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My daughter had a Staffie that she rescued when she was a vet nurse.
The dog had been a breeding ***** on a puppy farm that was brought in with mammary cists.
The owner decided not to accept the diagnosis and treatment and just wanted the dog to be put to sleep.
Daughter persuaded the vets to operate and remove the cists and adopted her.
The Staffie was totally deaf (no response from 100dB at all frequencies) and totally unsocialised (didn't recognise a ball) and thought to be about eight years old.
My daughter taught her to respond to hand signals and, when out walking the dog would keep looking back for any signal.
Several footballs were punctured before I bought a basketball, which, being bigger and firmer, survived.
She would spend all day chasing the basketball around the garden (across flowerbeds!) if allowed to.
At the beach she would retrieve stones thrown for her, even if it meant entering the sea and burying her head into the water.
She had two marvellous years living as a puppy - playing all day - until the cancer caught up with her and daughter decided that enough was enough and she was put to sleep and cremated with her ashes kept of course!
My opinion of Staffies was transformed - she was the ugliest example of an ugly breed, but was totally without aggression and just wanted her tummy tickled - a facet that appears to apply to all Staffies that I have encountered since - even those with the 'hard boys' that parade and pretend that their dog is hard and dangerous!
I love them!
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