History

Before the 19th Century, bloodsports such as bull baiting, bear baiting and cock fighting were common. Bulls bought to market were set upon by dogs as a way of tenderising the meat and providing entertainment for the spectators; and dog fights with bears, bulls and other animals were often organised as entertainment for both Royalty and Commoners. Early bull terrier early breeders were not breeding for the handsome visual specimen of the breed today. Instead, they were primarily breeding for an elusive and hard to define characteristic known as "gameness", perhaps best described as pluckiness or courage. The pitting of dog against bear or bull tested the gameness, strength and skill of the dog. These early "proto-staffords" provided the ancestral foundation stock for the Staffordshire Bull Terrrier, the American Pit Bull Terrier and the American Staffordshire Terrier.

These bloodsports were officially eliminated in 1835 as Britain began introduce animal welfare laws. Since dogfights were cheaper to organise and far easier to conceal from the law than bull or bear baits, bloodsport proponents turned to pitting their dogs one against another instead. Dog fighing was used as both a bloodsport (often involving gambling) and as an effort to continue to test the quality of their stock. For decades afterwards, dog fighting clandestinely took place in pockets of working class Britain and America. Dogs were released in a pit, and the last dog still fighting (or occasionally, the last dog surviving) was recognised as the winner. The quality of pluckiness or "gameness" was still highly prized, and dogs that gave up during a fight were reviled as "curs". As an important aside, fighting dogs were often handled in the pit during fights, by both their owners and the judge, so were bred to be as trustworthy with humans as they were aggressive towards other dogs.

It is this nefarious history that gives the stafford his celebrated temperament, as in the words of the American Kennel Club: "from the past history of the Staffordshire Bull Terrier, the modern dog draws its character of indomitable courage, high intelligence, and tenacity. This, coupled with its affection for its friends, and children in particular, its off-duty quietness and trustworthy stability, makes it a foremost all-purpose dog."

Appearance

Lovingly referred to as a "keg on legs", the Staffordshire Bull Terrier is a stocky, muscular dog that exudes character, strength and athletic ability. Their expressive countenances indicate their mood and intelligence. They have a broad head, defined occipital muscles, a relatively short foreface, half prick ears, dark round eyes and a wide mouth with a clean scissor-like bite. The cheek muscles are usually pronounced and give the impression of strength. Their lips show no looseness. The head tapers down to a strong well muscled neck and shoulders placed on squarely spaced forelimbs. Their feet are neat and tight and with frequent exercise. Their nails should need little to no trimming. Their rib cage is well sprung and is topped by a level top line. They are tucked up in their loins and the last rib of their cage should be visible. Their tail is carried like an old fashioned pump handle and should be neither too long nor too short. Their hind quarters are well muscled and are the drive in the Staffie's gait, being well let down in the hock. They should look like a train coming and going.

They may be coloured black, brindle, red, blue(rare), white, or any blending of these colours with white. White with any colour over an eye is known as piebald or pied'. Liver-coloured and black and tan dogs sometimes occur but these are considered an unacceptable colour for the showring or any reputable breeding program. The coat is uniformly smooth and never trimmed.The dogs stand 35-40 cm (14-16 in) at the withers and weigh 13-20 kg (24-38 lb) with bitches on the lighter side and male dogs on the heavier side.

Temperament

Terrier breeds are generally bold and inquisitive (to the point of often ignoring their owner’s calls) and fearless. Whilst its origins are "blood sport" related, the Staffie is renowned for its reliability as a family dog. They are extremely loving dogs, being loyal and devoted to man, with special emphasis on their reliability with children. The breed thrives in the family environment, being a suitably compact size for close family living. They are protective of their family, especially those with small children, and it is for this reason that they make and excellent family guardian and watch dog. Being short coated they require nominal grooming, and are very low maintenance.

As a result of their dog fighting heritage, one of the major problems noticed in this breed is a tendancy of aggression towards other dogs. It is important that any breeder can satisfy you that the puppy you are interested in, and its parents, have a stable temperament. Avoiding aggression can also be aided by proper socialisation and training of the puppy. However, it must be understood that even a Staffordshire Bull Terrier with "good" temperament may fight when challenged by another dog and should therefore be adequately controlled in public places. Staffordshire Bull Terrier owners have a certain obligation to society, and should always ensure that their dogs are correctly and adequately housed and not allowed to roam freely in public and in the vicinity of unfamiliar dogs. It is always good advice to avoid allowing your Staffie to make eye to eye contact with strange dogs, as this is normally seen as a challenge.

Staffies are regularly the fourth most popular breed in Australia, behind German Shepherds, Labrador Retrievers and Golden Retrievers, according to the numbers of puppies bred each year. A proportion of any dog breed will show aggression towards humans and other animals and unfortunately those more popular breeds can attract the notice of less than scrupulous individuals who are out to make a quick buck. They will have little regard for producing puppies with good temperament and health and can unfortunately increase the proportion of unstable dogs within a breed. The German Shepherd Dog League of N.S.W recognised this very problem in its breed and has set up a tough accreditation program for its breeders. There isn't such a program amongst Staffie owners, however there are very good breeders who are mindful of producing dogs with stable temperaments.Puppies should be regularly exposed to the full gamut of situations that they are likely to encounter as older dogs. Regular, supervised contact with other dogs, children and any other family pet, along with early obedience training will help ensure that the dog grows into a well socialised animal. Obedience training is imperative to ensure that the owner feels they will have control over their dog in any situation. A Staffie well versed in the commands ‘sit’ and ‘stay’ is an animal that knows its place and can be confidently managed. If they are socialised from an early age and properly trained, owners can let their dogs roam at off-leash dog parks with confidence.

Care & Training

Minimal grooming for the Staffordshire Bull Terrier is necessary to keep their coat in top condition. Brush occasionally with a firm bristle brush. Rub down with a towel or chamois to remove loose hairs. Bathe only when necessary. Needs plenty of regular exercise which should consist of play time an daily walks on a leash. They should be kept on a leash in public places.