Staffies-They’re softer than you think

Buzz Editor Megan Chapple travelled to the Old Windsor Battersea Dogs and Cats Home to find out why Staffordshire Bull Terriers have developed a bad reputation and what is being done to change it.

I looked across the ‘long-stay’ photo wall of happy, healthy dogs that have spent the most time at the home. All were Staffordshire Bull Terriers. What was once called a “Nanny dog”, now regarded as an aggressive breed due to reports of dog attacks and exploitative owners. This has made some potential dog owners reluctant to adopt but Battersea Dogs Home are trying to turn this around and in 2011 launched its “Staffies. They’re softer than you think” campaign.

The wrong hands

I was joined by Vicky Snook, Senior Rehomer at the centre, and Mikey, a playful Staffy. I wanted to find out why the breed had gone from being loved to feared, “Unfortunately people have used their strengths to manipulate the breed”, says Vicky. “Any breed can be dangerous in the wrong hands. They are also often mistaken for Pitbulls and they are not the same dog.”

These misconceptions have resulted in a drop in the number of Staffies being adopted, “A lot of people worry about how they will be perceived as a Staffie owner. We have had people who loved the breed but they have received abuse in the streets for owning them.”

It has also meant that they are receiving more Staffies into the home, “We are receiving more than our fair share of Staffies. People unfortunately are using them for breeding to make a quick buck. A Staffie can have up to 15 puppies and they need homes too.”

Walking through the home I noticed the Staffies clearly outnumbered the other breeds. None of the Staffies I saw appeared aggressive or noisy and only one shied away in his bed. Vicky explained that this particular dog had been attacked by other dogs in a park. The owner felt the environment was unfair on him and brought him into the shelter to find a new home.

Softies at heart

Pedigree and cross breed Staffies are struggling to find homes, “Staffie lovers want proper Staffies even though cross breeds are healthier. It helps if a Staffie is crossed with a popular family dog such as a Labrador.” Vicky explains what Staffies are really like, “They are completely devoted to their owners which in some ways is their downfall. In the wrong hands someone could manipulate their devotion. They are also very active and can cope with large and small amounts of exercise.”

I asked how common it was to find Staffies who had been involved,“The dogs we see were bait dogs involved with fighting rings, where they were the weaker opponent. Those dogs need quite a lot of time to rehabilitate.”

The campaign

The campaign has so far been successful in reducing the average stay of a Staffie from 63 days to 46 days but in comparison to other dogs like the Bichon Frise, whose stay is around 16 days, there is still a huge gap.

In 2012, 42% of the Staffies in their care were under two years of age. Vicky believes in these cases people bought a puppy before realising the responsibility of owning an older dog. If you are planning to own a Staffie, Vicky says you need to be dedicated to dog ownership. They are not a demanding breed but you do need to commit to a regular routine and keep a happy balanced relationship as their loyalty can lead to over bonding. This is sadly what happened to Mikey who is spending his second stay at the home. He was adopted at the beginning of the year but returned six weeks later after suffering from separation anxiety.

Although the centre says Staffies make great family dogs they do not recommend Staffies be rehomed with young children, “We take in a lot of stray dogs so we do not know the full history. To protect the dog and family we recommend they go to families with older children, 8 years and above. If we have a puppy we would say they could live with young children.”

 

Battersea will run the campaign as long as they have Staffies at the centre and they will continue to try to overturn the Staffie myths.