‘Staffies Don’t Make Good Pets’…What A Load Of Bull!
Posted By Freelance Writers Date: 6/06 Posted Under: Animal Welfare, Dog News, Dog Surveys, Social Issues- RSPCA releases chart of most popular & unpopular breeds and urges people to rehome a Staffie -The Staffordshire bull terrier has become the most unwanted dog in England and Wales, a new RSPCA survey has revealed. Through no fault of its own, the breed is suffering a bad press due to its aggressive image and popularity as a status symbol.
Published to mark the start of the RSPCA’s Pet Adoption Week (Saturday 7 June to Sunday 15 June), the statistics show that the Staffie is the breed that ends up at RSPCA animal centres most frequently, followed by German shepherds, Rottweilers and Jack Russell terriers. The Staffie cross makes a second appearance in the list at number five.1
The surge in Staffies was confirmed at a special RSPCA conference on dogs this week. Delegates from across the country reported animal centres overwhelmed by the breed.
The RSPCA believes so many Staffies are in need of new homes because sadly the breed is popular with irresponsible owners who are interested in their own image rather than their dog’s welfare.
The Society is emphasising that it is bad and ill-informed owners who are to blame for the Staffie’s aggressive reputation, not the dogs themselves. In fact, throughout RSPCA Pet Adoption Week anyone thinking of getting a dog is encouraged to consider a Staffie as, with the right owners, they can make the perfect pet.
RSPCA chief vet Mark Evans said: “Staffies have had a terrible press, but this is not of their own making – in fact they’re wonderful dogs. If people think that Staffies have problems, they’re looking at the wrong end of the dog lead!”
“When well cared for and properly trained they can make brilliant companions. Our experience suggests that problems occur when bad owners exploit the Staffie’s desire to please by training them to show aggression.
“If you’re thinking of getting an animal, please visit an RSPCA centre during Pet Adoption Week and get to know one of the thousands of animals in our care. If you end up taking a Staffie or one of the other dogs on our ‘most unwanted’ list back, you’ll know you’ve given an extra special animal a much-needed new home.”
Popular breeds that are often requested by members of the public visiting RSPCA animal centres include Yorkshire terriers, Labradors, ‘small breeds’ such as terrier crosses, West Highland terriers, and Jack Russell terriers.2
Professionally trained staff work hard to rehabilitate all animals in the Society’s care. Before they can be adopted, each animal has a behavioural assessment and health check to help match them with the right new owner.
TV presenter and RSPCA Pet Adoption Week supporter Kate Humble (Autumn Watch, Spring Watch, Animal Park) recently adopted Badger, a crossbreed terrier, from the RSPCA’s Newport Animal Centre3. Poor Badger was severely underweight when he first arrived at the centre, but after some tender loving care he’s looking forward to a happier, healthier life.
Kate said: “RSPCA Pet Adoption Week is vital for ensuring as many animals as possible get a really good second start in life. If you know you’re ready for the responsibility of looking after a pet it’s the most rewarding thing you can do.”
In fact, a survey carried out for the RSPCA showed that 89 per cent of people in Great Britain who have adopted a pet said it was a good experience and 87 per cent of people said they would recommend adopting a pet to others4.
Every year the RSPCA rehomes around 70,000 animals and 17,000 of these are dogs. All are unwanted pets that have been dumped, victims of cruelty or neglect, or have been handed over to the Society by those whose circumstances have changed. At any one time, the RSPCA has hundreds of animals looking for loving new homes, from large horses to tiny mice – and everything in between!
For more on RSPCA pet adoption week, visit www.rspca.org.uk/paw
If you would like to adopt a Staffordshire Bull Terrier or indeed a Staffordshire Bull Terrier cross - you can view hundreds of dogs at DogsBlog.com, the national dog adoption website.
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Friday, June 6th, 2008 at 6:22 am and is filed under Animal Welfare, Dog News, Dog Surveys, Social Issues. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
Our experience suggests that problems occur when bad owners exploit the Staffie’s desire to please by training them to show aggression.
In my experience this is not a predominant reason Staffies end up giving people problems and getting a bad name (despite their eagerness to please they do not train easily or naturally to ‘manwork’).
No matter how much you love your dog (whatever breed) you should be realistic about it and its peculiarities - which may be inherited (breed) traits or individual traits unique to your dog.
Some people have got Staffies a bad name NOT because they are ‘macho’ with their dog but for exactly the opposite reason i.e. they fail to recognise that this breed can be extremely forceful WITH OTHER DOGS and this can result in other owners experiencing the bad side of the breed if it is not recognised and properly controlled, understood, socialised and anything else you might care to put in.
Encouraging people with little experience to take on rescue dogs is not a good idea either!
I wholeheartedly agree with every word you say Cuthbert. Control, understanding and socialising is not something you can pick up and put down when it suits. All too often we forget this and with the popularity of the breeds, we see the breeds reputation slowly being destroyed.
we adopteda lab cross staffie who was 8, from a rescue centre, she was the quietest most placid best behaved dog ever, then we went to the pound a year later and picked up a shivering staffie pup, omg that first year was awful, fortunetly the old girl was like another mum to him, we have spent a fortune on training classes and new fences, lost alot of understanding from neighbours, all becaue we didnt realise what a handful staffie are, however, now sitting on my lap is a rather large staffie quiet content and wonderful with both my autistic sons and any other visitor, but still dog aggressive ocasionally….. i hate to say it but i wouldnt have another one, too hard to train. i have also trained dobermans and collies, no problem, but staffies are very clever and know their own mind.
We have had a staff Jack Russell cross for about 12 years. Molly was a rescue dog, and it took ages to really get to know her, and vice versa. She hates being alone, and will show her unhappiness in the only way she knows, by occasionally leaving little “presents” for us to tread in if we are not careful. Using a “crate” for her to sleep in, and to contain her in whilst we are out would have been a good idea right from the start, but you learn from experience. She is the most affectionate dog towards people, but as others have said, often very aggressive towards other dogs. However, our two cats definitely rule the roost.
My husband and I currently have a 6 month old female staffie and a 9 year old border collie. we got our staffie from a reputable breeder. We researched the breed thoroughly before we got her. Both my sisters have one and they are superb with children and dogs! Our staffie goes to weekly puppy classes (to train and socialise her) and she enjoys 3 hours of walking every day! She gets on very well with our border collie and she is a dream to own. I currently compete in obdience and agility shows with our collie and when our staffie gets old enough she will be doing the same. Our staffie is very affectionate with everyone. I believe any dog can be aggressive - it depends on how the the owner treat their dogs. We got our collie from a rescue home and he was a wreck when we got him! It took a long time & work to bring him out of his shell. But I must admit he was worth it! They are welcomed anywhere as they are so well behaved.
i admit i am not a staffie lover but as iwas walking down the road in my school crossing uniform a elderly man was walking past whith his staffie and it just grabbd my arm and wouldnt let go its a good job i had my coat and uniform on , the owners excuse was it didnt like uniforms.i also know that it has attacked another council worker he said the owner was goading the dog saying go on get him,i reported my incident to the police and they said as it was outer clothing so they dont take action its plain to see this owner should not have a dog.at his age he should have more sense.
Staffies are the best, loving beautiful dogs anyone can bring into their family.
Where I live there are young people hanging around the area with their Staffs, looking tough and showing off, they make me SICK, my name for them is “The Jackles” they really should be taken away and shot.
When they are fed up and bored with them the dogs will land up in dog shelters, there are many of them there now as I think the trend is dying down now, THINK ABOUT THE DOG BEFORE YOU BUY IT YOU STUPID IDIOTS, Staffs are lovely, beautifull dogs that need and deserve respect.
We love staffiestobits, but agree that they have to be disciplined and socialised early as they are strong willed and don’t take to other dogs readily. Cats are not their favourites either- they ARE terriers afterall! Ours are very loving, loyal to the extreme and manageable as they are small in size but have big hearts, AND are brave to boot! Best dogs in the world- good with kids and love a family setting. Up with Staffies!!!!! Lynne in South Africa xx