Despite a fierce appearance, the Staffordshire Bull Terrier is a lover, not a fighter. It is gentle, docile, easy to care for and always seeking fun.
Expectations:
Life Expectancy: 12-14 yrs
Daily Average Caloric Intake: Low
Tendency to Drool: Low Tendency to Snore: Medium
Tendency to Bark: Low
Tendency to Dig: High
Coat:
Length: Short
Characteristics: Flat
Colours: Red, fawn, black, white, blue, brindle with or without white
Overall Grooming Needs: Low
Club Recognition:
AKC Classification: Terrier
UKC Classification: Terrier
Prevalence: Moderate numbers.
There is no mistaking this dog. The Staffordshire Bull Terrier is a tough-looking character.
The dog is relatively wide and slightly longer than tall, giving it a low centre of gravity. Most striking of all, however, are the huge muscles and wide jaws. This dog is the picture of power, yet it is surprisingly agile and quick on its feet.
These dogs pack a lot of weight on a fairly short body. They range in weight from 13 to 18 kilograms and in height from 40 to 50 cm. They give the impression of being much larger than they really are.
The tail is of medium length and carried low. The ears are never cropped; they are small and wither rose-shaped or half prick. The short, sleek coat comes in a wide variety of colours.
Personality:
Despite his fierce appearance, this dog is a lover, not a fighter. The breed is gentle, docile, and always on the look out for fun. Although not looking for trouble, the Staffordshire Bull Terrier will not back down to a challenge and is not always agreeable with other dogs.
Obedience training is possible, although it is not the Staffordshire Bull Terrier's strong point. Force training methods will lead nowhere, but if training is made into a game, then the Staffordshire Bull Terrier is more than willing to play.
Living With:
The Staffordshire Bull Terrier is a dog that needs two things in life — close human contact and a chance to play. He is far too much a people dog to be exiled to the yard, and far too much an athlete to be stuck inside all day. Living with a Staffordshire Bull Terrier means sharing time both inside and out. Given proper exercise of body and mind, the Staffordshire Bull Terrier is a well-behaved house dog.
Because some Staffordshire Bull Terriers are not good around strange dogs, precautions should be made so that they do not encounter dogs while loose.
This is an easy upkeep dog, needing no special grooming.
History:
Like all the bull breeds, the Staffordshire bull terrier can trace its heritage back to the ancient Molossian war dogs of the Greeks. The Mollossians in turn gave rise to the great Mastiffs of Europe, and then to the family of dogs bred to bait bulls and other animals.
The Staffordshire bull terrier joined the English Kennel Club in 1935 and the American Kennel Club in 1974. The breed had won over many families who found their courageousness matched only by their faithfulness.
