Better late then never :-)

[Staffylover57]

Hi,

I'm Staffylover57. My name is George and I've been a Staffy owner since 2009. I never knew that owning these adorable animals would be so pleasurable, uplifting, annoying, frustrating, enjoyable and so much besides.

Recently, Kimbo started acting a bit out of sorts and I got worried, so started asking questions about his behaviour and what he was presenting. I also started a bit of an in-depth study about why pets begin to 'act up' as it were. I found out some astonishing things, which shocked me - particularly about the pet foods we buy from the shops.

So, I actively started looking around to find a community to join to learn from other pet owners how to better take care of my pet, and if people are interested, to share some of the things that I have been finding out about the 4 pillars which make up healthy and happy pets. (In case you're wondering, the pillars are Environment, Food, Emotional well-being, and Genetics. Thanks so much for all the posts that you have collectively posted here, I have already learned so much from all of you.

I am looking forward to learning more.

Thanks.

 

[merlina]

Hi from someone else who loves Staffies. To be honest they break my heart because the seem to be the most abused and misunderstood breed in the country. A family member owned a little black chap called Toby from the Dogs Home that was the loveliest, sweetest dog ever.

I couldn't agree more with your tenets for dog health and well-being.

 

[Staffylover57]

Thanks for your message, Merlina.

Many years ago, I worked for a prominent pet food manufacturer and I used to visit animal shelters as a food supplier. I'd learned there, that there was a direct correlation between dog attacks and the temperament of their owners. At that time, animal advocates had calculated that in the vast majority of cases where there was a significant attack that resulted either in life-changing injuries or death, the animal's owner was more often than not, a convicted criminal.
I wasn't sure what the stats look like now, so I searched and this is what I found:
Psychological Characteristics Owners of AggressiveDog Breeds

I think our pets become like our children - they learn from the examples that we set, don't they?

 

[JoanneF]

It's an interesting area - I wonder too about cause and effect. I was at school with (the now) Dr Simon Harding who has written about dogs as status symbols / weapons in gang culture.

But when you think about it, it's not a recent phenomenon - dogs have been used for millennia to both guard and as weapons.

 

[JudyN]

There is such a risk of overgeneralisation here. I speak as someone with a dog who is not of a breed thought of as dangerous, who raised him from a pup using positive methods, but has had to deal with fairly extreme resource guarding and also aggression in other situations. And I'm not a criminal, honest!

Just as, occasionally, excellent human parents have children who are, quite franky, horrible and turn to crime for no apparent reason, dogs are also individuals and their personality can be largely fixed in their genes.

Any well-performed research is good, but we must beware of presenting the results in a way that go beyond the data and risk labelling dogs, or their owners, as something they're not.

On a lighter note, I'm another Staffie fan. Just about all the ones I've met have been cracking dogs with lovely natures.

 

[Josie]

Welcome @Staffylover57 - I love staffys My black lab has a soft spot from them also.

The four pillars make sense to me! but like Judy has mentioned all dogs are individuals to so what works for one may not work for another.

 

[Staffylover57]

You're right about that. The only thing I can say about dogs being used as weapons and guards is that at that time you knew that is what they were. The issue nowadays is of pets being dangerous.

I had a quick look at Dr. Harding's work. The book he's written looks very interesting - I think I am going to buy it

 

[Staffylover57]

There is such a risk of overgeneralisation here. I speak as someone with a dog who is not of a breed thought of as dangerous, who raised him from a pup using positive methods, but has had to deal with fairly extreme resource guarding and also aggression in other situations. And I'm not a criminal, honest!

Just as, occasionally, excellent human parents have children who are, quite franky, horrible and turn to crime for no apparent reason, dogs are also individuals and their personality can be largely fixed in their genes.

Any well-performed research is good, but we must beware of presenting the results in a way that go beyond the data and risk labelling dogs, or their owners, as something they're not.

On a lighter note, I'm another Staffie fan. Just about all the ones I've met have been cracking dogs with lovely natures.

There is such a risk of overgeneralisation here. I speak as someone with a dog who is not of a breed thought of as dangerous, who raised him from a pup using positive methods, but has had to deal with fairly extreme resource guarding and also aggression in other situations. And I'm not a criminal, honest!

Just as, occasionally, excellent human parents have children who are, quite franky, horrible and turn to crime for no apparent reason, dogs are also individuals and their personality can be largely fixed in their genes.

Any well-performed research is good, but we must beware of presenting the results in a way that go beyond the data and risk labelling dogs, or their owners, as something they're not.

On a lighter note, I'm another Staffie fan. Just about all the ones I've met have been cracking dogs with lovely natures.

Hi Judy,

Your point is well made - and well taken. Thank you

 

[Staffylover57]

Welcome @Staffylover57 - I love staffys My black lab has a soft spot from them also.

The four pillars make sense to me! but like Judy has mentioned all dogs are individuals to so what works for one may not work for another.

Thank you so much for the welcome, Josie