BREED INFORMATION
About the Breed
The Staffordshire Bull Terrier is extremely loving, smart, funny, and up for any adventure. The breed is known for its love of people, and children in particular. You might hear Staffords referred to as "Velcro Dogs." If you want to live with a Stafford, understand that it will ALWAYS want to be with you. This is not a breed to be left out in the yard or forgotten in a kennel all day.
Most Staffords are funny characters, with great joy and enthusiasm for life that is contagious. Energy levels vary from dog to dog, from calm and sedate to dogs with high energy and drive. When looking to get a Stafford, be sure to talk to the Breeder about what would be the best fit in your home. Energy levels are not entirely predictable in a baby puppy, but the Breeder should be able to steer you in the right direction.
The Stafford is a smart breed, and easily trained. However, they need firm, consistent training from a young age or they might just outsmart their owner and take over the leadership role. An unruly Stafford, allowed free reign in the home, can be difficult and destructive.
The Staffordshire Bull Terrier tends to be a healthy breed overall. Responsible Breeders work to preserve this by health testing their breeding stock. There is some incidence of hip and elbow displaysia in the breed, as well as a few eye problems, but testing helps to reduce the incidence of these problems. Be sure to ask the Breeder about health clearances when looking to purchase a Stafford.
This breed is wonderfully versatile. In addition to making a great family companion, Staffords also perform well in almost any task they are put to. As you may have seen from the photos on our HOME page, our members participate in many activities with their Staffords, including agility, barn hunt, boating, camping, dock diving, flyball, hiking, lure coursing, nose work, obedience, rally, swimming, service/therapy work, weight pulling, and the list goes on!
The Staffordshire Bull Terrier is extremely loving, smart, funny, and up for any adventure. The breed is known for its love of people, and children in particular. You might hear Staffords referred to as "Velcro Dogs." If you want to live with a Stafford, understand that it will ALWAYS want to be with you. This is not a breed to be left out in the yard or forgotten in a kennel all day.
Most Staffords are funny characters, with great joy and enthusiasm for life that is contagious. Energy levels vary from dog to dog, from calm and sedate to dogs with high energy and drive. When looking to get a Stafford, be sure to talk to the Breeder about what would be the best fit in your home. Energy levels are not entirely predictable in a baby puppy, but the Breeder should be able to steer you in the right direction.
The Stafford is a smart breed, and easily trained. However, they need firm, consistent training from a young age or they might just outsmart their owner and take over the leadership role. An unruly Stafford, allowed free reign in the home, can be difficult and destructive.
The Staffordshire Bull Terrier tends to be a healthy breed overall. Responsible Breeders work to preserve this by health testing their breeding stock. There is some incidence of hip and elbow displaysia in the breed, as well as a few eye problems, but testing helps to reduce the incidence of these problems. Be sure to ask the Breeder about health clearances when looking to purchase a Stafford.
This breed is wonderfully versatile. In addition to making a great family companion, Staffords also perform well in almost any task they are put to. As you may have seen from the photos on our HOME page, our members participate in many activities with their Staffords, including agility, barn hunt, boating, camping, dock diving, flyball, hiking, lure coursing, nose work, obedience, rally, swimming, service/therapy work, weight pulling, and the list goes on!
Origins of the Breed
The first element in the history of the Staffordshire Bull Terrier is the terrier. But not the terriers we know today. Early terriers are described as belligerent, grumpy and irritable but of high intelligence. It was also extremely fast which was a necessity in attacking its prey. The terrier was unconcerned for its own fate during the attack, its aim was only to cause as much damage as possible. The terrier would virtually throw itself into the fox hole, drive the fox from hiding and the tear it to pieces in its own lair.
The second element is the bulldog, which it can be said, typifies certain English characteristics: it takes a lot to ruffle it; it exhibits perseverance, endurance and fierce looks. And if it should come to the worst it will be ready for a fight. Breed historians have traced the bulldog back to the early 1600's. From those early days progress of the breed can be followed through its involvement in bull baiting. Desirable traits in those days were gameness, intelligence, endurance and a powerful body structure low to the ground in order to minimize vulnerability.
The Stafford type breed developed because of the special requirements demanded of a successful dog fighter as opposed to a dog most suited to bull baiting. The bulldog would crawl along the ground towards the tethered bull and at the right moment seize the bull by its nose and hang on with all its might. Such a technique would not be suitable in the dog pit. Bearing in mind the mentality of the mob which would not have been entertained by a dog which held back from the fray. So the faster and smarter characteristics of the working terrier were introduced. By crossing the bulldog with a terrier, a dog was developed which could provide a tough and varied fight, combining the toughness and stamina of the bulldog with the speed and intelligence of the terrier.
The Breed Today
Before taking a dog into one's home the deciding factor should always be "Is this dog suitable for my family and myself?" At first the Staffordshire Bull Terrier seems like a contradiction— he looks so tough, but his approach to the human race is loving and all-encompassing. His patience and gentle ways with children are legendary. Many words are used to describe the Stafford but most common are courage, tenacity, stubborn, high intelligence, and indomitable. Staffords are inclined to protect people and not property. Their alert, muscle bound appearance makes for a strong visual impact on would be intruders! These virtues, combined with a love of people and a stable nature make the Stafford and extremely versatile companion.
A Stafford with a good temperament is intelligent and fearless. It will greet a stranger with positive expectations and will take pleasure from the offer of friendship; it has no reason to feel that in doing so it betrays its owner. Anyone who does not like such open, friendly and happy self-assurance in a dog should not consider a Stafford.
It is also important to remember the roots of the Staffordshire Bull Terrier. In the beginning it was bred to fight to the bitter end. This history is of course a part of the breed. However, the legacy of the dog has resulted in a unique dog in terms of character. A good Stafford is never shy or reclusive, and conversely, should not be snarling and mouthy around people. However, because of its early beginnings, many Staffords may retain an antipathy toward strange dogs if provoked. No other breed can claim the traits of such an all-purpose dog which suits our time so well. Dogs are social creatures and they learn the pecking order and correct pack behavior at an early age. It is the duty of every breeder and owner of Staffords to rear them so that they are reliable and understand it is unacceptable to show aggression towards others. That said, there are Staffords who are just not willing to back down from a challenge from another dog. Because of this, it is our responsibility to manage our dogs in such a way to prevent any incidents of this nature. A Stafford is not a breed to take to the dog park, or to let roam the neighborhood.
If you choose a Stafford the excitement of owning the best pure-bred dog in the world awaits you. Words cannot describe the countless hours of joy and fun that lie ahead. Each morning you will be greeted with a Stafford "smile" and an abundance of exuberant body language revealing its joy in the things it wants to share with you on the road ahead. From the time it awakens in the morning until the quiet of night, a Stafford lives life to the fullest.
The first element in the history of the Staffordshire Bull Terrier is the terrier. But not the terriers we know today. Early terriers are described as belligerent, grumpy and irritable but of high intelligence. It was also extremely fast which was a necessity in attacking its prey. The terrier was unconcerned for its own fate during the attack, its aim was only to cause as much damage as possible. The terrier would virtually throw itself into the fox hole, drive the fox from hiding and the tear it to pieces in its own lair.
The second element is the bulldog, which it can be said, typifies certain English characteristics: it takes a lot to ruffle it; it exhibits perseverance, endurance and fierce looks. And if it should come to the worst it will be ready for a fight. Breed historians have traced the bulldog back to the early 1600's. From those early days progress of the breed can be followed through its involvement in bull baiting. Desirable traits in those days were gameness, intelligence, endurance and a powerful body structure low to the ground in order to minimize vulnerability.
The Stafford type breed developed because of the special requirements demanded of a successful dog fighter as opposed to a dog most suited to bull baiting. The bulldog would crawl along the ground towards the tethered bull and at the right moment seize the bull by its nose and hang on with all its might. Such a technique would not be suitable in the dog pit. Bearing in mind the mentality of the mob which would not have been entertained by a dog which held back from the fray. So the faster and smarter characteristics of the working terrier were introduced. By crossing the bulldog with a terrier, a dog was developed which could provide a tough and varied fight, combining the toughness and stamina of the bulldog with the speed and intelligence of the terrier.
The Breed Today
Before taking a dog into one's home the deciding factor should always be "Is this dog suitable for my family and myself?" At first the Staffordshire Bull Terrier seems like a contradiction— he looks so tough, but his approach to the human race is loving and all-encompassing. His patience and gentle ways with children are legendary. Many words are used to describe the Stafford but most common are courage, tenacity, stubborn, high intelligence, and indomitable. Staffords are inclined to protect people and not property. Their alert, muscle bound appearance makes for a strong visual impact on would be intruders! These virtues, combined with a love of people and a stable nature make the Stafford and extremely versatile companion.
A Stafford with a good temperament is intelligent and fearless. It will greet a stranger with positive expectations and will take pleasure from the offer of friendship; it has no reason to feel that in doing so it betrays its owner. Anyone who does not like such open, friendly and happy self-assurance in a dog should not consider a Stafford.
It is also important to remember the roots of the Staffordshire Bull Terrier. In the beginning it was bred to fight to the bitter end. This history is of course a part of the breed. However, the legacy of the dog has resulted in a unique dog in terms of character. A good Stafford is never shy or reclusive, and conversely, should not be snarling and mouthy around people. However, because of its early beginnings, many Staffords may retain an antipathy toward strange dogs if provoked. No other breed can claim the traits of such an all-purpose dog which suits our time so well. Dogs are social creatures and they learn the pecking order and correct pack behavior at an early age. It is the duty of every breeder and owner of Staffords to rear them so that they are reliable and understand it is unacceptable to show aggression towards others. That said, there are Staffords who are just not willing to back down from a challenge from another dog. Because of this, it is our responsibility to manage our dogs in such a way to prevent any incidents of this nature. A Stafford is not a breed to take to the dog park, or to let roam the neighborhood.
If you choose a Stafford the excitement of owning the best pure-bred dog in the world awaits you. Words cannot describe the countless hours of joy and fun that lie ahead. Each morning you will be greeted with a Stafford "smile" and an abundance of exuberant body language revealing its joy in the things it wants to share with you on the road ahead. From the time it awakens in the morning until the quiet of night, a Stafford lives life to the fullest.
For more information on the Staffordshire Bull Terrier, we encourage you to visit the Staffordshire Bull Terrier Club of America (National Breed Club) website: www.sbtca.com