Temperament: Tenacious, Devoted, Loyal, Friendly, Attentive, Courageous
Weight: Female: 62–88 lbs (28–40 kg), Male: 62–88 lbs (28–40 kg)
Colors: Black, Brindle, Fawn, Sable, Blue, Brown
Height: Female: 17–18 inches (43–46 cm), Male: 18–19 inches (46–48 cm)
HISTORY / ORIGIN:
The story of the Staffordshire Bull Terrier is a relatively brief one in the grand scheme of canine history, but it can be confused by the several different names hung on the breed at various times. The Bull-and-Terrier, the Patched Fighting Terrier, the Staffordshire Pit-dog, and the Brindle Bull are a few of the Stafford’s historical aliases.
Staffordshire Bull Terriers are among the AKC terriers, such as the Bull Terrier and American Staffordshire Terrier, classified as “bull types.” All have a similar backstory. A few centuries ago, in the days when betting on the outcome of dog-oriented blood sports was all the rage in England, gamblers bred ferocious dogs to excel in these ghastly affairs. The granddaddy of these breeds was the Bulldog, created for the horrifying spectacle of bull-baiting.
Blood sports were outlawed in 1835, but pit-dog wagering continued as an underground activity. In these illicit pits, usually housed in a cellar, away from the prying eyes of the law, dogs would either do battle against one another, gladiator-style, or would be set against a sack full of rats. Gamblers took Bulldogs, unemployed after bull-baiting went by the boards, and crossed them with quick, feisty terriers. The results were fighting dogs with the punishing jaws of a Bulldog and the fiery spirit of a terrier.
From among the profusion of breeds created in this way, most now extinct, the Staffordshire Bull Terrier, perfected by one James Hinks, of Birmingham, England, in the mid-19th century, emerged as one of the most successful and enduring. The breed name that finally came to these burly, broad-skulled terriers is a nod to the county of Staffordshire, where the breed was especially popular.
After the Staffordshire Bull arrived in North America in the 1880s, breeders developed a taller, heavier offshoot, the American Staffordshire Terrier, or AmStaff. Since then, more than a hundred years of responsible breeding has transformed both breeds from brawlers to trustworthy family companions.
DESCRIPTION:
The Staffordshire Bull Terrier is a muscular dog, very strong for its size. The head is short and deep with a broad skull, short foreface, distinct stop and strong jaws. The nose is black. The teeth meet in a scissors bite. The lips should be tight and clean. The round eyes are dark in color, in relation to the coat. The somewhat small ears are either rose or half pricked. The front legs are straight. Dewclaws are sometimes removed and the paws are medium sized and well padded. The low-set tail is thicker at the base, tapering to a point and carried low. The tail should not curl much and may be likened to an old-fashioned pump handle. The smooth, short coat comes in red, fawn, white, black or blue, or any of these colors with white and in any shade of brindle with or without white markings.
TEMPERAMENT:
The Staffordshire Bull Terrier does everything full throttle: play, work and love. It is extremely courageous and obedient, affectionate with a sense of humor. One owner of this breed says, "Staffordshire Bull Terriers are very people friendly. They are not particularly wary of strangers in almost all circumstances—although I've heard a few anecdotes about some being wary of particular people. My dogs are always happy to meet new people!" The breed’s reputation with children is second to none. Adored and adoring within its family circle. It is usually good with other pets in the household, but without a stern, human pack leader giving timely corrections when needed, it may be combative with dogs outside the family. Socialize them well. This breed is intelligent, persistent and active. Not a good swimmer. As a puppy these dogs tend to chew a great deal so make sure you provide them with plenty of chew toys. Their powerful jaws will tear though vinyl toys to get to the squeaker in no time. This can be dangerous if the dog swallows the plastic. Be sure to only give your Staffie strong toys. Do not let puppies chew on human hands. Do not allow your dog to be off its leash unless it is safe to do so. They can be trained for agility and competitive obedience. The breed competes in agility and obedience in the UK at the highest level. Staffies love a challenge and variety. Owners need to protect these dogs from injuring themselves. Totally fearless and curious, they're liable to jump off of a deck or walk through broken glass. They can be difficult to housebreak. These dogs are not recommended for most families, because they need every member of their family to be a firm, confident, consistent pack leader, providing rules they must follow and placing limits on what they can and cannot do. Without this, they will become stubborn and hard to handle. The objective in training this dog is to achieve pack leader status. It is a natural instinct for a dog to have an order in its pack. When we humans live with dogs, we become their pack. The entire pack cooperates under a single leader. Lines are clearly defined and rules are set. You and all other humans MUST be higher up in the order than the dog. That is the only way your relationship can be a success.
HEALTH PROBLEMS:
Prone to cataracts, HC and PHPV (both eye complaints), although through screening of both parents this can be avoided. DNA work in the UK is very nearly complete as to cure this (people should ensure they buy from eye tested parents, and that puppies are screened at a few weeks old). Hip dysplasia is occasionally seen. Prone to mast cell tumors. Puppies are prone to having an elongated soft palate. Like all the bully type breeds, Staffordshire Bull Terriers often have gas problems.
Pit bull comparisons (wikipedia.org)
Modern Staffords are often confused with the fighting pit bull-types because they share common ancestors that date back to the early 1800s when pit fighting was a popular sport. As a result, Staffords are considered among the breeds with a stigma attached relative to the "chav culture",[26] and have been termed "status dogs".[47][48] Globally, pit bull-types including Staffordshire Bull Terriers have made local news for acts of aggression, but breed advocates have raised questions about the veracity of visual breed identification, and media hype.[49][50] News reports often treat the breed as one that attacks other dogs.[51] Similar breeds have been associated with bites to humans.[52]
Early DNA research found some genetic links between breed and behaviour. A 2022 study from the National Human Genome Research Institute described in detail how non-coding variations in the dog genome are associated with behavioural traits of various breeds.[53] They found heritable patterns in terriers "consistent with working roles involving catching and killing prey".[53] Another 2022 study, from the Broad Institute, concluded that most behavioural traits are heritable whereas behaviour "only subtly differentiates breeds".[54] That study found that dog breeds that have been stereotyped as being aggressive, such as pit bull types, were not more aggressive than other dogs. The results of that paper indicate that dog behaviour is primarily "shaped by their environment, not their breed".
