--Breed Advise needed--

[Arend]

Hey guy,
i'm new here but bear with me...

im wanting to buy a dog...

But..
1. this will be my first dog.
2. there is a child under 2 in the house.

i kind of prefer the staffordshire bull terrier but if there is any advise to give me it will be appreciated..
im active and willing to give the dog required exersize ect..

any way if you can help i thank you in advance..

 

[Zoom]

First, make sure the area you live in is not host to something called Breed Specific Legislation (BSL). This is particularly vicious piece of legislation that makes it illegal to own certain breeds. Most commonly targeted are breeds that could be called "pitbulls", of which the Staffy is one.

Once you've gotten that hurdle out of the way, finding your dog is the next step. I'd recommend going through an established breed rescue and looking for a dog that is over 2 years old, say between 3-5. This is for a number of reasons. At that age, you will have a better idea of the dog's temperament and quirks (do they like cats, are they afraid of thunderstorms, are they dog-friendly, good with kids, etc) and they will be over many of the common puppy issues such as incessant chewing, unending energy and housebreaking. The dog will still be young enough to be a joyful companion for years to come (pretty much all of my dogs have been around 2 years old when I've gotten them and it's worked out beautifully).

Going through a good established breed rescue means that the dog will most likely have been living with a foster parent for a little bit, which means they know what the dog is like on a daily, in-home basis and can tell you the particular quirks and foibles. They will also work with you should you need advice (or you could just stay on here ).

I'd write more, but I'm actually falling asleep over the keyboard and am afraid I'm about to stop making sense.

 

[Pops2]

all dogs regardless of breed need to be trained & ALWAYS supervised around children (FTR chihuahuas, dachshunds, toy poodles, pomeranians & yorkshire terriers have all fatally mauled an infant or toddler. but the problem was a parenting & ownership fail).

EQUALLY important is training the child to respect the dogs need to be left alone at times. in fact it's important to train the child to NOT go running up to dogs in general (whether they have previously met & been friendly or not they should always be approached carefully under adult supervision w/ a close eye on the childs behavior & the dog's body language).

after all of that, a staffy bull is a great dog for growing w/ children as they are more tolerant of rough handling (because no matter what there will be situations where the child manages to be alone w/ the dog for a minute or two) than some breeds.

 

[filarotten]

One more thing to consider is your home owners insurance, If you own a home, or even have rental insurance. Some insurance companies will cancel your insurance if you own a certain breed of dog, or raise your rates considerably.

 

[Renee750il]

The only thing I can really add to that is that some breed rescues can be pretty inflexible when it comes to placing a dog. If you run into that, don't give up. Try another rescue

 

[Arend]

hey guy thanks for the help so far..

dose any one own a stafford or know some thing about them??
if you do could you give me some info?

i live in australia, where i live i have seen a few of them around so i dont think BSL really matters..

 

[CharlieDog]

Staffys are usually pretty people friendly and oriented little guys. I think they'd be great with children as long as they've been socialized properly and not been traumatized.

BSL IS something to be concerned about, but I'm not sure how prevalent it is in Australia. We have a member on here who lives in, I think Queensland, maybe she can tell you more about that.

You should definitely go through a rescue, and definitely go for an older dog. Their temperament is established, you'll know how they are with children, other dogs, housebroken, etc. DONT be seduced by a cute puppy face.

 

[mrose_s]

BSL does matter here. But it depends which state you live in. Only ACT and NT have no legislation. NSW do "restricted breeds" in which if they deem your dog a "pitbull" then there are strict rules you have to follow regrading they're care.
Qld is vicous in their legislation but seeing as Staffy's are such a popular breed here I think most people can see the difference. Staffy's still have a great rep over here, even if pits don't. (I think its rediculous, I grew up curled up in my aunties dog beds with her Staffy and her Pit mix and loved them both)
I'm on the Sunshine Coast and our council seems to like to turn the other cheek and ignore "suspicious" looking dogs, but in places towards Brisbane etc I know there have been people that have lost their dogs due to BSL.

My auntie has always had them and they really are an incredible family dog. They are generally pretty active, LOVE people and attention. There can be dog aggression issues but I also have met many, many dog social staffy's. Definetly make sure you go through a good breeder, my aunties current Staffy we nickname "Daphne the Defect Dog" she's sweet girl but has everything from bad patella's to a bad heart to a bad respitory system and food allergies.
I would suggest maybe visiting some dog shows to meet some if you want.

What state are you in?
Also here is a breeders listing from Dogzonline, its a handy way to find some registered breeders.
Staffordshire Bull Terrier Breeders, Australia
Also, generally avoid breeders aiming for blue staffy's, they usually arn't breeding for the right reasons.

I also would back the rescue route, all the pounds and shelters here and packed with Staffy's. So many sweet dogs.

 

[Arend]

im in victoria..

what is wrong with the breeder who aim for blue staffords any way?
im just curious!

 

[Romy]

Some breeders who aim for a single specific cosmetic trait (like color) sacrifice more important things like health and temperament. If you prefer blue, it is definitely possible to find a breeder whose line does produce blues alongside other colors.

The most important traits to breed for are health and temperament (in my opinion, with any breed). Find a breeder who puts those above all else, and you will have a good companion for many years.

 

[Arend]

besides the stafford what other dog breed is good for first time owners??

somthing medium sized and without long hair..

and wont mind sleeping outside.. i know some people go overboard about this, but my dad doesnt what the dog to sleep inside... but it doesnt mean it wont get attention. im at home all the day.

thanks

 

[Deathcricket]

I'm not sure what mine is. Common consensus is an American Pit - American Bulldog mix. But he gets along perfect with my 3 year old. He is very protective and let's my son rough house with him all day long. Never a hint of aggression or a single problem ever. In fact quite the opposite, this dog has made it very clear he would take a bullet for my son if he needed too. Just the other day he protected my son from a rattlesnake we ran into while hiking. He put himself between my son said snake. Don't get me wrong it wasn't a close call or anything, but I was very impressed with my dogs behavior is all I'm saying. He saw possible danger and reacted perfectly. I really love this dog and he is a great member of the family.

Here's a vid of him playing with my son.

YouTube - Josh, Atlas, And bubbles

And here is a vid of him hanging out with my girlfriends kids who he has just met. You can see that even though it's very difficult for him to do so he still follows them through any condition.

YouTube - Atlas hanging out with the kids

My brother has a boxer and she is fabulous. Very good family dog, medium sized and short hair. You might want to look into those too, although I could not find any in the local rescues and shelters I looked in. My friend has some rottweilers, and they might be too big for what you are looking for but are also excellent. And last but not least, I have run into some whippets that I would totally be down with owning. Although they might require too much exercise depending on your activity level. You might just get in touch with a couple rescue groups and tell them what you are looking for, then they can introduce you to some possible candidates. That's what I did and I ran into a lady who got me EXACTLY what I wanted. Not sure if all of the rescue groups are that way, but I was very impressed with the one in my area. I would never have considered getting a pitbull because of the stigma attached to them, but it's the best dog I've ever owned. She was right.

While we are on the subject, here is the absolute WORST dog I ever owned. Do not get one of these and put it around a child, ever..... Mini Dachshund. It's cute but has the worst personality of any breed I have ever seen regarding children.

This is the meanest most aggressive dog I have ever owned and sadly the most expensive. It started growling, niping, and then lunging at my son when he started crawling. I thought I finally had it under control, then one day he bit my son on the finger for pretty much no reason and no warning. Didn't draw blood, but made him cry. Took soo much effort not to punt the dog across the room when that happened. Got rid of him immediately though.:madgo:

 

[Laurelin]

Dachshunds can be fantastic dogs,e ven with children. My entire family other than my immediate family had dachshunds. My dad grew up practically raised by standard dachshunds. Just because yours was aggressive doesn't mean the breed is.