sad times.

Front page of the Age newspaper last weekend.. talking up the Staffy breed which is a good thing, but they are still trying to make pitbulls look like this killing machine. this is the first sentence: "One is an outlawed killer, feared for it's brutality. The other, the sook of the canine world, a favoured family pet"

this article is trying to help people tell the difference between pits and staffys, when the picture they have on the front page I doubt is even a pit bull, probably something the reporter found when he typed it into google. not to mention in Australia it is illegal to crop ears (I think) so this dog pretty much doesn't exist here... but I suppose that will mean the public are never going to see what they think is a pit bull and therefore may not be able to dob any dogs in. I feel so bad for the families here in Aus that have friendly cuddly pit bulls that now can legally have them taken away and destroyed just for being a pitbull.

sorry about the blurry pic, but it says on the left "American Pit bull" the right says "staffordshire bull terrier"

The dog they are claiming to be an APBT looks to be mixed with Mastiff or something. Gorgeous dog, but doesn't really conform to APBT/AmStaff standards.

would hate to think here in Australia that people are going to start getting paranoid about any dog that happens to look like a "pit bull"...

yes cropping their ears are illegal here.. thank goodness.. I think that cropping the ears makes ANY dog look mean!

I just took Winston for a walk, I am at a pals place, and a horrible little fluffy thing came charging out a driveway while the owners called it, which of course it ignored!.. and tried to attack us!!

I agree that the dog on the left is not looking like a pit to me. Looks more like an olde with cropped ears.

The article was posted in the 'news' section of the forum last week for it's accurate portrayal of the staffy. But yes, like you say, it's a shame they're still making the APBT out to be a killer, and, as you say, putting a none too accurate picture alongside it really doesnt help with people's perceptions of the breed. Hopefully people's eyes will one day be awakened to the true nature of the APBT too. That won't happen until the BSL is abolished though.

Hmmm yer the one on the left definitely doesn't look like a pitty.

The dog on the left is a 'Bully' (pitbull and staff cross)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Bully

I personally think they look very unnatural and like they could suffer with some serious health issues.

Nosipho wrote:The dog on the left is a 'Bully' (pitbull and staff cross)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Bully

I personally think they look very unnatural and like they could suffer with some serious health issues.

Agreed. Just a walking vet bill.

yeah I thought it must have been a bully. I agree the article talked highly and accurately of the staffordshire bull terrier which was good to see. but still, I don't value the reporter at all for their shotty work with researching pitbulls.

One thing that really annoys me about articles like this is they cant even get the proper picture of the breed i think you will find the dog on the left they are claiming too be an american pit bull terrier is an american bully.

They talk so much rubbish the press, how about they go meet some pitbulls or atleast speak too people who own them, responsible owners.

It makes me mad too..

on a positive note there is a vet who comes on the radio every week here in Western Australia, and people phone up with questions.... he actually has an old staffy and he gives them an amazing rap on what good dogs they are.. as long as they are properly socialised and trained ( common sense really)..

Nosipho wrote:The dog on the left is a 'Bully' (pitbull and staff cross)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Bully

I personally think they look very unnatural and like they could suffer with some serious health issues.

The usual kind of paper rubbish agreed, dog on left doesn't look straight pit I also agree that all dogs with cropped ears look more scary-poor things, unnecessary pactice too these days.

Ewwww I don't like the pit/staff cross-sorry. It reminded me of something familiar, it took me a minute then I realised it reminded me of a pot belly pig