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About To Get My First Staffy Puppy


sm3rf
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Hi guys, so I've been wanting to get my own dog for years but different events/circumstances in my life have prevented it but finally it is time!

I've decided to go with a staffy, i love the look of breed and i've had good experience's with them (a few close friends have owned them)

He is going to be mainly an inside dog as we have an old queenslander and the fencing outside isnt to great ( i have checked the housemate landlord they are fine with a dog)

So the one i've decided to go for is the brindle/black male (third photo) in the following link:

He is $600

http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/stafford-heights/dogs-puppies/english-staffy-puppies/1011048353#

I went and saw him today with all his brothers and sisters, all playing in the yard when i got there!

They all looked healthy and happy. The one i am buying is a cute little guy, runt of the litter which made him a little shy but i like that.

They have had all their shots/worming & micro chipping.

Both the parents were there i gave them a bit of a rough play and they seemed to have a good temperament.

The puppies/were separated from the parents as the owner said that now that they have teeth & they are trying to feed the mother doesn't enjoy that.

Also one of the puppies had an abscess on its stomach which the owner openly told me about fairly early into me seeing the puppies. She said they were considering giving that one away.

They were concerned about where the puppy was going/asked me questions which was good.

My main reason for this post was just to check if I've missed anything just to make sure im getting a healthy pup :)

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Ask them have the parents been tested for L2-HGA and HC and ask to see the results. If they cannot produce the papers certifying that they are clear or the status of one is clear and the other carrier, then my advice is to walk away now.

There's one thing for sure, you could be buying any old cross.

You've come to a forum that promotes ANKC pedigree dogs and there's no way I'm going to tell you to buy one from a back yard breeder

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Ask them have the parents been tested for L2-HGA and HC and ask to see the results. If they cannot produce the papers certifying that they are clear or the status of one is clear and the other carrier, then my advice is to walk away now.

There's one thing for sure, you could be buying any old cross.

You've come to a forum that promotes ANKC pedigree dogs and there's no way I'm going to tell you to buy one from a back yard breeder

"Like"

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Also one of the puppies had an abscess on its stomach which the owner openly told me about fairly early into me seeing the puppies. She said they were considering giving that one away.

:( Why doesnt she just have it treated?

I agree with the others, walk away and find a breeder who health tests. Not worth the heart ache. $600 for an unpapered Staffy is a rip off too. For only a couple of hundred more you could get a real Staffordshire Bull Terrier from health tested parents.

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I had to duck away and didn't get to finish writing.

You might also like to ask them what they know about the grand parents and great grand parents . SBT's can in some lines be prone to demodex and allergy, I would not be buying from anyone who does not know about the ancestors.

Do some reading on SBT's and eye conditions and ask the "breeder" what they know about them. Chances are the back yard breeder will know nothing and tell you the parents have no problems.

Soemthing else to think about is the breed standard. It might not mean much to you and you may think it's just for "show dogs" but you should be looking for a dog that is bred to the standard. Poorly bred dogs and dogs with poor conformation can have patella, hip, back , elbow and shoulder issues and it's the last thing you need in a breed that is so robust and active.

My final words are a " vet check" will not suffice, it's simply a once over before vaccinations are given and is unlikely to give you any indication of the aforementioned problems.

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I have always maintained that if the breeder of the dog doesn't know the correct name for the breed, that's one hell of an indicator that they have no idea what they're doing.

"Shy" and "runt" also ring alarm bells for me. SBT pups should be robust and outgoing.

I appreciate you've probably already made an emotional commitment to this pup but the best advice I can give you is to look elsewhere.

You might also want to remove the link to the ad. It's a breach of forum rules to post it.

I wonder if the "abscess" on that pup's stomach is an umbilical hernia.

Edited by Haredown Whippets
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ok so looks like the verdict is stay away, is there somewhere that i can find a list of registered breeders for staffy's? But yes i wouldn't like to raise a dog only to see it suffer it's whole life.

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ok so looks like the verdict is stay away, is there somewhere that i can find a list of registered breeders for staffy's? But yes i wouldn't like to raise a dog only to see it suffer it's whole life.

Yep, right here in the puppy listings on the Main Webpage. :)

Word to the wise: avoid the blue pups and do look for health tested parents. SBT breeders here may have a few recommendations.

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Also one of the puppies had an abscess on its stomach which the owner openly told me about fairly early into me seeing the puppies. She said they were considering giving that one away.

:( Why doesnt she just have it treated?

I agree with the others, walk away and find a breeder who health tests. Not worth the heart ache. $600 for an unpapered Staffy is a rip off too. For only a couple of hundred more you could get a real Staffordshire Bull Terrier from health tested parents.

Totally agree with this

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Just want to say good on you for looking into this carefully and not just buying the first pup you see.

It can be difficult to walk away from a cute puppy (and they're all cute really aren't they?), but it is so much more important to get a sound and healthy puppy that you can enjoy sharing your life with for the next 10-15 years.

Good luck - and lucky you getting your first puppy. What an exciting time!

Keep us posted - when the right puppy comes along for you, we'll all want to see photos :)

Staffordshire Bull Terrier Puppy litters are on DOL here - with 75 litters being advertised there are bound to be some great options for you to choose from: http://www.dogzonline.com.au/breeds/puppies/staffordshire-bull-terrier.asp

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I agree, anyone who calls them "English staffys' has no idea, or if they say "huge heads", or 'rare blue",run a mile.

Playing with the parents does not always show their temp, you really don't want a shy pup, could turn out to be fear aggressive.

Ask Pav for some good breeders, pick an outgoing pup, let the breeder guide you, they know their pups best.

You won't pay much more for a stunning well bred healthy pup, when you see a good stafford you will see the difference.

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You have had some good advice, I can only add to make sure you get proper papers with any bull breed pup you buy. (should get proper papers with any breed) If you were to move to Victoria, or other states go the same way, and no one can predict the future, papers may be the saving of your dog's life.

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Just want to say good on you for looking into this carefully and not just buying the first pup you see.

It can be difficult to walk away from a cute puppy (and they're all cute really aren't they?), but it is so much more important to get a sound and healthy puppy that you can enjoy sharing your life with for the next 10-15 years.

Good luck - and lucky you getting your first puppy. What an exciting time!

Keep us posted - when the right puppy comes along for you, we'll all want to see photos :)

Staffordshire Bull Terrier Puppy litters are on DOL here - with 75 litters being advertised there are bound to be some great options for you to choose from: http://www.dogzonline.com.au/breeds/puppies/staffordshire-bull-terrier.asp

This.

You seem to be very inclined to listen to the advice given here, which is not always the case. It's great to see though!

I also agree that $600 for an unreg. puppy is pretty exorbitant! Especially without any kind of health testing.

ETA: With the way BSL is going at the moment I would be even more inclined to go with a papered dog so that you have a way of keeping it safe from laws aimed at "pitbulls".

Edited by BlackJaq
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My Stafford was the quietest/sookiest in the litter... You would never know if you met him now though. He is about as boisterous as they come (but still a massive sook!)

Whilst that may have been the case and you have successfully raised him, it is still best to avoid the shy and scared pups.

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