We are moving into a bigger house, and have one small/med sized working bred terrier, and 2 cats.

We have started to notice that our dog loves meeting other dogs and when she is at home or on walks with us alone- she seems a bit dissatisfied!
But that is not the sole reaosn we are considering a Staffie, i have experience of energetic/problematic dogs and ive never owned a staff, me and my OH have met friends staffs and really love their character.

I know that they will become aggressive to other dogs if the other dog is snappy/aggressive, and also they can be noisy/destructive if left too long alone.

Can people give me some insider knowledge into this breed, as im not fully aware of the breed. We would need to start form puppyhood as to get in plenty of socialisation with other dogs and people etc etc!

We are not rushing into this whatso ever, we would be looking to get another dog next spring/summer, when our dog is around 2yrs old.

Ta x

better correct myself here- our dog gets lots of attention from us- lots of one to one games and cuddles, but we have noticed she wants a mate to frolic in the river with, or fetch sticks with, i have to draw the line somewhere guys!

Fantastic breed, but MUST be socialised properly!

Sarah.

thanks- there must be more sbt owners/breeders on here? come on tell your story with sbt!

Mine was a bit of a chewer as a pup but now lazes on sofa or my bed all day.  She won't bark but snorts and makes weird noises all the time.  she cries a lot as well and always has done for no apparent reason.  she is totally lovable and wants to be with people all the time.  until she was 2 she never had any problems with other dogs but lots of other dogs appeared to have problems with her - GSD's in particular always rush up barking and this frightens her.  she is freaked out by anything with a plug and also broom/brushes.
sorry this sound like a total ramble but they are great dogs, totally loving and will give you 110%

hello,
        my sister has a SBT called galaxy . although he looks quite mean he is a total softie and a pampered pooch .
when she went on holiday last year he came to stay with me , i had just got my little lhasa apso pup and watching her chasing his tail and him jumping on the freezer in the kitchen to get away from her was really comical.
my little deja vu then had an accident on his bed and i had to wash the cushion , as i said galaxy is pampered and refused to sleep on the laminate flooring so watching him trying to get into deja's little bed was really funny as he could only get his back end in and his front end was on a beanbag he had pulled over.
but galaxy is really lovely and now enjoys running about with deja and my new pup gucci . he has a really nice temperment and loves sitting on your knee for cuddles.

angie

I have a staffie and he is good with some dogs, but not others. He seems to dislike little ones that jump on him. We got a Rottie pupply last June and its only now that he is starting to tolerate her. He is great with my cats. He came into my household when he was 9 years old and got on really well with my previous dog, although I had to seperate them at food time as he will snap if the other dog comes near him when he is eating. They are a lovely breed and there are a couple of puppies at my training class and they seem to get on well with the other dogs

ditto need the socialisation from an early age and need firm training.....powerful little dogs to be allowed to dominate...we rescued a sbt aged 11mths...it,s been fun!!!....but he has some serious issues that need sorting out but we are getting there and the bonus is he is great with anyone human children or otherwise....so people friendly so wants to be with you ALL the time...
Think about rescue as there are loads out there looking for forever homes...if you search sbt rescue you will find one local to you i am sure....
have had rottie and GSD before and sbt are definately little dogs with big personality and loads of character...

Our staffie is completely people friendly and a  very loving dog. Had a bit of a challenge during her teenage phase, She is just begining to calm down and at last i can walk her without a dogmatic, she will try to pull if she thinks i will let her. Her recall has become dismal so she cant be trusted to always come back(it used to be great) so she is back to basic training .She is much easier to work with on her own and i often train her but only get results when i leave the other dogs at home. She would definately domineer the other dogs  if she was allowed.  Thankfully she is not too destructive(the odd pairs of shoes or things left lying around),only seems to happen when she is bored. Our staff is a dog who needs a firm, kind hand, she is now 14mths old has boundless energy is full of mischief and is at her best when occupied , she has to be kept busy . She is my first staffie and an absolute delight, we adore her but be prepared to work hard.

Hi CJ,
I'm with ojoj here - please consider having a Staffy (or even a X) from a rescue.  They are the most populous breed in rescues and many end up there for no character or behavioural fault - unless you consider lack of aggression a fault.  I have a Staffy/Whippet X (I think -from rescue so no guarantees but we are surrounded by Staffies in B'am so I am familiar with them and there's definitely a lot in her). 

She has taken some managing but is now the most delightful and devoted little companion.  Was never aggressive to humans and is now good with other dogs (but doesn't tolerate fools gladly - particularly little yappy, snappy ones).  Wonderful companion for the rescue GSD dog - whom she rules with a rod of iron.

Good luck with your search - these are great little dogs.

Linda (and Miss Thing)

"I know that they will become aggressive to other dogs if the other dog is snappy/aggressive"

my dog was attacked by a staff for no reason at all.hes not snappy or aggressive thankyou very much dont think that other dogs HAVE to provoke them if the dog is that way inclined

woah woah woah!  Yes, some staffords can be dog aggressive, yes some can be perfectly well behaved toward other dogs......and yes, they may turn defend themselves if provoked.. but Michelle.. my Stafford was attacked by another dog, unprovoked....I'd try not to take the original posters comment too personally! 

OP... a stafford would be a wonderful addition to your family.. but as other posters have pointed out..there are many many staffords in rescue and you'd be doing a great service if you considered a rescue....

yes i agree :), but lets not pretend that everydog that a agressive staffie attacks is "asking" for it.

who said that they were ever 'asking for it'?  That's quite a sweeping statement?

the op??????
"I know that they will become aggressive to other dogs if the other dog is snappy/aggressive"

i find that a sweeping statement

original poster.......
so... by replying with another sweeping statement that makes it ok?.... no....
which is why in my original reply I stated... staffords can indeed defend themselves if provoked, can be dog aggressive and can be none aggressive... the whole point being that any dog can have any type of behaviour surely?
However, I don't want to argue with anyone about it so........
cheers

i agree nowhere did i say that they were ALL dog agressive, what i said is that a staff CAN be dog agressive to a dog who is doing nothing to provke it. not all of them,but they can be.

cant they??????

its a bit of a generalisation.... my staffy x takes a LOT of provocation these days before he will go in all guns blazing and pin the offender down...

Not nearly such a massively humongous one as your own, the op was simply voicing the belief that, as with MANY other terrier types, staffies are often not the ones to back down when antagonised.

Ill make a generalisation here if i may..... so, in my not so humble experience are Yorkies, Cairns, Westies, Bichons, JRT's, Airedales, Schnauzers.....

Just because YOUR dog was attacked unprovoked, by a staffie, by no means are they ALL unprovoked attacks. Although when my STAFFY x was attacked (by a pair of border collie bitches), that was entirely unprovoked.

Ill go out now and make sure every one in the world knows that border collies can be nasty bitey snappy vicious gits.... that pair were so OBVIOUSLY they are all this way.

(btw, that is tongue in cheek, i own a collie x)....

In any case, this discussion was NOT about staffies being evil and every other breed being a paragon of virtue, it was about someone possibly getting a staffy, and whilst terriers arent my thing i do love my staffy x lad to bits.

I can only echo the socialisation thing again and again, get out there adn ENSURE your staff meets every nice dog going - if you meet a bad un, get BACK out and meet ten more nice ones, and DONT STOP.

Staffies are fantastic little dogs and ALL the ones i have met have been great - more than i can say for a great many breeds around here, but then thats a circumstance caused by the owners, not the dogs.

Em

cheers em!

i have found out (surprisingly, after owning gundogs and spaniels) that i adore terriers now!
addicitve personalities i think :)

thanks for the advice, i am in contact with a few staffie rescue contacts, and breeders who have lots to tell me

xx

look im sorry. WHERE did i generalise? please quote where i said all staffs will attack without provacation?

i was quoting from a breed book- not personal feelings!

by what i quoted- it means 'staffies that have been properly socialised', this one that attacked your dog probably wasnt.

i didnt need this sort of post, i am very aware of the rep this breed has got. i am prepared to take on a sbt and prove to people that they are not all like that...

i could say the same about collies around this area, but its not necessary- get it? thankyou ;)

lol was actually it was. this was a well bred dog, bought by a nice man,& it was fine till it was two years old then it just changed.its what happened & it does happen

you may not have wanted a post like that,why not? do you only want to hear positive experinces? dont you want to hear a negative experince

heres a positive for you.on sunday i risked getting knocked down on a dual carriageway to rescue a staffie that hadbeen dumped on the road. i picked that lovely little bitch up & carried her,& all she could do was snuggle in & cover me with kisses. that little bitch hadbeen dumped whilst still feeding her litter, yet still loved people. she was petrified on the road,but still loved peopl. theres not many breeds that id pick up in that situatiuon & id certainly not pick up a strange collie.

when you get your staff,you are going to have to be prepared for people been worried about them with their dogs.

ive now been told off by pm.for "hi-jacking"
marvelous!!!!!!:rolleyes:

well- lets just get this thread locked now okay- you could say the same thing happens with any breed if its in their genetics couldnt you?

i have exactly the same story about a collie i know from work, so thankyou i am fully aware that dogs can change in behaviour. can admin lock this please as apart from the ones who told the neg and positive sides of sbt owning, the rest is a waste of time reading!
thanks

yes my experince is a waste of time. if you use the ignore button then you wont have to need my pathetic posts will you

Hi I have a 5 month old SBT and he is an absolute delight though very hard work as you are probably aware... 

I think if that is the type of dog you are wanting then go for it... 

Mine is doing quite well with training just don't think we'll ever be able to calm his excitement down as he just loves all people and dogs when we are out and I have to keep reminding him that not everyone we meet wants to say hello!!! (but this is one of his good qualities ;) )

He loves cuddles and kisses but also loves to be off playing in the garden doing his own thing.... (usually digging atm :D)

Sometimes he completely tires me out but I wouldn't change him for the world :D

I'd say to anyone who is thinking of getting a Staffie - they do need more socialisation, and more of the RIGHT KIND of socialisation than other breeds.  Get them out of the house and walk around with pup in a bag prior to jabs.  Let them meet friendly adult dogs in your or someone else's garden prior to jabs. 

After jabs, get them out and about everywhere, every day.  Take them to a good, positive reinforcement puppy socialisation class which preferably has some off lead play - but it's very important this off lead play is controlled.  It should last only a few minutes, and puppies should be matched up, in terms of temperament, with other puppies.  Don't let play become rough - stop it before it reaches that point.  When staffie pups are babies (10/11wks), they are often fine in my class to play with other "baby" pups as they haven't yet become confident enough in their play, however in a few more weeks their style of play changes and they do want to play much rougher games and then I have to be careful how long they can play for and which pups are the best to place them with.

Those staffies I've seen, with caring owners, who try very hard to learn, who take on board everything about not letting play become rough, that the quality of play is much more important than the quantity of play etc, and who make the effort to socialise their pups correctly with other dogs, end up with non-aggressive staffies that are a pleasure to own. 

So - I just wanted to say it is not inevitable that "they will become aggressive to other dogs if the other dog is snappy/aggressive" - you can minimise the chances of this happening if you prepare yourself beforehand.  Of course, if you set yourself up to believe that it will happen, then it probably will....

What an excellent post

I would say this is a must for all breeds, but especially for the dog dominant ones.

yeh thanks 123, since i was 12 i helped out at a local apdt trainers classes, and did so for years, im still in contact with her, and have learnt a lot from her, we have had problematic beahviours in dogs ourselves and have overcome them with time and hard work.

if i didnt have anything of this experience or background, i wouldnt consider this breed. i am not a apdt trainer myself, i learnt from one, and i suppose thats more than most people who have owned a staff- not being funny at all...

i also studied animal behaviour- a btec nd, so hopefully i can utilise all this knowledge thats stored away to raise a pup the best way and most thorough way! i plan to socialise the pup whilst unvaccinated at my mums with her safe dogs and carry him around, my OH works as a carer and has a few clients which are suitable to introduce to the pup, so he can get used to many different people- old, young, disabled, blind etc.

i really feel i will need to introduce him to lots of friendly dogs also

cheers for the help xx

Hi

The things that you point out as potential problems of owning a Staff are, in my opinion, the same for any breed of dog. Of course each breed has some traits but I really belive its the way that you raise them that makes the difference. I live in a row of 7 houses and there are 4 staffs that live along here and they are all so different. Treacle is a young female and while she is absolutely beautiful to look at and gets walked everyday she doesnt run off the lead and isnt well socialised. She therefore has a bit of a glint in her eye when another dog is around and she is quite desructive as she doesnt run off the excess energy that she has.

My neighbour has 2 girlies. One is food mad and very friendly if a bit dominant and the other is very sweet but hates other dogs. However, she came from rescue and has clearly had a bad time in her previous life as she doesnt like loud noises and flinches if you put your hand out to her as she thinks she will get a smack. For her, attack (of dogs) is the best defence. When I know she is about to go for it though if I talk to her and reassure her and tell her shes a good girl she is much calmer.

Mine on the other hand is the biggest softie you will ever meet. A complete mummys boy who lives for the park and has never chewed or been destructive in any way.

We all work but the difference is the provision we make for our dogs. We have lots of long energetic runs, someone to come in during the day and play wth him and lots of Kongs and things like that.

When you want a staff everyone has a horror story of why you shouldnt have one, it nearly put me off. Knowing what I know now, I would always make up my own mind with the research I do and taking on board peoples comments but also by being sensible and realistic with my expectations.

Caroline

thanks!

this is what i have realised when looking at staffs, is that when you hear the negative- you also hear that the dog has had lack of socialisation, or attention or companionship, these are things that we can provide in abundance as we are in a good position to do so.

thanks for both the sides of staff owning!

x

I have two staffords that are shown and we have also adopted a stafford cross - brilliant breed wouldnt be without them