Staffordshire Bull Terriers & dog-dog aggression - is it inevitable?

I really don't want to cause a lot of conflict here so I hope this can be kept civil - I know it will cause a lot of debate but I'd really like it to be kept friendly as a lot of the people here with staffies are people that I really like and I hope none of you will take offence

ok - here it is.

I know all of you say your staffs are lovely sweet dogs, and with people, I know it's true. However recently I've had so many dodgy experiences with staffs that sadly when I see one I now put Archie on the lead when I see a staff coming... and I'm very careful of letting him play because even when people have said they are ok, they turn out not to be

A couple of months ago we met a tiny little staffy pup and I let Archie have a little play with him. His owners seemed a bit reluctant and left quickly even though the dogs were having loads of fun. They kept telling the pup "be friendly, dont't bite" and I thought, how stupid, he's about 12 weeks old, how could he be aggressive? They also had another staff on the lead which seemed less than friendly.

About 3/4 weeks later we walked past the same puppy onlead, with the same boys. As it walked past Archie it suddenly lunged at him teeth bared growling... and the kids on the end of the lead were grinning I was so shocked that this tiny little pup was being aggressive... is this their history or were these boys teaching him aggression?

Then at discover dogs, I couldn't believe it but they had put dogs on the stand that were dog aggressive and lunged at Archie as we walked past

On the other hand, months ago, we met a man in the park with a tiny staffy pup onlead, as soon as he saw Archie he put his pup onlead, and then asked me if Archie was ok to play with the pup. We let them both off to have a play and he explained to me that he was being very very careful to let every experience his pup had with other dogs be a good one, so he wouldn't become aggressive. I was so impressed as he was obviously working hard.

Now this has convinced me that although staffs are great with humans, with other dogs they are a bit of a liability and need a LOT of socialisation and training.

I've had a lot off staffy owners telling me that it's all lies, and that staffs have a bad reputation for no reason but somehow I don't think that's true. Would it not be better to tell people that there is a reason for the reputation and they are difficult dogs to own because of the amount of socialisation involved? If someone asked me about fox terriers I would certainly not tell them they are good with mice

Surely because of how they've been bred they still have aggression in their temperament which cannot always be erased?

Or can it be erased with training?

Sorry this is such a confused post, I'm in such a mixed position with staffies because I really WANT to like them but to tell the truth I get scared of what might happen when one approaches Archie

I really hope I haven't offended anyone.

i dont feel offended..it depends on how they are brough up...china loves male dogs but DETESTS female dogs.... i have met staff that are both great with dogs and some which arent...i think these two boys were not trainig and socializing it the way it should be...we didnt raise china as she was 2-3 yrs old when we got her but i think with socialisation she would be great with all dogs...


saying that i had a collie cross that was v dog aggressive! even from pup stage on first meeting another dog...but a complete softie with humans!

its not just staffys and little terriers such as like yours are dog agressive too its not just spoken about!

yeah you get ****heads chavs who dont grow there dogs up properly! but its in everybreed!

both my staffs are fine with others dogs (other than borris with beanie right now) but outside they want to play or ignore them!

Im sorry but u put this in the debates section so you may not get nice fluffy answers tuti!
maybe if i wrote a thread about why small terriers are human agressive then maybe you can see how silly this post is!

yes staffs CAN BE dog agressive and yes some decent owners try and breed this out but no you get chavs and bad dog owners who dont work on this! but everybreed has do agression so maybe you shouldnt have called this thread sbts and maybe placed in in the genral dogs section!

All i'll say for now is alot of staffies i meet are dog aggressive. My own staffie is onlead dog aggressive but not offlead. And is great with people.
I dont worry when i see another staffie, i see each dog as an individual regardless of breed, so even tho i have had many bad experiences with staffies in particular attacking indie, i would not be wary if a staffie i didnt know came toward us. I do however avoid the dogs i know are not very nice.

I am always aware when any dog approaches cos any breed can be aggressive.
I have met lots of really nice staffies who are not dog aggressive at all and i have met some that are. But i have seen this in all breeds. Perhaps its just because staffies are the 'popular' breed at the moment and been overbred so u see them everywhere, so more likely to meet an aggressive staffie if theres like 10 in ur area and less likely to see an aggressive dog of another breed if there are alot less in comparison?

Hayley please calm down and stay on topic. If you want to start a thread about small yappy terriers go ahead - I'm not stopping you.

And please keep the personal remark to yourself. I'm not out to cause offence or be offended - just want to have an ADULT debate.

I think it's the way a dog is brought up/trained etc that determines it's behaviour although, like everything in life, there is always the exception to the rule. I think you are just as likely to find a savage Pom or chihuahua as you are any other kind of dog. Yes, I am a SBT owner but, that is my humble unbiased opinion.

tuti i do understand what u mean thou about staffs but maybe to feel safe u should put archie on a lead when you see other dogs not just staffys so he dont get scared and you have control of them!

I HATE PEOPLE WHO BRING THERE DOGS UP IN A BAD WAY!

My staffies are lovely little sooks, but on saying that, I have met people with staffies when waling mine, and they haven't been at all friendly, one or two have had a go at my girls, so i can understand where you are coming from Tuti....There is good and bad in all breeds, and there are a lot of misguided staffie owners that expect their dogs to be aggressive, they are a status symbol!!I had a remark made about my Gypsy a few years ago, because she is scared of barking dogs, she will hide behind me if a dog barks near her..I was told she was a disgrace to the breed because she was scared..!!

Hi Jenny Do you think it's possible that 'overbreeding' would cause aggression?

I think maybe you're right about the popularity of staffies, but also the fact that maybe 70% of the dogs that have attacked Archie have been SBTs, so I tend to be a bit more nervous when I see them.

Hi China Is it all down to training yet? I'm also wondering about this because at DD most of the WFTs we saw were quite naughty and wilfull, and Archie was very placid and well behaved.... part of his behaviour it seems is inherited from his granddad who was very calm, but we have also worked very hard with training. So maybe it's possible to curb instinct well with VERY good training? (we have been really strict with Archie)

Tut! People like that don't deserve animals. A dog is a part of the family, not a status symbol or a "look how hard I am" accessory.