But I'm betting that Tyler isn't less of a Stafford or have less character because he is friendly with other dogs?

No and he is well bred,I am aware that some dogs carrying his lines can be firey.

I would assume that the BVA has looked at the numbers of Staffords that are registered each year, and come to the conclusion that there isn't a high enough percentage with Hip and elbow problems for it to be classed as a "breed problem" that needs addressing.

If the figures were higher i'm sure that they would have no problem with making Hip and elbow testing compulsary. i'm not suggesting that no Staffords have ever suffered from either, but i do honestly believe that "most" Stafford breeders (Well most that i know of) would look to have something done if they thought they were seeing problems in pups that they had bred.

I try to do all i can to make sure that anyone that has a pup that we have bred, is as informed as they can be and that they have as healthy a pup as i can give them. We get emails and phone calls on a regular basis asking for pups, we have turned alot of people down because they already have dogs or we just do not feel that they are suitable. We try to educate people about health tests, also pass peoples details on to other breeders, and recommend breeders that we feel could help them, so that they do not end up with a pup that is not tested or pay over the odds for a "rare" blue.

I could breed alot more litters than i have and just sell them, but as i have already said, i breed because i have intentions of keeping a pup myself.

Just to clarify, i am not condoning irrisponsible ownership. Nor do i condone anyone allowing their dog off lead and terrorising other peoples dogs, and making a nuisance of themselves. I am fully aware of what my dogs are capable of, and live with the fact as responsibly as i can. i just wish that more people were aware, then there wouldn't be so many cases of people rehoming or putting Staffords to sleep because they didn't know that their Stafford would grow up not liking other dogs.

All i am trying to get across, is that Staffords can be dog aggressive without any training at all. People need to be aware of the fact, not try to brush it under the carpet and pretend that they are just a friendly little dog. (They can be) BUT They can and do turn dog aggressive for no reason. It is the nature of the beast (As they say)

I haven't come across many Staffords that are happy in a "pack", infact most are much happier away from other dogs and with human interaction. Of course there are some that are fine.

Another point to remember is a stafford will not go looking for trouble and will go out of his way to avoid it but should confrontation come the staffords way then very rarely will they back down.

When I was at a staff rescue I was amazed at how he had his dogs loose with each other, he locked a few up at feeding time, and at night time and if there was no-one there, but he had at least one very well bred dog there, and his dogs were allowed to mix with each other and other breeds aswell (he couldn't cope with Diesel who was sent home with his tail between his legs after jumping a fence after a pheasent and the man couldn't get him back, but he was good with his bull breeds if not lurchers) and I do know that Staffs can be DA but many aren't, I use to dogsit, and there were a few at kennels who were good with all dogs but other bully breeds, there were some who couldn't be near any other dogs, and some who even though they were not allowed actual contact loved playing through the fence with other dogs, but I do think that responsible breeders can begin to breed out DA, while retainig all the characteristics that makes a Stafford a Stafford, and even if a dog was winning all the shows it went into, the show ring can't say on its own whether a dog should be bred or not in response to your earlier posts .

Firstly don't be so patronising. Nobody here thinks all breeds should behave in precisely the same way - but yes most of us DO worry about the sheer number of Staffies being KILLED on a weekly basis!

If you truly loved the breed, then WHY WHY WHY would you endorse producing yet more of a breed that is being euthanised in its thousands???

Nobody is saying that a Staffie is 'naturally' as, for instance, as easy going as many Labs - just for an example.

But you seem to be at the other extreme and seem to welcome breeding from dogs that are aggressive. And by 'aggressive' I mean dogs that can and do maul other dogs to death.

Go and visit a rescue, go and look at all the poor Staffies in there.

Please don't spin what i have said.

For arguements sake, as used in a previous post. German Shepherds are a natural guarding breed. If you stopped breeding from any German Shepherd that showed any signs of guarding it's home or owners..etc.. You WOULD change the breed. Yes there are those that do not show guarding instinct.

If you take the dog aggression out of Staffords, you will change the breed, if you want a Stafford then you take them knowing what you are getting. If what they are doesn't suit you, that's fine, don't have one. I don't want a dog that has been purposly bred to be a watered down version of it's former self. If i have a dog that shows no dog aggression, that's fine too, but i will be aware that it is there ! It's like a pointer that doens't point

All of my dogs are fantastic family pets, they will play all day everyday with my children and anyone elses children that they come across. They just don't like other dogs, i can live with that !

Part of the problem would be that sometimes the DA may not show itself until the dog is well into maturity. You can have litter mates where one or more may go on to be DA and one or more will be very easy going.
My friend has a DA staffie and yet he accepts all my dogs including my staffie without any grief, but he can't be trusted with any other dog he meets.

If I were in a postion to get a staff it would be one of the lovely ones in a rescue who has never shown aggression to another dog, as there is plenty about, in fact my fav lil girl just that, her daughter I couldn't own right now, but Skye, a gorgeous happy piggy Staff, a stunning red, three year old, had two litters now looking for a new home who is great with other dogs, a big clown who loves her home comforts and her food, gets excited and happy and runs around like a puppy when she can be bothered too, I'd love a dog like that, her daughters lush and although will walk past another dog can not be trusted to great, theres also a stunning black and white male who I'd love, but he seems to wanna kill all who he meets, I wonder how long he would be waiting for a home but with his temperment people would be willing to breed him

I haven't been patronising to anyone ! It is quite clear that some people do expect all breeds to behave the same way.

The rescue situation is tragic, i'm not suggesting otherwise. However, there are some people that do not want to go down the rescue route. They want a well bred puppy that is health tested and that they can have some knowledge of it's history.

I would not tell anyone that they are wrong for bringing a rescue into their home, and i certainly wouldn't expect to be told that i can not go and get myself a well bred health tested pedigree dog if i so wish.

I have 2 children and i want to know (as much as i can) that whatever dog i bring into my home is stable. A rescue just doesn't do it for me. I have 3 generations of Staffords here, and i know as much as i can about everything that is behind them. Including whether or not they were dog aggressive and if they have had any health problems.

Also i am not advocating actively looking for aggressive dogs, what i said was i wouldn't exclude a dog aggressive dog for that reason !