5 comments by 2 or more people

1. Sue

   I’ve noticed that on dog rescue centre sites there is always a large proportion of Staffordshire bull terriers so I assume lots of people find them difficult to keep as pets. They do look rather fearsome and I wouldn’t want one myself. I’m not sure about muscular dogs being used to small sausage-shaped mongrels. What would you say are the attributes of Staffordshire bull terriers?

   11 Sep 2011, 22:46

2. Kirsty Judge

   As with all dogs, it depends on the dog and how well it has been trained and treated. But from my own experience I can tell you that with responsible ownership and good treatment they are affectionate, highly intelligent dogs, incredibly eager to please and absolute pigs who can and will eat yoghurt pots if you let them rummage around in the bin. As guard dogs, they are terrible, because they love people (especially strangers) to bits. My mother often says the only way we’d catch a burglar in our house is if the dog licked him to death. They may look fearsome, but they are actually very sweet. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Staffordshire_Bull_Terrier

   Common misconceptions about the breed’s aggressiveness put off many would be dog owners, but those who opt for a staffordshire as a violent status symbol are often disappointed by the fact that they are massive softies. In fact, the most aggressive dog breed is actually the dachshund (or sausage dog). http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/2254479/Sausage-dogs-are-the-most-aggressive-dogs.html.

   Thanks for your comment and interest!

   16 Sep 2011, 00:45

3. Sue

   Our dogs looked nothing like dachshunds and I suppose they weren’t really sausage dogs although we sometimes used that name as a term of endearment. One of them we had in the family I grew up in and the second one we had in the family home that my children grew up in and both dogs were extremely docile with lovely personalities. I think mongrels usually have the most lovely dispositions. Unfortunately someone was walking their dog outside my friends house when it was attacked by a Staffordshire bull terrier and the dog was quite badly hurt. Maybe they are not too good with other dogs or perhaps this was an unusual incident. Also, I like picking dogs up!

   16 Sep 2011, 23:33

4. Kirsty Judge

   I always find the idea that dachshunds are a violent dog as pretty funny, since they are adorable little things. I think you’re right about picking dogs up as well, my boyfriend and I saw a man coming off the train yesterday with his long-haired miniature dachshund cradled under his arm. Our staff is a bit of a porker and generally resists being moved by becoming mysteriously heavier the more you try to budge her. Mongrels are often incredibly lovely- my neighbours have the most amazing dog that they found in Singapore of all places, with no distinguishable ancestry (it mostly looks like a jackal) but it is incredibly friendly and also rather handsome. Mongrels are overall healthier since pedigree dogs often suffer from genetic diseases and problems resulting from exaggerated attributes (such as Basset Hounds and ear infections, Great Danes and heart attacks, skin infections for any saggy-faced breed).

   As for the violent staffordshire bull terrier thing- I really think it depends on how they’re raised and the disposition of the dog. Our staff was attacked by another staffordshire bull terrier once, and the bite was dreadful to look at. With staffs, any violence becomes more of an issue since as ex-fighting dogs the breed has a very dangerous bite as opposed to the average dog’s nip. Furthermore, some people simply train theirs to be nasty dogs; they look nasty, they have a reputation, they often attract that kind of owner: the ones who want to look hard. If a more responsible dog owner like you or I were given the same dog I imagine things would turn out rather differently. Which is why it’s so sad that so many staffordshire bull terrier puppies end up living and dying in a dog home.

   18 Sep 2011, 22:17

5. Polly Brown

   I comepletely agree with all you’ve said, Kirsty. The family had a staffordshire-bull-terrier when I was only six months old. People who read this would probably think MADNESS as there are so many hideous stories of bull-terriers eating children for a light snack. However, this dog was one of the lovliest I have ever known. She was gentle, loyal and playful (though towards other dogs she was a bit of a menace). However, at the same time we had a jack russell. I remember playing with her the same way I played with the staffie, and one day it turned around and BIT MY FACE. She ‘went to the farm’ (awkward, a year later, when I asked the rents if we could visit her on so-called farm). Then the staffie had puppies AND I WAS ALOUD TO CHOOSE ONE and it was the biggest, fattest, wimpiest softie you have ever known in ALL YOUR BORN DAYS. Then she died too and we got our first male (we still have him now XDDD) and he is THE BEST DOG IN THE WORLD. I wouldn’t trust him with other dogs, but with people he CAN’T WAIT TO SIT ON THEIR LAPS. And if you don’t stroke him enough, he will nudge you to death with his head. STILLLLL people are prejudiced over some story and hate staffies. I once got bitten by a collie too. Do I hate them? Nooooo. Do I hate JR’s? Noooo, we have one of those as well. As you said, it all depends on how you train the dog. You can literally make any dog into a vicious swine, no matter how small and cute it looks. Staffies are just more feared because they are fat bastards with notorious teeth. Once I got called a ‘chav’ when some (ironically, chavs) saw me walking the staffie. I AM NOT A CHAV AND NEITHER IS MY DOG. It is just the frigging chavs that buy most of ‘em and make them meeeeean.

   31 Oct 2011, 16:41