Some dog breeds have, it seems, been harshly branded as ‘hard dogs’ by the media and are finding that image difficult to shake off, even when the reality is far from the truth. The real problem seems to be when irresponsible dog owners are looking for what they consider ‘tough breeds’ to act as guard dogs and to replace some element of their manhood that is missing from their lives.

Staffordshire bull terriers are one such dog breed that has been singled out by dog owners looking for fierce dogs, yet all too often finding that the dogs themselves are meek, mild and playful – far from their portrayed media image. This results in the poor dogs being abandoned by their owners for no being ‘hard enough’.

The problem is particularly rife in Scotland as SPCA workers in Edinburgh have taken in record numbers of Staffordshire bull terriers that have been abandoned by their foolish owners.

The Balerno centre reports that out of the current dogs it has looking for new homes, 80% of them are Staffordshire bull terriers or cross breeds with Staffs. Equally, Seafield’s Dog and Cat Home in Edinburgh states that out of the dogs it has on its books, (more…)