What should I know about owning a Staffy?

[hilly10]

They are great dogs but do fart more then any other dog. I have had two and loved them to bits they were great with my two kids.

[driverrob]

I think all or most of the dogs at this rescue home are on a diet of some preferred dried food mix but I've read that a better diet, for their coat and their digestion (!), includes a lot of raw meat and bones, esp. chicken.
Any experience of this, anyone?

[Jasandjules]

driverrob said:

I think all or most of the dogs at this rescue home are on a diet of some preferred dried food mix but I've read that a better diet, for their coat and their digestion (!), includes a lot of raw meat and bones, esp. chicken.
Any experience of this, anyone?

Yes.

We raw feed all our dogs and cats.

They get whole chickens, chicken carcasses, hearts, lungs, kidneys, liver, beef, and tripe (both sheep and lamb), all raw.

Here is our utility room after we got some food



There are loads of raw feeding websites and so on I can link you to if you wish. One thing I will say is it is a lot harder to do than just popping a cup of kibble in a bowl and you do need to read up on it a little.

[Light n Hairy]

Given that you have no idea about the dog's past, and it is a particularly strong, fast, hungry and very rapidly angered breed, it seems unusual to start from here.

This is without even beginning to consider the awful people who 'take care' of them, using them as a kind of meaty ammunition in their imaginary, poverty-borne battles. Why would you want to start with a stereotype, unless, like many a PH social leper, you mistake a tendency to be sanctimonious and irritating as the infantile refrain of 'I never give a dab of oppo what people think about me!' Knowing full well that for handling a staffie, you will be considered a weasly, cowardly chav unless you insist on wearing a tweed blazer and walking the dog with the lead attached to the bumper of your Silver Shadow? Not the fault of the dog, so adopt its cause because by heck what is a more worthy cause than an attempt to destigmatise a household pet ! It keeps the UN in debate til the early hours, i bet

>stares at pint glass, wondering what they e put in this stuff<
>straughtens tie<
It is at best an unimaginative and rather naive choice for a newbie to get a staffordshire terrier IMO.

[driverrob]

Light n Hairy said:

Lots

Well, thank you for that verbal lashing.
As a retired couple with loads of experience of our families' various dogs over the years, we wanted a dog for company, love and exercise. We had a list of other criteria, too, to help us choose but the views and prejudices of other people were not among them.

[Light n Hairy]

driverrob said:

We had a list of other criteria, too, to help us choose but the views and prejudices of other people were not among them.

Ah, gottit. You didn't want anyone else's view, prejudiced or otherwise.

So you published your noble question on a web forum.

A web forum priding itself on the harshest of keyboard strikes, administered by the most unshaven and string-vested of warriors?

Who additionally are powerfully built, hate the working classes and earn over £100K pa?

With this level of strategic consistency, I would be unsurprised if you have had a career in the public sector prior to your retirement


(FWIW my post was just a lampooning litany, directed at no-one specifically, but meh)

[driverrob]

So, before 8:30 on a Sunday morning, you're wearing a tie and staring into a pint glass.

Is there anything helpful in your posts I should take seriously?

[Karyn]

Fingers crossed she goes home with you!


As others have said, they can be prone to separation anxieties... a good routine, coupled with good exercise and stimulation, will go a long way to help with this.

Pulling on the lead is relatively easily sorted, as staffies are so eager to please.


Farts should subside once you find a food that's "compatible" with her! -doesn't necessarily need to be raw, but if that's the way you want to go, J&J is always willing to offer advice.
FWIW, our two get lots of compliments on their general health and wellbeing, and they're just fed on a relatively bog-standard food. Different strokes for different folks dogs... just find out what works best for both you and her tum!

There's nothing particular you need to know just because she's a staffy - general doggy advice applies! Although do remain vigilant around other dogs and children, if that's the advice the re-homing centre have given you.

[Jasandjules]

Light n Hairy said:

Given that you have no idea about the dog's past, and it is a particularly strong, fast, hungry and very rapidly angered breed, it seems unusual to start from here.

Seriously? Have you ever met one? They are not strong (easy to keep control of on lead), rapidly angered? These are happy dogs that take an awful lot to get them sparked up and aggressive as a rule. Generally lovely little dogs (not for me I don't like tiny dogs), sweet natured and happy, just wanting cuddles from everyone.

[Karyn]

Jasandjules said:

Light n Hairy said:

Given that you have no idea about the dog's past, and it is a particularly strong, fast, hungry and very rapidly angered breed, it seems unusual to start from here.

Seriously? Have you ever met one? They are not strong (easy to keep control of on lead), rapidly angered? These are happy dogs that take an awful lot to get them sparked up and aggressive as a rule. Generally lovely little dogs (not for me I don't like tiny dogs), sweet natured and happy, just wanting cuddles from everyone.

I agree with you both! ( -edit, not the bit where L'n'H says you shouldn't have chosen a staffy though - I see no reason why you shouldn't have!)

They are quite strong, J&J, if you're used to walking, say, a JRT, or a well-behaved lab. And if they're not trained correctly and pull toward people/dogs, it can be quite hard work and is not for the unprepared, so it's a good point to make.

Obviously, they won't compare strength-wise to a 10 stone great dane, or a particularly frisky GSD, but... they can pack quite a punch on the end of a lead!

As for the "anger" question - that depends quite heavily on what's happened previously in their life, and how they've been brought up. I agree with you in that the breed, generally, put up with a lot before saying a gentle "eff off", which is a reason why they're (usually) great with small children, but a lot of that also depends on up-bringing and socialisation. And given that the advert states that the dog in question pulls on the lead, can't be re-homed with small children, and to avoid cats, I'd say they're salient points to note in this instance.


Disagree slightly with the fairly obnoxious way the points were raised, though! (here's looking at you, L'n'H!)

[Upatdawn]

driverrob said:

So, before 8:30 on a Sunday morning, you're wearing a tie and staring into a pint glass.

Is there anything helpful in your posts I should take seriously?

just a tie tho.....nothing else

and its a pint of milk in the glass....

[Jasandjules]

Karyn said:

They are quite strong, J&J, if you're used to walking, say, a JRT, or a well-behaved lab. And if they're not trained correctly and pull toward people/dogs, it can be quite hard work and is not for the unprepared, so it's a good point to make.

Ah I see, well my smallest dog is about 8 stone...... Having held onto a staffy which was "pulling hard" I wondered what the problem was with them........

And whilst I've never owned one I've never seen them being anything more than friendly with people and dogs. I've been to plenty of dog shows where there are all sorts of aggressive dogs, but it isn't the staffies as a rule...

[Karyn]

Jasandjules said:

Having held onto a staffy which was "pulling hard" I wondered what the problem was with them........

Jasandjules said:

Ah I see, well my smallest dog is about 8 stone......

I'm not surprised, given you'd have arms like pop-eye if your dogs pulled on the lead!


Sometimes, I think head-at-hip-height sized dogs are physically easier to teach to walk well on a lead than dogs whose heads are down past your shins!

[NoVetec]

I was lazy with mine, got him a harness and he stopped pulling.

Unless he sees a cat.

[driverrob]

NoVetec said:

I was lazy with mine, got him a harness and he stopped pulling.

Unless he sees a cat.

Yep. She has a harness at the centre, so we'll be getting her one. Haven't seen how she reacts to cats yet.

[Light n Hairy]

driverrob said:

So, before 8:30 on a Sunday morning, you're wearing a tie and staring into a pint glass.

Is there anything helpful in your posts I should take seriously?

Glad you got the hint when I dropped it more emphatically, althoughb to be fair there was a hint of seriousness about my clowning which may have kept someone guessing.

If I were you I would better to stay away from a staffie in the UK without a history; that's not a sleight on the dog.
I knew a couple from work who made the same mistake and their hatred for the fabled tracksuited people who created this problem was readily apparent.

[Jasandjules]

Light n Hairy said:

I knew a couple from work who made the same mistake and their hatred for the fabled tracksuited people who created this problem was readily apparent.

There are always risks with a rescue. However a good owner can usually overcome many problems.

[Autopilot]

Jasandjules said:

driverrob said:

I think all or most of the dogs at this rescue home are on a diet of some preferred dried food mix but I've read that a better diet, for their coat and their digestion (!), includes a lot of raw meat and bones, esp. chicken.
Any experience of this, anyone?

Yes.

We raw feed all our dogs and cats.

They get whole chickens, chicken carcasses, hearts, lungs, kidneys, liver, beef, and tripe (both sheep and lamb), all raw.

Here is our utility room after we got some food



There are loads of raw feeding websites and so on I can link you to if you wish. One thing I will say is it is a lot harder to do than just popping a cup of kibble in a bowl and you do need to read up on it a little.

Same here, well, not me, the dog obviously. He's only a pup still so has 2 cans of rice pudding a day, but his other 2 meals are typically raw chicken or beef. As stated above, it is a bit more involved than just slinging stuff in a bowl and does require mixing with rice and/or veg and we do make us a decent stock to mix up in there with it. He also eats chicken carcases and wings and loves it. The chicken wings are a little nasty as where he's only young at the moment, I have to use wire cutters / pliers to cut them in to smaller bits so they are easier for him to eat. The easier they are for him to eat the less likely he is to appear elsewhere in the house (luckily he doesn't go up to the other floors) and drop them, so well worth the effort!

[MotorsportTom]

I've read through some of the posts on this thread and IMO a lot of what has been said is complete tosh.

Firstly, don't like being with other dogs. Me and my immediate family have personally owned two staffy's who both loved being with the other dogs we had at the time (first one had one companion, current has 2). My uncle currently has 3 staff's and a staff cross who all get along fine despite an occasional hierachy(sp?) squabble but I'm sure it would be expected with 3 dogs of similar age, he also previously had two staffy's that were thick as thieves.

All you need to know is usually they are a little bit dim (in my experience) but loving wonderful animals that don't carry the nickname "The nanny dog" for no reason. Our current one was from a rescue home and was mis-treated and if there is any commotion (shouting from us or a squabble between the other two dogs etc) she sits shaking and is very scared, she has had dogs "go" for her, not an attack just a bark and growl type action, and all she does in run away tail between her legs.

They are not the dogs that the media and the mis-informed portray them as. Honestly rescue a Staffordshire and I guarantee you will have a wonderful pet for many years!

Here's our rescue staff with the staff cross

[Karyn]

MotorsportTom said:

Lovely!


Here's our two, about six months ago:




^^ He's not very good with other dogs*.






*But it's different when it's family.


EDIT: 'scuse the tragic quality of the photo!