So I was walking Bella today...

There was a man walking a huge looked something like an American Staffy x Great Dane and the guy spotted me walking with my tiny Bella and crossed to the other side of the road. I nodded at him in thank you and I thought "How nice is that?!" Then when the dog spotted Bella and showed interest the guy kicked his dog and pulled him sideways. Such contradictions boggle my brain!

That is sad, he probably just doesn't have good control of his dog and didn't want to get into trouble. On one hand, considerate, on the other... cruel. Both breeds are huge dogs, why one earth do people get huge dogs like this if they can't train them. That said, even little ones can be beyond some people's control. I remember walking mine through our small town one day and a woman with a terrier walked by, he started yapping at us and she just picked him up by the lead and dangled him there and kept on walking, I was aghast!
It's a pity.

When I told a lady at work I was getting a CKCS she said "I used to have one, they are almost a too perfect dog" yep! Many people do not research temperament (especially here with staffies) and that is why so many dogs end up in the pound. I was talking on the Aussie pedigree forum and ask if there has been a rise in Kelpie enquiries since the release of the movie 'Red Dog' and sadly yes, everyone wants a red dog now. Unfortunately Kelpies need long walks twice a day and have huge amounts of energy, they like to dig and are better suited to a farm. I have no doubt we will see many kelpies in the pound soon. It is so sad.

Alana said:

When I told a lady at work I was getting a CKCS she said "I used to have one, they are almost a too perfect dog" yep! Many people do not research temperament (especially here with staffies) and that is why so many dogs end up in the pound. I was talking on the Aussie pedigree forum and ask if there has been a rise in Kelpie enquiries since the release of the movie 'Red Dog' and sadly yes, everyone wants a red dog now. Unfortunately Kelpies need long walks twice a day and have huge amounts of energy, they like to dig and are better suited to a farm. I have no doubt we will see many kelpies in the pound soon. It is so sad.

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I have seen a few Kelpies in agility and flyball. They are great at it just like Collies.

I hate it when I see someone yell at or belittle thier kids in public and no different with dogs. It breaks my heart and I always think, if that's how they treat them when they know people are looking I can only imagine what they do to them when no one is around.

Yes, there are SO many Staffys here in Sydney (and maybe all of Australia??). Which is fine because I have seen Staffys more cuddle and calm than Brooklyn, but unfortunetly, the people who buy Staffys are usually the wrong people to be owning them. They want to be tough and macho and what they end up with is no training and an aggressive dog (by no fault of the dog either). Brooky plays with a Staffy in the dog park whom she LOVES and the Staffy is so sweet. The man and his wife are young and have done a lot of training and love him to bits. It shows too and it is the only Staffy I am happy for Brooky to play with...for now. All owners should be as well trained as our dogs are