do you worry about dangerous dog allegations?

stick · by stick on Fri 10 Jul 2009, 22:44

it is stuff like the raids recenty that makes me consider whether to get a staffy later in the year as i am planning to.

as i am young and am a rough and ready working class sort. i also drive a modified 1980's bmw, which most people would take me to be a chav until they speak to me and find im a well mannered, knowledgeable young man having studied law and history at uni.

especially when i was recently living in liverpool, i feel if i was walking around with a proper staff as well as my little cross, i would just be seen as another chav with a pit. as literally 95% of the dogs i saw in liverpool were pits. i did see he odd staff here and there, and i saw no more than a handful of small lapdog breeds.

it would be so easy for people to point a finger at me and say chav with a dangerous dog. and then through no fault of mine or my dog, i would have a dead dog sad

i couldnt bear this.

do any of you worry about stuff like this??

**watts1974** · by **watts1974** on Sat 11 Jul 2009, 07:29

No, to be honest and nor should you. When you buy your staff later this year I assume you will be looking for a health tested, KC registered pup (or possibly a rescue) in either case papers will be provided to prove what dog you have (staffy). From the way you type, and the comments you make you obviously are thoughtful and intelligent so I believe you will socialise your dog, and then train it which in turn means a well behaved dog that no one can make any complaints about.

In short even if the pup you buy turns out to be over breed standard like mine, as long as they are well behaved you will be fine.

**tracyp** · by **tracyp** on Sat 11 Jul 2009, 08:03

I think watts is spot on. We don't really have as much of a prob with this type of attitude here (just a little bit of it really), but if you are a responsible owner it shouldn't be a prob. Socialise as young as poss, (after its shots or with dogs you know ARE vaccinated) & with training you will have a dog you can be proud of & that does the breed proud.

**staffylover70** · by **staffylover70** on Sat 11 Jul 2009, 08:15

I don't worry about it at all and personally I do not care what anyone thinks about me and my dogs. I am respectable, have a decent job and pay my way in society so as far as I am concerned I have the right to own what I prefer and not what society expects.
Sometimes I do find that people are suprised when I tell them what I own, I don't know what they are expecting.
I will own staffies til the day I die and they probably won't expect to see an OAP walking down the street with a staffie Big grin

**Oxide** · by **Oxide** on Sat 11 Jul 2009, 08:42

Staffylover!!! I'll be going down the street with my cane in one hand and a staffie in the other as well!!!

**tracyp** · by **tracyp** on Sat 11 Jul 2009, 09:08

you guys are funny.

**allie** · by **allie** on Sat 11 Jul 2009, 09:17

Well staffy lover and Oxide so long as you have pink hair you will be fine Big grin

And stick I too dont worry what people think of me or about the dogs that i own, My dogs are well socalized, cassie attends weekly training classes and is doing very well in obedience, I have had comments about owning a staffie, positive and negative,

**Emmalou** · by **Emmalou** on Sat 11 Jul 2009, 09:59

I dont really worry about it either. I dont care what people think of me either for that matter lol Big grin

**Oxide** · by **Oxide** on Sat 11 Jul 2009, 10:50

allie wrote:Well staffy lover and Oxide so long as you have pink hair you will be fine

Well my hair's dyed aubergine now so it might well be pink one of these days rolling on the floor

Luckily we don't have to worry about that here - yet. If you're worried Stick - make sure you get a KC registered or rescue dog and make sure you have the papers so you're covered in any eventuality. winking

***nikki*** · by ***nikki*** on Sat 11 Jul 2009, 12:05

I thought I posted about this at the time... but can't find my original post, so here it is from another forum I posted it on...

September 2008

nikki wrote: I was at work today and got a phone call from Kev to say he had just had a visit from the police!!!

Apparently someone has reported us for having....wait for it....
'Pit Bull Type' dogs!!!

There was one in uniform and one not in uniform. They said they were 'looking into a report of us owning two pit bull type dogs!'. Kev invited them in to have a look for themselves. The policemen out of uniform, clearly knew his dogs, whilst the one in uniform didn't have a clue and thought Rocco was a Pit Bull x!

Anyway they asked a few questions and Kev explained they were both rescues, one from the Dogs Trust & one from SBTrescue, offered to show them papers for both etc and they went away happy that they are not of 'Pit Bull Type'.

I was soooo fuming and can't believe that this report had been made. We take great care with our dogs when out and they walk nicely (most of the time) on the lead and re-call is excellent. I have NEVER and would NEVER let either of my dogs get into a situation where there could be reason for the police to be called!!! I would be VERY interested to find out who put the report in, but we will never find out! Goes to show that there are people out there who have NO idea about dogs and report dogs for NO reason what-so-ever!

It's probably best I don't find out - cos they would feel the wrath of an angry red head!

I have never had anyone say anything negative to me about the dogs - one woman even commented on how well behaved they were on our walk yesterday morning and couldn't believe they sat at the curb without me having to say anything to them and waited for me to tell them to cross the road! She even asked if I would train her dog!

stick · by stick on Sat 11 Jul 2009, 13:24

i dont care what people think of me or my dog either, but the fact remains that if someone makes a judgment about me based on the way i look and then in their ignorance look and see a staffy at my side, and subsequently report me.

i know if i have the papers they cant do anything about it, but if someone lets their imagination run wild about what they "saw" then things can be a bit different cant they.

also, the term "pit bull type" is a pretty ambiguous one. because technically what they mean is a bull terrier for pit fighting. which by all rights would include staffs, and english bulls etc. i think its specifically worded so that they could include staffs indirectly as there is no way they would manage to pass the legislation to ban them surely with the sheer numbers in this country.

**watts1974** · by **watts1974** on Sat 11 Jul 2009, 13:27

No, I'm sorry but you have that wrong if you read the kennel club directives on that, it makes it quite clear that staffordshire bull terriers are not included on the list. A pit bull type isn't a bull terrier bread for fighting the word type in this case is and indication of the looks and temperement of the dog, it is also possible to KEEP a pitbull type if you can prove there are no complaints against it and you agree to having it muzzled in public (if dubious of temperement) and neutered or spayed to prevent breeding.

stick · by stick on Sat 11 Jul 2009, 13:34

yeah i know the kc exclude it. but i just feel the law makers left pit bull type a little open for this reason. i didnt mean that actual dog was bred for fighting either, but the breeds history i mean. like they could specifically have said pit bull terrier including cross breeds. but they didnt, they included similar looking dogs which can look the same, but are far far more popular and therefore would have cause more of an outrage if they were banned too.

and also to keep a pitbull you must apply for a court order, have it spayed or castrated, have it microchipped, tattooed AND wear a muzzle at ALL times in public

**Maistaff** · by **Maistaff** on Sat 11 Jul 2009, 16:09

No i never worry as i have papers for all my dogs and they actually look like it says on their papers like Staffordshire Bull Terriers Big grin

.

Anyone who said my dogs were pit types or pit bulls would have to be seriously blind or thick.

stick · by stick on Sat 11 Jul 2009, 16:17

there are however a large number of excruciatingly stupid people around. hahaha

also when you have things like a flirt pole, people jump to conclusions. i was in my garden today and someone actually stopped their car to tell me "that's how they train pitbulls! dog fighting is disgusting, you should be ashamed of yourself!" and before i could reply, they drove off surprise

what the fudge is that all about???

**allie** · by **allie** on Sat 11 Jul 2009, 16:26

I want to get a flirt pole for my girl did you make it or buy it Smile

stick · by stick on Sat 11 Jul 2009, 16:30

made it, broom handle - drill a hole through the end - feed a rope though.

then just tie a toy he likes chasing to the end.

job done

Big grin

**allie** · by **allie** on Sat 11 Jul 2009, 16:33

Brill do you hae a photo, is it then tied to a tree?

I know Im Off Topic

apologizes

stick · by stick on Sat 11 Jul 2009, 16:37

no pics, and it is now hammering some seriously welsh rain down haha. i'll get some soon, but it really is a simple thing to make. they can be quite expensive online.

na not in a tree, thats a spring pole. a flirt pole is just used like a fishing rod and you dangle the toy in front of the dog to make them run around chasing it and jumping in the air for it. and of course shaking the living s**t out of it when they catch it tongue

which u have to let them do or they just get bored and find something else to do haha

**allie** · by **allie** on Sat 11 Jul 2009, 16:47

Cheers stick Smile

stick · by stick on Sat 11 Jul 2009, 17:07

no worries Smile

**staffylover70** · by **staffylover70** on Sat 11 Jul 2009, 17:45

I could do with making one of them myself, we have a spring pole but he has hardly been playing with it recently

**Maistaff** · by **Maistaff** on Sat 11 Jul 2009, 18:07

stick wrote:there are however a large number of excruciatingly stupid people around. hahaha

also when you have things like a flirt pole, people jump to conclusions. i was in my garden today and someone actually stopped their car to tell me "that's how they train pitbulls! dog fighting is disgusting, you should be ashamed of yourself!" and before i could reply, they drove off what the fudge is that all about???

Now i would have laughed my head off ... I have a flirt pole and quite often take it to the fields. Lats week i was at an agility event with hundreds of other dogs and people and took it out my car to play with the dogs whilst my friend took some photo's. No one said a word. To be honest no one has ever mentioned it and on the odd time they have they were more intrested and curious about it. My friends love it so much they have made them up for their small Dogs (Not staffs) as they see it as a quality way of exercising their dogs but in a different way from normal.

Where do you live just out of curiosity? I don't mean exact location but county ? I ask this as i find people from different areas have differing opinions. If you live in an area where by there are a lot of idiot owners and pit's i can understand the negativity you are experiencing.

stick · by stick on Sat 11 Jul 2009, 19:51

i live in ceredigion and about a mile from my nearest neighbour. literally it was just some busybody sticking their nose in. my nearest towns are lampeter, aberaeron and aberystwyth, and of those i cant say ive ever seen more than a handful of staffs or any other bull breed so i cant say theres a problem that people are mindful of around here.

**squidgy82000** · by **squidgy82000** on Sat 11 Jul 2009, 23:46

i do worry ,only because there are so many pitbulls around here and half the people cant tell the difference between a staffy and a pit , but i always hold my head up high as i have nothing to be ashamed of and i certainly do not look like a chav , but i have to be careful around parks as there are plenty and would not think twice of letting their pits or staffy get into a fight , i only have myself to blame for getting a dog without papers

samantha wenham · by samantha wenham on Sun 12 Jul 2009, 08:48

i have found out that one of my customers is screaming round that i have a pit x staff i have had to read the riot act to him on how he dont knoe ehat the hell he is talkinf about and does he want the dogs to be distroyed, and he should keep his mouth shut unless he has proff on the fact, i dont think he will be drinking in the pub again.
but the trob is they are not kc reg i do not have papers for them, can i get them kc reg, i should be able to get candy reg as the parents were both and i have the breeders adress so they can do a trace, but with rosie i have no idea of where she came from.

***nikki*** · by ***nikki*** on Sun 12 Jul 2009, 08:49

Only the breeders can register the litter and apply/send off for the KC documents.

x

samantha wenham · by samantha wenham on Mon 13 Jul 2009, 21:57

so if i have an acusation that they are not full how can i prove, am i in danger of having them taken away, as u can see they no more look like a pit then what i do. do they go on measurments if we have no papers?

stick · by stick on Tue 14 Jul 2009, 13:49

you can get a dna test which will tell you what breed they are.

but to begin with the police will go on the height of the dog as a marker

samantha wenham · by samantha wenham on Tue 14 Jul 2009, 14:24

thank you, dogs are out on a walk at mo i have just had the measurment posted to me i will do checks when they get back from feet to top of head they are 20 inc

Rubys mama · by Rubys mama on Tue 21 Jul 2009, 14:34

this is my first staffy and i must admit i have had a few comments when i bought her even from my own family "why did you buy one of them,once that gets hold of you it will never let go" i have had border collies,german shepherds,labs and not one negative reaction.the other week i took ruby over to the park and a child started to come over cos he wanted to stroke the puppy,his mum pulled him away and said "NO, you know you don't go near them kind of dogs" it's people like that that put the fear into kids who then grow up thinking that all staffy's are nasty,vicious killers. i had always had a fear of staffys but again that is how i was bought up.my dad met her for the first time a few months back and he was so nervous,within a few hours he was fine and rolling about on the floor playing with her.i'm still not allowed to take her to my sisters cos she doesn't want her near the kids "just incase" .ruby is the biggest softy i have ever owned,she is also the most loving dog that i have had.

**squidgy82000** · by **squidgy82000** on Tue 21 Jul 2009, 14:46

samantha they will not take your dog away , they have to have dome something first , the dangerous dog act dont work ..it is ignorant people who do not know the difference , what does your vet say . my dog is not kc registered and if you read a lot of the threads as to breeding standards the papers dont mean a lot because a dog will grow how it will grow so some have papers and yet their staffs still grow to 17 inches maybe more , try not worry

samantha wenham · by samantha wenham on Tue 21 Jul 2009, 21:54

thank you squidgy.

ruby mum dont worry hun, if you read alto of posts you will see we all get this, keep introducing her to your family and they will see how well behaved and good tempered they will get used to her

Judy · by Judy on Tue 28 Jul 2009, 13:16

I worry all the time but I feel I have a right to because where I'm from Staffies are under the BSL. My dog has never hurt anyone I have to muzzle him reienforcing the sterotype that hes a bad dog, if I protest and dont make him where it I can get arrested and they may take my dog away. I have to have his papers on hand at all times to prove he was born before the ban so they dont take him away and I always have to make sure that I'm carring ID so the police know that I'm old enough under the law to walk him.

I'm in the process of adopting another Staffie from a shelter that's miles away because even though this dog was born before the bann and is legal the Humane society cant adopt him to anyone in the city hes from because they have a bylaw. He's been there for months and no one wants him but me.

If this was before the BSL came into affect I'd ignore it and be confident as I always used to be walking my dog, but now I really worry because its not name calling and fingerpointing anymore.

stick · by stick on Tue 28 Jul 2009, 19:11

**** one, thats seriously messed up! see id emigrate from that kind of worry and hitlerisation

purplejellyfish · by purplejellyfish on Wed 29 Jul 2009, 18:07

I didn't worry about this until the other day when someone asked me if my 12 week old puppy Alfie was a pitbull. She didn't ask in a nasty way and made a fuss of Alfie, but even so, I'm concerned as someone less friendly could jump to conclusions!

The problem is that Alfie does not have papers. I was more concerned with finding a puppy that had a good start in life and appeared healthy and cared for. His mother was the sweetest natured dog and definately a stafford. He was raised in a loving home and as a result we have a confident and happy little puppy without an ounce of aggression in him.

So, if someone were to report me for having a pitbull, and the police investigated, I'm stumped. In hindsight, I should have got a pup with papers, but then if I had done, I wouldn't have my lovely Alfie. I guess all I can do is hope and pray that it doesn't come to that and continue in my effort to raise Alfie to be a good and well mannered dog.

**watts1974** · by **watts1974** on Wed 29 Jul 2009, 19:02

Presumably you have the name and address of the breeder you had him from? If so just refer the police back to there, and if anyone reports you at this stage just laugh and say well these staffs grow in phases his body will soon catch up with his legs! And laugh it off, as long as your dog is well behaved and dosn't start eating people on a regular basis there is nothing to worry about.

samantha wenham · by samantha wenham on Wed 29 Jul 2009, 23:22

i worrie about this and my girls are 10 month and 11 months, i dont have papers for them either but as i have been reasured they will not just take unless they have done something and their is a dna test that they can do, just say no it is a staff and let them play and keep walking dont rise to any bait

zachc2009 · by zachc2009 on Sat 01 Aug 2009, 21:23

stick wrote:it is stuff like the raids recenty that makes me consider whether to get a staffy later in the year as i am planning to.

as i am young and am a rough and ready working class sort. i also drive a modified 1980's bmw, which most people would take me to be a chav until they speak to me and find im a well mannered, knowledgeable young man having studied law and history at uni.

especially when i was recently living in liverpool, i feel if i was walking around with a proper staff as well as my little cross, i would just be seen as another chav with a pit. as literally 95% of the dogs i saw in liverpool were pits. i did see he odd staff here and there, and i saw no more than a handful of small lapdog breeds.

it would be so easy for people to point a finger at me and say chav with a dangerous dog. and then through no fault of mine or my dog, i would have a dead dog i couldnt bear this.

do any of you worry about stuff like this??

i get that when i'm having a lazy day and wear my nike tracksuit

at
the end of the day you know your dogs breed and stuff and if you let
people's views get to you then thats like giving them a remote control
to your life

as long as you look after them, they r healthy and
all that business then hold ur head high knowing you aren't doing
anything wrong.

Foxy · by Foxy on Tue 01 Sep 2009, 09:20

I got my first Staffy when I was in my 20's. It was 1990's and the Pit Ball had just been banned. My Dollar was about 12 moths old (born 10.7.1990) I was living in South London, lots of Pit Balls in the area.
One day I was walking Dollar, when a Police car drove passed, looked at me and reversed with screeching tyres surprise

The said my dog was a Pit Ball, which is a joke, as she was tiny, and was a tiny staff until her end at 14.5 years. Lucily for me I had her papers on me, and she had just been for her booster. I coldn't believe the ignorance of the police, and their attitude.

I wouldn't worry about getting another Staff, but will be a good owner as I was before, taking my dog to classes, just so she can mix with other dogs, then I can let her of the lead at the beach to play with all the other pooches laughing

Oh I can't wait Love