whilst taking my male sbt for a walk yesterday, this guy approached me and said those dogs have such a bad reputation! i'm sick to death of people making stupid comments as far as sbt's go! Has anybody else with sbt's experienced this sort of attitude towards them?? I have two young children as if i would have a dangerous dog with them!!! Will sbt's ever lose this reputation???

can understand myself how you feel as i have a german shepherd pup but years ago when i had two gsd's everytime we walked on the pavement people would cross over or walk sideways?acting very weary and frightened. my babies were very friendly especially with people and children.

I to understand how you feel, i have a dobe and even though i have had no one yet say anything to me, my dobe can clear a field in 2mins and its not funny, they just dont get near enough to see what a lovely dog he is,Do you remember the case of the two dogs that bit the young lad  climbing over a garden wall to retrive his ball, well my sister has two SBT and in the summer her older son had walked rosie along the highroad only for a drunk to come out of the pub and kick rosie in the side of the face:( my newphew went mad and hit this guy with a garden chair that was out side the pub all because of that being reported in the newspaper , the landlady came out and told dan to go as the police had been called, Poor Rosie is so friendly with every one even other dogs even now she craves cuddles from total strangers :)  

Unfortunately while "idiots" are attracted to breeds such as the SBT ( amongst others) there will always be the stigma attached to them . I have had staffys for the past 16 years now and know what you mean about the comments . I find it not so much now as Gus is a leaner more athletic dog ( and I like to "HOPE" the public is more educated with regards to the breed) but my previous dog Sam was a heavier , bigger dog and there were times when people would say "I think its terrible bringing those dogs out in public " etc . He was as soft as putty and I also had two small children who he played with too . We were also asked if we had considered using him to fight with ! Hope you realise what our reply was to that one !!
This was around the time of the mass hysteria from the media with Pitbulls and Staffys supposedly attacking ANYTHING that moved so I suppose we have the media to blame , also the gullible public for believing everything they read without finding out the facts first and the ( how can I phrase this nicely without swearing :rolleyes: ) "idiots" who fight them.
Unfortunately there are still those who think its acceptable to have a dog that attacks anything and who think their image is improved by a muscular dog on a lead ( or a "bling" harness).
Sorry but anyone who think a dog improves their image has got to have only the one brain cell ( if that)

Gus gets on with all dogs and lives with a cat too .

I've got 3 SBT's, the adult mum and her 2 6mth old sons.

I'm beginning to get comments now about the pups when we're out ie "I'm surprised they're so nice natured being Staffs and all that"; "Do they fight?"; and quite often the kids run (and yes, I mean run) into the road off the pavement, squealing so they don't have too close to my dogs.

My bitch is quite a leggy, athletic build so people don't tend to comment so much on her but the boys I think are going to take after their father and be more squat and solid so now they're developing their muscle people are beginning to get wary.  Sad but true...

I thing they are lovely dogs, some off my friends have them. there all loving to children and other dogs.

but if they get in wrong hands and its a diffrent story.

Lou

I have 2 staffies and a lurcher and when we go for walks with my sisters dobie you should see the looks we get!
Little do they know it's my lurcher they should be scared of!!

i find its the same with any dog that has been in the media some time or other, take for example the rottie, fab dog imho, but they have such a bad reputations as being the 'devil dog', when i walk mia, taking into concideration that she's only 11months old, bouncy dog, loves to play with anything or anyone, people cross the road, i've been shouted at on many occasions and told that my rottie isnt a safe dog, all should be shot, they kill everything that moves etc, etc, what can you do, you cant even try to educate these people, personally i think they are not worth the time of day, fair enough some dogs do become nasty, but i dont believe that its the dogs fault its the owners, they dont give these dogs and other breeds of powerful dogs the respect and attention they need.

off my soap box now!

Steph.

I'm not worried about my kids being attacked as to tell you the truth i have never met a more sooky,kissy breed when it comes to humans BUT when it comes to other dogs i honestly dont trust them,especially as i have 2 toy breeds that couldnt defend themselves if they tried :( It's so ironic that this was posted today as just this morning i was walking my dogs and an owner and his child with a sbt was coming my way,he yelled out "keep your dogs away,my dog hates other dogs" unfortunatly this is not an isolated incident,it happens all the time
I have gotten to the point that i am paranoid when i see a dog with "bull" in it's name :( My daughter went up to pat the dog,no worries,she came back covered in slobber from his doggie kisses :D Unfortunatly "sometimes" when you see a big tough dog there is usually a big tough DUMB owner on the other side of the leash,to these morons the more vicious their dog is the better!!Maybe it makes them feel tougher(obviously underlying inadequicies somewhere :D )
It is very rare to see any bull type dogs off lead,the same with rotties,why?? I think the answer to that question is "Backyard Breeders" i dont know about the U.K,but here in Australia BYB are becoming an epidemic,they put 2 dogs together no matter what their temprement is and then shove them off to new homes 6 weeks later!They are the ones i blame for putting dangerous dogs out there,aswell as not screening/educating owners or themselves.The reputable breeders bear the backlash of these idiots,the media is also the culprit!When do you see a story on the news about a dog doing a good deed,NEVER!You only hear about the attacks from the same old breeds,i'm sure there are more attacks from little dogs but as they cant do too much damage you never hear about them.My mum owns a very aggressive maltese,when people see her snarl and bark they just laugh,i bet they would have a meltdown if it was a sbt,rottie,gsd etc.
I used to have a rottweiler,he was the softest,sweetest dog,he wouldnt hurt a flea,it used to really annoy me when people gave us a wide berth I'm ashamed to admit it but i do the same thing now,but not coz i'm scared of the dog,i am scared it will have a go at my wee dogs,the thought of seeing one of my dogs get ripped apart scares me to death,i know i would never get over it,better safe than sorry??
You all think you have it bad? It isnt uncommon for people to give my dogs a wide berth,and their shih-tzu's :D
I see your point in getting angry when people comment about vicious dogs etc. and dump them all in the one category,there are bad seeds in every bunch,people/animals,i like to think that there are more friendly dogs than not!

When these folks give a derogitory comment,it's best to ignore them,as hard as it is,i have given up on getting into debates with these people,i end up getting sooo mad it wrecks my whole day and they are still none the wiser :(
Well i shall stop dribbling now,sorry to get so off topic :p

Enjoy your dogs,your love is all that matters in their eyes,stuff everyone elses opinions and let them go on living in their insulated worlds!!

christine :)

I have two staffords and I get really fed up with it sometimes.  Only last Friday I was out walking my Jas who is of the stockier build and I waited as an elderly gentleman was walking his little cross breed, no lead mind just a great big stick, and he said to me "It's okay he wont hurt my dog as mine is a bitch"

What difference is that going to make.  If his dog decided to have a growl and a bark.....

It is not the staffords who start anything they just finish it and that will never change unfortunately.  So long as the media choose to point out the worst in this breed it will continue and there is very little we as stafford owners can do about it apart from try to educate people to see the breed as it is, a highly intelligent, loving, trusting member of the family.  So long as the other dog doesn't go for them they are very good with other dogs (Jas is anyway)

If they were that dangerous why are so many of the breed PAT dogs?

My staffords get on great and yes their play is a lot rougher.  There has been many a time where the family have been having a game of rough and tumble on the floor and Jasper has taken hold of my hair to try and drag me out from under the pile of bodies (2 kiddies and a hubby) and that was a bit painful but never, ever has he biten me or any member of my family and never has he actually taken hold of another dog, yes he has given a warning snap to a dog who has tried to jump him from behind but nothing more.

People just need educating.

Ozzie
although I  think of my self as experienced with the breed I would never trust a Staffy I didnt know if I was out with Gus .