Importing a British Staffordshire Bull Terrier!!

[Howeetest D 18]

Trying to move to AZ and I'm just wondering if I can bring a British Staffy! Keep reading contradicting information so I'm lost ???

Please help.

[NikLR 13,220]

Depends if where you are moving to has a ban on the breed or not. If they have a ban on the american version or any pit bull type then you may be out of luck.

Edited April 11, 2015 by NLR

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

Many of the terriers are banned from housing or you can't get insurance on your home if you own one. Stupid people have used them for fighting and breed them to be aggressive so the whole breed suffers.

[Not a Tailor 1,370]

You'll want to check state and municipal law where you're planning to move to. You'll also want to talk to your landlord where you're planning to move--most landlords have strict 'no pit bulls' policies, but because yours isn't American and stuff, you may be able to get references from neighbours and a trainer attesting to the character of the dog and agree to carry a million dollars' liability insurance. Otherwise you'll have to move to somewhere you own yourself or there are usually a HANDFUL of pit-friendly housing places in an area. See if there are any pit-specific breed rescues in your region or neighbouring regions and ask them for tips on pit-friendly housing.

THEN you have to check with the airline on their policies for shipping an animal. Some airlines count some pits under brachicephalic breeds and won't ship them during certain parts of the year--you may have to get a pet moving company--or there may be some that will not ship pits.

Staffis are WONDERFUL dogs and I have honestly never met a mean one. I want one really, really badly. They're my favourite breed. So smart and loving. Good luck.

[Boiler 43,363]

I did not think they were Pit Bulls, not banned in UK.

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

They are closely related and look enough alike to people that you will get complaints.

The American Staffordshire Terrier and the American Pit Bull Terrier (APBT) were bred from the same lineage, but received different names from the two American kennel clubs; Staffordshire was the name given by the American Kennel Club (AKC), and American Pit Bull Terrier by the United Kennel Club (UKC). When compared with the English Staffordshire Bull Terrier, the American Pit Bull Terrier is larger by margins of 6–8 inches (15–20 cm) in height and 25–35 pounds (11–16 kg) in weight.

[Not a Tailor 1,370]

I did not think they were Pit Bulls, not banned in UK.

Staffis are 'pit types' and are banned in Ontario under our pit ban.

Many landlords in the US go by photographs of the dog when determining if you have a pit bull--my wife always has to submit photos of our dog when she moves and our dog is a boston terrier mix who likely has pit in her as well. We're always very careful to give photos that show her at angles that make her look as much like a boston terrier as is possible because it's not unusual for people to ask us if our pup is a pit when we're walking down the street.

[Howeetest D 18]

You'll want to check state and municipal law where you're planning to move to. You'll also want to talk to your landlord where you're planning to move--most landlords have strict 'no pit bulls' policies, but because yours isn't American and stuff, you may be able to get references from neighbours and a trainer attesting to the character of the dog and agree to carry a million dollars' liability insurance. Otherwise you'll have to move to somewhere you own yourself or there are usually a HANDFUL of pit-friendly housing places in an area. See if there are any pit-specific breed rescues in your region or neighbouring regions and ask them for tips on pit-friendly housing.

THEN you have to check with the airline on their policies for shipping an animal. Some airlines count some pits under brachicephalic breeds and won't ship them during certain parts of the year--you may have to get a pet moving company--or there may be some that will not ship pits.

Staffis are WONDERFUL dogs and I have honestly never met a mean one. I want one really, really badly. They're my favourite breed. So smart and loving. Good luck.

Thank you!!!!! This is the most helpful info I've had even from researching online lol.

I'll get my fiancé to find out from our landlord on what the deal is with different dog breeds.

I love British Staffs so would love to bring a British Staff than think about getting an American one.

Many of the terriers are banned from housing or you can't get insurance on your home if you own one. Stupid people have used them for fighting and breed them to be aggressive so the whole breed suffers.

Hopefully we won't have to move but if that's the last option then I guess that's it.

[Not a Tailor 1,370]

I live in a place where pits are banned--Ontario, Canada--but I have a deep and abiding love of Staffis, so I have made a point of acquainting myself with the rules of various places. As soon as my wife and I own our own place, I will have a Staffi. I think they're some of the best dogs in the world. Yes, they can be territorial and not like other dogs, but I used to have a dog-reactive deaf/visually impaired white great dane and I was able to train 150 lbs of deaf/mostly blind dog that at one point went into a blind panic whenever he smelled or caught a shadow of something that COULD be a dog to be so calm walking past other dogs on the street that we could walk right past fenced-in dog parks without fear or concern and there was no danger from him even if another dog came running up off-lead as many idiots in my city would have their dogs walking down the streets without leashes.

Dogs are all about their handlers. The handler needs to understand canine body language (which is a whole language with subtleties) and sadly many dog owners do not take the time to properly learn it. Dogs should NEVER EVER be unattended with children, it doesn't matter breed or size, until the children are old enough to be trusted to leave the dog alone. Children should be taken to dog handling classes at early ages and taught how to properly handle a dog. Dogs should never be taken on-leash into an off-leash space.

Pit-types are no different from any other dog. Yes, they can be dog reactive, but so are many, many other dogs who aren't pits. The difference between a dog that hurts a person or another dog and one who does not, regardless of reactivity level or placidness, is the handler.

[Boiler 43,363]

Some dogs Re inherently safer And some are inherently dangerous. Pits fall in the later and sadly also attract the less responsible owner.

[Not a Tailor 1,370]

Some dogs Re inherently safer And some are inherently dangerous. Pits fall in the later and sadly also attract the less responsible owner.

There's absolutely no scientific or statistical evidence to back up that it is the breed. All the evidence points to owners being the problem, once you control for handler experience. In fact, most studies of pit bull bites boost their numbers by including only bites by pure breds of other breeds under say, golden retrievers or anything but pit, and all pit-types and mixes significantly resembling pits under breeds by pits.

[Boiler 43,363]

Plenty of studies in the UK.

To compare a Golden and a Pit is inane.

[Not a Tailor 1,370]

Plenty of studies in the UK.

To compare a Golden and a Pit is inane.

Is it? Pits consistently score BETTER on temperament testing than goldens. The studies in the UK did not properly control for handler error or handler perception of their dog. Heck, if you want a really great example of breed bans and 'studies' 'controlling' bites, take a good look at the history of breed banning in Italy. At one point they had literally dozens of breeds banned--they kept banning the breed with the highest number of bites, year after year--and their bite frequency did not go down. Compare this to Calgary, Alberta's animal control policy. No breed ban, one of the lowest bite frequencies in the world. Strict animal control, strict rules on how one must behave with one's animal in public, education for children in schools on how to deal with dogs.

Everything points at owners, not breeds.

[Howeetest D 18]

I live in a place where pits are banned--Ontario, Canada--but I have a deep and abiding love of Staffis, so I have made a point of acquainting myself with the rules of various places. As soon as my wife and I own our own place, I will have a Staffi. I think they're some of the best dogs in the world. Yes, they can be territorial and not like other dogs, but I used to have a dog-reactive deaf/visually impaired white great dane and I was able to train 150 lbs of deaf/mostly blind dog that at one point went into a blind panic whenever he smelled or caught a shadow of something that COULD be a dog to be so calm walking past other dogs on the street that we could walk right past fenced-in dog parks without fear or concern and there was no danger from him even if another dog came running up off-lead as many idiots in my city would have their dogs walking down the streets without leashes.

Dogs are all about their handlers. The handler needs to understand canine body language (which is a whole language with subtleties) and sadly many dog owners do not take the time to properly learn it. Dogs should NEVER EVER be unattended with children, it doesn't matter breed or size, until the children are old enough to be trusted to leave the dog alone. Children should be taken to dog handling classes at early ages and taught how to properly handle a dog. Dogs should never be taken on-leash into an off-leash space.

Pit-types are no different from any other dog. Yes, they can be dog reactive, but so are many, many other dogs who aren't pits. The difference between a dog that hurts a person or another dog and one who does not, regardless of reactivity level or placidness, is the handler.

As I can tell you know what you're talking about and seems like you've had experience with dogs. Are American and Brithish Staffis very similar in temperament? Obviously outwardly they look different and are different sizes. Haven't really thought about getting an American Staffis so haven't really researched them. I'm gonna research them so if it comes to the point where I can't bring in a English Staff then I'd like to consider getting an American.

[Not a Tailor 1,370]

As I can tell you know what you're talking about and seems like you've had experience with dogs. Are American and Brithish Staffis very similar in temperament? Obviously outwardly they look different and are different sizes. Haven't really thought about getting an American Staffis so haven't really researched them. I'm gonna research them so if it comes to the point where I can't bring in a English Staff then I'd like to consider getting an American.

The temperament is quite stable among reputable breeders in the US. I've found some GORGEOUS kennels. Look for animals that are being run in dog sport--vicious dogs are banned in dog sport so breeders breeding for sport dogs have to breed for temperament and soundness, not just the appearance for the show ring. Wavemaker Staffords is one of my favourite kennels right now. My wife has similar taste in dogs and loves Homebrewed and Yankeestaff. Remember, of course, that any dog you get, especially a smart breed like a Staffi, will need training and mental exercise. It's a big committment, especially if you're going for a sport-bred dog, but the payout is amazing from everything I hear. The sport bred dogs are so well tempered. I grew up in dog sport before the breed ban in Ontario and man, pit-types did so well, along with a lot of shepherd types and Nova Scotia Duck Tollers (though the NSDT tended to be one-person dogs and not want anything to do with a human who wasn't their own--the pits and shepherds were much more outgoing and wanted to be friends with everyone)