Hello again, just a few questions before we choose a pup :)

Hello again, it's been a while. We still haven't gotten a pup yet. We're waiting for the right one

We've seen a few, but sadly we weren't happy with where they came from :/
So here goes...
...Would you recommend a male or female? What's the difference (other than the obvious )
...We're not wanting to breed so would you recomment spaying/neutering?
...I've heard females are nicer with children (more nurturing?), though we had a male and he was lovely with my little girl.
...How much is the right amount to spend? We've seen staff/alsatian x's at £200, pedigree's (with no papers?) at £150 and none pedigree staffs at £350 :/

I have a few more questions but off the top of my head can't remember haha, I'll be back x

Lynz x

Have you considered a rescue dog? Storm is a rescue and I couldn't wish for a better dog. Not all rescue dogs are problem dogs, and why encourage uneccessary breeding. If it hasn't got kc registration some people will never consider it a pedigree.

I've considered a rescue dog yeah but ideally we were wanting one from puppy so our little people can grow up with it. We have a 10, 3, 2 and 4 month old

Last time we looked they were all over 6 yrs old I don't consider it pedigree if it hasn't got the kc reg either, the ones we're seeing this week both parents have the reg but pup's don't. It's not important to me to have it anyway, just more expense for something I'd shove in a drawer lol x

a young rescue dog say 8 -12 months would be fine it will grow with your kids and at that age be ok for training. If you want a KC reg pup you will be looking at alot more money

I'm not much help as I would only rescue, but for some reason I prefer females, no reason for it really.

Wow you have a house full! This may help

http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/item/2101

Thanks, I only decided male because that's what we had before. My hubby was thinking females would have more of an instinct to nurture though but I have no idea.

not meaning to sound rude but it sounds like you are out for a bargain , and the only people to give you them are back yard breeders which will give you potentially a lot more trouble in the long term. If you are insistent on a pup then you will get pups from rescue and as said already a few months old is quite common.

Any talk about girls and boys being different with kids is rubbish so pay no heed to this at all.

If you go down the pup route with a breeder don't go cheap to not get the papers , this would usually be an indication of the reputation of the breeder , if they don't want to register the pups it will either be because they can't due to incorrect /missing papers etc or they are cost cutting and if they cut costs here , then where else are they cutting corners.

To buy a pup from a decent registered breeder with all the correct paperwork you should be looking between 500 - 600 pounds unless you are buying show stock but please make sure all the relevant paperwork , health checks etc are in place, meanwhile here's a bit of homework for you

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

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

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

Storm was 3 yrs when I got him, and my only regret is that I missed the first 3 yrs lol. It was nice not to have to house train him. This may be a benefit to you with your young ones. I haven't got any papers or even an exact age as he was brought in as a stray, I think he's 100% Staff and he's within the breed standards for height. Although he's got a slightly undershot jaw so not perfect. He is a perfect pet though which is what counts to me.

I'm sorry I'm definitely not out for a bargain, esp from a back yard breeder. As I said above we've seen a few dogs some of which have sadly turned out to be from chavsters out to make a bit of money :/ I'm not against getting a mongrel or a pedigree and will pay the right price for what I pick but certainly don't want to pick one just because it's a bargain... It's 14 years since I got a dog and he was £300 with papers. Papers that got stuffed in a drawer never to be seen again. Like I say we don't want to show it or breed it just a companion for me and the kids while my hubby is away.

Aww Iamajc that's so sweet. Sometimes it's the imperfections that make something perfect

That's a great point with the house training though

RedAlbion wrote:I'm sorry I'm definitely not out for a bargain, esp from a back yard breeder. As I said above we've seen a few dogs some of which have sadly turned out to be from chavsters out to make a bit of money :/ I'm not against getting a mongrel or a pedigree and will pay the right price for what I pick but certainly don't want to pick one just because it's a bargain... It's 14 years since I got a dog and he was £300 with papers. Papers that got stuffed in a drawer never to be seen again. Like I say we don't want to show it or breed it just a companion for me and the kids while my hubby is away.

|t's not about showing or breeding it's about getting a dog of a good healthy standard , sorry if I offended you Our papers for Tommy are filed away safe and that's where they will stay , but I have the satisfaction of knowing as we decided to buy a puppy I have not supported BYB (this time ) and I have taken the most steps I can possibly take to give him and his health the best run possible

My hubby and I adopted Rocky from a rescue centre 3 years ago. Staffies are well known for being good with children anyway, I don't know that male or female would make much of a difference in this respect. Rocky is the most gentle, loving, caring dog that I have ever known. He is a real softy.

Sometimes rescue centres do have younger dogs and puppies in, as sad as this fact is. I would suggest have a good look around. Have you thought of fostering a dog for a while to see how things go?

Like said previously I'm sad we missed mileys first 2 years. She would have been a gorgeous pup. But puppys take a hell of a lot of time energy and work. If we could we would have another rescue dog tomorrow and we are still considering one. I'm in touch with the rescue centre daily to see what new dogs they have. You may have to do a wider search and be prepared to travel to find the right dog but I'm sure it will be worth the wait. don't rush into any thing

RedAlbion wrote:...Would you recommend a male or female? What's the difference (other than the obvious )
...We're not wanting to breed so would you recomment spaying/neutering?
...I've heard females are nicer with children (more nurturing?), though we had a male and he was lovely with my little girl.
...How much is the right amount to spend? We've seen staff/alsatian x's at £200, pedigree's (with no papers?) at £150 and none pedigree staffs at £350 :/

I have a few more questions but off the top of my head can't remember haha, I'll be back x

Lynz x

I prefer males, but I couldn't really give a reason why, I just do! Females won't necessarily be better with your children than males. I've always found bitches to be a bit more 'feisty' than dogs and of course a bitch has a season twice a year.

I don't neuter. That's just my personal preference - if it ain't broke, don't fix it! However, if you want to neuter, then in my opinion it's better to wait for maturity, so with a dog that's at least 18 months (preferably 2 years) and with a bitch after at least 2 seasons, and again preferably 2 years.

KC registered pups are not necessarily 'better' than others just because they have a bit of paper. However, they are more likely to have parents who have had all the right tests for the hereditary problems found in staffords nowadays, and that's very important. It would be terrible to get a pup & find that a few months down the line it starts to have fits (L2-HGA) or goes blind (Hereditary Cataracts, PHPV & PPSC). You will also be more aware of any inbreeding in a registered pup.

As to price, a good, well bred & healthy staff will cost anything from £450 to £700.

hi & welcome to the forum

I've just had a look at the rescue centre where I got Storm and they have two youngish Staffies at the moment, pity your so far away...

http://www.gablesfarm.org.uk/dogalogue.html

If I could have another dog I'd go for Stilton

hi from me and the boys

Stilton is gorgeous, blade caught my eye too

kathytake2 wrote:Stilton is gorgeous, blade caught my eye too

Yes he's a stunner too.
I feel for Marley as he has been there since I had Storm which is 4 yrs in February. He did come across as a bit aggressive as he was jumping up and barking in a quite aggressive manner. But seeing the video (which are a new idea for them) he does seem fine. They have a few large pounds where the dogs can go for exercise but generally get put in there and left alone to amuse themselves Or walked around the grounds which takes ten minutes tops.
Looking at him makes me feel like volunteering to walk him. It's right next to an old stately home with large grounds, don't know if they would allow it or not though.

Hi and welcome from Kia and me
i would always go for a rescue staffy as there is sadly so many that are in need of a forever home.

I don't want this to sound rude cause its not intended so. You have a lot going on with kids etc they are all quite young. Imagine a small puppy as if it is a new born baby, you will probably have to take it outside to pee/poo every 30 mins, it will cry all night, it will need 4-5 small meals a day, needs to be warm, needs to be trained, needs to be left alone (puppies tire out very easy so may play for 15mins then crash out for about 1-2hours)


That is a lot on your plate. I think an older dog might suit better as it will already have basic training (if you get the right one) will be able to hold pee and poo in for longer, won't need as much mollycoddling and will have more energy to play with the kids.

Im not talking getting like a 10yo dog (unless you found the perfect one...older ones are almost garinteed never to find a home) but maybe something around 6months or older.

honestly after the xmas rush, you will have no problem finding a rescue pup, they come flooding in after xmas cause people havent thought it through.

Hayley makes a good point. Some rescues can have a huge amount of problems, understandably, but a lot don't, and if you can find a young-ish one but still old enough that it doesn't cry all the time and bite like crazy and jump up, etc., it'll probably suit your own life better. Course everyone is different, so it just depends on what you feel.

I prefer males, but no reason really, just that I've only ever had one female and the rest males. I'm undecided on whether or not I'm going to neuter Loki, but if I do, it'll be when he's around two years old, so he's matured and everything. There are arguments for and against it.

As for the price and whatnot...I bought Loki for £150. I was told he was a Staff but later find out he's a Staff x Presa Canario. The breeder himself was a nice guy, friendly, big house, toys everywhere, mum and dad very friendly, etc. So even when everything seems great, you still don't know what you're getting. That's not to say I regret getting Loki, I don't, but...well, when you get a puppy that isn't from a responsible breeder, you won't be able to be sure on the temperament of the mum and dad, any health risks that might be passed on to the puppy, etc. It's your choice, but just be very aware that just because the breeder seems nice and does care about the dogs and they're kept in good condition, doesn't necessarily mean everything is fine.

Also, welcome

I agree with Hayley's comment that a full grown dog is safer with the kids (more stable and predictable behaviour) and a lot less work for you.

Already said this . I tried to rescue but they would not allow . Because we have a 7 year old. This is because we only wanted a staff . When we went to RSPCA they had 67 staffs and staff x and won't re home with kids