Will my Staffordshire Bull Terrier protect me?

Well I've just recently got a Staffy for my first dog, he loves me to bits his name is Royce male his currently 11 weeks old I'm just curious but will he protect me when his more mature and by what age do you reckon he will start being more wary of strangers, I've established my self as pack leader he listens to me and he loves me to bits he never bites me or nibbles me he just licks me and my face but for my 2 brothers and mom and dad he nibbles them and bites them but not in a aggressive way I'm very close to Royce so yeah I just want to know if he would protect me say if I was walking him and someone attacked me out of the blue would he protect me if he was a bit older. Please reply to my post and thanks if you do and NO I do not want to make my Staffy aggressive in any kind of way I want this breed to have a good reputation and not a bad one!

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I honestly think they would, however, I don't think they would protect the home when away. Mine can look jealous when other people or dogs get too close to me, but he has never done anything about it. If someone were to attack me, my guess is that he would step in.

Oh okay I don't mind about the house because I live in a quiet place but you do get them hooligans every now and then but yeah thanks for your reply Bbimson I just wanted to know when he steps out of being a baby and into a fully grown bull terrier that he would be willing to protect me But appreciate the reply thank you

I know for sure that Rocky would defend me against any would be attacker. My hubby and I were sitting on the sofa last night when hubby went to put his arm around me. Rocky had been sleeping soundly in his bed until then and moved quite quicky across the room to make sure I was OK. I think he thought Andy had raised his hand to me. As if.

Rocky is my little knight in shining armour. Bless him

Hmmm, very difficult question to answer in this breed

Everything in them screams out "two legs are good, four legs are bad" ... its the way they've been bred since day one, and every dog is differant .... I'd like to think Max would know what to do, and more importantly when to do it, but I'm honestly not convinced he would , I hope I never find out though TBH

Hi & welcome.

As Andy says, it's a difficult question to answer. Most staffs will always greet strangers as if they are long lost friends - they're a 'people' breed; nanny dogs, after all.

But, if somebody attacked you, your dog would probably use 'reasonable force' to repel the attack. That could be anything from moving to stand between you & the danger, to growling softly, to an all out biting attack. However, if the attacker then backed off, the dog would probably back off too.

Let's hope you never have reason to find out!

Well I know there people friendly but thanks for the information about how they would repel a attack, I'm not in couraging him to be aggressive I just want to know what he would do I'm not going to train him to guard because its not for this breed to be trained in guarding I'll just let mother nature take place but even if he didn't help me I wouldn't give him away like these other cruel people because at the end of the day I would protect him more then him protect me lol I just love him too much to see him hurt

Hi and welcome from us and Suki. That is indeed a hard question to answer. Suki is protective of my OH but not to a point where she is aggressive just comes over to see what is going on

well i would think so, i think because a dog tried to attack me and my dog likes all dogs but he stepped it and defended me. i would think the same if it was a person

blue`s very friendly but very protective of our 2 children,especially our 6 year old daughter.

Violet is still young, but for a while now, she has been quite protective. She'll go mad if a stranger (well, a stranger to her) is in the house, and if R pretends to fight me, she'll come over and let him know that it isn't acceptable. Also, R nearly lost his kneecaps the other night when he came in late, but there were no lights on and whilst Violets night-vision isn't any good, her night-biting-of-mystery-intruders is certainly in working order!

It's been tested, Junior has and will protect me without a second thought.
I think yours will do the same.

linzy wrote:Violet is still young, but for a while now, she has been quite protective. She'll go mad if a stranger (well, a stranger to her) is in the house, and if R pretends to fight me, she'll come over and let him know that it isn't acceptable. Also, R nearly lost his kneecaps the other night when he came in late, but there were no lights on and whilst Violets night-vision isn't any good, her night-biting-of-mystery-intruders is certainly in working order!

I've been there as well. If I come home late now I will rattle my keys and call Suki to me so she knows it's me and not a stranger.

Some dogs will get excited and actually go for what they see as the weaker one just wouldnt like to have to go there full stop

In most case's unless its obvious pretection is shown, I think a lot of people like to think of their dogs stepping up and pretecting them without a thought, and I have no doubt in my mind that if a staffy thought that was what was expected of them they would in a flash!! (and it wouldnt be a sight I personnally would like to see!) but after generations of non PA breeding, I'm not sure it comes as naturally to them as some think

I just wonder how much of what is seen as "protection" with staffys, is actually just confusion on the dogs part, at seeing two humans acting weird to each other ??? ... example: when my son was younger, and we used to have a play fight on the floor, Zac our last staffy would always join in, but you would think he would jump all over me right ? ... wrong ! ... he always pretended to help me (the dominant one in the situation!) not my son (the would be victim!), now perhaps thats just a pack thing, and looked on as such by him, I dont know ...

When someone comes to our back door (like a gas fitter did the other day, with permission) Max went mental!!, very vocal, goes all stiff and single minded, ya know what I mean .. but soon as the door opened, the ears are down, tail waggin franticly, and just jumped on this guy (in a nice way) ... now he was about 6'2", in dark clothing, and never said a word ... yet Max didnt see him as a threat ????? I think most other breeds would have looked at that situation differantly

Hmm, I guess it's like when cats bring mice home - some people see it as the cat giving you a present because they love you, whilst other say the cat thinks you're an idiot and don't know how to hunt!

Either way, I am more than sure that the way Violet acts when a stranger is in the house, whether through protection or confusion like you say, is a definite deterrent to anyone who shouldn't be there.

It's funny you should say that though, as I'm currently writing my dissertation just now, and it's all about the relationship between humans and animals (in the context of art installations), but even though I have been writing about the perception of bonds between human and animal, I am still guilty of reading Violets behaviour as I want to!

My Ty has rolled a dog and pinned it when it was running to attack me (apparently because it didnt like long hair??) but thats another story lol and also has put himself in front of my youngests pushchair and growled when a off lead dog was running around like a looney being very agressive. Kaos jumped on a drunk teenager who was waving a bottle at me and shouting. If anyone tryed to break into my house kaos will bark but to be honest both would help them them carry the tv to there car if they thought they were being helpful. Those three situations i mentioned i think the reason they protected me was more the energy i was giving off than the sisuation itself, staffs love there owners and are very in tune with them and i was genuenly terrified those three times and i think Ty espeacially can pick up my feelings and he reacts to them x

linzy wrote:whilst Violets night-vision isn't any good, her night-biting-of-mystery-intruders is certainly in working order!

Andy wrote:When someone comes to our back door (like a gas fitter did the other day, with permission) Max went mental!!, very vocal, goes all stiff and single minded, ya know what I mean .. but soon as the door opened, the ears are down, tail waggin franticly, and just jumped on this guy (in a nice way) ... now he was about 6'2", in dark clothing, and never said a word ... yet Max didnt see him as a threat ????? I think most other breeds would have looked at that situation differantly

This is the thing with staffs. They'll make a lot of noise to show that they're aware of something odd happening (stranger at the door, someone acting in a threatening manner) but they usually don't want to attack as such. They'd much rather lick someone to death!

I remember reading about a famous staff breeder just after the war. Rationing was still in force & it was difficult to get eggs. One of his dogs just wouldn't sleep indoors no matter what he tried, so he used to sleep in an old chicken coop. One morning the breeder came out to give the dog its breakfast & he saw a man lying on the ground outside the coop with his arm inside the doorway. He was crying & saying "Get him off me!"

When the breeder looked more closely he could see that the guy's lower arm was being held very firmly by the staff! When the police arrived he was told to "leave" which he duly did. There wasn't a single mark on the man's arm (other than slobber)!

So I think a staff will mainly only do as much as he needs to do to protect his humans.

Memphis would deff protect the wife and kids as he all ways checks strangers out when he with them but when hes with me he more relaxed and i really think he sees me as his bodyguard lol

Andy wrote:In most case's unless its obvious pretection is shown, I think a lot of people like to think of their dogs stepping up and pretecting them without a thought, and I have no doubt in my mind that if a staffy thought that was what was expected of them they would in a flash!! (and it wouldnt be a sight I personnally would like to see!) but after generations of non PA breeding, I'm not sure it comes as naturally to them as some think

I just wonder how much of what is seen as "protection" with staffys, is actually just confusion on the dogs part, at seeing two humans acting weird to each other ??? ... example: when my son was younger, and we used to have a play fight on the floor, Zac our last staffy would always join in, but you would think he would jump all over me right ? ... wrong ! ... he always pretended to help me (the dominant one in the situation!) not my son (the would be victim!), now perhaps thats just a pack thing, and looked on as such by him, I dont know ...

When someone comes to our back door (like a gas fitter did the other day, with permission) Max went mental!!, very vocal, goes all stiff and single minded, ya know what I mean .. but soon as the door opened, the ears are down, tail waggin franticly, and just jumped on this guy (in a nice way) ... now he was about 6'2", in dark clothing, and never said a word ... yet Max didnt see him as a threat ????? I think most other breeds would have looked at that situation differantly

That's a very vaild point, as well.
Originally, Staffords were bred to become man's best friend and a dogs' worst enemy, so it's a bit of an odd breed to have as Protection, even though Pitbull's are used for such disciplines.

As I stated before, Junior has protected me, without command, because in that situation, I was actually jumped. But since then he has undergone basic protection training from a professional Schutzhund trainer. The very basics, watch, deter, engage, hold and release. I have only ever used commands up to "deter", for obvious reasons, the message is clear and I honestly never use Junior unless I swear down, I can't run from them. I've been an athlete for 4 years, so a quick bolt and sprint can normally throw people off. The dog can keep up with me easily as well, so there's no issues there.

I think, the key, would be the DEFINE friendly and non friendly behaviour, since you can't have your puppy thinking play fighting is going to hurt you.
But honestly, yes, I think you're Stafford would protect you off its' own back but no, it is not the desired breed to do so and the reactions and results can be very mixed. Be careful, but I wish you the best.

Harvey has and will protect me, however i would never encourage it. But he jumped a drunk man who lunged at me when we were out for a walk.

Now Chance without a doubt will protect me, the oh AND harvey, with him being an american bulldog they are naturally protective dogs and don't we know it! He hates strangers in the house, at the back gate does not like people following us on walks etc. He also rolled and pinned a dog that attacked Harvey a while ago. With people he knows he instantly loves them like Harvey does, but it can take him a while to get used to new people.

Skullkandi wrote:But honestly, yes, I think you're Stafford would protect you off its' own back but no, it is not the desired breed to do so and the reactions and results can be very mixed. Be careful, but I wish you the best.

Very well put!

It's quite funny I should come across this thread because Ollie shocked me to the core the other day.
I seen a man, let's just say I'm immensly scared of, and Ollie growled at him! OLLIE, the softest dog going.
I think he sensed my fear, I really do.

But saying that, your dog could be completely different. And it was most likely a one off from Ollie as he has NEVER done it before.
x

I do think they pick up your emotions sometimes.

Roxie is only 6 months, the other day she heard a noise in the kitchen and she (for the first time) stood tall, puffed her chest out and gave a little growl and a very low woof..lol
Otherwise she's a bit of a coward and doesn't even like going for walks when its dark out..

well this makes for very interesting reading. and from holly's point of view she is there to protect me and my home as well as any visiting children.

she won't allow people she doesn't personally know anywhere near, but that is probably to do with her past more than anything else, but to get to my door you have to go through the gate by my bedroom, i don't need a doorbell!

an example of her protection level cut slightly shorter,
a friend and i went out for umm a skinfull to put it simply, my friend managed to wander off so i came home alone knowing she would come back to mine at some point, (needless to say i was not happy with said friend)
about an hour or so later she arrives and comes in the door, followed about 30 seconds later by a male friend of ours that holly had not met, my friend was allowed in with no issues but the 'intruder' was not allowed through the door so for me, i have no doubt if anything were to happen to me my girl would always be in between me and whatever was out to get me, maybe not something i'm proud of, but living on my own i feel safe, as soon as i have introduced her and she knows they are safe she will relax though and they can come and go freely

An interesting thread and it has got me thinking, Ledger does put himself in-between me and boisterous dogs with their owners and he will give his low 'stay away' bark but when it comes to humans, looking back maybe he is just reacting to my reading of a situation.

Your new addition may or may not protect you but I think that by just having Ledger by my side that he acts as a deterrent to a would be attacker as most would prefer a 'vulnerable' victim and would rather not take the chance that a dog might attack. Part of my reason for getting a dog was to have a companion to go running with.

Isn't it lovely how much they love us?

I would certainly hate to be in any situation where Tyson's protective instincts are tested. I do believe that our relationship is based on mutual love and trust and as much as I will protect him, he will not hesitate to do the same for me. I do not believe in defensive training (which I read as attack work).

Once, when the neighbours kids jumped the wall (instead of using the gate) Ty did alert me to them being there with a very different low growling bark and he came right to my side. He knows these children very well but had reacted to the unusual entry. If that is anything to go by then I am sure he will be there if necessary.