Breed Characteristics:
Apartment Friendly
?How well will this breed adapt to apartment living? Is the apartment size the most important factor when it comes to proper living conditions? Is the breed suitable for apartment living?
Good For First-Time Owners
?Some dogs aren't suitable for first-time dog owners. Is this breed a good match for someone with no dog experience? Can training help them be on their best behavior with owners with no dog experience? Are they suitable to be handled by someone who is just entering the canine world?
Overall Sensitivity
?Some dogs are sensitive. Certain breeds are rough on the outside, while having the softest heart on the inside. In other words, some dogs are 'thick-skinned' while some are 'easygoing.' Is this breed prone to sensitivity?
Tolerates Being Alone
?Separation anxiety in dogs is a serious condition that can affect a dog's life quality. Is this breed prone to this condition? Can you leave him alone for hours? How destructive this breed can become when bored, neglected, or not loved enough?
Affectionate With Family
?How affectionate this breed will be around his humans? Will he welcome new family friends easily or he will choose to be shy? Some breeds can be clingy with owners, while others don't attach a lot. Will this breed act as the family's best friend?
Kid-Friendly
?Some dogs will tolerate children, while others will adore well-behaved ones. Dogs and children should always be supervised, no matter how well trained the dog might be. Will this breed act as a nanny dog or he will stay away from children?
Friendly Toward Other Dogs
?Some dog breeds cannot wait to run to the dog park and run with others. Others prefer to be with their humans, and not to be a part of a multi-pet household. Is this breed dog lover or not? How friendly this breed will be toward other dogs?
Friendly Toward Strangers
?Some dog breeds tend to be reserved toward strangers and highly suspicious. Others are fast to walk away with them easily. How welcoming this breed is toward strangers?
Drooling Level
?If you love to clean all the time drooling level in dogs is a trait that you should mind. Is this breed less likely to drool, or you will always need a towel on hand?
Easy To Groom
?Heavier shedding during the shedding season is something that every dog needs to go through. However, some dogs shed just a bit all year round. Is this breed one of them? How often should you groom this dog?
Overall Health
?What can you expect from this breed in terms of health? Are there any genetic conditions to vary about? Is obesity a major issue in this breed? By knowing more about the dog's health, you are learning how to help him live a longer and healthier life.
Prone To Obesity
?Treats are a great addition to training sessions. Dogs love sweet bites of dog treats but they should be served in moderation. Treats can lead to obesity, next to poor nutrition. Can this breed gain extra weight from treats? How prone to obesity this breed actually is?
Trainability Level
?Training some dogs is easier than others. How easy this dog will be to train? What can you expect? Some dogs are huge people pleasers and they will master commands easily, while others will try to outsmart you.
Intelligence Level
?Dogs are smart beings. We do our best to train them, but they do still end up training us to adapt to their needs. How intelligent is this breed? Will he try to outsmart you? Or he will need multiple training sessions to master basic commands?
Prey Drive
?Dogs were bred for a specific purpose. Those who were bred to hunt have natural instincts to hunt, even today. This is why many dogs, like Terriers, will chase other animals. They will also have a hard time concentrating on your commands when there is something small moving. Is this breed prone to following his prey instincts?
Barking Level
?How vocal this breed is? Can you expect neighbors to ring you often to calm your dog? Or you can sleep without worries of hearing your Fido bark? Some breeds are highly vocal, others have unusual sounds, and some are silent. Is this breed prone to barking?
Energy Level
?Low-energy dogs are happy with regular walks and indoor chill times. High-energy dogs are always ready for action. Is this breed a couch potato, energetic dog, or somewhere in between?
Exercise Needs
?Some dogs are more than happy with a slow stroll down the street. Others need hours of active time to stay happy and fit. Is this breed demanding in terms of exercise? How much exercise this breed needs to stay happy and healthy?
Playfulness Level
?Some dogs never lose that puppy spirit, not even in their senior years. Others are more serious and prefer having a job to do. Is this breed demanding in terms of playfulness? Can you expect playfulness in their senior years as well?
The Staffordshire Bull Terrier is a famous British breed of medium size. Like other bull terrier types, this breed is also short-haired and well-packed.
This is a breed of a strong and muscular body, and powerful stand. Identical traits are seen in Bullboxer Staff, a mix between Staffordshire Bull Terrier and a Boxer.
One look at this breed says that this medium-size dog isn’t a breed to mess with.
They are observant, alert to come to their humans in a single command, and powerful enough to scare any intruder away.
The Staffordshire Bull Terrier is a brave and happy dog, who will be alert all the time, and a great companion for children.
Thanks to their size, they are compact and easy to move. This is why they are often seen in city areas, strolling down the busiest areas.
Staffies aren’t too tall and are considered to be more of close-to-earth dogs. They come in several colors, and they will always have a short head and a short coat.
Due to their sweet nature, they are even today popular as nanny dogs for kids. This is the case when they are properly socialized and trained well.
Like with any other dog breed, if you miss training the dog right, you will end up with a mischievous dog.
Read on for more on the Staffordshire Bull Terrier.
Staffordshire Bull Terrier History
Popular Staffordshire Bull Terrier was originally bred to be a powerful and fast fighting dog.
This was back in the days when dog fights were a real and legal sport across Britain in the 19th century.
Luckily, those days are long gone for this medium-size dog. Once known for their impeccable fighting skills, this breed is today known for tenderness, intelligence, and love of children.
The full name of the breed is quite long, which is why this breed is mostly known as Staffy. As suspected, Staffies are linked with Bulldog.
In fact, they share a common ancestor (Bulldog) with the American Staffordshire Terrier, the American Pit Bull Terrier, and the Bull Terrier.
Good to know: Staffordshire Bull Terrier is often mistaken for Pit bull due to its appearance
The initial goal with Staffy was to create a terrier dog who is smaller and faster for the ring, but much more affectionate toward people.
Dog fanciers suspect that Staffy was created by crossing the Bulldog with an ancestor of the Manchester Terrier. As result, we got today’s Staffy.
The very first club of the breed was formed back in 1835, in England. Soon afterward a breed standard was created.
Today, the Staffordshire Bull Terrier is a full-time companion dog.
Across the States, you can find this purebred dog in many homes playing with children, or just guarding them in the back yard during playtime.
American Kennel Club recognized the breed in 1975, while the very first Staffy registered with the AKC was named Tinkinswood Imperial.
For specific information on the breed and the breeders, you can reach out to The Staffordshire Bull Terrier Club of America, which was founded in 1974.
Today, the Staffordshire Bull Terrier is constantly among the top 100 most popular dog breeds in the States.
Fast fact: This breed was mixed with Labrador Retriever to create Labrastaff, one of the most recent dog breeds.
Staffordshire Bull Terrier Physical Appearance
The Staffordshire Bull Terrier stands between 14 to 16 inches at the shoulder. As expected, males are slightly taller and bigger than females. Males usually weigh up to 38 pounds, while females weigh up to 34 pounds.
The overall appearance of the breed is that this dog is athletic and strong. As a medium-sized dog, the Staffy is well-balanced with a short coat. The head is broad and short, while the jaw is strong.
They will always have a short muzzle and very noticeable cheek muscles. Their coat comes in various colors, including fawn, white, black, red, or blue.
The coat is always smooth in texture and fixed close to the skin.
Eyes are round and black, but this can vary depending on the color of their coat. Overall, this is a smooth-coated, muscular dog with agile and powerful movement.
Staffordshire Bull Terrier Personality
A well-trained Staffordshire Bull Terrier will always be outgoing, and never shy. By his nature, this breed will always be energetic and happy to wag his tail on every walk.
Honest to his terrier nature, he will be stubborn a bit and will try to outsmart you. This is why terrier dogs are always recommended ot experienced dog owners.
Their people-loving personality makes them great family addition. This dog is less likely to be protective of property, while he will do his best to be protective of his people.
They are highly attentive to their people and are heavily interested in people. However, they will alert you to any presence of visitors, both wanted and unwanted.
This is a ‘people dog’ who will do great around children when trained.
They will be more than happy to approach people, as long as they feel safe around them. Like every dog, the Staffordshire Bull Terrier needs early and proper socialization.
Living With Staffordshire Bull Terrier
Staffordshire Bull Terriers are compact dogs, but they are still quite powerful and muscular. That being said, you should bear in mind that this medium dog will be active inside your home as well.
To keep this breed happy, especially in city areas, you should provide enough walk and training sessions. They do have moderate stamina, so make sure that you can help him burn that energy out.
This dog will happily toss his weight around and even use his mouth to play – make sure that he follows house rules.
Don’t let their size fool you, because these dogs have bullfighters’ genes in them.
Make sure that you provide enough toys for your Staffie to chew and toss around.
Staffie will be great with children, but this doesn’t mean that you should leave them alone. Dogs and children should always be supervised.
Children should know how to behave around dogs, when they shouldn’t disturb them, and when its ok (and safe) to approach them.
Otherwise, the routine will make your Staffie happy and satisfied.
Plan activities that will include your dog in them and do your best to help your Staffordshire Bull Terrier be a polite, confident, and well-behaved dog.
Staffordshire Bull Terrier Training
When it comes to having a well-behaved dog, it all starts with training.
This is the biggest milestone when it comes to having a good canine citizen. This breed is eager to please, and always happy to be challenged. This is why proper training is mandatory.
Make sure that training sessions are fun, well-structured, and packed with treats.
No dog will refuse to perform a trick if there is a treat waiting. Start training your Staffy as soon as you bring him home.
As soon as vaccination is done, and your vet gives you the green light, start exposing your Staffy to the outside world.
Dogs learn by exploring. This is why they love long walks, where they can sniff and taste everything.
This is one of the main reasons why trash cans are so exciting to them – with so many smells that feel like they have found heaven.
This breed must be trained to control their temper, which is why experienced dog owners are welcome to get this breed.
If you feel like you need extra help with training, think about hiring a professional dog training. Another option is to visit a puppy school and attend classes with your puppy.
Make sure that training is consistent and that you do your research on the breed further.
This breed was used to fight other dogs, which means that their prey drive is intense. Make sure that you truly understand what this means and how you can use this trait in training.
Staffordshire Bull Terrier Exercise
Staffordshire Bull Terrier may be a medium-size dog, but he will have energetic moments that go beyond his size.
Luckily, these moments will be rare ones and will be easy to manage.
As long as you provide regular walks and exercise, your Staffy should be fine and physically fit.
Regular exercise is what keeps dogs mentally stimulated and physically fit.
This is why this breed will do fine with an athletic owner – they will be able to keep up with them.
They can be heat intolerant and should never be overworked in warm or humid weather.
This is common to breeds with short muzzles, like Pug.
Staffordshire Bull Terrier Grooming
If you love being active outdoors with dogs, but you are not a fan of heavy grooming, then the Staffordshire Bull Terrier might be just for you.
This is an easy-to-maintain dog. Weekly brushing is mandatory, with suitable grooming tools. If you need help to decide which tool to use or how to talk to a professional groomer.
Bath your Staffy only when needed, and use dog-friendly shampoo. Dogs don’t have the same skin as humans and don’t need frequent bathing.
However, they should be brushed regularly. The rest is basic care:
- Check gums weekly
- Clean ears when needed
- Trim or grined nails at least once a month
- Check ears for any sign of ear infection
- Check eyes on a weekly lvele for any sign of infection
- Provide proper parasite control
- Feed with food that promotes teeth health
Staffordshire Bull Terrier Health
Staffordshire Bull Terriers are in general healthy dogs. However, just like any other breed (and even humans) they can develop certain conditions during their lifetime.
They can, in fact, be subject to certain health conditions. This doesn’t mean that they all will be affected by these conditions, but it means that they could appear at one moment.
Here is what you expect to see from health conditions in this breed:
- Hip And Elbow Dysplasia
- Patellar Luxation
- Hereditary Juvenile Cataracts
- Skin Allergies
- Demodectic Mange
- Stomach Sensitivity
- Cataracts
- Epilepsy
- Heart Disease
- Knee Issues
To avoid these conditions, or at least to put them at a minimum you should deal only with responsible breeders.
Responsible breeders will always screen puppies for most common health conditions.
You will be presented with medical documentation on the breed.
If you’re not, know that you standing in the middle of a puppy mill. If that is the case, you should walk away.
No matter how much you trust the breeder, you should, still, take your puppy to your veterinarian for a full check-up.
If you are adopting a dog, you should still get information on the dog’s health from a local shelter group, animal rescue group, or any other independent animal you should still get an update on the dog’s health in writing.
The Bottom Line
The Staffordshire Bull Terrier dog breed is a loyal and fine companion known for his intelligence, calm nature, and love for the children.
Shortly named Staffy, this breed will be a loyal companion and fair guard of his family members.
This is an energetic dog who prefers running instead of walking. This is why walks on leash are important – if he runs, you won’t be able to catch him.
He will require regular exercise and will protest if you don’t meet his needs. This is a muscular breed that craves companionship and wants to be with you all the time.
They are fair watchdogs as long as you provide proper socialization and training. These dogs are gentle, and will usually live in peace with other animals under the same roof, as long as they are introduced the right way.
They may be stubborn sometimes, and try to take the position as a family leader. This is why they prefer experienced dog owners, next to positive reinforcement methods.
If you are fine with weekly brushing, regular exercise, and walking the medium-size dogs regularly, then this breed could be for you.
Make sure that you do more research on this breed, find a reputable breeder, and be 100% sure that you have enough time to own a dog – once you check every point, you are ready to welcome Staffordshire Bull Terrier into your life.
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