American Staffy cross Bully

Hi there. A non-KC registered Staffy or a crossbreed would be classed as a "banned type". There’s very little chance of it being cleared during a breed assessment, as a Bully looks physically similar to a Staffy but is much heavier-set, so it will almost certainly meet the physical criteria for a restricted breed. At most, if you choose a Pocket or Micro Bully, you might get lucky and find it’s too small to fit the description, so it wouldn't be "typed". But genetics is a complex business and you can never tell exactly how a crossbreed will turn out. I won't even get into the health issues with those kinds of Bullies—it’s a disaster waiting to happen. Also, at 12 years old, no, you cannot legally own a dog, let alone a restricted breed, and you won't know how to train one. You really need to rethink this choice of crossbreed. When you pick a puppy, you should be doing everything possible to ensure it’s healthy, and in this case, that’s just not going to happen. By the way, I don’t know if you’ve checked the price of Bullies, but they’re quite pricey—you’re looking at at least £2,100—so good luck finding a mug who’ll go for a crossbreed. In short, you can forget about this urge to get a dog that's subject to so much regulation, that won't have a proper life (and neither will its littermates), and that would have a young owner who isn't capable of training a dog properly and who, apparently, doesn't care about animal welfare. Sorry for being a bit blunt, but I hope this gives you food for thought. You shouldn't choose a dog based on looks without caring about its health and well-being. Excuse me, but the reason I asked the question is because I’ve already spoken to my parents about the training and everything.

Hi there. An unregistered Staffy or a crossbreed is automatically placed in the restricted "Category 1" bracket. There’s very little chance it would be downgraded after a breed assessment, as Bullies are physically similar to Staffies—albeit stockier—so it would definitely meet the physical criteria for a Category 1 dog. At most, if you choose a "pocket" or "micro" Bully, you might get lucky and have it be too small to fit the profile and thus be exempted. But genetics is a science, and you can never tell exactly what you'll get with crossbreeding. I won’t even start on the health issues with those types of Bullies; it’s a recipe for disaster. Also, at 12 years old, no, you cannot be a dog owner—certainly not of a restricted breed—and you won't know how to train a dog. This choice of crossbreed is completely wrong. When you decide to get a puppy, you should be doing everything to ensure it’s healthy, and here, that won’t be the case at all. Furthermore, I don’t know if you’re aware of the price of Bullies, but it’s pretty steep; you’re looking at £2,100 at the very least, so I wish you the best of luck finding a mug who’d accept a crossbreed. In short, you can completely forget this "must-have" urge for a dog that’s bound by so many regulations, that won't have a proper life (along with its siblings), and that would have a young owner incapable of training it properly and who seemingly has no concern for animal welfare. Sorry to be so blunt, but I hope this has made you think twice. You don’t pick a dog based on looks without caring about its health and lifestyle. Actually, that’s not an issue, I’m only asking because I know someone who’s planning on crossing their AmStaff with a Bully.

Right, let’s get one thing straight: Legally, at 12 years old, it is strictly illegal to own a "banned type" dog. And if I’m not mistaken, an Amstaff that isn’t KC registered is automatically put into that category. Besides, wanting a dog like that (and I’m assuming it’s purely for the "look") is just plain stupid. It only encourages irresponsible backyard breeders to produce unregistered Amstaffs and crosses. And that’s how poor innocent puppies end up never being able to enjoy an off-lead walk or go out without a muzzle. Brilliant, isn’t it? I won’t even go into the fact that a 12-year-old having a dog of their own is totally unthinkable. If you want to avoid making dogs miserable, wait until you’re an adult and independent, then go and rescue a poor dog from the RSPCA or a local shelter that was born and abandoned because of people who are happy to "create" restricted breeds. It’s not just about the look, but sorry if I’ve got an answer for everything.

When I see kids like this, I can’t help but think of Veruca Salt in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory: "Daddy, I WANT a squirrel!" @Ticrabe, you're 12 years old; you've got better things to do than having a dog all to yourself. Besides, you wouldn't even be able to walk it because you're a minor, and that's illegal when the dog is a restricted breed. Stop throwing tantrums; when you're grown up AND mature, then you can have a dog. A dog isn't a cuddly toy, and it’s not all sunshine and rainbows.

Hi there, Looking at your profile, it says you’re 12 – are your parents okay with you adopting a dog? When you say "what to expect", what exactly do you mean by that? Yes, they’re on board, but it won’t be straight away as we’re right in the middle of moving house. When I talk about what to expect, I want to know what kind of food they need (wet food or dry food) and, most importantly, about their temperament. As I said before, I won’t be the only one looking after it as the dog won’t just be mine. I really want one because I’m very passionate about the breed, and I think it’s so unfair to say that AmStaffs are dangerous dogs. There are bad owners, not bad dogs – a dog just reflects the behaviour of its owner. But anyway, based on your replies, maybe I shouldn’t get an AmStaff-type dog. I know crossbreeds can cause a lot of issues, but I know people who can help me. So, another question: how can I choose the dog that suits me best? Could you help me, as this will be my first dog, even though my parents have had them before?

I don’t want to sound like a grumpy old woman, but at 12 years old, surely it’s the parents who should be making that kind of decision? Let’s face it, further down the line there will be internships to do and tiny flats to move into... and who does the dog end up with? The parents!!

Hi there, A Staffy cross without a pedigree is basically asking for trouble as it will likely be 'typed' as a Pit Bull under the Dangerous Dogs Act. There’s very little chance it wouldn't be classified as a banned breed during an assessment, because even though a Bully is more heavily built, it physically resembles a Pit Bull and will almost certainly meet the legal criteria. At a push, if you went for a pocket or micro Bully, you might get lucky and have it be too small to fit the description, so it wouldn't be restricted. However, genetics is a complex business and you can never be sure exactly what you’ll get with crossbreeds. I won’t even get into the health risks with those kinds of Bullies—it’s a recipe for disaster. Also, at 12 years old, no, you cannot be a legal dog owner, let alone own a breed that’s subject to so much legislation, nor do you have the experience to train one. You really need to rethink this choice of crossbreed; when you decide to get a puppy, you should be doing everything possible to ensure it’s healthy, and in this case, that’s far from the truth. Besides, I’m not sure if you’re aware of how much Bullies cost, but it’s quite a hefty sum—you’re looking at £2,100 minimum. Good luck finding a sucker who’d agree to a crossbreed for that price. In short, you can completely forget this "must-have" urge for a dog that’s mired in red tape, that won't have a decent quality of life (along with its siblings), and whose young owner wouldn't be able to train it properly and clearly doesn't care about animal welfare. Sorry for being a bit blunt, but I hope this gives you some food for thought. You don't pick a dog just for its looks without worrying about its quality of life and health.

Right, let's get one thing straight: Legally, at 12 years old, it is strictly illegal for you to own a banned breed. And if I’m not mistaken, an Amstaff without papers is automatically classified as a banned type. Plus, wanting a dog like that (and I’m guessing it’s just for the look) is quite frankly stupid, as it just encourages irresponsible backyard breeders to churn out litters of unregistered Amstaffs and crosses. And that’s how these poor, innocent pups end up never being able to enjoy a walk off-lead or without a muzzle. Brilliant, isn't it? I won’t even get into the fact that having your own dog at 12 is just unthinkable. If you want to avoid making dogs miserable, just wait. Once you’re an adult and independent, go and rescue a poor dog from the RSPCA or a local shelter—one that was born and then abandoned because of people who are happy to "breed" dogs that fall under the banned list.