Does your Staffy love all human beings, even if he's never met them before?

I was in the park earlier and someone wanted to pet Rupert and he was all over her within seconds, adoring every second. He is like this with everyone who shows him even the slightest bit of affection. I think he likes being stroked and petted even more than he likes his food, if that's possible. Anyway, the woman petting him today said that she'd never met a dog who was instantly affectionate with people other than their owner. Rupert loves everyone to the point I worry sometimes that someone might take advantage of him, or just take him. Are Staffies like this generally or is it just Rupert? p.s. I love this about him.

Yep Harvey loves everyone and everything and acts like he's not seen them for years!

Blue prefares to get to know people first but I think loving everyone they meet is an excellent quality

Moo adores everyone and is very fussed, we still have to practice 'no jumping' as she can get kinda excited

Sonic loves everybody.....and everything, which has led to a few scratches from cats and a kick from the rabbit...oops!

Yea, my boy loves everyone, if we walking him and a person walks past him he will walk next to them till they stroke him... Some people get scared because he's a staffy and "staffs are dangerous" but most people jus stroke him and he rolls around and gets on his back so they can rub his belly

Yep.. Steff thinks everyone is her friend

Yep ... Chiquito thinks the whole world and everything in it was made for his own personal enjoyment. That includes any person who visits, walks past us or happens to be in their front yards when we are walking ... he HAS to stop and look at all of them, wagging his tail ... he even sulks and walks off with his ears down if they don't leave what they are doing and come pat him

Same with mine - they have no notion of "Stranger danger"

Yep darcy loves everyone and think everyone is here just to see her

Alfie is the same :-) he loves everyone!

Yep, Staffs are generally like that, Loki is the same. Everyone he sees is his best friend.

sash is the same she loves every one,had a really weird thing with her one day when out,there was an elderly couple standing just ahead of us and she was pulling to get to them,tail wagging tail so much i thought it could fly off!any ways when she got to them the lady made a big fuss of her and said to her hubby,'she's just like our old girl',she then told me that her staffy had died last year!spooky!

Yep Shéara thinks everyones his best friend! He wouldnt think twice about walking off with someone else as long as he's getting attention, silly pup.

Suki likes most everyone. On occasion she can sense that someone isn't a dog person and will stay away

Rocky thinks that everyone is his best friend too, I think it's just a Staffy trait to love people, all people that is.

Yessss ebony is exactly the same she loves it even more when people are walking upto her with carrier bags! She'll do a funny dance and wiggle her booty as if it's full of food for her

Yep Oswald just adores people!! He does that excited shaking bum wiggle every single time!!

Most Staffys I have met are like that, Maxi is not though and she seems to always be a little concerned about new people at first.

Yep Daisy loves everyone...traitor!

my max like people but he don't stay to touch him he is a little suspicious is a good think?

Charlie will pull towards everyone thinking he knows them all, he gives them a backward glance if they walk right passed as if wondering why they didn't stroke him!! When he spots my friend at the park I can't hold him back, he gets super excited, I'll not be able to hold him when he's an adult!

"sash is the same she loves every one,had a really weird thing with her one day when out,there was an elderly couple standing just ahead of us and she was pulling to get to them,tail wagging tail so much i thought it could fly off!any ways when she got to them the lady made a big fuss of her and said to her hubby,'she's just like our old girl',she then told me that her staffy had died last year!spooky!"

I know just what you mean Stella, Lily has done this on more than one occasion and every time there is a tale to tell about a previously owned Staffy - I think they just know.

Moll loves to meet and greet (her version is jumping up...a work in progress!)

The only time she had reservations it made me have major ones too! The guy was drunk and Moll clearly wanted him as far away as possible, tail between her legs and heckles raised.

I think dogs are good judges of character!

Monte thinks everybody is his long lost best friend. Frosty is a bit more reserved but will say hi and then leave strangers be. Pigglette is a bit of a shy gal and prefers her own people. They are all different!

These made me laugh: "Meet and greet", "Long lost friend". I'm not sure Rupert wants to do anything with Rabbits except for chase and eat them. It's amazing this characteristic. I wonder if this was bred into the breed and where it came from. Rupert is a keen fan of the "wiggle bum" manoeuvre and he is overjoyed if anyone ever comes to the flat. Is it possible that a dog can be "cheerful"? The only time he wasn't so happy was when some guy came up on the street to stroke him - he seemed a bit odd, literally two seconds later the police arrested him (no idea what for). Also - if anyone tries to get into the flat at night or unexpectedly (I don't know how he knows when it is unexpected as if my sister pops in unannounced - she has a key - he never growls or barks normally).

I can't count how many times a day he makes my day.

Mia's the same as most above; loves everyone stranger or not. I take her to work and the office is at the top of some stairs, and every single person gets a tail wagging greeting regardles whether she's seen them before.

The postman turned up while I had taken her outside and she ran all the way round the fence so she could go and say hello personally. He does usually bring biscuits though

On the other hand, she has been known to leap out of her bed in the night, barking and howling. The first time she did it, the neighbour's security light was on and in my half-asleep state I'm pretty sure I heard the footsteps of somebody running away so she does seem to have some sense of danger.

We went on holiday recently and on the first night, whenever she heard somebody outside she'd leap onto the corner of our bed putting herself between us and the noise, and growl and gruff at them.

It was quite reassuring. Even though I sincerely doubt she'd do anything, the growl might offer something of a deterrent.

Logan is very gentle and good with all people and most animals. Has a couple of enemy dogs but that's it really

Rolo is here to be adored.... he believes that is his mission in life. When he see's anyone... he strutt's if they look at him, he poses.... if they acknowledge him ... that begins the bending in half, frantic wiggle bum and tail lashing experience, normally accompanied by some kinda of weird noise that means "I love you.. whoever you are!"

Daisy does that, ears back, tail wagging, trying to look her cutest at every passer by!!

Yeah, frankly i would be worried about her if she wasn't! lol

looking at the answers i think your on your own with this!

Lola is exactly the same, friends for life with eye contact

Are there any other breeds that are like this? And how/why did they breed affection into Staffies - or was it just a happy accident?

from my understanding, Staff's were (way back when) working class fighting dogs, so they tended to live with the family in the house, so any sort of human aggression couldnt be tolerated (lots of kids, small houses etc) so its descended from that.

Yep. Bacchus loves everyone. Will run past their dog to get to the owner. I have to be very careful when working in the garden to keep the gate closed or he will just go visit the neighbours. We live in a cul-de-sac and every other house has a dog so we are nearly all doggy people.

Kell wrote:Yep ... . he even sulks and walks off with his ears down if they don't leave what they are doing and come pat him

Lol Jenson does this!!

He's not interested in other dogs its the people he loves .. other dogs come up to him and he walks straight past them upto the owners wanting a stroke and a belly rub!!

ANGIEMARKYOUNG wrote:

Kell wrote:Yep ... . he even sulks and walks off with his ears down if they don't leave what they are doing and come pat him

Lol Jenson does this!!

He's not interested in other dogs its the people he loves .. other dogs come up to him and he walks straight past them upto the owners wanting a stroke and a belly rub!!

Sounds familiar