My lab was viciously attacked by a staffie nipping me trying to rescue my dog. It just raved up to my dog from a distance and went for him.Have a look at the list of dog fatalities in the UK and Australia and there are always staffies on there.

Funny thing is - labs are also one of the top dog bites in the UK

But labs unlike staffies don't make the death by dog list

But most labradors are labradors whereas a lot of so-called staffies aren't staffs they are cross-breeds

@QueenofDestruction

But labs unlike staffies don't make the death by dog list

Well that’s kind of my point when it comes to those lists... and of the “staffies” could well be lab crosses, it’s not an uncommon cross and they’re certainly big enough. They could be just about anything... there was a dog near me that kept attacking other dogs, everyone said it was a staffy - it was a lab x ridgeback

@tabulahrasa Yep, lots of people are poor at identifying dogs. Quite a while ago now a woman at the park started screaming about a dangerous and vicious fox. It was our Shiba Inu sat nicely next to my husband.

My mum was in her 60's when she adopted a staffie from a family giving her away. She was incredibly soft and easy going, good with other animals and kids and my mum was so upset when the dog passed away at a ripe old age. Co.pared to a lunatic of a spaniel she had years ago , the staffing was a much better dog in very way!

They are also very hardy dogs compared with many other popular breeds.

I'd say three things:

1. The 'nanny dog' myth is bullshit. The earliest record seems to be from the 1970s.
2. Staffies are known for dog aggression, and living with dog aggression is hard work.
3. If one part of a couple isn't 100% keen on a dog, and the dog has issues once you get it, it will put stress on the relationship.

My old staff was amazing with people, she however detested other dogs. She was a rescue so we don't know the reason for this.

We had a staffy when I was a teenager and she was a bit of a child catcher! Local kids (3 - 5 of them) would come knocking on the front door and ask if they could take Misty out for a walk. We’d hand dog and lead over and she would have the best time ever with these local kids.

My dad would take the dog to the local pub as well. On a lunchtime she would allow him two drinks then drag home home! If he went up to the bar again she would pull him until he left. She also saved him from being mugged one evening (again walking back from the pub!). Misty was good with other dogs as well, never vicious or aggressive. My Jack Russells have always been more dog aggressive.

This breed of dog gets a bad press but I honestly believe it is due to the idiots who have them for anything other than good, honest reasons. I would have a staff in a heart beat.

Actually quite relieved to read how many have had issues with other dogs, makes me realise it’s probably a breed trait and that we’re right to be limiting our dog‘s exposure to others

@Grumpyosaurus

I'd say three things:

1. The 'nanny dog' myth is bullshit. The earliest record seems to be from the 1970s.
2. Staffies are known for dog aggression, and living with dog aggression is hard work.
3. If one part of a couple isn't 100% keen on a dog, and the dog has issues once you get it, it will put stress on the relationship.

This is nonsense the breed gain KC status in 1935

The nanny dog comes from the fact they would be transported home after dog fights often in a state of hyper aggression and with injuries , in the pram next to babies so they were breed to have amazing temperaments with people .

I have had 2 rescues , one was dog aggressive, one wasn't . DA is easily dealt with by using a muzzle

Don't get a staffy though if you aren't prepared to deal with it as even if you socialise the dog loads as a puppy one day it might take a dislike to other dogs and that's it for life.

Staffies don't need other dogs, staffies need people.

Ive owner JRT, boxers , greyhound's , lurcher and staffies and I currently have a 10 month old staff . The reason I chose a staffy this time is due to having young kids

It's the by far the breed I trust the most with my kids

Staffies are one of only 2 breeds actively encouraged to be in the family home by KC the other is King Charles cavalier spaniel

My puppy is amazing and so trainable, he rings a bell for the toilet, he sleeps on the coach at night from 5 months old, he has never chewed anything in the house, I can take him anywhere and he sits quietly. He really is the perfect dog, I have spent a lot of time training him but it has paid off and he is super smart and learns quickly

They are a super wee dog but ultimately aren't always the best with other dogs, fantastic with humans though.

My staffy was really tough looking, very tall with a big head. People used to cross the road sometimes when I walked him. But oh my goodness! He was the softest coward ever! My niece used to ride him when she was a toddler, he'd hide behind me and quiver if he saw a seagull, he'd try and sit on my head like a hat when he heard fireworks because he was terrified. He was a best friend to my two DS as they grew up, he'd wait until he thought I was asleep then creep under the duvet at the end of my bed and then inch his way up slowly then snuggle into me. He was no guard dog, was so loving, gentle and friendly and had the biggest staffy grin. His time came in April when he was almost 14 and I miss him every day. You won't get a better family dog than a staffy imo.

Oh should of said the reason there are loads in rescues is due to them being by far the most popular dog in the uk

Unfortunately though statistics are only done on registered dogs, if you accounted for unregistered dogs the staffy would outstrip any other breed by miles, hence why a much higher % in rescue

Only down to the sheer number of them in the uk.