Yesterday I took Maisie my 7 month staffie for her usual walk, she is still at the "I never tire out" stage and is very friendly very much a peoples dog! she does not jump up at people and comes to her name when i shout her. Anyway yesterday this horrible woma came running up arms flapping like an idiot telling me or rather ordering me to get my " Devil dog" on a lead. She had 2 Jack russel terriers with her ( off leads, who were growling) I asked her what she meant by devil dog she told me that it was in bread in them to kill, I asked her if she knew anything about the breed she just continued shouting and swearing at me. In the end I told her to **** off . Why shold I put my dog on a lead when she is well behaved and doing nobody any harm, it was her dogs who were growling, Maisie was hiding behind my legs at this point!
It really makes me mad that people who know nothing about the breed think of them as a killer breed, when they are one of the most placid dogs around, they were even nicknamed "Nanny dog" years ago. I know there are some exceptions but any dog can snap its how you bring them up that matters.
Sorry to go on but she really got on my nerves any other staffie owners have this prob?

Hi Joanna,
So sorry about your nasty experience. I must admit to being wary of staffies before I got a dog myself and realised what gorgeous dogs they are. I think I was probably swayed by some of the stories in the press - stupid, I know, but as a non-dog owner with no doggie friends to put me straight, I was under this misconception for years. I used to cross the road when I saw anyone with a staffie, a bull terrier of any description, even (and don't laugh, I'm really embarrassed to admit it here) a boxer!
When I was looking into getting a dog myself, and it was a 2 year process, I started to realise how naive and ignorant I'd been. We looked into so many breeds to find the right one, and I was in for a surprise or two!
Now, Sparky has friends of every shape and size imaginable.
Unfortunately, even some dog owners are still trapped in the little world I was in. The amount of people (dog owners too) who ask if Sparky is vicious, and is that why he is wearing a muzzle (it's a halti) is unbelievable.

Sorry to hear of your experience, I'm afraid to say you'll just have to get used to it :-(

I have 3 Staffs and people regularly cross over to the other side of the road when I approach them.  I even had 2 lads jump on a bench in the park last week claiming I had vicious killers! My dogs weren't anywhere near them at the time!  I then proceeded to call one of my dogs too me, asked him to sit and wait and asked one of the lads to come and meet my "killer Staff" and see if I couldn't change his opinion.  Funnily enough, 5 minutes later, after stroking Beetle, he realised what idiots he and his friend had been and did admit they were nice dogs...:-) 

So there you go, miracles can happen...but unfortunately it's one of the "joys" of owning any of the Bull Breeds, their supposed reputation preceeds them and there are an awful lot of ignorant people out there.

Keep enjoying Maisie, she sounds great, and do your best to ignore the idiots in this world.

I own staffies and until I actually owned one I was also in this world of how dangerous these dogs were supposed to be.

One of my neighbours was petrified when she saw my Jas well I suppose you would if you saw a dog of 17" tall and weighing in at just over 18kilos of finely toned muscle with his tounge hanging out and that sort of wide grin come running towards you ;)
now they are the best of friends and she loves to see him out in the garden playing with his chew bone and if she hasn't seen him for a few days she always asks after him. 

Now we have just applied for my Jas to become a PAT dog and the comments that the assesers made were how wonderfully quiet and gentle he is.  I love my staffie and now that the days of the Doberman and Rottweiler having their fair share of this kind of abuse being over, the public are bored and just need another breed to pick on.

It doesn't help when you have owner's who only think of their dogs as 'mean machines' because they have read all the hype in the papers about the breed and then go and buy these great big bulky studded leather harnesses which make the dogs look plain stupid and the owner's even more so.

All breeds can be dangerous even your grandmother's yorkie! 

NO OFFENCE TO YORKIE OWNERS INTENDED

... welcome to the wonderful world of the Stafordshire Bull Terrier owners club, never dull. The good thing is it will balance out and you will also come across the people who will stop and talk and fuss because they ARE Staffords :D

I always was told that although they are good at fighting, they have to be trained to do so. I saw a program on telly about this couple who had two staffies as pets, and one was stolen for dog fighting. they found him but unfortunately hehad been trained to fight by then and could nto be reintroduced to the family.  I have met loads adn i always think what lovely smiley dogs they are! such lovely muscly things!:D

Yeah, like me.  I love staffies.

They have a way of kissing you that even my labradors can't beat :D

I often meet a lovely young lad in the park with his 2 Staffies,you couldn't find more friendly,loving,playful ,dog friendly dogs!They love my Boxer and I couldn't imagine anyone thinking they are nasty!He has them so well trained and obviously loves them to bits,he can't be more than 19,it's so refreshing to see them together!

I must say, that even walking my boxer Glazby on his lead I've had grown men crossing the road muttering over their shoulder something along the lines of "that dog looked at me like I was his dinner" or "bloody 'ell look at the size of 'im"!! 

He's a real softy and I'm sure he's only eyeing up the nice clean clothes that he could put muddy paw prints on if he got half a chance!!!

I think ive told you before...
While at work i was talking about my dogs... a customer said 'oh Donna what do you have?'
I replied 2 staffords and a x-breed
He said 'OH SAVAGE DOGS!'
I just asked him what he knew etc.. the tw*t couldnt answer me and even now i wont converse with this man! (he insulted my softies)

I also find when i take charlie or beau to the vet a lot of people start gripping at their dogs leads...

Donna and charliex