My question on this would be what is a Staffy????

A neighbour of mine brought a SBT pup 8 months or so ago she is a beautiful much loved little thing - she is now 8 months old and she is not a full Staff at all there is something else in there, so I suspect at least one of the parents was from a cross mating as there is Staff in her.
To me now she looks like a mongrel/bitsa a lovely dog but the fact her owner says she is a Stafford means thats what people believe!

The thing she would be classed as Staff.....by anyone who knows..........although she will add to any "rescue numbers" as a Staff. But she is not a Stafford as I know and love the breed.

Kazz that is a good question. A true Stafford is no longer as easily recognisable to a lot of people. My own dog is clearly a Stafford X. Trouble is, in banning Pit Bulls, this has created a type of dog that is an attempt to recreate that 'look'. I agree, I would have classed Alfie as a crossbreed, he clearly has bullie genes but he also is most definitely not a pure bred Stafford.

We are not just dealing with pure bred Staffords in trouble, but also crossbreeds that are classed predominantly as a Stafford X.

I have had Staffordshire Bull Terriers since I was a girl and I go to reputable/honest breeders why because I want a Staffordshire Bull Terrier as I understand them to be. I have never ever been disapointed in my dogs. When I first got one back in the mid 70's as a teenager very few people knew what he was, there was no rescue issue. But in the 1980's - 90's it snowballed to such an extent that it set us apart from the majority of breeds due to the amount and quailty of those being bred and those going into rescue. We managed to outstrip by numbers the then "devil dogs of the day" Rotties. (I am glad they managed to reclaim their breed)

My current Stafford is perfection in my eyes she is a member of the family and a joy to live with she is also PAT registered and has done agility.

Would I get another.........to be honest at the moment I am not sure
The numpties that have taken over my beloved breed upset me. The bad pubilicty around my breed upsets me. The whole package of issues surrounding them upsets me. Should I walk away as an experienced and I believe a responsible owner............I really do not know, would it be like being AWOL??????? I do not know.

What I do know is I wish I could wave a wand and return my breed to "unknown"

Agree 100%

And that is the problem..........the "perception of the breed" is such that some Stafford owners are not sure what is on the end of their lead. And worse some are sure and still claim "Staffordshire Bull Terrier"

Just off out................back shortly.

I would love a SBT and am from the rescue school of thought so it is ironic that if I was in my native Scotland this would be easy, but in Thailand it would be expensive and/or irresponsible as the ones bred here are from farms. So I intend to continue rescuing thai dogs for now but maybe one day I will change my mind and want a dog that has been selectively bred. So maybe there is a time in everyone's lives for rescuing muts and a time for a dog with known good breeding. It does seem a bit unfair for people who want a SBT that they feel obliged to take an unknown rescue, while if they want a rare or unknown breed then it is okay to go to a breeder. Just a reflection on the situation from someone who admittedly does not know much about it

I agree with those who support a temporary ban on the breeding of Staffies.

Because the reality is, it is not just dogs from puppy farms & backyard breeders who end up in rescues.

I also agree with the idea (I think suggested by LILLYPUP) that anyone who breeds from their Staffie should face a huge fine - which in turn is then given to rescues.

There are plenty of people who buy puppies (of all breeds) from breeders and who SEEM like decent and ethical people but who later on, abandon their dogs for myriad 'reasons' (often because they are having a baby, or the dog gets 'too big' or the dog does not 'look right').


A breeder can only take back one of her own dogs if she knows it needs help to start with! As many owners don't tell the breeder that they are going to give up their dog, it is not a foolproof system - no matter how great the breeder is.

For so many Staffies to be dying, I cannot understand how it can be OK for anyone to breed Staffies. Surely anyone who loves this breed would not want to ever risk adding to the number of dead Staffies?

How long would that tempory ban last for?I have not bred for 4 years so I would have to do it soon if I wanted to keep the genes of my well bred health tested Stafford going.
What would happen to the gene pool.
I believe a lot of people are not bothered by that as they are not infavour of pedigree dogs let alone pedigree Staffords. I feel that a lot of people would be happy to let the breed die out all together.

Totally agree a blanket ban is no use as only those who don't care or respect any laws would go on breeding & fighting dogs would continue while correct staffies would disappear. Micro chipping of all puppies from registered breeders & only these dogs allowed to be legally sold would be a better answer. Any one selling unregistered unchipped puppies to be fined & dogs taken away.