Staffie/English Bulldog Cross? Anyone Know Anything About Them?

Our 14 year old mini bull died in September. She had been with me all day every day since the hour I brought her home from the breeder (when she was 2 years old - she had been living in a kennel in the breeder's garage so I always felt like I'd rescued her!)

I have had bullies or staffies all my life - don't really have any interest in any other breed of dog. They are such huge characters. We knew when she was old and getting ill that our next dog would be a rescue. Partly because I don't have hundreds of pounds lying around to pay a breeder and partly because my youngest kids are now finally teenagers so we feel it is 'safe' to rescue.

Now we have been looking for a rescue and, like buses, two may have come along at once! We are going to see both, then make our minds up...

We were on a rescue waiting list since the week our dog died (I hate being dogless) and as we have an old cat, they said we might be better waiting for a puppy. Normally pups come in all the time. I kept ringing and ringing and... no pups!

So we cast our net wider, and through another rescue found a young staff/bulldog cross which they have cat tested and tell me is cat friendly. (They were surprised too but then the man's comment to me on the phone today was they think the dog is "ninety percent bulldog and 10% staff" in terms of his temprement! Now, as I say I have had standard and mini bulls or staffie bulls all my life. But no bull dog. So I a wondering what bulldogs are like, or what a cross between a staff and a bulldog might be like?

Before I rang to see if he had passed his test, I rang the original rescue and yes - sod's law - they now have a litter of 8 week old staffie or staffie cross pups. I was the first person to call from the waiting list and although I can't reserve one, the lady said if I ring on Monday we will proceed from there but with a big litter of pups the chances are we might be able to reserve one!

So the upshot is I am off the see the bulldog/staff cross tomorrow and hopefully the pups on Monday or down the week... I think it makes sense to see both then decide. The older dog, they said on the phone, they will give us first refusal (assuming we pass the home visit). The pups I have no guarantee whether I will be able to reserve one on Monday or later in the week, or not..

The staff/bulldog cross is a stray so they have no history. They say he is very well socialised with other dogs but appeared like he'd never seen a cat before in his life when cat-tested but didn't chase or act aggressively when cat tested. In fact, he passed with flying colours. My late mini bull had also never seen a cat in her life when we got her aged 2 but she always loved cats and small animals.

So I can make an informed decision... anyone tell me anything about bull dogs? I know staffs have been crossed with other breeds people who know nothing about dogs think will make them look "hard". Are staffy/bulldog crosses common? And if so - why?

I'm aware a young but fully grown dog needs a home more than one of the cute puppies and have weighed up all the pros and cons of both. So to make an informed decision, I'd like to know more about bull dogs.

Personally if the older dog is fine with cats then I would be tempted to go that way. Puppies are so much hard work, and there is nothing to say that any puppy will be fine with cats. All it takes is the cat to run because of something and the pup to chase it so develop a chaser. I've heard of a few people having this problem, more so with terriers or herding breeds but it is a possibility.
I've never had a tiny puppy, and in so many ways would love to have one, but they grow so quickly and mistakes are easy to make and hard to undo. A settled, adult with a good temperament is hard to come by. I say go for it.