The following page was written by a good friend and very smart woman, Beret Walsh, whom I respect a great deal. She put into words the very important topic of Staffords and how they interact with other animals so eloquently. Many of us find ourselves answering these questions daily. If you don’t know this breed but you think they would be the perfect addition for you PLEASE read this and know she is correct on every point she makes. (Shared with permission – please DO NOT copy and use without reaching out to Beret yourself. Play nice. )
Theatric Staffords
Staffordshire Bull Terriers & Other Dogs
First, one must understand that dog-dog sociability is a spectrum. Dogs can range from highly pro-social (love and enjoy interacting with every dog they meet) to truly dog-aggressive (wants to hurt every other dog they encounter) with a lot of space and nuance in between those two poles. Most well-socialized dogs will fall somewhere in the middle of the sociability spectrum around dog-tolerant to dog-selective, and their position on this spectrum will often shift away from the more social end as they continue to mature regardless of “how they were raised”.
The above graphic is the property of K9 Activity Club and used with permission.
Dog sociability is epigenetic, meaning it has a genetic component that may be influenced by environmental factors. Early negative experiences with other dogs can impact a dog’s tolerance for others in the future. Likewise, a dog with a genetic predisposition toward intolerance for other dogs need not be influenced by experience for intolerance to arise.
The Staffordshire Bull Terrier breed has origins in dog-on-dog combat. While the modern Stafford is no longer bred for such exploits, one cannot deny the foundation of the breed and how that history still may influence behavior today. For that reason, any responsible Stafford owner knows that the potential for conflict between dogs is always there and is well versed in body language, de-escalation, and management techniques should the need arise. Avoiding same-sex pairings can also help mitigate any issues that may arise.
Many people have the idea that breeders should specifically focus their efforts on eliminating the fire in the breed. As unsavory as their origins may be however, it also led to many wonderful qualities that make us love the breed today. Their tenacity, their versatility and above all, their bombproof nature with their humans in even the most volatile of situations. When the focus shifts from preservation to change, we risk losing the incredible virtues of the breed we hold most dear.
Most Staffordshire Bull Terriers will get on fine with trusted canine housemates and a close circle of friends, but may be far less accepting of a strange dog coming into their space. Typically however once there is hatred between dogs of any breed, there is no reconciliation to be had. Many take a “don’t start none, won’t be none” attitude and wouldn’t necessarily start a tiff, but also would not hesitate to step up to the plate and finish it if a challenge was presented.
A Staffordshire Bull Terrier not enjoying the company of other dogs is not incorrect or wrong, nor does their potential intolerance for certain other dogs have any bearing on their sociability with humans. A responsible Stafford owner knows and accepts the propensity for spice inherent in their dog, and keeps them out of situations wherein conflict may arise to set them up for success. This is not a breed well-suited for dog parks or doggy day care. While there certainly are Staffords who can do just fine in that type of environment, the dedicated owner recognizes that there are far better opportunities for bonding and play than a thunderdome-style canine free-for-all. The Staffordshire Bull Terrier needs human companionship more than it needs to be friends with other dogs.
Staffordshire Bull Terriers & Cats
Many Staffordshire Bull Terriers live successfully with cats inside the house provided they are given clear ground rules (no chasing, no rough play, etc.), kept under supervision, and the cats have ample space to get away from the dog when needed. A cat running away can spark predatory drift in a dog, whose natural instinct is to chase and grab the small furry thing moving away from it. Outside of the house, cats are often no longer seen as off-limits family members and the situation can easily sour.
For a dedicated and mindful owner, it is definitely possible to keep both Staffords and cats together in the house. However one must never forget the origins of the breed they own and always ensure the household is under their careful management.
Staffordshire Bull Terriers & Critters
As the name suggests, the Staffordshire Bull Terrier is a terrier, which is a type of dog originally used for catching and dispatching small critters and prey animals.
It is unreasonable to expect a Staffordshire Bull Terrier to live in harmony with rabbits, chickens, ferrets, etc. If a Stafford owner does keep small critters, they must be securely separated from the dogs. Never underestimate a Stafford’s ability to snatch up a mouse, a rabbit, or a chicken before you’ve even realized what’s going on.
It is both normal and expected for a Stafford to grab and kill a small animal. And in fact, they can make for great critter infestations control around the yard, garage, and shed. There are also wonderful ways to harness this natural instinct in a controlled setting, such as the sport of Barn Hunt.
Wavemaker Staffords is extremely proud to share that 2023 was a history making year for the breed with three Staffords carrying the Wavemaker affix sitting at number one at the same time! This achievement was not a planned goal for us but something we realized late in the year and found out had never been achieved before. We are super excited for Felix, Schooner and Sage and all involved in helping to make this happen. (as of Nov 20, 2023)
Anytime your name appears on a list that someone took the time to calculate and post and its some sort of recognition or achievement – be proud! It’s exciting to see your hard work be recognized no matter how or what the criteria were for that recognition. You went out and did something and got recognized in a positive manner by somebody out there and it got shared with the world. Go you! I know I am proud of you! Congratulations!
Sadly, social media allows for all the negative Nancy’s to freely post their unkind comments on the sharing of the list for whatever negative reasons negative people have for being negative. Thats simply who they are. It’s their nature. They are not able to scroll on by quietly, muttering their nasty negative comments to themselves or their housemates. . . . they just can’t. In fact some are such party poopers they even take the time to seek out anytime the list is posted just to be able to announce why that achievement is unimportant. They feel the world needs to have this information. They deem it insignificant badly calculated, therefore the whole world of social media must be told of this fact.
Who knows why these type of people act like this. What other people do is their business. It reflects badly upon those who mock these achievements, not those on these celebratory lists . . . no matter how they are calculated, no matter where they are published, no matter how unimportant some people think them to be.
To all who see their name on a list for recognition of an achievement of any type – WOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOO! You went out and did a thing! Be happy! Be proud. You are amazing. Thank you for doing something and its fantastic you were recognized!
Also – your actions are noticed by a lot of people. We see you there. Keep on being you and doing your thing. ??
Every morning I check my email and usually see a request or two for a Staffordshire Bull Terrier puppy or re-home/rescue. Since I run The Stafford Knot and rescue pages I hear all the time how “I have had ‘staffy’ mixes, or I have had ‘pit bull dogs’ or some other story about how prepared they are and how familiar they are with Staffords. I bite my tongue sometimes but often I come right out and tell the people – no…no you didn’t own a Stafford ‘mix’ or a real APBT and even if you did you honestly have no idea what a purebred Stafford is like to live with.
Shelters will label all boxy headed bulldog looking mix breeds as ‘staffy mix’ because that will adopt our more easily than pit bull mix will. Therefore 1000’s of people think they own a ‘Staffordshire’ and will swear to the end of their lives that is true. Then they feel a purebred Stafford is the same as all of the mixed breeds out there. Again, not true. But you cannot convince these people. Temperament of a Stafford is so much busier than most APBT mixes. There are similarities, but once you have spent time with purebred Staffords you can just ‘feel’ or ‘see’ a difference… the nuances may be small but they are there.
This is not the breed for everyone.
I have told countless people after hearing what they are seeking to look at other breeds. Sometimes this is met with resentment, anger, arguments . . . and other times I am thanked for my honesty. I have seen Staffords in shelter pulls for rescue who were sold to the wrong families and released due to just being Staffords. I have had owner surrenders come in because ‘the dog cant stop moving, too energetic, too mouthy, hates my neighbors dog/cat, jumps on people/furniture/my head. . . . knocks the kids down, too pushy trying to be on the baby’……you name it, I have heard it. AND I could have told these people prior to the sale they weren’t a good match.
Now, don’t misunderstand what I am telling you….Staffords are AMAZING companions….just not for every person/home/family….in my opinion. There are other people who think anyone can own the breed. Since being tightly involved in Stafford rescue for 16 years now I know this not to be true. Same way as a sighthound or a northern breed may not be the right breeds for our home. Sure, we could manage one….but if we are honest we aren’t a good match for either.
Two years ago my good friend John posted to his FB wall his thoughts on the topic:
“New stafford owners should be made aware of a few things before they take the plunge. Staffords are not average dogs, they are other than average. If you think your Stafford is strong, it’s probably stronger than you think. It can probably run faster and jump higher than you think too. They should not be underestimated. They have a lot of energy. They love people and can’t be cool about it. They might dislike other animals and they can’t be cool about that either. They need human companionship. They need to be with you. They play rough. They might play with their teeth. They’re affectionate to a fault. They can be relentless. They’ll be the best dog you’ll ever have, but people need to understand them going in, and be ready for the ride.”
John is a wise man in more ways than I can count. Trust his words.
If you know anything at all about dog trainers the one thing they all seem to agree on is that the other one is wrong. I know, its an old joke but sometimes so true. If you are on FB you will see long divisive threads on the topic of dog training. Just like in politics lately – it seems as though you must take one side or the other or be damned. There is no respecting those who do things differently. I feel strongly that having the respect of your dog, listening to their needs, learning their body language and giving them a voice is super important in the long term relationship. I don’t think the use of shock collars, prong collars or choker chains are needed. I have Made those mistakes in my past before I knew better. We all learn and evolve . . . well not all of us. But all that being said – if that is how others wish to train that’s their business not mine. I can only concern myself with what is in front of me, my responsibility, my own values.
Training dogs the way I have been evolving to over the years has also taught me much patience. Using positive methods takes longer but its kinder and lasts forever. The dog doesn’t fear me – they aren’t ‘obeying commands’ but rather working with me and communicating a desire to learn and do things together. You can see it in their expressions and body language when they see me get out training equipment. They are eager to begin a session. There is no fear. Instead there is excitement!
I’m no expert. I don’t claim to be a trainer….or a behaviorist….or anything other than a student. I enjoy watching the dogs learn. I enjoy watching them interact. I have learned to let the dogs just be dogs. Accepting them for what/who they are instead of trying to ‘train’ them into being little obedient doormats. Work with the dog in front of you. They are individuals. Accept their quirkiness and their habits and work with that – see if you can live with one another respectfully. Maybe adjusting your expectations will allow you to have more success and a more enjoyable life with the dog you have.
So here’s the thing people. on this website I have written out practically a guideline, step by step, how to seek out, decide upon your breeder, interview with and then purchase a puppy from a responsible preservationist breeder….. it’s not rocket science. Look for the signs of a breeder who isn’t paying their bills by selling puppies and find one with a passion for the breed. Look for one who raises the dogs in their home with the utmost care and breeds the best to the best they possibly can. Look for one who will go above and beyond health testing, enriching and caring for and raising their dogs. Look beyond the show and performance brags and try to see the motivation they have to wanting to breed.
As I have written many times in this blog – breeding isn’t for the faint of heart. Breeding the right way is expensive and time consuming and overwhelmingly a huge part of a breeders life….not because they always have puppies and not because they have a ‘business’ to run but because of all the expense, heartbreak, pain in the ass interviewing – weeding through possible buyers/homes to see who can possibly give a puppy they have created the best home for its entire life.
A responsible breeder truly cares about each puppy they produce and want to follow its life and remain in touch with the buyer to hear of how its doing, offer a shoulder for heartaches and difficulties, offer mentorship to those wanting to learn, offer congratulations on all achievements, help with anything at all if the help is needed or asked for. A responsible breeder wants to know if there is sickness, injury or even worse. A responsible breeder wants to know the whereabouts of that puppy – always.
So when you are having that conversation with a breeder you may be interested in developing a relationship with – PLEASE – don’t just answer their questions with what you think they want to hear. PLEASE just answer their questions with the TRUTH. Don’t be that chameleon who mimics what you see the breeder is looking for UNLESS this is actually who you are. And then just be YOU.
Its a simple concept really. Reply with the actual truth. And then follow through with your words. Your answers do not have to be perfect. There is no perfect. Just be you. Thats all we ask. I want to find great homes for the dogs I produce or the dogs I am fostering or re-homing. Just tell me who you are, what you are about, how you raise dogs and how you intend to treat this one. Don’t make shit up. I promise I won’t lie to you – and you promise not to lie to me. Deal?
Today’s blog entry is just a short #petpeeve list.
STOP using phrases which anthropomorphize your dog! Seriously. Stop.
Some of the phrases which really rustle my feathers are ‘pet parent’, ‘fur baby’, ‘nanny dog’ and referring to owners as ‘guardian’.
These animals are our pets. We own them. They are not children. We may spoil them and love them very much – but they are not tiny fur covered human children. You are doing your dogs a huge disrespect by not understanding that they are animals whom we choose to allow to live in our homes. Respect them as animals. Respect them as individuals.
And I have written before about how much I detest the ‘nanny dog’ phrase. It’s terribly misleading. Staffords can be quite tolerant to abuse, sadly. And it is because of their patience and reliable nature that kids who aren’t respectful can get away with abusing them. By abuse I mean – climbing on them, laying on top of them, pulling fur, ears, tails, lips, hugging them and basically using their dogs as furniture and toys. They try so hard to put up with this but as the dogs owners and as parents its up to us to train our children NOT to treat the dogs this way. Not only is it disrespectful to the dog, its harming them mentally and sometimes physically. Learn to understand your dogs body language and you will see – they hate this. Look at the eyes, tails, body posturing.
Don’t allow your kids to hug your dog. Don’t allow your kids to sit on the dog. Dogs hate that. Offer your dogs the choice to get away, always. Not all Staffords love kids either. Most do. Not all. Dogs are individuals.
As someone who has worked in Stafford rescue I can tell you the #1 reason Staffords are surrendered is due to the misunderstanding of one of two key Stafford behaviors. Number one is the misunderstanding by the adults in the home of how ‘nanny dog’ doesn’t mean Staffords will put up with EVERYTHING forever. It doesn’t mean you can leave your Stafford alone with your kids all day long without supervision. Doesn’t mean your Stafford will always tolerate being teased.
Train your kids. Supervise always. Treat your dog with respect. Using the nickname ‘nanny dog’ or ‘staffy’ is confusing and misleading. This breed is a gladiator not a teddy bear. Yes, of course they can be super soft and loving and wonderful with children and adults – but they also are dogs. They can only take so much. Every single Stafford bite case I have seen ends up being a humans fault. Let’s help this breed succeed.
Let’s begin by understanding how these cutsie phrases need to go away.
Lately I am receiving a lot of puppy inquiries, rescue requests and questions about getting a Staffordshire Bull Terrier to add to a family. I noticed that many…most…of them seem to not exactly understand this breed at all. People are asking for ‘calm’ dogs and all refer to them as ‘staffies’ and many also are asking for a protective dog, calm and trustworthy around young kids, and most importantly people seem to think Staffords will be totally fine around other animals. Also, somehow people think ‘its all in how you raise them’ and I get people saying things like – ‘I know they are stubborn but I can train them to behave how I want them to’ and I have to wonder WHERE IS ALL THIS TERRIBLE INFORMATION COMING FROM?????
And then it hit me. American Kennel Club website. Who is responsible for this terrible information? Who wrote this stuff? No wonder I have been so overwhelmed this year helping people re-home their Staffords. People read this stuff and go to the first pop up breeder advertised in the Marketplace or FB and buy a puppy and they think (or perhaps even told) they will have a calm, easy to manage but stubborn, protective dog they can leave alone with their toddlers…..then they are shocked when the ‘staffie’ turns out to be a NORMAL Stafford! Easily excitable, boisterous, full of energy, mouthy, jumpy, clingy, busy bowling ball who doesn’t always get along with other animals.
When I tell potential buyers or adopters the truth I get told my dogs must not be normal. This makes me chuckle. I try to get people to meet Staffords (not staffies) in person before they decide on the breed. They are NOT the right breed for everyone.
Staffords are not dog park dogs.
Staffords are not dog day care dogs.
Staffords are not what I would call a calm breed. They are energetic terriers. If you want a doormat get another breed, not a terrier.
I would NEVER leave ANY breed alone with young children. Always supervise. ALWAYS. Kids can be very overwhelming for dogs. Lots of loud noises, quick movements, grabbing, tugging, climbing, pulling – all things dogs dislike. Staffords are more tolerant of these behaviors and that’s what they are known for – BUT – please do not think they can put up with this forever. Also Staffords can and will bowl down young children. Heck they bowl down adults! Be prepared for your kids to be knocked down, mouthed and sat upon by normal Stafford activity.
Let me also mention – Staffords require POSITIVE training protocols ONLY! Stop with the prong and shock collars already! Stop with the chain choke collars. Stop the old fashioned ‘dominance’, pack leader crap and roll over theories. And FFS STOP following that ‘TV personality man’ whose name doesn’t need mentioning here. Just stop. Instead – seek out certified Fear Free and +R training to become a happy, positive, confident teammate with your Stafford. LEARNING SHOULD NOT HURT.
I don’t know who can get the terrible information changed from the AKC website but it really needs to be changed as soon as possible. This breed deserves better.
