When someone asks what breed you own..

I saw this post on another site and thought it would be an interesting question for you all.

'When someone has asked what breed we own and you know as soon as you say it you just know the reaction you are going to get, one of disgust, disaproval and distase.

When you get these people do you find yourself saying you own a stafford and then follow it up quite quickly with a defensive statement saying how wonderful they are or do you just not bother'

Erm, it completely depends...

I find it really difficult with Bertie - although we think he's gorgeous, we've run in to a few people who clearly don't know dogs who say things along the lines of

a) what an ugly dog? ....He's not ugly

b) is it a pitbull? ....No, he's not - but I don't think pitbulls are ugly, either

When I then tell them he's a staffy cross I get the reaction

c) but aren't they pitbulls?

Aaaaaarrgghhh!!!

Thing is, it's always easier not to listen & stay ignorant, so although I frequently find myself defending Bertie, pitbulls, staffies & staffy crosses, part of me feels like it's a pointless exercise. I used to defend them before we got Bertie, too & I'm not sure I ever made a difference.

:(

I always says Staffordshire Bull Terriers - and to be honest I have never had anyone been rude or offensive - however if I did get a negative response I would like to respond with asking them why they have that view - then hopefully by listening to their side of the story it may allow us to understand and re-educate xx

I know, you're right Suzie. In general most people are ok but things can be a bit tense round where we live. Unfortunately, there are a lot of housing association properties on our road & some of the tenants are problematic - many of them are ex-offenders with substance abuse issues and pf course there are many of the problems that go with this - fighting etc.

Firstly, I have worked with both offenders & young offenders & I truly don't believe that people should be written off. I also firmly believe everybody has to live somewhere & plenty of the tenants & ex-offenders are nice people who are trying to rebuild their lives.

Unfortunately, some of them aren't & they have a negative impact on the rest of the community. Annoyingly, many of them have powerful dogs, mainly staffies & staffy crosses, which they don't bother to train or control & some of the poor dogs are frustrated because they are never exercised & live in families where violence is a regular occurrence.

Many people round here have a very poor image of these dogs & it takes time to change their minds. Stella, a little red staffy who lkives up the road has worked wonders because she is the loveliest, friendliest dog you could meet.

Midge was paralysed for 2 weeks when she injured her back & we used to carry her up the road so we could crash out on the green together. Stella used to curl up around Midge & lick her face & nuzzle her ears. When Midge started walking again, Stella was so gentle around her!

I think she definitely changed some minds - & I suspect witnessing the loveliness of these dogs this is the most effective way of convincing some people that the bad press is undeserved.

I never used to bother or even notice peoples reactions until I became more aware of the so called "bad reputation" that people believe Staffies have.

Then I found I did start defending them to people who probably weren't even interested past the word "Staffy".

One day someone asked me why I felt like I had to justify owning my dogs ... she said I don't explain why I own the breed I own so why should you. Kind made a lot of sense and since then I don't bother.

If I get a bad reaction I just walk away and get on with my life, I like to think my dogs show people who they really are by the way they behave and how affectionate they are.

I just say Staffies and grin at them, they are less likely to whinge about them that way

I say staffs, majority of people arent bothered. I was talking to a old lady yesterday and she said she loves staffys, if they are raised well, they are loving dogs, as my mums neighbour came past us, fussing the dogs, saying how they both have an amazing temprement.

I just say a Staffie and a Whippet if they look at me funny I don't talk them if they as me anything sensible I answer.

Most do the Staffie shuffle anyway so I rarely get involved.

If I don't have the dogs with me and someone asks (like at work) I wait for the reaction, because there always is one when they can't see the dog and you mention the word Staffie, if it is an offensive to me comment, I make sure I knock them into the filing cabinet next time I am passing and say sorry!

Quote :

if it is an offensive to me comment, I make sure I knock them into the filing cabinet next time I am passing and say sorry!

Wids

Quote :

if it is an offensive to me comment, I make sure I knock them into the filing cabinet next time I am passing and say sorry!

Whoops - only meant to do that once!

janandruby44 wrote:

I just say Staffies and grin at them, they are less likely to whinge about them that way

me too !!!!!! xxx

I get a very mixed reaction, kind of 50/50 on wether it's a good or bad one.

It's usually worse at work where most people are quite stuck up or generally have no knowledge of dogs so they like to believe everything they read in the papers.

Although I was presently surprised when I got dropped to a work do & Quattro was in the car, my MD ran over to see him & said how well behaved he was in the car (his family ownes a staffie) and a director just had to come & say hello as he loves blue staffies but had never met one before (he's been sneakily looking at my quattro calendar on my desk all year) :)

I get comments like, has he bitten anyone yet, aren't they dangerous or they're ugly. I used to defend before they said anything but now I tend to laugh it off and make a comment to make them think twice before judging something/someone and make them look small

I think we should all b proud to say we own a staff

janandruby44 wrote:

I just say Staffies and grin at them, they are less likely to whinge about them that way

i do this, tbh i've (thankfully) never had anyone question me about my dogs that have been rude

i say staffy and give them one of the looks
if they say hes ugly i pointedly look at them, make to say something then change my mind and leave them to it
not really interested in them if they havent got time for him i havent got time for them
Keith had to pull me away one day when a woman said what an ugly dog and she had a ugly ginger kid, think she picked up on my reaction .
but all in all staffies are welcome around here, and there loved in Workington.

no offence to ugly ginger people by the way.

lindauk wrote:

no offence to ugly ginger people by the way.

None taken pmsl

Has any-one ever seen Sandi ?
does she exist ?
is she camera shy ?
or does she only live in the ether ?

lindauk wrote:

Has any-one ever seen Sandi ?
does she exist ?
is she camera shy ?
or does she only live in the ether ?

Seen pics does that count?

But we need to see the pics

Ahhh but you can if you search the forum hard enough

00OOoo hint please .......

I tell them proudly 'Staffie,'. I have had bad reactions before and I'll always explain how wonderful the breed are. A lot of the time it fell on deaf ears but I have changed a few people's minds about the breed. My favourite line to use is that Staffies are the only of one if two breeds noted for their suitability with children by the kennel club.

It makes me so upset the way some people regard staffies. I know a lot of staffies ARE dog aggresive but so are a lot of other breeds, as is any dog that isn't socialised properly. I don't know ANY staffie that is human aggresive but I've seen many other breeds that are. The main issue I think is that dogs like staffies (or other 'dangerous dogs,') is that if it DOES go for another dog it has a good chance of causing serious damage because of their physical prowess.