Staffys - nice or nasty? Discussions

I agree that it is how pups are raised and precautions you take.

A relative recently had to have their staff put down because she attacked his grandchild, imo this had nothing to do with the breed, they knew the dog was not keen on children and was usually crated, but for some reason the dog was allowed to be out of crate when the child was there, it makes me so mad because this dog was known not to like/be scared of children and would still be alive now if they had crated her.

Most of the staffs Ive seen have been lovely, a lot of my collegues own them and they cant praise them enough.

yeah, i agree, most staffies are lovely and great with people and kids, i just wanted to get some other peoples opinions on it all before i got my puppies as i read loads of nasty posts on here about staffies attacking people and small dogs

not getting puppies now tho so not to worry. may get 1 in the future but def not 2
also got to decide what to do about the anatolian before we think about a pup!

Hi,my family has owned staffys since the 40s and ive been raised,raised my two sons with them also.i have owned them myself for 21yrs.Most have been older dogs that needed a home,but have got a bitch that ive had since she was 8wks and a rescue male owned since he was 4months.
Dogs i believe are not born nasty,they become a product of their enviroment,its how they are raised.A staffy does not know its a staffy and doesnt know about all the bad press and its history so to say.When buying a staffy pup,take your time,research the breeder well.Staffys are very loving,loyal dogs and crave human companionship,moreso than other dogs,its common for them do be dog aggressive.They can be stubborn and head strong so need firm but fair training from very young.Also need alot of exercise and stimulation when older,they are known to suffer from seperation anxiety when left alone so this should be worked on gradually.A good breeder who isnt just in it for the money should be keeping a pup back for themselves,should have fully health tested pups with current documents to hand to show you,should have kc and pedigree documents also,should offer a lifetime of support and want constant updates of pups,shouldnt be overcharging,should have wormed,chipped and given first jab.If the breeder as got grandparents or other family members of pups thats also good.Also no decent breeder would let a first time staffy owner take 2pups.
In all,staffys sre wonderful dogs but need alot of attention,i took on a year old bitch years ago that had been abused,bred from,basicly had a horrid start in life and she was a nervous wreck and very submissive and would sit facing the corner,but with love,time and dedication she came around and was part of our lives for a wonderful 16yrs,so they can be treat bad but still love and trust.
Sorry for going on.
Just remember everybody wants a stafford,but a stafford isnt for everybody.
My two sbts are very typical of the breed,loving,loyal etc,they are brilliant with babies,kids and adults alike,love a belly rub,and follow me everywhere.But you need to be aware no matter how much you socialise them as pups with dogs,when mature and challanged by other dogs they will defend themselves if given the chance,and some can have a high prey drive that results in having a eye for cats,rabbits,birds anything that runs and is small and furry sometimes.
Never had any serouis issues with any staffys ive owned but you have to be willing to give 110% and have eyes everywhere.Mine live with a cat,she rules the roost,but was here first,that does not stop them wanting to chase other cats.Just always be aware what breed you own and dont ever get complaicent and you should be fine.Good luck.

its not a case of me wanting a dog and thinking oh i know, i'll have an anatolian! Like i said i'd never even heard of them before. Its purely because I've been asked to take her cos he thinks id be able to handle her better than he can.
plus i only work 3 days a week and even that's not a full day! I take my dog, and at the moment the staffy we're looking after, for a walk (lhasa) and off leash run (staffy) every morning before i do the school run, they have access to the garden while I'm out, and I'm home before the end of school when they go for another walk. And when my other half gets home from work if the staffy wants to exercise more then he takes him out too
I am a bit wary about taking the anatolian, everybody has said that they're best off with an experienced owner, but i just dont want to see her go back to the same situation she was in when he got her

Don't they always.

I know it's hard but they'll be plenty of time to listen to your heart after you've got your dog. Until then let your head make the decisions.

Again I'm going to point you towards rescue where there is a mountain of experience in matching the right dog to the right home (assuming you deal with a reputable rescue). Furthermore if things don't work then the rescue will offer back-up in the form of advice or ultimately taking the dog back.

Private rehomings are fraught with dangers and difficulties and, if they arise, you're on your own.

Best of luck (again). Use your head for now and save using your heart 'til later.

I think this is excellent advise. I know you are worrying what will happen to the dog but as I said in the other thread what would of happened to her anyway if you were not looking for a dog. A day before a 2 week break and no arrangements in place does not sound like a loving owner who wants whats best for his dog.

You also need to consider what you will do if the dog doesnt work out with you. A good rescue will make sure as much as it possibly can to make sure the dog does not bounce again and as this one as done that a lot from the sounds of it IMO it would be best for a rescue to undertake the rehoming and offer back up in case things dont work out.

this whole staffie debate is abit of a sore point with me at the moment. my elderly collie was attacked for the second time by my neighbours staffie just under 2 weeks ago. the first attack was in the street, no damage other than sore skin on his neck where his fur had been pulled. the second attack in my back garden where tommy broke through the fence and bit dylan in the neck. thank god i was there and the husband as between us we separated the dogs.

tommy was rescued by them 6 years ago and he had been kenneled with another dog. the wife was always afraid of him and she was his primary carer. they didn't know how to care properly for him and failed to socialise him which led to him becoming very unfriendly towards other dogs. the husband had got to the stage where he was walking tommy at 1am to avoid any confrontation.

i looked after tommy on many occasions when they went out (obviously in his house) and the dog was lovely with people. he was let down badly by his owners and now he is back at the kennels they got him from, no doubt confused and sad by his situation.

he is the product of ignorance and the need for 'status'. with the correct owner tommy could have been a balanced, happy dog living the life he deserves. instead he was isolated and ignored and goodness knows what his future will be.

i would beg anyone interested in this breed to do major research on them and also ask yourself if you are the right person to handle a terrier. if you are then you will have a wonderful companion in a staffie.

Congratulations on your pair of staffies, Its seems you are up for the challenge. Some education about the breed and socializing as puppies will help. Be very cautious of aggressive dogs when socializing though this can lead to life long problems. If you live in a fenced area be careful
when the dogs react to things outside the fence, this excited state can sometimes lead to a mixup. I love the breed and sure you will also.

I have had 4 staffies, the two I have now got as pups, and they love everything, dogs, cats, sheep, cows anything at all...They are fantastic dogs....But as has been previously said, its the way they were brought up, I socialised them from day 1....They walk mainly off lead, and are very well behaved.....
But on saying that do know of Staffies that are the total opposite...Mainly because they have had no socialization, and are looked on as a status symbol by thier owners....
These dogs are the result of stupid owners!!!

you must be crazy. you know that period children go through, 'the terrible two's' well imagine that with twins for 3 years and thets what youve got to look forward to.
no im joking, you will have your work cut out for you though, socialise and train from the first day, and i dont mean tricks like roll over or whatever, i mean build the foundations of an obedient dog that knows you are boss so if there are any problems you can sort them with a few commands. staffys are very loyal and loving so take advantage, if you are the one that will be spending the most time with them then you have to be the boss not your other half.most of all enjoy your dogs and pay no attention to the 'horror' stories there mostly exaggerated anyway.
my nextdoor neighbours spaniel is the most agressive fight picking dog ive ever seen, its attacked everyone and every dog on my road but how often do you hear about 'psycho spaniels' never, its only coss bull terriers were bread to be tough and durable that you hear about them.

This is exactly what I was going to say, so I wont repeat it, just quote it.

Any dog is capable of turning and staffys have very powerful jaws. It does depend on appropriate breeding and training though.

This next remark is not going to be popular, so I will apologise in advance. I find them rather ugly. Sorry. But that is a personal opinion.

I had a big bully staffy years ago about 5 years old that would attack any cat it saw like crazy, i mean, he would jump through small windows to chase our cat, under cars, through gardens. If he seen a cat and got hold of it he would kill it.

It took a while but we managed to train him, we gave him the respect he deserved and he respected us in return. Staffies are possibly more clever than you think. If you are too soft in disciplining them they have a tendency to try and rule the pack, thats why they need a dominant owner in my opinion, someone who acts as the alpha male of the pack is whats needed.

most of the staffies around where i live are lovely and the ones that can be a bit funny are always on leads. we have a fair few nasty mongrels though, and a gsd thats tried to bite me on a couple of occasions