to be honest im gettin extremely fed up with people assuming that because my dogs are staffys that they are ''very dangerous killers''
the first comment i recieved was off an lady with two kids as i was waiting for the bus with kacey ( my eldest staff shes 1) one of her children came over and was stroking her and she ran up to me grabbed her child away and said to me you dog should be muzzled what would you have done if it bite my son i was like excuse me i think you wiuld find that my dogs are as dangerous as a new born kitten i was really annoyed at her arrogance.
another thing is when i take both kacey and bailey to the park i let them off and some other owners call there dogs back and tell me mine should be kept on a lead i mean my two are happy to play with other dogs and they like to get fuss off other people aswell.
i think some certain breeds have very bad reputations and its when stories are put in the papers about a dog attack on a child that the papers feel the need to put a very disturbing picture of the dog snarling and showing its teeth
does anyone else have this where people avoid you in the streets just because of the breed you own

Unfortunately, some people see fighting terriers in the papers and think they are  the same breed as Staffordshires, as they have similar shaped heads.
Not so, all the staffies I have ever known are lovely  friendly dogs.
Other dog owners should know better.
I get the same from some people regarding my lab/collie cross - largish black dog - must be scary. It is very sad when the child is being friendly but Mum or dad panics and drags them away. I often find i am walking down the street, (so dog is on the lead, walking to heel), and Mums will snatch their child back, as if i were walking along with an untethered lion.
This is why I'm very nervous of my dog off-lead where kids are concerned - he is very friendly and runs up to children to play - some Mums think he might be going to eat their offspring!

Yes I have jack russells and got fed up with the amount of parents that would say keep away that type of dog bites. I have responded a few times especially if I was standing outside the school waiting for my kids. Like I would have a nasty dog at the school. But now I dont bother. It is actually quite good if people think they bite as it saves me having to tell them not to annoy my dog. I also get fed up with little kids draping themselfs around her like she is a teddy. I know I can trust her but it it just takes one incident for there to be trouble.

I also use to have a GSD who was the soppiest dog out. People crossed the road when they saw us coming. Sad

Wendy

>I also use to have a GSD who was the soppiest dog out. People crossed the road when they saw us coming. Sad

It's great in the city, walk on busy streets, people giving you a wide berth, you are not elbowed, stepped on, jostled,   Dogs aren't poked, pulled, trodden on, what more can you ask for. 

You know your dogs; who cares what people think.  Just lack of understanding, I wouldn't take it personally. They are not worth it!

I have two staffies who are really friendly and from a young age have socialised with various other dogs.  One of our neighbours was out walking her dog once and was attacked by a staff off its lead, she was really shook up and has since bad named the breed to everyone when out on her walk because of her experience.  As i wasnt there when her dog was attacked i cant say what happened, but whenever we meet her when out walking the dogs, her dog displays very aggressive behaviour towards mine who thankfully just ignore it.  It fustrates me when she gives my dogs a wide berth as they are so sweet.  However when out walking the dogs we get quite alot of positive comments and even have local children knocking on door to ask if they can take them for a walk.  It is fustrating when you hear this but im lucky not to of experienced it yet.  I would hold your head high and try not to let their comments get to you, you know your dogs!

I am afraid that most of the non doggy public think staffs and pitbulls are one and the same,a s I have often had this conversation when out with my dogs (not staffs).

My own extended family can't tell the difference (despite my efforts) and have asked me why they see all these dogs out without muzzles.

To them if it looks anything like a Pitbull it is a pitbull, ergo dangerous.

When my children were young we had a boxer and i couldn't believe some parents wouldn't let their children come to our house because they didn't like 'bulldogs'

A few years ago we took my GSD out on lead and had a mother call her children back because I had 'guard dog!'

I know a mothers instinct is to protect her children but I think some just pass their fear of dogs onto the next generation. 

These people are just ignorant. enjoy your dogs

ive lost count of the number of people that have told me they were bitten by a GSD when they were younger, (and therefore tar mine with the same brush) you wont change their predudice, dont worry. you know the truth.

I love it when I see staffys in the park, as they are always up for a good play with my dobermanns!

I have to say I was bitten by a GSD when I was a kid. I went to stroke one in the vets, and got a nip. My mums reaction- "well you shouldn't have stroked it without asking the owner first". Sensible mum I've got!!!! (and I do still love GSD's!)

I have had a bad experience with a GSD when I was 14, was walking down the road minding my own business, a GSD on lead was approaching me and as I walked passed the owner, the GSD on the other side of the owner lunged across him and grabbed my arm! No apology from the owner, he just yanked the dog off me and walked on! I was luckily only grazed as his teeth didn't quite get through all my clothes, and yes, it has made me slightly wary of GSDs. And having also owned a vicious Yorkie who had to be muzzled everywhere and even bit us at home several times, I am slightly wary of Yorkies too!

But my now sensible (yeah, right!) adult head tells me that these are usually the exception to the rule and most dogs are not out to just bite me! Next door have a Rotty who is so aggresive to my  collie cross, Tara is equally aggresive to her through the fence, but the Rotty is a softie behind all that bravado! I was really worried about having "one of those type of dogs" next door but it's often the Rotty that backs down from Tara! My friend has a Staffy and she is the most friendliest dog I have met, loves adults, loves cuddles with children, but is slightly aggresive to other dogs, so she keeps hers on lead when out on walks, never had a problem with her!

I was walking my dog in the park and a guy with his dog, a staffie, was approaching us. I was keeping my dog by my side and under control when he yelled from a distance 'he's really friendly'. When we finally met up I explained that controlling my dog had nothing to do with his dog being a staffie. I didn't know him or his dog and I don't want mine to think he can run up to every strange person and dog he sees. It was purely to train my own dog who has just turned 2 so is still a youngster at heart. He did say a lot of people avoid him so he took my actions completely the wrong way. At least we met up so he understood what was going on but sometimes avoidance has nothing to do with you.

And last night at puppy class an 7ish YO boy was frightened by my 19 week old golden retriever and her similarly aged springer spaniel friend who were playing nearby; clambering onto his dad's lap to get away from them. Vicious killers those 4 month old gun dog puppies. :-D It's not just staffies!

And last night at puppy class an 7ish YO boy was frightened by my 19 week old golden retriever and her similarly aged springer spaniel friend who were playing nearby; clambering onto his dad's lap to get away from them. Vicious killers those 4 month old gun dog puppies.  It's not just staffies!

yep... when my Aussie boy was a fluffy 14 week old out walking on a lead a mother saw him and grabbed her kids away screaming keep away from the dog he will bite you!  My pup wasn't even looking at her kids..err as well as being a little fluff ball of a puppy!  So I shouted to her it's okay don't be scared he already ate two children and won't be hungry again for at least another half hour!

Another time I was on a bus and a guy was going to sit by me ( it was the last empty seat at the back of the bus ) and he saw my dog and asked 'is your dog alright?' So I gave a big friendly smile and said 'yes'.  He looked really alarmed and sat as far from me as he could. So I said 'sorry what did you say?'  and he said  'I said does your dog bite?' .... ooooh! well I guess that changs the way I would reply! He asked what breed it was and I said Aussie and he relaxed and said oh sorry he thought it was a BC..they bite don't they! 

Several peope have shown fear of my dogs thinking they are border collies..as soon as I tell them what they are they relax..even if they have no clue what an Aussie is and there is no more reason to fear a BC than to fear an Aussie.

I once looked after a Cav KCS and he was such an aggressive little thing..mums would bring their child over and say can they pet my dog..mine being a BC . I'd say yes and watch them keep clear of the big BC and go for the King Charles..can't they read the look in the eyes to see which dog is safe! So I laughed and said  if I were them I'd fuss the big dog not the little one unless they want a nip.

>So I shouted to her it's okay don't be scared he already ate two children and won't be hungry again for at least another half hour!

Thats a good one :D I'm going to use it next time a parent acts like my dogs are a rabid pack of wolves!

How frustrating for you :rolleyes:

Last week I met a lady who had two beautiful english bull terriers, Kez went to play then I put him in the car and I went to say hello, she could not get over me wanting to say hello to them I said why ? She said people walk the other way when they see us and carried on telling me stories I could not believe I was hearing. It saddens me a great deal but a lot of the time it is non dog people who have these opinions and don't know the breeds.

I have the same problem in my own family my dear brother (not) has not stepped foot in my house for over two years, he thinks my GR will eat his two boys alive the most Kez would ever do is lick someone to death As you can appreciate caused quite a rift between us He is also instilling a fear in his children of dogs because of his own.

I help my neighbour out some days by collecting her daughter from school who is six and loves Kez to bits, I picked her up last tuesday and this boy about four was quite a distance away from me saw Kez screamed at the top of his voice started crying and ran the other way (bearing in mind Kez was on his lead) gob smacked - that is a big soppy goldie for you - scary as they come !!!!

a few people i have found out this week wouldn't go anywhere near a cocker spaniel either

I find a lot of people back away from the 'scary' husky :rolleyes: I think it must be because they look a little wolf-like.  A work colleague's child is petrified of Great Danes, for no reason that is apparent, other dogs are ok.  A good friend will not go near any dog (don't see a lot of her nowadays :rolleyes:), this fear of dogs fed directly from her mother who was absolutely petrified of dogs.  I have to say that I am always wary of Welsh Corgi's because my next door neighbour when I was growing up had a couple of child hating ones (perhaps it was just me)!

I don't take any notice of these eejits. And yes, you get plenty of stupid comments when you have a Jack Russell too. Starting with the "oh my auntie had one of those and it was VICIOUS", right through to people screaming and dragging their children away from my dog who, up to then had been unaware of their existence! Let alone realise that he was supposed to stop ambling along cheerfully and launch into a vicious biting attack.

So provided you are confident that your dog is well mannered, just ignore the people who have nothing sensible to say. Otherwise you risk allowing complete strangers who have nothing sensible to say and would be better off minding their own business, to ruin the enjoyment of having a dog.

My brother in law clutches our nephew to him in the presence of our dog in the most irritating dramatic fashion and it annoys the hell out of me. For e.g nephew was happily bouncing on his knee when roxy trotted over, put her nose up to him and he threw his arm up as if to fight off a snarling beast from attacking his son and cowered making annoying noises. Which of course this made roxy think he was playing and she gets all enthusiastic.etc etc:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes: Take another instance when my mother in law bought him round (they have a GR and also know roxy) and roxy wanders up to him, no huge palava, has sniff and we all go out on a walk round the park where Roxy's fab around him.

I know it's unsympathetic, and I know people have issues about dogs based on whatever experience (or lack of) they've had with dogs, so I appreciate this is my problem, but people who don't like dogs and behave like this are irritating. Sorry if this causes offence to anyone, I just can't tolerate people like this.

This happens regardless of the breed.  This week Goldmali said she'd never let her children near any cocker!  It's not just staffies that get tarred unfairly.

I'm sure anyone who's had personal experience of not one but many dogs of the same breed all being aggressive would take the same precaution with their children and unknown dogs of the breed. I think the difference with Joe Public crossing the road for a Staffy/GSD/Rottie/Whatever is that they go on pure reputation spread in newspapers and on TV, not by personal experience.

I was bitten by a GSD many years ago, (I was walking along the street and the dog was tied up outside a shop, I didn't see it and went too close, it jumped up and bit me on the thigh) luckily I had jeans on, so no blood drawn, just a nasty bruise.
A couple of years ago a Springer bit my hand when I was delivering charity envelopes, quite a nasty bite, with plenty of blood - made me pity postmen.
Last week I was playing ball with my dog in a field near where I live when a weimeranner came and joined us playing with the ball, his owner came along after a while, and we both put our dogs back on lead to go back towards the road, when the weimeranner turned and nipped my hand ( I imagine he wanted to play some more), it was not a full bite, just a surface scratch, and a bruise, but would have been scary for anyone not used to dogs or a small child - to be honest I didn't like it much.
My MIL used to have a yorkshire terrier who bit the backside of anyone trying to sit on the sofa - we all learnt to wear strong trousers, or sit on the chair.
I also know lovely dogs of all these breeds who would never bite.
Personally I suspect any dog can bite in the wrong circumstances, if scared, or excited, or guarding someone or something, whatever the breed. Training can certainly make a massive difference, though, obviously. The problem with big guarding or fighting breeds is if they do bite seriously, it is more likely to be do real damage, and especially to a child, whose face is at the same height as an adult's thigh or hand.

I own a GSD, and the comments and actions i get range from crossing the road, putting children on the opposite side of them as they walk pass to should'nt that dog have a muzzle on when your out! (this is a complete stranger)  It really use to annoy me but i don't take any notice now, people have their views about certain dogs and it does'nt matter what you say to them alot of people will never change!!!!

A beautiful Staffy came over to say hello to my two (both were on the lead)...
"It's okay" said the owner "he's okay".  Unfortunately, I had to respond by saying "I'm afraid she isn't" because my bitch is prone to lunging at dogs who come too close in order to get them out of her space!!!

All of the Staffy's I've ever known have been great with children and most have been okay with other dogs...It's such a shame that some people are so ignorant about the breed.

I had friends who owned a pitbull cross who was one of the most docile dogs i have ever come across!!
I think that the media has turned this into a circus and i read somewhere that the rehoming charities had an increase in the amount of Staffies that were being given up for rehoming because they were scared of dogs that had always been ok!!

I have got 2 young children and we had a staffie girl before they came along, unfortunately she wasn't happy when they came along and she went to live with my parents. She loves being around adults and children (only in small doses!!) and although she is dog aggressive would never hurt anyone. Many people come and stroke her and she is always very well behaved. When we bought her she had alot of injurys which the vet said he thought was from dog fights!!!!! But she learnt to trust us and whilst she'll never like other dogs she loves people!

What i am trying to say is that there are a few people out there who breed and own these dogs to be aggressive and they seem to ruin it for the majority of people who are responsible owners.

PS. My vet told me that he believes Staffies to be the BEST dogs to have around children!!!

Have to say that in Staffy South Wales where every other dog is a Staffy far too many are really agressive with other dogs, even to the point of not waiting to find out if the other dog is  a dog or bitch.  I've even had Staffy dogs try to fight my then in-season bitch (she was on lead ;) )  Needless to say this has made me very wary of the breed, but I have met two Staffs which were delightful, just not in Wales, so they must exist somewhere  :(  I'm sure in may cases that the owners' attitude has much to answer for tho.

Re other people's reactions,  I used to keep Ranch Chinchillas (not cats) and my OH's cousin came to visit with her two young children and her OH.  The children being kids were fascinated by the chinchillas until their father spotted them (huge cage doh! )  and then screamed, grabbed the kids and almost jumped out of the window 20 feet away   both kids ended up crying and terrified of two fluffy bundles the size of guinea pigs which were inside their cage.   Dog knows what his reaction would have been to an actual D-O-G :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

Some people just like to make a fuss, and don't need much provocation :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

Can I just say, you have a point and it is unfair, but... I got shouted at just yesterday by a man with two staffordshire bull terriers. My bitch is quite nippy around strange dogs, as I have previously posted about. My boy, although a huge wimp, seems to join in with her. We now put them both on a lead if other dogs are on their leads, (angel always goes on a lead, but only merlin if the other dog is). Then we seperate them, OH walks ahead with Angel and I hang back. This is because we don't want THEM to have a pop at another dog. The other thing is that Merlin always gets defensive on a lead and we feel that our dogs should not approach other leaded dogs as it is not polite. This applies to ALL breeds. Yesterday we did this and the man shouted at me for being shallow minded and said I was persecuting his breed. He was shouting for ages, I had a good mind to let mine go, (i wouldn't do it really) which would have ended in an altercation. I was shocked and embarrassed. I only say this because although there are occassions where people totally overreact, which include over my beagles, there may be some genuine cases where like me it is for the comfort of YOUR dog. Please bear this in mind as probably the bloke yesterday had had enough of people overreacting and took it out on me.

[i]I only say this because although there are occassions where people totally overreact, which include over my beagles, there may be some genuine cases where like me it is for the comfort of YOUR dog. Please bear this in mind as probably the bloke yesterday had had enough of people overreacting and took it out on me.

Absolutely true - it's totally likely that quite a healthy percentage of the people walking their dogs aren't even registering the breed only thinking about your and your dogs convenience.