Feeling Really Sad And Bad

[JACKYSIAN]

In my 'family' I will ALWAYS have at least 1 or 2 staffie x's. Not only do they give the best kisses and have biggest characters but you save on the heating bills because they cuddle and snuggle amazingly!!

 

Unfortunately I think these bull breeds are only something you learn to appreciate after living with one! I would never ever of thought I'd be a staffie girl, I have always said I wanted big scruffy mutts! Tiz came to me because she was the only one that got on with Cromwell at the rescue, it didn't matter what she looked like! And Cooper came as a foster and of course I failed! Both won me over by their sheer love of life, kindness and genuine natures. I could rehome Tiz and Cooper 100 times, the amount of people who once they've spent time with them adore them!! My dad who has always hated 'staffie types' after having me and my lot to stay said that he could completely understand why I kept Cooper!!

Edited October 8, 2007 by JACKYSIAN

[suzeanna]

I think you do an amazing job Coryn, but the sad fact is that there are just too many dogs and not enough homes, and as with people looking to adopt a child, the pretty ones will usually get chosen first. I'm another who isn't keen on the bullbreeds..their looks just don't appeal although they do have lovely smiles.....and although I would like another dog to keep our lurcher company I would never choose one of them for the simple reason that Dylan hates them with a passion! I don't know if he had a bad experience with one in his past or what, but he can't see one without getting very aggy about it. If we didn't have a dog at all, I would take one like the poor lad with the acid burns, to prove to him that not all humans are so cruel.

I really don't know how you can keep on doing what you do, you have my whole hearted admiration and the thanks of all the dogs you have saved and helped to find new homes.

[celeste]

I'm afraid J-Lo, just dosn't "do it" for me, but the others I would take on in a shot if I was able, I wonder if the shortage of homes for Bull breeds is something to do with the fact that if you like Bull breeds then you are more than likely to already have one or two, and they aren't the easiest of breeds to introduce a new adult dog to , this is the reason I don't have a third dog, I have the time and space but I'd be worried that my two would fight with a newbie

[amanda72]

It really is sad that people go for the cute and fluffies, I would love to have a bull breed, but as my house is not big, and it has two rotts already, unfortunately I can not take in another, but I promise if and when I am in a position to adopt that's what I will do, and no offence to breeders, but there are too many dogs in foster or pounds, for me to go to a breeder.

[cycas]

I wondered that Celeste. It's maybe easier to find foster homes for dogs such as pointies or collies that on the whole tend to accept unfamiliar other dogs more willingly? (also, do pointies fold up smaller than rotties? I'm pretty sure you can get more pointies per square foot of floor!)

 

I also wondered, specifically with Boris and Milo, if their skin looked more in need of specialist care than J-Los? J-Lo looks to my uneducated eye like a dog that mostly needs decent food and flea treatment, whereas poor Boris in particular looks much more of a mess - without knowing what he's got, I'd be a bit worried about whether it was infectious, if it was a foster home type situation?

 

I really do like rotties, but somehow I'd feel more confident to offer to foster J-Lo than Boris. Though perhaps that's partly because I've owned a lurcher but not (yet) a rottie. Though of course there is a lot of prejudice against rotties. My husband would be scared of Boris, but not of J-Lo.

Edited October 8, 2007 by cycas

[Fee]

I can well understand why you feel sad and depressed, but I think perhaps it's not quite fair to suggest that peoples' reaction is all to do with looks or the 'cute and fluffy' factor. Like it or not, lots of people are scared of bull breeds. It may not be reasonable, but it's a fact.

[owl]

I would have taken one of the harder to place ones too, and even if I had called in the first instance for J-Lo and found she had a place, I would have asked if you had another dog in need which would fit into my household.

 

We cannot take any more dogs here at present because of home circumstances, illness etc, but you might be interested to know that the one who I was most drawn to was your 11 yr old xbreed Lucky, who isn't even a fluffy - and I have always had fluffies.

 

I can't imagine ever adopting a staffy as I have always had independent-minded and not very demonstrative working breeds, but never say never! After all, thirty years ago I couldn't imagine ever wanting to live with a dog of any kind.

[Brunzara]

I can well understand why you feel sad and depressed, but I think perhaps it's not quite fair to suggest that peoples' reaction is all to do with looks or the 'cute and fluffy' factor. Like it or not, lots of people are scared of bull breeds. It may not be reasonable, but it's a fact.

 

Where did I suggest that peoples reactions is all to do with looks or the cute and fluffy factor? The whole point of this thread is to ask..................why?

Edited October 8, 2007 by Brunzara

[Fee]

Where did I suggest that peoples reactions is all to do with looks or the cute and fluffy factor? The whole point of this thread is to ask..................why?

 

 

You didn't suggest it, but several other people on the thread did.

 

As to why a lot of people are scared of bull breeds, I guess it's a mixture of media hype and the fact a lot of people only meet staffies etc in the wrong hands and owned by numpties trying to look 'ard. I'm constantly amazed how many people I talk to - doggy people, who generally love all dogs - are convinced beyond reason that bull breeds are all potentially dog aggressive, unpredictable, etc.

 

With those sorts of attitudes to fight against it's very sad but probably not very surprising that many people would consider a dog like J-Lo but wouldn't feel confident about taking a staffie or rottie, for example.

[Jacobean]

You are not being offered the placements for these breeds as quickly because rescues are over-run with them at the moment and already have their quota of them. They know they will be stuck with them for longer. I've never had a staffie as originally I was brought up with Yorkies. We did have an ex racing Greyhound when I was a babe but can't remember much about her apart from she was a very gentle lady. I am the worst home to send a staff or a rottie to at present. Staffies because I have been told time and time again by different peeps inside and outside of rescue that it is difficult to have staffies with other dogs. Some people pull off having 2 staffs together but admit it has taken them a long time to search for the right one that both their current dog and that will accept. Rotties well my home isn't disciplined enough. I think they're brilliant but I haven't the knowledge to live with one of this wonderful breed. I will always have a house full of dogs so can't ever see myself owning a bullie. I'm lucky enough to be able to live with 3 or 4 so I consider by taking in that many I'm trying to keep the numbers down a bit in rescue. 2 of mine could be considered fluffy but neither have been easy. Quite the opposite! Part of the problem with rescues is because people do take in dogs that are unwholly suitable for their circumstances and expertise. That's why a lot of people can't handle bullies and rotties and they end up in this mess. Yes all other breeds too. I know my level of experience and work with what I know. 3 of my current dogs have caused me some huge problems but we've worked through them and have come out the other end just fine. All 3 would be considered wonderful dogs and if put up on a website a lot of calls would be received for them. Well if 2 of them had been younger of course and one wasn't on so much medication. I was lucky that no-one wanted my girls so I got to keep them to myself. In a few years time it will be another breeds turn. Particularly when the bullbreed hype and nasty newspaper stories move on to something else. I hope.

[Brunzara]

I know why I am not getting offered resue spaces for certain types of breeds and have coped with that for a long time now, hence our staggering boarding bills.

 

It's more about the fact that more people pick up the phone to try and help a dog like J-Lo, not all offering to foster etc. just wanting to help in some way and they don't tend to so much for dogs like Boris, Milo and Kyra

[Jacobean]

To be honest I didn't think members of the public did make contact with yourselves with all of the dogs coming from pounds. Or so I thought. You are possibly advertising dogs for foster homes somewhere else then? I'm talking about a whole different set of events. I didn't know you did speak to Joe public. You're right you do need to find a way not to lose your patience as these people may be able to help you another time and you've burnt your bridges with this lady. I can understand but it's part of the job. I no longer help certain people because I find them downright rude. You could find yourself in the same position unfortunately and I know that you aren't normally a rude person. I'm doped up at the moment so I don't know if I'm making any sense. Feel free to ignore me.

[Ian]

I guess different people look at exactly the same photo's & dogs & see totally different things.

 

Although not pleasant for them when I first looked at both Boris & Milo I saw dogs that needed help but I didn't see life threatening conditions. Milo I thought may even have been a mischievous thing whilst straying rather than cruelty. When I first saw J' Lo I thought it definite cruelty, amazing she was "boingy" & that she was lucky she wasn't suffering more severe problems giving her emaciated state.

 

Personally if I were fostering a dog (I assume this lady was offering fostering?) I might well myself have chosen J'Lo of the 4 because she looked the most immediate need of help to me. Chances are if I fostered & nursed any dog back to good health I wouldn't want to see them go again but if I were setting out to adopt a dog I'd much prefer any of the other 3 to a J Lo type dog - I think Staffies are fantastic little personalities & rotties I like too.

 

As to why rescue spaces don't come along quickly for these dogs I think Michelle is probably right on that - many rescues have already got several of each waiting & maybe until the press stops rubbishing them that will always be so - there's a thread on DP about numpty's commenting on somebody with a child daring to look after a staffie whilst the owner is away. With those kind of unjustified attitudes what hope have these poor dogs got of a fair "crack of the whip"?

Edited October 8, 2007 by Ian

[Brunzara]

To be honest I didn't think members of the public did make contact with yourselves with all of the dogs coming from pounds. Or so I thought. You are possibly advertising dogs for foster homes somewhere else then? I'm talking about a whole different set of events. I didn't know you did speak to Joe public. You're right you do need to find a way not to lose your patience as these people may be able to help you another time and you've burnt your bridges with this lady. I can understand but it's part of the job. I no longer help certain people because I find them downright rude. You could find yourself in the same position unfortunately and I know that you aren't normally a rude person. I'm doped up at the moment so I don't know if I'm making any sense. Feel free to ignore me.

 

Michelle, we don't advertise the dogs for foster homes anywhere else, as you know it's not something we do (unless a very very rare exception) and to be honest wouldn't have the time for anyway. It states on our website:

 

We DO NOT rehome pound dogs directly to the public, but we can inform you of the rescue a dog has been moved to if you are interested in a specific dog.

 

But, what happens is people don't read the website properly and no matter how clear we try to make it that the dogs cannot go straight into homes we still get many calls from Joe Public. We have helped a lot of dogs into homes this way by passing on the details to rescues etc. and also gained a lot of support this way so I don't begrudge the phone calls at all. It's just frustrating when your up to phone call no. 20 re. one dog when others don't get any