Breed Prejudice

I'm getting really frustrated with the breed prejudice I receive when I'm out walking with my puppy. I'm constantly hit with the, "that's in his blood", "the breed is like that", "you have to nip it in the bud with a dog like him"

Granted you can't ignore the genetic makeup of certain breeds, one thing I firmly believe in is that every dog, just like people is an individual and should be judged that way!

Here in the US people call Bacon a Pit Bull and automatically are weary. I for one don't make a big fuss over them calling him a pit bull since IMO pit bulls in general are great dogs with a responsible owner JUST LIKE ANY OTHER BREED OF DOG! But I do let them know that he is a Staffy and that there are differences.

That is all... Just felt like I had to release some steam here!

Nor Cal wrote:I'm getting really frustrated with the breed prejudice I receive when I'm out walking with my puppy. I'm constantly hit with the, "that's in his blood", "the breed is like that", "you have to nip it in the bud with a dog like him"

That is all... Just felt like I had to release some steam here!

You make these comments above , is he doing something whils he is out to bring these comments about ???

You can't account for some people in life and I just laugh at them now, but I have to say lately I have come across more breed lovers than haters

Try not to let it bother you but I can see where it would get annoying.

Nor Cal wrote:I'm getting really frustrated with the breed prejudice I receive when I'm out walking with my puppy. I'm constantly hit with the, "that's in his blood", "the breed is like that", "you have to nip it in the bud with a dog like him"

I used to get something similar with my Greyhound and JRT/Whippet, they are showing how ignorant they are but that doesn't help when you get these comments. Most people who say those things don't have a dog and many nevery have.

Granted you can't ignore the genetic makeup of certain breeds, one thing I firmly believe in is that every dog, just like people is an individual and should be judged that way!

Dogs are dogs first then their breed, if they are let loose to run wild they become dogs and go back to wild dogs not to what they were bred to do. Yes Staffies are a strong breed, many dogs are a lot stronger than them but thanks to the media they have become killer dogs when we all know just how soft they are.

Here in the US people call Bacon a Pit Bull and automatically are weary. I for one don't make a big fuss over them calling him a pit bull since IMO pit bulls in general are great dogs with a responsible owner JUST LIKE ANY OTHER BREED OF DOG! But I do let them know that he is a Staffy and that there are differences.

I love Pit Bulls, they are wonderful dogs, in fact when the WTC was hit the Pit Bulls contunued a lot longer than any other breed that was there, they make wonderful SAR dogs.

What these idiots don't realise that Staffies and Pit Bulls were bred to be good with people, if they weren't their owners wouldn't have been able to get the dogs back when they were fighting, you won't get that with other breeds. Don't know about Pit Bulls but in the UK if a Staffy was seriously hurt in a dog fight he was put in the pram with the baby to be taken home, what other breeds could you do that with? They don't call these breeds the "Nanny Dog" for nothing.

That is all... Just felt like I had to release some steam here!

It does you good to have a rant

Rant away! I think most of us on here have gone through the same or similar!

All you can do is make sure your own dog is well trained & friendly so that people can see how wrong they are.

Its funny because most of the things they say apply to any dog at all, like my nan is always dont ever put your face near him he can turn on you etc but so can any dog she has dogs of her own so why is she only saying it about Vinnie?

Walking him the other day this old man with a little dog was like holding his dog away i said dont worry hes only saying hello he wont jump or anything and hes like" yes but im scared for her not ur dog" asif he was vicious or something? lol.. people

I imagine Staffs aren't very well known in the US? So then I'd get why they'd assume they're pitbulls, and then of course people will judge them for that. It's just ignorance. Feel free to educate them and tell them how great any dog is with the right owner, but if they don't listen, don't even give it a second thought. You have a great dog and they don't; you win

I have to say most people around here are great. Some will let slip something like, wow, your dog's so friendly, I wouldn't have expected that? Or, do you think people judge you for having a pit bull type? But I remind myself that those people learned something good about Staffies by meeting her, and hopefully she changed their mind.

You make these comments above , is he doing something whils he is out to bring these comments about ???

Not really Dave. He's just been a puppy. Things that get this response is when he gets excited to see another puppy/dog he will whine and pull towards them to say hello and sometimes jumps on them. I mean, it's behavior that we are working on correcting, but not anything aggressive in nature.

I wouldn't say I get mad, I just get frustrated with people. Even when other peoples dogs get aggressive with mine, they give me the "he's never done that before" excuse as to infer that my so called "pit bull" is the reason why their dog is mis-behaving!?

Thank goodness we dont get any of that here. Must be really frustrating.

Thankfully I don't have that problem here in Australia!!

Aussies have just voted the Staffy as their favourite breed!! They are now officially the most popular dog breed in Oz.

Everywhere I take Steffi people adore her.. And so far no negative comments aimed at my choice of breed. They really are like kids, if u are a good parent you will end up with a good furchild!!

Kat75 wrote:Aussies have just voted the Staffy as their favourite breed!! They are now officially the most popular dog breed in Oz.

Unfortunately, as far as registration figures go, the staff is one of the most popular breeds in the UK as well...just not the best loved breed.

Caryll wrote:

Kat75 wrote:Aussies have just voted the Staffy as their favourite breed!! They are now officially the most popular dog breed in Oz.

Unfortunately, as far as registration figures go, the staff is one of the most popular breeds in the UK as well...just not the best loved breed.

I actually think it was more a popularity contest than based on actual rego numbers..
I have a lot of friends that have owned Staffs for years, I'm only a newbie as I only just recently moved out of a city unit into a house in the suburbs.. Our biggest fear around here is people stealing our babies to re-sell them

I don't know how I would react if someone didn't totally adore my girl, luckily so far I have only ever been told how sweet and cute she is

Kat75 wrote:

Caryll wrote:

Kat75 wrote:Aussies have just voted the Staffy as their favourite breed!! They are now officially the most popular dog breed in Oz.

Unfortunately, as far as registration figures go, the staff is one of the most popular breeds in the UK as well...just not the best loved breed.

I actually think it was more a popularity contest than based on actual rego numbers..
I have a lot of friends that have owned Staffs for years, I'm only a newbie as I only just recently moved out of a city unit into a house in the suburbs.. Our biggest fear around here is people stealing our babies to re-sell them

I don't know how I would react if someone didn't totally adore my girl, luckily so far I have only ever been told how sweet and cute she is

Can't see why anyone wouldn't adore her, she's gorgeous.

reuben wrote:

Kat75 wrote:

Caryll wrote:

Kat75 wrote:Aussies have just voted the Staffy as their favourite breed!! They are now officially the most popular dog breed in Oz.

Unfortunately, as far as registration figures go, the staff is one of the most popular breeds in the UK as well...just not the best loved breed.

I actually think it was more a popularity contest than based on actual rego numbers..
I have a lot of friends that have owned Staffs for years, I'm only a newbie as I only just recently moved out of a city unit into a house in the suburbs.. Our biggest fear around here is people stealing our babies to re-sell them

I don't know how I would react if someone didn't totally adore my girl, luckily so far I have only ever been told how sweet and cute she is

Can't see why anyone wouldn't adore her, she's gorgeous.

Ohhh Thanx never get sick of hearing that... And what a gorgeous boy u have