[nq:1]Staffies aren't particularly hotheaded... less, [nq:2]Not to mention dog aggression,, [nq:2]Of course,

Robin Nuttall:

[nq:2]Of course, you'd have to deal with the whole "pit bull owner" thing.[/nq]
[nq:1]Not to mention dog aggression, which could be a problem for a novice agility handler. Learning agility is hard enough ... the possibility of your dog going after classmates. (Which statement, btw, is based in my personal encounters with Staffy Bulls.)[/nq]
I really hesitated to bring this up because I'm not breed prejudiced, but a woman I know in St. Louis, an experienced Staffy owner and agility competitor, had two fingers bitten completely off by her own Staffy puppy this year. It was the ring and middle fingers. They have been reattached, I think she said she's had 8 surgeries so far.

She returned the dog to the breeder, who promptly BRED it. She's gotten out of the bully breed all together, she now has a Beardie.

I don't think I'd recommend them to an inexperienced dog owner...

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Robin Nuttall:

[nq:1]But of course anyone who freaks at the notion that dogs might be aggressive definitely shouldn't get any terrier. Probably not any dog at all, either.[/nq]
I don't know anyone who "freaks" about it, but the truth is that agility is just not a place for a truly dog aggressive dog, unless said dog is under the care of a VERY experienced handler who can really hammer home that the behavior just isn't allowed. And unfortunately a lot of agility newbies just have no clue.
With all of the barking, running around full speed without a leash/collar, pushing for drive, etc. it's just very easy for a dog who likes to fight to get over the top. Agility people as a group also tend to be careless to the point of insanity, letting their dogs wander around at the end of leashes, sniffing other dogs, whatever. They seem to think that since their dogs are friendly, all dogs must love them. It's maddening, but it's also reality.
Take a dog like Cala, who is a screamer on the course. She can really trigger reactive and aggressive dogs. Just the other night at our own training facility she stirred a GSD into such a state that his owner literally had to lay down on him. I have absolutely no doubt that if he'd gotten loose he would have run out on the floor and attacked her. Fortunately HER drive is directed at the course. She didn't even notice him. But it was a scary incident.

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diannes:

[nq:2]Not to mention dog aggression, which could be a problem ... btw, is based in my personal encounters with Staffy Bulls.)[/nq]
[nq:1]I really hesitated to bring this up because I'm not breed prejudiced, but a woman I know in St. Louis, an experienced Staffy owner and agility competitor, had two fingers bitten completely off by her own Staffy puppy this year.[/nq]
By a Staffy Bull?!? One of the little guys? They're only Sheltie-sized (well, Sheltie height anyway; I'm sure they're heavier). I can see an American Staffordshire Terrier having the strength to bite off fingers but not a Staffordshire Bull Terrier - are we thinking about the same breed?
And JFWIW, the only Staffy Bull I've spent any time around was a complete sweetheart with both people and dogs.

Dianne

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Rocky:

[nq:2]Why not enter him in a Jumpers round? I know a few people who, when starting out, only entered Jumpers.[/nq]
[nq:1]Or enter a "games" trial, and do Tunnelers.[/nq]
Another great game! Rocky's got one Q in it from his last NADAC trial a few years ago.

Matt. Rocky's a Dog.

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Sionnach:

[nq:1]Staffies aren't particularly hotheaded... less so than the average JRT, IMO.[/nq]
Like I said, it's based in my personal experience of Staffies - which is limited to five (they're not a very common breed), but includes a *** whose mission in life is to
fight with any other female dog, and some males, who cross her path. It's innate temperament, too - she "turned on", more so than any Pit I've ever seen, at about 7 months.
The others are males, and more laid back, but I trust them off-leash around my dogs exactly as much as I trust Pits - they have very similar tendencies to trigger into fighting with little or no obvious sign. I don't know any JRTs who have that sort of fight drive.
And to clarify my previous statement, my experience with them isn't in agility class; but the ones I know would ALL require a LOT of maintenence - more than I think is a good idea for a beginning handler.
[nq:1]And less than lots of the high-drive border collies that clueless people are getting these days.[/nq]
I've never known a BC who displayed fight drive like that, either. Snarky ones, freaky ones, etc., yes; but never seen one that lives to challenge other dogs, and fights for the joy of it, in bull-breed fashion. Which is VERY much the temperament of the Staffy I'm familiar with. Although I agree that there are far too many handlers out there who confuse "out of control" with "high drive". :-P
[nq:1]Learning how to manage your dog's behavior should be part of every agility handler's training.[/nq]
Yes, of course. But my point is that a dog-aggressive dog who needs extra managing is not, IMO, the best choice for a newbie handler, especially
since in this case the person would apparently also be a newbie dog owner.
[nq:1]If you've had an experience with a Staffy in class going after another dog,[/nq]
See above. My experience with Staffies isn't in agility, and is that they can be as dedicated to fighting as my JRT is to hunting. And again, my point WRT agility is that I think that it could be a bit much for someone who is both an agility newbie and a dog novice.
[nq:1]But of course anyone who freaks at the notion that dogs might be aggressive definitely shouldn't get any terrier.[/nq]
WTF is that coming from? Nobody said anything about "freaking at the notion that dogs can be aggressive". It's simply - once again- that all the Staffs I know require extra management because they are* somewhat dog aggressive, with one of them being *seriously dog aggressive, and IMO that would be a bit much for someone who is not only a newbie to agility, but a novice dog owner.

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Rocky:

[nq:1]And JFWIW, the only Staffy Bull I've spent any time around was a complete sweetheart with both people and dogs.[/nq]
To add another FWIW, I know an unneutered Staffy Bull fairly well (I think that I've mentioned Eric before). A very nice boy who's been good with my dogs and (goes with saying) people.

Matt. Rocky's a Dog.

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Tara:

[nq:2]And JFWIW, the only Staffy Bull I've spent any time around was a complete sweetheart with both people and dogs.[/nq]
[nq:1]To add another FWIW, I know an unneutered Staffy Bull fairly well (I think that I've mentioned Eric before). A very nice boy who's been good with my dogs and (goes with saying) people.[/nq]
And I knew a show staffy bull who lived in an experienced home who almost killed the other older staffy bull she lived with..after more than 2 years together. I've known only half a dozen altogether. FWIW, I've adored each and every one of them. The potential dog aggression thing is too much for me to handle, though I certainly understand why people are willing to work with that in order to live with those sweetie pies. However, I live in an extremely dog dense area, so it's not something I'd be signing up for soon.
Tara

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Robin Nuttall:

[nq:1]By a Staffy Bull?!? One of the little guys?[/nq]
A Staffy Bull. Yes.
They're only
[nq:1]Sheltie-sized (well, Sheltie height anyway; I'm sure they're heavier). I can see an American Staffordshire Terrier having the strength to bite off fingers but not a Staffordshire Bull Terrier - are we thinking about the same breed?[/nq]
Yep, and she did. I'd actually seen the dog before the incident. Not enough to know anything about its temperament though. FWIW, the woman is fairly small boned and the dog took the fingers across the bone between the knuckle and joint.

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Susan Fraser:

[nq:1]For small dogs, why not a cocker? While they can be fast, they also are usually very adaptable to the owner, and more forgiving than some breeds in agility.[/nq]
Yanno, Melissa, I hadn't even thought of them! But now that you put it in my mind - hmmm, small but still the sporting temperament I'm used to. I guess I am mostly scared of the horribly bad temperament in a couple I've known. I know, I know, they were probably puppy mill/BYB dogs, but my limited experience with cockers has not been good.
So enlighten me just bit if you don't mind. It's English Cockers you're talking about, right? Are there still field cockers being bred anywhere? Or are there any actual 'agility' lines? IOW, what would you suggest I go about looking for in a breeder/pedigree to get a stable family dog that would still have some spunk for performance events?
Susan Fraser, owned and trained by
BeBop a Lu SheBop SH
Shamma Lamma Ding Dong CD MH **
and Gris-Gris Gumbo YaYa
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RE: Small agility/family dog? page 9

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