Scary Staffie Society

As a dog lover, I have never understood how someone cannot love every breed of dog. I grew up around dogs, along with other animals. I am a complete animal lover.

My partner and I decided to adopt a dog nearly two years ago and we didn't have a dog breed in mind. My partner had never owned a dog, so he didn't know what breed was for him. We knew we wanted a rescue dog, as there are so many waiting for their forever home. After not searching for very long, we realised most of these abandoned dogs were Staffordshire Bull Terriers—a dog breed that is notoriously known for being vicious (a stereotype very widely blown out of proportion).

Staffies are a very loyal breed of dog. There are some people who have taken advantage of this trait, and that is why these dogs have been used for fighting. In this case, the owner is the problem, not the dog. With the correct training any dog could be taught to fight. People still breed Staffies in an attempt to train them to fight, but realise how lovable they are—and unless you want to be licked to death, you probably won't have much luck. This is why so many of them end up being abandoned.

Instantly when looking for a dog, my partner decided a Staffordshire Bull Terrier would be the dog for him, so we started doing some research. Almost everything I read was about how lovable this breed of dog is was being labeled as things such as "nanny dog." So where are all the labels of this breed being violent and aggressive? These descriptions are only ever used by people in the media and those who have never owned a dog. This fear is based on misinformation.

Staffordshire Bull Terries are a strong breed of dog. In the wrong hands, they probably could do some damage, but they are not the top breed to cause injury in the UK. That dog is, in fact, the Chihuahua—and you don't see many people scared of them! (This dog list is different based on where you look; from my research, the Chihuahua seemed to come up most for being the dog that causes the most harm in the UK.) Labradors also came up in this list of being a dog most likely to bite. The difference between a Labrador biting and a Staffordshire Bull Terrier biting is even if the Staff is less likely to bite, it will cause more damage when it does due to its strength and lockjaw. I have never looked at my dog and thought he could hurt me. I will stick my fingers in his mouth to steal his ball, and I don't hesitate. The most he has ever hurt me is when he tries to sit on my knee and digs his claws into my thighs; he thinks he is a lap dog...

The rescue charity we got Theo from is called "Aireworth Dogs in Need," and the dogs we see go in and out the most are still Staffordshire Bull Terriers. I'm not sure what we can do as a society of dog lovers to stop this horrible perception of the breed, but I do believe if all Staffies owners can do their own bit of awareness (such as creating social media pages for their pups—follow Theo on Instagram! @theo_the_staffiecross), the word will spread pretty quick. Staffies are fantastic and I think a lot of people looking to adopt a rescue dog are missing out by not considering this wonderful breed.

I now cannot imagine a life without a Staffordshire Bull Terrier. They are crazy, excitable, loving, and VERY stinky—and my dog is only a cross breed, so god help those who own full Staffs!