Do Staffs Hate Each Other?

Obviously I don't mean all of them, but...do Staffs have a tendency to dislike other Staffs they're not used to? I ask because last week we saw a man with a Staff and asked if he was friendly and we could meet, and he said yes, so we did. Loki was pretty calm, but he did put his paw on the dog's face, but not forcefully or anything, just playing, and he wasn't super exciteable. Anyway, the Staff seemed to lunge at him to attack him so I moved Loki back. I figured he might have been playing since Staffs play rough, but I didn't want to take the chance since even his owner didn't think he was playing. Then today, my mum walked Loki and he saw his best friend, Buster, along with a Staff. Loki sniffed the Staff and wasn't playing with him or anything, but the Staff tried to attack him. So much so that Buster had a go at the Staff for it, and Buster's owner showed him Loki was OK to get him away from the other dog. Loki was obviously scared, but he was soon back to playing with Buster and being fine. According to my mum, Loki wasn't being playful to the Staff, but he was playing with Buster. Maybe the Staff got jealous or something. I just find it weird that it's only been Staffs that have acted like that to Loki. And the man (and Buster's owner) were both shocked and said it was completely out of character for him to do that. Is Loki doing something wrong, or are we meeting some weird dogs?

He also ran at this old woman too, when he's usually brilliant at recall. The woman wasn't pleased. I'm hoping it was a one-off because of all of the drama, but I'll be working on this when I get his extendable lead back, because that was very out of character for him.

It could be to do with their body language, the link below may help you work it all out. Some dogs just dont get on with others and we have to accept this and know what to look for before things get out of hand. Preventative action is always better than regretting what has just happend:

http://staffy-bull-terrier.co.uk/dogbodylanguage.html

I have personally found Staffords do spark each other off.

Tyson seems to be attracted to other Staffs. He will play with A staff at the park in preferance to his other mates. He is also far more eager to great the other Staffs in his training class (Two males and one female)

However, today, there was a young male 'pitt' at training who was displaying a bit of dominance and for the first time ever Tysons body language was stiff with the typical stance and his tail straight out and intensity in his face. I moved of with him rather than letting them even sniff each other. (This was after classes and the dog was from another class)

It is weird, because I wasn't there, but Loki wasn't even doing anything to the Staff when it happened. They sniffed each other and everything was fine, then Loki went back to playing with Buster, his friend, and then the dog tried to attack him. Perhaps it was a jealousy thing. Either way, I was just wondering if it was a Staff thing where they don't like each other, because it's odd how it's only been Staffs. I will admit though, Loki used to be really in-your-face with other dogs, but he isn't like that now, he's calmed down a lot. I can read Loki's body language, but not so much other dogs, and I've never seen his body language change to anything to indicate annoyance or aggression with other dogs, so I doubt it's him (unless the hyperactivity REALLY annoys older dogs?).

And Lynne, it's good that you were able to take Tyson away from the situation rather than risk anything happening I'll have to work on spotting those signs, myself.

From my experience no staffs don't hate other staffs, in fact i love to meet up with other staffs as no other breed plays quite like staffys do

We don't know a lot of staffs. Callie seems to do very well with pit bulls though.

Bis seems to only REALLY like male staffs and any puppies that she can look after, but I guess that may have been all she was socialized with seeing as she was a breeding bitch.

My dad's lurchers seem to dislike black labs, but haven't had any negative run ins with them, I know certain dogs are harder for other dogs to read (mainly boxers as far as i'm aware) but not ever heard anything specific about staffs!

No, I don't think so. I know many staffs that happily play together and lots that live together too.

I think it can either go brilliantly or terrible lol staffs are staffs at the end of the day and we all no they dont do anything by halfs, its either all or nothing black and white.....no grey! In my experience with kaos and staffs other than Ty who he doesnt no very well or at all it will either be great and they will spend hours playing and chasing or it all goes wrong within the first 2 minutes!

How old is Loki

dave g wrote:How old is Loki

He's four months old. I guess it's just a coincedence that it's been Staffs. I think maybe he's just annoyed the dogs that have had a go at him, even though there was no aggression on his part.

in my experience bonnie my 1 year old seems submissive to bigger dogs rolling around on the floor and such just playing but if she sees another staffie within a mile of her she bolts for it and greets them with wagging tail and wants to play almost as if she knows her own kind and knows it's ok to trust them if they play rough she plays rough she just loves them and runs around like a loon,

I think the problem often lies with the fact that they have that fighting instinct & if they sense that in another dog (ie another staff) they get defensive.

No, they do not hate eachother i love meeting up with other staffies because the owner's know how i feel when my puppy tries to play with other dog's and the owners pull their dog's away from mine. Mine is only 6 month's + play's with all dog's (we he can) but he has become shy toward's big dog's now as he got attacked 2 weeks ago by a grey hound x

When Bandit was a pup he was very friendly to anything & everything. We started showing him at 6 months (to the day!) and he was still friendly. However, by the time he was 9 or 10 months he was starting to show some aggression towards other staffs, but rarely any other dogs.

By the time he was fully grown, he would react well to the odd one or two dogs that I kew well, but was fully da with any others, but he was always worse with staffs!

Caryll wrote:When Bandit was a pup he was very friendly to anything & everything. We started showing him at 6 months (to the day!) and he was still friendly. However, by the time he was 9 or 10 months he was starting to show some aggression towards other staffs, but rarely any other dogs.

By the time he was fully grown, he would react well to the odd one or two dogs that I kew well, but was fully da with any others, but he was always worse with staffs!

That's weird, why did that happen, does it sometimes just turn out that way? I always assumed if your dog was well socialised, excluding any traumatic incidents, the dogs would continue to be fine with other dogs. But they can just develop dog aggression through no real reason?

No they dont hate each other but not many other breeds pack a punch like a stafford does they dont like to be seen to be the quiet one they are a in your face dog and full of personality sometimes it goes great sometimes not but the staffy will usually be the bold one at the front

ANattyRat wrote:

Caryll wrote:When Bandit was a pup he was very friendly to anything & everything. We started showing him at 6 months (to the day!) and he was still friendly. However, by the time he was 9 or 10 months he was starting to show some aggression towards other staffs, but rarely any other dogs.

By the time he was fully grown, he would react well to the odd one or two dogs that I kew well, but was fully da with any others, but he was always worse with staffs!

That's weird, why did that happen, does it sometimes just turn out that way? I always assumed if your dog was well socialised, excluding any traumatic incidents, the dogs would continue to be fine with other dogs. But they can just develop dog aggression through no real reason?

Socialization does not always work.
All mine as pups have been running round the park with other breeds, but sadly not any more they can not be trusted.
From the age of 2yrs they switched and now i need to walk them with eyes in the back of my head.
I except this is how the breed is hot wired, and its something each and everyone of you needs to always be aware of. It can sometimes take just one fight that they may not of started too flick the switch on.

Denise is right. You may always have a dog friendly Stafford but you have to be aware that they can change at maturity. Socialisation is obviously important, but will not guarantee that they will remain friendly (although they should always remain friendly to human beings!).

Caryll wrote:Denise is right. You may always have a dog friendly Stafford but you have to be aware that they can change at maturity. Socialisation is obviously important, but will not guarantee that they will remain friendly (although they should always remain friendly to human beings!).

This thread is scary. Kuchar is just 9 months old and loves everyone, and every dog. He has had an unfortunate run in with an off-lead HUGE mongrel (separate post) but luckily it has not soured him towards other dogs.

But the comment that "they can change at maturity" is worrying, to say the least. Despite all my best efforts at socialisation, does this mean that my lovely friendly boy MAY metamorphose overnight at about 18 - 24 months of age into a dog hater?

It may not happen, but you need to be aware "it could"
A Stafford has a fighting history, something we dont like too talk about any more but we need to keep this awareness of this fact alive in our minds when ever your out walking your dog.
Staffords are slowly but surely becoming abit less DA, but its still there in some and just bubbling under the surface waiting.

Dont panic about me going on about being aware etc, Its my way of trying to scare ppl and wake them up if you like to make them understand what a stafford is.
Their the best dog in the world, but you just need to watch them around other dogs, a play fight can switch to the real thing with these dogs, so its important you can read your dog and keep his nose clean, especially as theres so many stafford haters out there waiting to jump on the band wagon to get this breed banned

I don't think Staffs hate each other, though I do think they can be wary of each other. In my experience with Dora, when meets she meets another Staffy, the meeting is often more vocal than when she meets other breeds of dog. Either Dora or the other staff may have a bit of a grumble at each other. I've never had a meeting with a staff really kick off.

Saying that, we don't seem to meet many staffs. We have a Staff x Mastiff next door and she and Dora are good friends. They nose each other through the fence. Their first meeting though was very vocal and snarly (as Dora managed to scramble under the fence into nexts doors garden! - bit scary!), but they soon sorted themselves out.

This really got me thinking. A couple of months ago I was at the vets with Skye. Everyone was sat really nicely, all the dogs were being good and greeting each other. As soon as another staffie came in, all hell broke loose. He was barking and snapping which set all the other dogs off. the owner ended up carrying her dog outside. As soon as they had gone, everything settled down quickly. Strange!

well i have two they dont spark each other off!!! my brother has two there fine together, my oh's brother has a staff hes fine with ours.

its the dogs themselves their personalitys, nothing too do with the breed what so ever.

xXxshelly_stanliexXx wrote:well i have two they dont spark each other off!!! my brother has two there fine together, my oh's brother has a staff hes fine with ours.

its the dogs themselves their personalitys, nothing too do with the breed what so ever.

We are not on about staffords that live together in perfect harmony, we are on about other staffords ours may come across.
If we were that would mean my 5 would be at each others throats but their not.

Denise wrote:

xXxshelly_stanliexXx wrote:well i have two they dont spark each other off!!! my brother has two there fine together, my oh's brother has a staff hes fine with ours.

its the dogs themselves their personalitys, nothing too do with the breed what so ever.

We are not on about staffords that live together in perfect harmony, we are on about other staffords ours may come across.
If we were that would mean my 5 would be at each others throats but their not.

My staffords the same as my brothers and oh's brothers stafford, get on fine with dogs any breed nothing too do with being stafford or not. Depends on the dog itself.

I see :-<

I really do not think it has anything too do with the breed, just because they are staffords dont mean they are different too other dog breeds imo, I dont believe dogs can pick and choose from certain breeds. Dogs may not like bigger dogs, smaller dogs, etc due too bad experiences etc but too choose a certain breed.... just dosnt ring right imo.
Stanlie loves and gets on with all dogs gets on great with out neighbours stafford, he was socilised from 12 weeks always been around dogs of all breeds. where as hooch on the other hand gets on with dogs if introudced properly of any breed staff or not. x

I think it's all down to attitude. Staffords have a certain no-nonsense way about them & yes, I think they do rub each other up the wrong way. Bandit was DA, but was always much worse with other staffords.

I realise how stupid the question was now, just that I found it odd that it was just Staffs (friendly ones, at that) who there were problems with. That said, we met two other Staffs since then and all was well. One was 10 years old, so I guess he had the patience of a saint. Loki was probably just getting on their nerves being exciteable around them, whereas he's a bit calmer now.

I've heard that 2 boys or 2 girls won't live together well but a male and a female neutered will live very peacefully together but I dunno how true this is. I don't think I'd ever have 2 dogs together in general as I don't have the room.

Just as an add-on to this topic - my 9 month-old Kuchar loves ALL dogs and wants to play with them, even a Newfoundland 20 times his size, although he was just a little overawed! I have met with another Staff owner whose dog was not friendly, and she said that "male Staffs don't like each other".

He also met his litter brother a few months ago, wanted to play as usual, but litter brother snarled at him. We haven't bumped into them since then.

About 5 months ago, Kuchar met his litter sister (the only bitch of the litter), and every time we walk past the house where she lives he has looked for her. Today his dreams came true and her owner came out for a walk at the same time. Kuchar and his sister played and played and played together.

I wonder if they remember each other?

I only ever feel comfortable with my guys playing with other staffs and crosess because they go in so hard and the noises are nuts. And thats only if i meet a staffy owner that isnt scared to let there dogs play properly. Otherwise ill pull them away as it can look scarey to those not in the know. On the good plays it sounds like ww3 but they bond and form a lifelong relationship. The only thing that holds them back is humans and our airy fairy fear of noise.

Ah yes, I too feel more comfortable when we meet another Staffy ( or Staff type) as their owner is likely to understand the boisterousness of the play (except as you say and I already mentioned, those Staff owners who are afraid of their own dogs' reactions).

But I haven't as yet experienced the noise you mention. I am guessing you mean barking. My dog only barks when he is bored and wants to play (with us) in the home. He has never barked at another dog and so far another dog has not barked at him. So all the playing he has experienced with other dogs has been silent (apart from panting!), running around and tussling.

Suki is good with all dogs even the ones that bark or lunge at her. I'm more comfortable when she plays with the larger ones though because their handlers are used to rough play.

I have found the exact opposite. Saxon has only met two Staffords and he LOVED both of them! He also gets along well with other Bull Breeds like Pit Bulls and American Bulldogs.