With over 180 dogs and puppies in our Rehoming Centre, some of the dogs in our care get overlooked. This may be due to the following reasons:

Size:

Smaller dogs are often rehomed more quickly than larger dogs.

Breed:

There are lots of misconceptions about certain breeds, especially Bull Breeds such as Staffordshire Bull Terriers and Pit Bull Terriers.

Personality:

Shyer dogs can actively avoid interacting with visitors to our rehoming corridor and some may even bark at certain people, so visitors don’t see their true personality.

Colour:

It is a common and unfortunate trend affecting black dogs in rescue, with many tending to be overlooked for other colours of dog. It is unclear exactly why this occurs. Some say it’s down to superstition (many people associate black with evil or bad luck, like black cats) or the old wives' tale that black dogs are mean. Or even the fact that black dogs don’t tend to photograph as well as lighter coloured dogs. But whatever the reason, we know that the black dogs are just as lovely and handsome as dogs of any other colour!

Will YOU champion our overlooked #TheUnderDogs to find them the homes they so deserve?

We cannot say definitively how quickly your new family member will adjust or settle into your home or how well they will cope being left but we can offer advice to help them feel safe and secure in what we all hope will be their forever home.

Staffordshire Bull Terriers or Staffies as they are more commonly known, make lovely, affectionate pets. Unfortunately we often see a lot of them in Dogs Trust due to overbreeding or those that arrive from dog pounds having been surrendered by people who may not have realised how much care and attention a dog really needs.

Staffies are generally friendly, enthusiastic, snuggle-bugs who are truly committed to their human companions but, like all dogs, they do need to be well socialised from a young age with dogs, humans and other animals. They are very eager to please, so given the right home and some good training and handling, Staffies can prove to be a loving and loyal family pet. Please don’t overlook them when you are thinking about getting a dog.

What you should know about owning a Staffie:

• The Staffordshire Bull Terrier is distinctive in its good looks, and they can be easily identified by their solid, barrel-chested shape. They have earned the nickname ‘keg on legs’ thanks to their compact yet muscular appearance.

• They have an amazing and distinctive vocal range and can emit all kinds of wonderful Staffie sounds such as little pig-like grunts when they are happy.

• Staffies are totally devoted to their families - anyone who shows a Staffie love and attention will get the same back, and more to spare!
• They are intelligent, fun loving and live life full throttle, so need owners who have plenty of time to play with them, and lots of toys to keep them busy.
• Staffies are full of energy, and owners of these power-house dogs soon notice how fit they get from all the exercise they have to do with them.

• Being muscular and strong they need owners that are able to manage them on the lead.

• If left without anything to do for a long time, Staffies can get very bored and may become destructive. They need tough, hard and non-destructive toys.

Choosing to get a dog is a big decision, so please think very carefully about whether you have the time and energy to take one on as, despite the rewards, and like any dog, Staffies do require a huge commitment from their owners in order to lead happy lives.

Pit Bulls are not one specific breed but more a description of the appearance of certain types of Bull Breeds; usually those with square shaped heads, muscular bodies and generally taller than the Staffordshire Bull Terrier.

At one stage they were known as ‘Nanny Dogs’ for their amazing patience and gentleness towards children but sadly due to the many misconceptions surrounding Pit Bulls’ temperament, they have now been banned in some countries.

There are many myths surrounding Pit Bulls that we would like to address:

Myth:

Pit Bulls are aggressive, vicious dogs!

Fact:

In temperament tests carried out by the American Temperament Testing Society Pit Bulls consistently achieved the same or better rating than most dog breeds.

Myth:

Pit Bulls have locking jaws!

Fact:

It’s simply not true, research by Dr. I. Lehr Brisbin, Ph.D., Senior Scientist of University of Georgia concluded, “There is absolutely no evidence for the existence of any kind of ‘locking mechanism’ unique to the structure of the jaw and/or teeth of the American Pit Bull Terrier”.

Fun Fact:

Helen Keller and Theodore Roosevelt both owned Pit Bulls!

It’s important to note that dogs, like people are individuals and shouldn’t be judged by their appearance.

We all have favourite breeds and “types” of dogs and different dogs that catch our eye more so than others. Unfortunately, dogs with Black coats are often overlooked, so much so, this phenomenon has been given the title Black Dog Syndrome or Black Dog Bias.

Rehoming centres across the globe struggle to find forever homes for black dogs as they are simply overlooked by passers-by, they just don’t stand out as much against the background of their kennels as some of the other dogs. Nor do they tend to photograph as well so we tend to skip past them when looking through books of dogs in need of a home or browsing rehoming websites.

Some people blame the association between black dogs and some TV shows and horror movies that portrayed large black dogs as evil. People can also think they’re scarier looking and make the negative assumption that they’re aggressive.

It’s been said that the chromosome (part of their DNA make up) responsible for Black fur is exclusive to domesticated dogs only and that all black wolves are in fact hybrids. So you could say that black dogs are like the “ultimate” domestic pet dog.

Other people say that they’re overlooked as they’re too plain and boring looking. Plain and boring? We think not! We have some of the most incredible and beautiful black dogs who would make excellent life- long companions.