I've been reading this board for a long time and recently there was a post regarding Staffies being one of two breeds whose breed standard is good with children and noone seemed to know the other breed (unless I missed that post).

I've been on the KC website and have found this under the breed standards, after a lot of looking:

Staffordshire Bull Terrier
Characteristics - Traditionally of indomitable courage and tenacity. Highly intelligent and affectionate especially with children.

Chesapeake Bay Retriever
Characteristics - Independent, affectionate, and courageous, with a great love of water. Makes a good guardian and companion, especially with children.

I'm not sure if all breeds are on the KC site, or how accurate they are. I've also never met a Chesapeake retriever, but they are the only two breeds on there that mention children in the standard.

I'd agree with some Chesies but some are complete thugs! I would be very careful in recommending them to people with children! They have a very strong guarding instinct and although the child would in all possibility be all right his or her friend could run the risk of being eaten!

Regards, John

ive seen chessies standing up to their owners -with teeth!!!!a lot of breed standards say good with children, the person that said there was only two was confused :D :D :D

Out of interest, which other breed standards say good with children?

Sometimes the question might be not about whether or not the dog is good with children, but are the children good with dogs?
toodles

when looking on one of the many sites i looked when thinking of breeding tilly i found what the other poster was talking about. it was out of something like 170 breeds tested staffies came out one of only 2 breeds they would say were near 100% reliable with children
sorry cant remember were it is though.
sam

Excellant Tilly, Thanks for finding that i feel vindicated now!!!

Just got a bit confused with the KC and this test, i just KNEW that they were stated as one of only 2 breeds tested good with children.

Cleo ( the original poster!!!!! :D)

I am sure that Staffies are excellent with cyhildren, but they are very bouncy and as a rule not that good with other dogs, as they resent any challenge! there are lots and lots of breeds excellent with children, even more so than Staffies! The fact that it isn't written into the standard is irelevant. Lots of standards have friendly affectionate etc in their standard!

My own breed under Temperament says; Friendly, Inteligent and Independant, without any sign of nervousness.

My first breed (Belgian shepherd Groenendael) under Temeperament states; Wary, neither timid nervous or aggressive.

Both have been excellent with my children, but the Elkhounds just love all kids, and the BSDs loved my own, but was wary and uncomfortable with strange ones, but was never a problem, as she always had a means of escaping their attention.

As you say brainless, there are many breeds excellent with children - but it is the individual dog that matters. I have a female staff who is not particularly good with kids as she is afrid of them, and so it is the only thing i dont 100% trust her with... On the other side of that she is neither bouncy, nor does she resent a challenge: she is one of the most laid back dogs ever - just goes to show that generalisations dont mean anything really!!!

There you go! I think upbringing is the all important factor after ensuring parents are of sound temperament.

I think also a persons perception of a breed is coloured by the examples one meets of the breed.

We get a lot of Staffs and Staff crosses at our training classes and most of them are giving their owners a hard time, or their owners seem totally unaware when they are challenging other dogs!

My breed has a reputation for being noisy, and I am often asked why mine are quiet! I must admit that mostly our benches are fairly quiet these days, but we are often benched near other vociferous breeds.

They are normally good mixers with their own kind, but I met q lady with whippets in Cardiff who had an Elkhound and the GSD it lived with attack and maul one of her dogs, n3eedless to say she was initailly cautious of my bitch!!!

I personally know lots of dobermanns and think them a fantastic breedi9n the right hands, and those I know are utterly trustworthy with kids!

how right you are cleopatra i have a female whos just the same luvs everyone and everything a real sweetie so laid back shes almost asleep

I have a staff bitch who is 6 this year and although she is excellent with my nieces and nephews, I would never leave her alone with them Staff's seem small until you put them next to a child then you realise how strong they are.
We had two staffs before both raised with us when we were teenagers and the bitch again excellent with all children but the dog did not like babies toddlers mostly for the noises they made I think he backed off.
But I would never trust a dog with a child or a child with a dog.
A child/young teenager would be no match for a stafford.

as you say its all how there brought up both of mine have reallyt nice temprement but barnies alot more excitable than tilly ever was and iam fully aware of what they could do if they turned i only wish when iam walking them people wouldnt just let there dogs run up to them never can be to sure

i know this is a bit of change of subject but does anyone have any ideas of what to give barnie to chew it has to be something tastie as hes got loads of toys and balls but he still likes my lino getting new flooring soon but it would be nice if i can get him out of it first bless his little heart my hubbie did say take him to the dentist he wont do it then.
dont tell me off he was only joking hes got the bill to pay so at least he still had a sence of humer

Hi TILLY,
How old is Barnie if he is teething not much chance although I find Kongs the black ones excellentand also a knuckle bone from the butchers raw is you can they should if you have a friendly butcher make sure there are no sharp edges.
short of that a tryre suspended from a tree is ideal but if not anything so the dog can fift of the floor mine is in the garage and she loves to swing when she was younger she used to drag a mini tyre around.
Any more help or ideas email me kazz.2001@btopenworld.com

I personaly would not leave any breed alone with small children as they poke prod and pull. i have staffords 5 the little girl that lives next door is scared stiff of dogs but comes round to my house quite happily and she isent scared of them Yes some can be bouncy but i have two that would sit on the settee and not move all day there nick name is the nanny dog because they are good with children