Soldato
I hate the word "staffie" so never refer to ours that way. It's not a breed I'd have ever chosen, he was my father-in-laws dog and would have ended up at a rescue centre if we hadn't taken him on (see point above) He's by far the most obedient and good natured dog we've ever had and I'd happily choose the same breed again. He's never once shown any aggressive traits even in situations with other dogs (one in particular when a spaniel sank it's teeth in to him, not the first time the same spaniel had bitten another dog) doesn't chase anything other than frisbees and tennis balls and has generally done a very good job of changing other peoples opinion of the breed (generally people who've no experience of the breed and get all their information 2nd/3rd hand or from the Daily Mail)
I know plenty of people with Staffie's, I don't deny that like any breed, most will be docile and nice family pets, but it's undeniable they have the hardware and seeming instinct that when they do get out of control (and all dogs can get out of control) they simply are breed for the efficacy in attacking and that is just borne out by their actions.
Just FYI, from the report above, all mentions of Stafffies:
Media and Prosecutions Analysis:
"Breeds identified in media reporting on incidents are as follows: Staffordshire bull terrier/mix (10)" - Number 1 in the list
"All dog-on-dog deaths involved a single large dog or pair of large dogs (4 German Shepherds/Alsatians, 1 Staffordshire bull terrier, 1 Rottweiler)"
"Of the 31 articles detailing human attacks, 13 articles described non-fatal attacks... Staffordshire bull terrier (1)"
"Dogs implicated in fatal (Human) attacks include Staffordshire bull terrier (3)" - number 1 in the list
Veterinary and Behavioural Perspectives - Data from a study by the Utrecht Department of Veterinay Medicine
"A variety of breeds are represented in the dogs assessed by the Utrecht team including German shepherds, pit bulls, Staffordshire bull terriers and others"
Appendix III - Country Comparison of Dog Attack Legislative Policy and Enforcement Response
"There is currently limited legislation concerning potentially dangerous dogs in Belgium, but, following a number of attacks, there have been moves to outlaw some fighting breeds and guard dogs such as the (American) Staffordshire Terrier"
"Germany’s restrictions on keeping dogs classed as dangerous are determined by each state/municipality although most states have concluded that Pit Bulls, Staffordshire Bull Terriers and American Staffordshire Terriers are dangerous and have banned their import"
"Wijk et al. (2019) identify that the Netherlands uses a list of 22 dog breeds, mainly based on physical appearance, bite style, biting intensity and genetic traits. The list includes the (American) Staffordshire Bull Terrier" - A list of potentially dangerous dogs
Spain "A person owning a dangerous dog must have a licence for the dog.38 The following specific breeds (and their cross breeds) are classed as ‘dangerous’: Pit Bull Terrier; Staffordshire Bull Terrier;"
Honestly, what my Mrs endured and the attack on her and our dog by a Staffie was crazy.. the 4 blokes who struggled to free our dog from it's jaw and stop it dragging it down a side alley where horrified when they found out it was a neighbour of theirs, and were up in arms with the Police deeming that dog was a 'good family pet and it poses no threat to the public".. The lies/deceit and the way the Police tried to fob this off tells me that only a fraction of attacks get reported. Apparently that dog was seemingly well adjusted, well socialised, the owner deemed responsible, yet presented with a normal situation, it went nuclear on the first person and animal it came across.
it is also a dog that attracts the wrong sort of owner due to it's appearance which may also skew the figures, we could ban them but I think all that would do is move the problem to another breed. As usual humans have an innate ability to **** things up.
. Training never stops.
