Yesterday after a dog walk I met the gorgeous Chloe, a rescue dog from Battersea Dogs Home and she was just beautiful. She was what a 'real' SBT should look like - compact, small and lean with a happy face! It prompted me to think that many people out there may not even know what a 'real' Staffy should look like. I don't mean this in a breedist way or with malice against any cross breeds but unfortunately for the SBT its a fact of life. The breed has been used to dilute other breeds to create the 'Staffy Cross' which basically means a who knows of bull breed mixtures. The poor Staffy gets blamed with it all and to be honest, its not a fair label.
As so many of you will know, SBT are a loyal, fun loving, energetic, reliable breed who adore people and love children. Once called the 'nanny dog' because they loved children so much, their reputation has taken a down turn within the media and with the public.
Its always worth remembering that you can cross any breed of dog and get something that isn't an ideal pet dog. What is worth thinking about is the reasons why SBT have been used to breed with other dogs and its generally down to their devotion (easier to train & want to please owner) their love of exercise (a dog that likes to run and play) plus the fact that they are a bull breed so have a sense of tenacity and fearlessness that many breeds don't exhibit. Unfortunately people have used these traits to their advantage and to the poor SBT's disadvantage.
There is nothing wrong with all the cross breeds that have some part SBT in there but what is wrong is the people who are breeding puppies and litters to sell, to fight, to earn some cash or to use as bait. No breed of dog deserves this and in my mind it will soon move on. We have seen it in previous years with German Shepherds, Rottweilers and now Staffordshire Bull Terriers.
Its a sad state of affairs that our society is allowing the demonisation of dogs and doing it according to breed rather than temprement or ownership. Breed traits can be great indicators of what a dog may be like but it is important is to look at the parenting, the environment raised in, the litter, the temprement of the mother and much more. Its not as simple as looking at a dog and judging it. So next time you walk down the street and judge a dog by its breed, stop, think and open your mind. Just like us humans, we aren't all the same!
I own a English Staffy named Axel rose. Axel is so loving and such a friendly doggy who loves being around the family. He also follow's me around every where I go. If I go to the bathroom,he'll wait outside the door till I come out,so loyal. Axel's best mate is our cat Cassie. He lay's outside in the sun with her. Axel is no where near being a aggressive dog. He loves people and other animal's
Posted by: racheal | 12/18/2011 at 06:05 AM
My SBT, Romeo, is the most beautiful living soul that I ever met. He's my best friend and means the world to me!
Rachel.
Posted by: Rachel McClelland | 01/19/2012 at 02:50 AM