Have english staffies being known to bite?

Question

Children especially?

Answer 1

It is absolutely not true that all dogs bite but one breed doesn't bite more than the other. Read the Clifton study, or get the statistics from your local health department.

Merritt Clifton, editor of Animal People, has conducted an unusually detailed study of dog bites from 1982 to the present. (Clifton, Dog attack deaths and maimings, U.S. & Canada, September 1982 to November 13, 2006) The Clifton study show the number of serious canine-inflicted injuries by breed. The author's observations about the breeds and generally how to deal with the dangerous dog problem are enlightening.

According to the Clifton study, pit bulls (WHICH INCLUDE STAFFS/bull-baiting breeds), Rottweilers, Presa Canarios and their mixes are responsible for 74% of attacks that were included in the study, 68% of the attacks UPON CHILDREN, 82% of the attacks upon adults, 65% of the deaths, and 68% of the maimings. In more than two-thirds of the cases included in the study, the life-threatening or fatal attack was apparently the first known dangerous behavior by the animal in question.

Clifton's opinions are as interesting as his statistics. For example, he says, "Pit bulls and Rottweilers are accordingly dogs who not only must be handled with special precautions, but also must be regulated with special requirements appropriate to the risk they may pose to the public and other animals, if they are to be kept at all."

Congrats on being openminded and seeking info on the matter. :)

Answer 2

Firstly as the owner of a Staffordshire Bull Terrier there is NO SUCH THING as an English staffy. This is an incorrect term used by people to differentiate them from American Staffordshire Terriers or American Pit Bull Terriers. Yes Staffordshire is in England, but that does not make them English Staffies!!

All breeds of dogs can and do bite on occasion and children should never be unsupervised with any dog. SBTs are extremely loyal and usually excellent with people and children. If there are problems it is usually because of unsocialised dogs owned by ignorant irresponsible people.

SBT also get a bad rap by being lumped together with APBTs and American Staffords. Many sites refer to these two breeds as the same with the AS being named to enable registration in the US where APBT cannot be registered. These dogs are often owned by macho types who breed for and encourage the aggressive tendencies.

Also while statistics can look very scary the proportion of these breeds needs to be mentioned as well. In Australia SBT are the most registered breed of Terrier many times over.

Answer 3

My brother was bitten badly as a child by a collie.
I was attacked (playing in my own garden) at the age of 3 by the neighbours dog which was a Yorkshire terrier.

Staffordshire bull terriers have been known to bite - but then again so have labradors, poodles, retrievers etc.

Its the temprement of the dog (although some breeds are more inclined towards agression) not the actual breed.

Answer 4

All dogs, let alone anything with teeth, may bite. Yes some dogs more than others are prone to this behavior, such as shepherds and terriers, but it really boils down to the individual dog. Some dogs just don't like children.
Some of these dogs that many people consider to be bad are actually some of the best with children, if you get one with good temperament, and not from just anybody.

Answer 5

all dogs bite!! and i dont think any dog has a preference to particularly bite children!! also with regard to the info on dog bites, it may be that the breeds that were mentioned that account for the most bites are staffs, pit bulls and rotties could be that people are more likely to report attacks by these dogs rather than a smaller dog like a terrier or poodle type, and if that's the case this survey is a bit meaningless

Answer 6

There is no such breed as an English Staffy! Presumably you mean Staffordshire Bull Terrier? A well bred SBT should get on with children, they are the only breed whose standard makes a point of saying how good they are with children.
http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/item/87

Answer 7

I have two Staffordshire Bull Terriers and they are totally different around children. My dominant girl is calm and I've watched her patiently endure my two nephews - one stomping on her tail and the other pulling up big chunks of her skin and coat thinking he was petting her - while never leaving a down-stay.

She's got confidence and tolerance and is trustworthy around people.

My boy is a nervous nellie and I don't let him off-leash around the kids. He hasn't bitten anyone but I don't trust him not to. When he gets nervous, he'll get kind of spastic and I'm afraid he'll lunge or jump up if he feels trapped.

All dogs bite, and you just need to know your dog well enough to control the situations they're not comfortable in so you can prevent the bite before it happens.

Answer 8

As long as the dog has been raised around kids they make spectacular family dogs ( this refers to any breed). They are usually very kid friendly. The staffies you see in the papers biting are the ones owned by people that want them to look and act mean for the "Image" owning the breed gives them.

Answer 9

Doesn't matter what breed of dog you have, all can bite and cause series damage. It's the way a dogs raised/socilised/trained that determines it's future temperment.

Answer 10

all dogs have the ability to turn their mind against anyone. and this could result in a bite. it depends on how well the dog and the person are linked. also if the dog is well trained they will be less likely to bite people.