Staffordshire Bull Terrier

Killme00

Hi,

My girlfriend and i have recently decided to buy a Staffordshire Bull terrier.
I am ecstatic about this but have a few questions.

In terms of training, at what age is it best to start training a pup?

Is it best to introduce the pup to other dogs and breeds as soon as possible or wait until he is fully trained? My friend has two GS pups who are about six months old, very large, friendly. Will my staffy pup interact well with all breeds of dog especially GSDs.

I live very close to a park, is there a law that my pup must wear a muzzle?

Thanks alot,
Tom

togster

Killme00 wrote:

Hi,

My girlfriend and i have recently decided to buy a Staffordshire Bull terrier.
I am ecstatic about this but have a few questions.

In terms of training, at what age is it best to start training a pup?

Is it best to introduce the pup to other dogs and breeds as soon as possible or wait until he is fully trained? My friend has two GS pups who are about six months old, very large, friendly. Will my staffy pup interact well with all breeds of dog especially GSDs.

I live very close to a park, is there a law that my pup must wear a muzzle?

Thanks alot,
Tom

I dont think there is a law for muzzles. A good friend of mine bought one a year ago. They are the most intelligent breed i have ever come across. That dog is so smart. Maybe even too smart to teach tricks to if you know what i mean. Considers itself part of the family. Almost human like.
She is kind and interacts with cats and dogs and hamsters!!
I would suggest however watching shoes as a staff will make bits of anything really quickly. She is completely housetrained in every way and with very little training.
I would also suggest watching the pup doesnt start to jump up on sofas or hard objects as their pup broke its hip bone doing so. Probably just a freak accident.
Anyway i wasn't much help.
But best of luck and enjoy.
T

fits

you should be socialising pups from 12 to 24 weeks (I think) and introducing them to all sorts of things, dogs, children, noisy things...

I dont have much time to reply.... www.egar.org specialise in rescueing and rehoming bull breeds and the lady in charge evaluates the dogs before rehoming them. Perhaps you should consider getting one from there.

lightening

In light of recent events, I would think carefully. I have had a Staff. Great dog, but they are on the restricted dog breed.

"These dogs must be securely muzzled and kept on a dog chain or leash. not more than 2m long, in a public place and supervised by someone aged over 16 years who is capable of controlling the dog"

These laws might be enforced soon.

Just food for thought.

Killme00

lightening wrote:

In light of recent events, I would think carefully. I have had a Staff. Great dog, but they are on the restricted dog breed.

"These dogs must be securely muzzled and kept on a dog chain or leash. not more than 2m long, in a public place and supervised by someone aged over 16 years who is capable of controlling the dog"

These laws might be enforced soon.

Just food for thought.

Thanks Guys,

Lightening my girlfriend raised some concerns over the dogs temperament also. I think with the right training, common sense and proper socialisation, i dont forsee any problems.

lightening

Deffo, your right there killme. Its the other people in the park screaming at you to "muzzle that animal" that might ruin your time with your staffie!

Nickim46

hi, I think the law is already enforced in relation to muzzles, but myself, I think by muzzling a dog of this kind of breed is making him look worse. My staff is 2 years of age and I have 2 children living in my house also, aged 6 and 11 and I totally trust him around them.

He did go through a bad chewing phase, he hasnt long stopped to be honest. He would chew anything but stopped since he's turned 2.

You'll have so much fun with him, they do needs lots of attention and I wouldnt leave him indoors alone for too long either. If you do have to leave him on his own, leave a radio on for some company for him.

enjoy:D

Mr. Presentable

Trouble is, they are all trustworthy and would never touch a child, until they do.

Think about all the incidents involving dangerous people, animals, dogs. They always say he'd never hurt a fly before.

Tabitharose

Killme00 wrote:

I think with the right training, common sense and proper socialisation, i dont forsee any problems.

it's a lack of these that cause the problems we see in the papers / on tv.... staffies are wonderful - very people orientated - if rescuing one is an option EGAR is a great place to start - if not make sure that you see any pups with parents & are happy with the condition of the parents - the IKC can probably recommend breeders - best of luck & post some photos of him / her when they arrive

if you are getting a puppy have a look at Pete Wedderburn's vet practice in Bray - they run a puppy socialisation class where puppies of the same age get to meet up & get social with each other

gypsygirl

Staffs make fantastic pets if trained and handled correctely, once your pup has had all his vaccinations, be sure to expose him often to as many different situations as you can. I'd walk him on busy roads so traffic won't freak him. If you live near a train staition, bring him there so noise doesen't scare him, I have a GSD and she handles all situations in a really calm way, when she was younger I brought her to as many places as I could and now nothing fazes her. While your pup is young, be sure to have it around as many strange dogs as possible, this reduces the chance of aggression when hes older and meeting new dogs, also, while hes young try to have him around kids playing different games such as football etc. Dogs generally bite if they are scared or excited, by exposing your dog to as many different things as possible, you are giving him the confidence to handle things without becoming excited or scared, therefore resulting in a calmer, safe and more enjoyable pet and Very important with a Staff, MAKE SURE he always walks beside or behind you, NEVER IN FRONT OF YOU, this makes him realise YOU are the leader and therefore the one in charge of all things. This alone will result in a calmer friendlier dog.

EGAR

Hi there,

the ESBT is, like ANY other breed, first and foremost a dog, and a dog which is not properly socialised with other dogs and human is more likely to bite than a well adjusted one. This goes for every breed. Bite statistics have shown that Bull Breeds are LESS LIKELY to bite which does not mean that you can lean back and let the dog grow up without any training. You get out what you put in.

If you decide on an ESBT then you should do more research into the breed, your questions on here show that you have not done so. A dog is for life and sadly, my sanctuary is full of dogs which were bought without a second thought and then had to be rid of ASAP. I am not implying you would do so but lots of nice peeps have called me as they couldn't cope with their dogs (again, of any breed/x breed).

If you decide on a pup from a breeder then you have to look out for alot of things. Don't forget alot of breeders are not in it for the dogs but for the money. Do not answer ads in the Buy and Sell or from DoneDeal. Contact the IKC and ask for a breeder list. Go and visit the breeder, ask to see the parents of the pups, see how the dogs are being kept, are they in the house or kennelled, are they happy to be handled or are they standoffish. An absolute MUST is that the breeder has proof of the pups vacc and worming, ie vacc records from a vet. Ask if the parents were health screened prior to mating, again ask for proof, a good breeder will not hesitate to show you the paperwork as they are proud of what they do. Spent time with the mother and pups, see how they react to you, are they friendly and used to human company? Do they appear healthy (clean eyes and coat, no worm bellies etc)? Ask if the breeder has backup for the pup ie would they take it back if circumstances in your life would prevent you from keeping the dog any longer.

Taking on a pup is sometimes ALOT harder than taking on a well adjusted adult dog, especially if you do not know the breed. And be prepared for remarks from ignorant peeps when you are out walking the critter. Don't get mad: educate!

If you have any more questions about the breed, I am more than happy to answer them.

Sarah

Killme00

Hi Sarah / EGAR

You are correct that i have not done enough research into the breed but that is what i am doing now. I have read various websites and will keep researching in the coming weeks. I have also spent some time with a friend of mine who has an ESBT. If you can recommend any other sources i would be greatful.

I have had dogs all through my life while growing up. Once i left home i had a GSD who passed just over a year ago. I think the time is right for a new pup and i havent seen anything so far to change my mind on the breed i would like.

With regards to getting the pup, thank you for your recommendation on what to look out for. I would welcome any more advice you could give me with regards to choosing the right healthy pup.

Thanks again,
Tom

dubgal28

i am in the process of adopting a staff from the DSPCA i am hoping to have her home in the next few days she is 18mths old i would appreciate any advice or tips anyone can give me

EGAR

OP, you are more than welcome to come down for a day and meet some of the Staffies I have here and maybe take them for a walk - volunteers are always welcome.

Lady with the DSPCA Staffie, sent me a PM and I sent you my phone number if you want a chat/advice .

Sarah

neacy69

We adopted a Staffie from the Dundalk pound 12 months ago. She is now approx 16 months old and I have not regretted it one bit. My girlfriend or her family never had pets before and now they adore the dog and can't imagine her not being around.
They are very clever, very loyal dogs and want to do everything that they can for their owners. They seem to need a lot of attention and are quite subdued if they don't get attention. They are very active and need lots of walking every day. in regards to socialising our dog gets on very well with some dogs and not others for example she stayed a week in a friends house and got on great with the westies that lived there but then can't even go on a walk with a friends boxer.
A lotof people have half baked opinions of what kind of dog a staffy is but as I tell them the temperament of any dog depends on how it is rared.

One tip is to establish yourself as the master as soon as you get the dog otherwise you will have a "power struggle" if the dog starts to think they are the leader/master.

I also recomend looking into rescuing a dog from one of the many rescues centres around as they are always too many staffies to re-home and you should find one suitable for you. I have heard a lot of good from EGAR who posted here earlier so take her up on the offers if I was you