Sorry,
I have to rant.  I am an owner of three staffies, and even though I am having problems with one of them at the moment (see other post on forum) I am being a responsible owner and doing all that I can to try and make her right, and the other two are a joy to be with.  Yet I was just walking in the park and some stupid woman's kids ran up to my dogs, didn't ask if it was alright, and then got the hump when my male jumped up (he was trying to play and was on lead but I pulled him straight down again and calmed him down) - she then goes off saying Staffs are awful dogs and should all be put down as they are dangerous...I'm so mad!!  How about she trains her children not to run at dogs in general...that's asking for trouble!  I have always taught my boyfriend's children you approach a dog calmly and you ask the owner if it's okay to stroke it, then go from there...am I overreacting or are there just too many morons out there!  I don't just say it because I have staffs, as I used to have an irish setter also, and it's happened to me then, but I'm really really miffed!!

Hope the rant has helped. Poor you, sounds as though you are victim of a certain type who regards their offspring as the centre of the universe and, everything else, including our dogs, as would- be playthings.

If I had a penny for every "yummy mummy" that postively encouraged her kids to get my puppy to jump up and be petted, I'd be very rich. By the time I had finished explaining why this was not a good idea, and that she assuredly wouldn't want an adult dog jumping at her little ones, it was too late.

I once had my 2 chows sitting outside a pet store when a young couple came out with grandma in tow, saw my dogs and herded their toddler right into their faces.  I pulled my dogs away saying that they weren't used to children and they just went 'awww' and moved towards us again. I am very lucky (and so was the child) that my boys have excellent temperments.  I was just so dumbfounded that this happened.  Are people really this stupid?  Of course if the dog reacts then it's our fault.

Tell me about it I have a Dalmatian!!
If I got a £1 for every 101 joke I could retire.

Which bit of  my girl makes her different from every other breed of dog on this planet. That flaming Walt Disney  bloke* * *~~~!!!

soothing breath... your totally right but don't let someone elses stupidity distress you

Tell me about it I have a Dalmatian!!
If I got a £1 for every 101 joke I could retire.

Mini smooth dachshunds her.
Likewise but mine is all about little legs and sausage jokes.

I agree staffies are not a bad breed, just had a few bad owners down the line that has made everyone think all staffy owners are like that.

It does really bug me, especially at shows when people just start stroking my dog and fussing him.  Normally fine if they ask but they do it before he goes in the ring sometimes and either put him in stupid bouncy mode or they sometimes scare him because he didnt see them coming.  I have taken to holding him at ring side to stop this but this sometimes makes him go to calm.  Nightmare.

I like staffs - my bro has a pit he rescued from the humane society at 6 months and she's now going onto 4 yrs old- great with their 2 yr old and their newborn. I believe its all in how they are raised and bred- my bro is a big boy but his pit listens to him- beautiful dog, she can get hyper tho when people come over :)

I HATE people who let their kids run up too my dogs and then have the damned cheek to say YOURE in the wrong if my pup jumps up!!!
I suppose all you can do is make it very very crystal clear you didnt appreciate her kids running up and they WILL get bitten or scared one day if they run up to a nervous dog and start thrashing around shouting 'doggy! doggy!'
Some people make my blood boil and I have let rip at enough parents and sent them scurrying off with their tail between their legs after getting a loud lecture of child safty and dogs, just gotta learn to let go afterwards and not let it wind you up but make sure you DO tell them what you think or else it will pent up and its no good letting someone else make you feel bad when you have been in the right all along :)

I simply say no you cant pet them now as I live in a town that has many summer visitors and lots of little ones.  Not because they will bite but bouncing beardies match the description exactly and little ones end up on the floor covered in beardie kisses.  Not what mummy wants on holiday clothes :-)

I had two male staffs in UK,and they were fantastic,The neighbours black labrador savaged my then 4 year old staff,which made me furious.
People used to cross the road from us,which made me laugh,they are the most gentle and beautiful dogs you could wish for.I wouldnt have another one,simply because they are so in your face for affection all the time.

Any decent parent would teach their children to respect animals/dogs and tell them to ask the owner if its oks to stroke/touch first

I Have staffords but would expect the above of any breed I owned

hi i have a staffy she is eight and an absolute joy to be with and is gentle to all she meets. i am sick of the stereo typing in certain breeds. mostly its th owners who make a dog bad but it also could be down to breeding issues.
every staffy i have knownhave been beautiful and gentle and and ideal dog for families.
my friend has the same problem with her rottwieller people tell her she should be muzzled, my friend keeps her dog on the leash and is a responsible owner.
years i ago i rescued a springer spaniel from the police kennels his time was up and he seemed a lovely dog till we got him home, he turned into a demon. he bit us pinned us in the kitchen with his violet aggression. i phoned every body vets, the kennels where we got him, other rescue centres they all said he had to be destroyed. However the operator on the phone suggested i contacted the wood green animal shelter to see what they advised and i did. they sent a beautiful gentleman out who was an animal behaviourist. He was there twenty five minutes, he put a small thin lead on the dog collar to trail around it taught the dog he was naughty and it demoted him from leader of the pack which is what we had let him become. |We had to instruct him in a stern and short words command, hey presto it was one day before we saw 75% improvement and three days for 100%. jack lived for another 12 years a happy and contented life. Had i listened to all these others he would have been put to sleep. So please try the wood green animal centre. if they come out you only have to give a donation.

i totally agree. staffs get alot of bad press and at the moment they are the number one dog to be taken to a rescue shelter. people are buying them for the wrong reasons, using them as trophy dogs. my male staff is 10yrs old and he is the most softest dog out there. my 2 children can do anything to him as can my yorkie who is only a year old and as you can imagine still very playul and enjoys hanging off him. its the owners fault how the dogs turn out not the dogs. the owners should be punished.my staff walks obedientlt off the lead but i do walk him on the lead as you never know. staffies are an ideal family pet.

I have no problems with the breed but i am a little wary for my little dog as a staff bit a hole through my labradors tail for no reason.

Hi  I totally agree I have no problems with the breed either and I am very wary after our Katy was attacked by an out of control staffy and the owner is complete idiot and thinks his dogs can do no wrong. Its how he has brought them up, but most staffy owners  control their dogs. Its these type of people who give staffies and rottis a bad name

Ages ago I was walking my GSD in a town when suddenly there was a 3 year old girl hanging round her neck. Fortunately my dog didn't mind at all. The parents said oh sorry she thought it was our cousins dog! Lucky for the girl that my dog was friendly.  Why on earth don't parents tell their kids to leave strange dogs alone? My daughter is 3 and I am constantly telling her to just look at the lovely dog, some poeple then have a chat with us and we ask if its ok to stroke the dog. 

Staffs are lovely dogs, its a shame they have become so popular with the wrong sort of owners.

My great aunt had a wonderful black Staffie - he adored children and really lived up to the nanny dog name, he was so gentle. I think all the Staffs I've ever met have been lovely and had super temperaments, its just the irresponsible owners that have them as 'status dogs' giving them the bad name.

I also hate it when parents don't control their kids around dogs - although was in a local park a few weeks ago with 2 of my dogs and met some lovely, polite children & parents who asked if they could stroke my two - unfortunately these type of people seem to be in the minority these days.