Staffys Are A Mixed Bag...

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Staffordshire Bull Terrier
★★★★★
4.6
84.0% of users recommend this

Amadaca's review of Staffordshire Bull Terrier

“Staffys Are A Mixed Bag...”

★★★☆☆

written by Amadaca on 14/01/2014

I have a Staffy & have had considerable experience prior to owning one. There are more cons than I often see reported online --- chief among them is the Staffys absolute, irresolvable propensity for destruction. Time & again this breed will prove to you wrecking things is virtually a bodily function for them. Their famous (infamous?) stubbornness means there's precious little they won't or can't destroy once they set their mind to it. This is an extremely gritty dog. There is no concept of, 'Quit,' with Staffys. They are tough enough & determined enough to eat nails & ask for seconds. Take extra care if you are hanging clothes on the line --- they are astonishing jumpers.

I also strongly dispute the notion that this is an intelligent breed, I have seen way too much evidence to the contrary. You ever seen a dog eat it's own damn dish bowl? I mean mangle the thing beyond recognition? Yeah, me neither, until I was introduced to Staffys. I have seen a lot to suggest they are very much a rather dim-witted breed --- your average Poodle or German Shepherd will leave them for dust in this category every time.

Forget about keeping them with cats or other small animals, too. They are part-Terrier at the end of the day, & that means they have a very high prey drive. They are intimidating dogs to small animals, & they're way the hell too impulsive not to pursue anything that runs.

Lastly, they are a poor guard dog (if you value that). They absolutely love people & are dangerously trusting, hence their reputation as a favourite amongst dog-nappers.

Look, the dog is not short on great qualities. They're deeply loyal, highly playful, tough-as-nails, have relatively few breed-specific problems, & are incredibly fun. They are a great entertainer & require minimal grooming. I just want to point out that I see far too many lopsided reviews of this breed, where reliably-recurring behavioural traits are downplayed or ignored entirely, & it's irresponsible & unfair on both potential owner & Staffy.

There are downsides to every breed & the Staffy, contrary to the writings of its fans, has its share.

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Dalaina's Response to Amadaca's Review

Written on: 25/03/2014

My family owned a Staffy for 14 years. Her name was Abby, and she was the smartest dog I have ever personally known. She even made two attempts to vocalize. She never once destroyed anything, and she never jumped. Abby's only flaw was her aggression toward other dogs, arising from her need to protect her people family. We have two guinea pigs, and she never once tried to hurt them. We also had a cockatiel who walked all around her, and she never bothered him. My sister-in-law also had a Staffy, and her dog, though less aggressive than Abby, was also a wonderful pet, though she would jump in your lap. I love the breed. The person who wrote the other comments must have had an unusual experience.

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Aguzzie's Response to Amadaca's Review

Written on: 27/04/2015

I agree with some of this (playful, funny, determined, high prey drive, impulsive) BUT my staffordshire bull terrier has never destroyed a thing in our home (except his own toys). If I say " leave it" a few times, he does just that. In fact, I figured he would chew up furniture and destoy something off limits. Nope, not even left alone for 4-6 hours out of his crate/pen.. Either I won the staffy jackpot or I taught/trained him correctly. Staffys are smarter than we may think at first. Just my two cents. He's my first dog though so I'm always learning.

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Angels Sin's Response to Amadaca's Review

Written on: 27/10/2014

I just wanted to say, I own a staffie and she's NEVER chewed a single thing other than her own toys. They are not all like that. I would agree though that they aren't the smartest dogs out there!

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Chakano's Response to Amadaca's Review

Written on: 16/08/2014

this is a ridiculous review . I am 50 yrs old and have had staffies all my life since I was a toddler , I have always had lots of dogs in our household as well as cats , when my children were small they also had rats , guinea pigs rabbits etc which they used to let out to run around indoors with ducks and chickens roaming free in the garden and horses in paddock , i have NEVER had one of my staffs attack any of them .All my dogs are taught from an early age that you DO NOT chase any small creature ever (I also have other breeds including terriers ) ,they are very intelligent and easy to train with kind CONSISTENT training. I have also never had one that was destructive. They must , however be properly socialised with other dogs from an early age to prevent dog aggression and even then if another dog attacks them , they will retaliate and unless you have trained them correctly to listen to your commands , as with any breed the situation can get out of control

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