Skip to Content

Why Do Staffies Talk? [5 REASONS]

Why Do Staffies Talk? [5 REASONS]

The Staffordshire bull terrier is a remarkable beast of a creature. “Staffies”, as they are affectionately called, an energetic, intelligent, and bold breed that stands apart from others in both stature and confidence.

Post Contents show

A unique attribute of staffies is that some are capable of stringing a few words together, albeit in mumbles. Nevertheless, this attribute makes them the subject of more than a few funny dog compilation videos online.

So,

Why do staffies talk?

Staffie does talk because they are trying to grab the attention of a person and to express frustration, irritation, excitement, and alarm. These sounds may be described as snorts grunts, and whines. Some people believe that staffies are vocal in this manner due to their characteristically shorter snouts and throat structure, making it possible for air coming from their lungs to come out producing interesting sounds.

Why do staffies mean by their noises?

What is usually regarded as ‘talking’ sounds are merely a number of funny sounds that staffies make from time to time.

Although there is no consensus on what every staffie means by each of these noises, here are some clues to their meanings.

1. Snorting – this noise can come about due to being overly excited, an allergic reaction to something, or when you pull the leash a bit too hard.

2. Grunting – this noise might come about when your staffie is excited, for instance when you walk through the door after being away for a while and he or she sees you. Your staffie might also grunt when he is content or relaxed.

3. Moaning – this noise might come about for a variety of reasons, from excitement such as after a cool bath to an illness due to the sensation of pain.

Overall, being attentive to your staffie will clue you into what is causing him to make these noises. For instance, being hungry, boredom, or excited – based on the activity he should be having at that time or the activity he just finished. In other words, context is key!

Sometimes, when your staffie makes these noises over an extended period of time, he or she might be dealing with pain or irritation of some kind. Therefore, it is recommended that under such an occurrence, you should consult a vet as soon as possible.

When staffies ‘talking’ is beneficial

The good thing about your staffie ‘talking’ is that it is something else that you can use to understand him better.

One of the challenges with having a dog as a pet is our failure to understand what they need at any given time – or even to prompt us when they need something. In cases of an underlying illness, this is not good.

So, the vocal nature of staffies is something to be thankful for.

Also, staffies are not only expressive in their whines, growls, snorts, grunts, and moans; they also use their bodies to communicate exceptionally well.

For instance, staffies will get worked up when they are excited and it shows through their body movements like wagging their bottom and their tail.

Therefore, it is easier to ‘read’ the normal behavior of your staffie just by how he or she acts. So that when something is wrong (often indicated by a gloomy disposition in most dogs), you’ll know and take action instantly.

Secondly, staffies make affectionate companions because of their vocalizations. That is, you might find it quicker to bond with your staffie because when you’re both on the same page, he’ll let you know.

When staffies ‘talking’ becomes problematic

Although the sounds that staffies make can be a ball of fun, it can test your patience at times.

For instance, the shorter snouts and throat structure, combined with their stocky body figure, makes it more likely that your staffie would wake you up with his snoring. For light sleepers, this can be a big deal.

In other cases, having your staffie interrupt quiet social gatherings can also be a challenge for some people.

In either case, training might help you get your vocal staffie in check.

Training to calm a vocal staffie

It may be useful to train your staffie to manage his vocal nature because it can be too much for some people.

For instance, an untrained staffie is likely to go wild whenever he sees you – and then other people probably.

Fortunately, this training is pretty simple and requires little effort.

Whenever he sees you and starts over-reacting, don’t acknowledge him. You might even turn your back on him. Then, when he calms down, pat him a ‘good boy’ and give him a treat.

Eventually, he will learn to not make grunts and snorts every time you or another person walks through the door.

Related Questions

Are Staffordshire bull terriers vocal?

Yes, Staffordshire bull terriers are vocal. Although Staffordshire bull terriers are not frequent barkers, they make a wide array of other noises including grunts, groans, snorts, and moans.

Why does my staffy moan?

Your staffy moans as an indication of happiness, excitement, or as a reaction to pain or an allergic reaction. To best understand the particular reason, it is useful to be attentive and understand the sound in context.

How do staffies show affection?

Staffies show affection by making funny noises such as snorts and grunts, wagging their bottoms and tail, or jumping in for a snuggling.

Why do staffies smile? Staffies smile because they are happy and content. When staffies are calm, they will often keep their mouths open and pull the top part of the mouth into a curved smile upwards so that the tongue flows gloriously over the teeth. This is

Final Thoughts

The Staffordshire bull terrier makes funny noises from time to time. These noises, coupled with their boisterous nature make the staffie a cool, fun, and entertaining companion. Beyond the fun, it is important to pay attention to the staffie during this time so that if he needs something, you can attend to him.