I haven't read all the pages I have been away but from the gist.

Pet owner in the park with a dog said he is breeding his dog because he has a great temperament.

I have heard that one many times along with you have to breed them at least once because its cruel not to and mating him will calm him down.

Not really a good enough reason to breed and he won't care about finding homes for the pups because they won't be in his house. Hopefully it won't happen and his friend who will have to deal with the pups will have second thoughts.

DA issues I would suggest is for a seperat debate because it is a very complex issue.

My Staffords are not DA but I would not let them run with dogs I don't know because if an other dogs starts getting boshy they won't accept that and they will be found to be the ones at fault which ever dog started it.

The breed record holder is not dog aggressive if he has lifted a lip in the ring it may be down to the occassional plonker trying to put him off in the ring. I have never seen him behave in an aggressive manner.

I understand what you're saying but I just don't understand why it is an acceptable trait, thats all...maybe it's because I'm a numpty or an idiot

I'm not suggesting you're either a numpty or an idiot but the fact is anyone thinking of getting a Staffie needs to be aware and they really spell it out on that breed club website. It's not a forgone conclusion that every staffie will be dog aggressive, mine isn't, Sal's Tyler isn't, Leadstaff's just said theirs aren't. Sal didn't set out to get a DA dog in Meg but it happened. My friend didn't set out to get a DA Staffie but it happened. His litter mates have not gone on to be DA, she brought him up well, she chose carefully from well socialised parents but it's happened and she always knew it was a possibility.

I'm trying to word this without sounding like i'm being arguementative, so please forgive me if it comes across that way. i'm not

Maybe it is because you do not own the breed ? As i'm sure you are aware after owning a breed for any length of time, you develop a better understanding of that particualr breed. You learn things that you wouldn't have known, learned or maybe even tolerated unless you have spent time with them.

I think most long term Stafford owners become used to the fact that Staffords can be dog aggressive, accept and learn to live with it responsibly. I have grown up with different breeds in the past, i would not say that i have enough of an understanding of them to pass judgement. What i will say is that owning a Stafford, for me was completely different to owning any other breed. Finding yourself doing things differently to other dog owners, such as walking alone, at night, trying to avoid other dog owners just so that there is not an altercation (Even if your dog isn't showing signs of dog aggression, you know it is there) Almost embracing the aggression, although never allowing your dog in a postion where any trouble could be caused (If that makes sense ?) We walk my dogs off lead through farms, with cows, sheep and horses, geese..etc.. and my dogs would not make any attempt to look at them, let alone show any signs of aggression towards them. But if another dog comes sniffing round them, they do not like it. I have no desire to be around other dog walkers. I often see lots of owners walking together, and allowing their dogs to run together. That's fine if that suits you. If i take my dog out i go to spend time with my dog, not talk to someone else

I personally would not want a dog that barked at everyone that came close to my house or showed any signs of "guarding" me my family or my property. That is not what i want in a dog. Which i suppose is lucky that i own Staffords, as they just want to lick everyone I would not suggest that any particular breed have that guarding instinct bred out of it, because postmen...etc.. had been bitten. Yes i understand that stupid people get their hands on Staffords, but the same can be said for most breeds.

EVERYONE has an opinion on Staffords and thinks they have all the answers. More so than any other breed, whetehr they own them or not. I do not know why this is. Not long ago i walked my pup round the bootfair, i was stopped by at least 10 people. Everyone of them wanting to tell me that they knew someone with one, someone told me that he was a crossbreed, and looked at me like i was a complete liar when i told her he wasn't, "because he didn't look like her daughters". I have even been told that if i feed my pups porridge they will develop massive heads when their skull splits.

Thank you for that...and I'm not trying to be argumentative either I'm just interested and I have to admit, was suprised by the acceptance of this possibility by the staffie owners but, as you say, there are traits in other breeds that you wouldn't want in your own dogs.

I know what you mean by know it alls, I don't let my English setter offlead just anywhere, I've owned the breed for over 20 years and I know that they will run off after birds, other dogs, or children in a bid to make new friends. I let him off in a fenced off area as I know he is safe there, but people always tell me he really needs to be let off to run with theirs, regardless of whether there is a road nearby

I don't think I'd breed with a known Dog aggressive Staff. The same way as I wouldn't breed high prey drive (worky) JRTs for pet owners. Or any other breeds with a natural worky temp that wouldn't gel with suburban life where you're going to be out meeting people and dogs.

Horses for courses.

I guess what I've been trying to work out is, and maybe a few others have been trying to convey this also:

Hypothetically, if every single Staffie breeder in the UK refused to breed from dogs that were dog-aggressive, then eventually, would the dog aggression in Staffies become a thing of the past...? Leaving you then with a wonderful breed which has all the positive Staffie attributes, but just not the dog-aggression?



This is a genuine question, this is not, contrary to what you suggested earlier, me trying to 'tell' you anything about a breed that you know far better than me!

There`s a guy in our local park who has 2 staffies. Beautifully trained, very good with other dogs. And there`s a lady with a friendly brown one that wants to play with every dog she sees. And this was just today.
So I can`t help thinking that if the 3 staffies I met today were dog-friendly, and this is a fairly normal occurence....
what are people in other areas doing wrong?

Aunt's Staffordshire was very well trained, Well behaved and fine with other dogs unless he was growled at/challenged. Then he wasn't & he is why if I'd prefer to rehome a mature dog to a pup if I was going to.


Edit: That said the Lodger has had fun and games with friendlies.

great post and what i was trying to get at, you just worded it better than i could x