Psychologically stable, fearless and friendly dog. It has tremendous power for such a small animal. The English Staffordshire Bull Terrier is unpretentious in content, does not need complicated hair care, and feels great even in a small area. He has good health. But its main advantage is that the staff loves children very much.
From the history of the breed
This English breed has more than 200 years of its history. She was taken out in Staffordshire. For this, a bulldog was crossed with terriers of different breeds. The Staffordshire Bull Terrier was bred to bull, later - was used as a fighting dog. At the beginning of the XIX century, dog fights were very popular, therefore these strong, bold and dexterous dogs completely won the hearts of dog lovers. In those days they were called the bul and terrier.
Then the bulldog was larger than today, and weighed about 30 kg. He was crossed as an experiment with a small terrier. The Staffordshire Bull Terrier was recognized by the Dog Club of England at the end of the 19th century, but as a participant in dog fights, it was recognized only in 1935. Then the official club of the breed was founded and its standard was approved. The breed was called the Staffordshire Bull Terrier.
At the beginning of the 20th century, many dogs of this breed were imported into the colonies of England and the USA. A native of Staffordshire conquered America, winning the love of local dog breeders. The character and appearance of the dog has changed significantly - they became "more American." Much later, the differences between the Staffordshire Terrier breed in the USA and the English Staffordshire Bull Terrier in the UK and Australia became visible.
It was decided to recognize two independent breeds. Since 1972, dogs bred in the United States began to be called the American Staffordshire Terrier. At that time, the English breed was not yet officially recognized. Two years later (1974), the English Staffordshire Bull Terrier, which has its own standard, was registered in the book of the English Kennel Club. Since that time, these two breeds have developed as independent.
Appearance
The English Staffordshire Bull Terrier is much less common than the American breed descended from it. First of all, the differences are in smaller sizes. The Staffordshire Bull Terrier is a dog with smooth, short hair, perfectly balanced, extremely strong for its small size, active and agile. Height 40.5 cm, weight up to 20 kg.
Head
A wide cranial part, developed zygomatic musculature are the main signs of the breed. The transition from the forehead to the nose is very pronounced. The muzzle is short, well filled. The nose has a black lobe. The lips are dry and firm. Jaws are powerful, well developed. Scissor bite. The eyes are round, medium size, most often dark, but may also have a color tone.
Ears half-hanging, medium-sized, directed in different directions. They are never stopped.
The neck is powerful, muscular, not too long, dry, smoothly expanding to the shoulders.
Housing
It features powerful muscles, a flat, horizontal top line, deep chest and curved ribs.
Limbs
Forelegs are bony and straight, set wide apart. There is no weakness in the metacarpals. The shoulder blades are laid back.
The hind limbs are powerful, muscular, the knees have a distinct angle. Movement - powerful, free, economical and agile.
Strong, small pads are well developed on the paws. Plain claws, black.
Tail
Set on low, medium length, tapering towards the end. He should not twist strongly. An annular tail is considered a defect.
The coat is thick, short, glossy, and quite hard to the touch.
Color
The standard allowed: fawn, red white, blue and black, as well as combinations of them with white. All shades of brindle and brindle with white. Undesirable - liver and black and tan colors.
Character
English Staffordshire Bull Terrier ( owner reviews confirm our opinion) is a very attractive dog. He has an abyss of charm and a striking, unique smile. This is a moving, cheerful dog, with a thirst for knowledge and discoveries of the surrounding world. Stafford is unobtrusive, but always ready to communicate. He will take long walks with you, try to entertain or simply snore nearby when you are too busy.
Despite its fighting origin, the English Staffordshire Bull Terrier is completely not aggressive towards other animals, and even more so towards people. Therefore, he will not become a “tough” guard; for this work he is too kind. This charming dog loves children very much. Staffy is obedient and smart. The only thing that upsets him greatly is the inattention of his beloved master.
But do not think that if another dog attacks him, he will run away, tail curled. Your pet will be able to stand up for itself. But he is completely devoid of the desire to kill. This is a physically and mentally healthy dog that does not require complicated care and is distinguished by longevity. First of all, this is a companion dog. This is very appreciated by urban residents.
Training
The English Staffordshire Bull Terrier (we posted a photo in our article) is easily trained. He successfully performs in dog competitions. In this case, the owner should know that it is impossible to “pressure” him hard. He will gladly carry out all the commands, as they say, “with a twinkle”, and this is always appreciated by the judges. Adult Stafford can ski an adult, and for children a ride on a sled harnessed to such a "horse" is an indescribable pleasure.
The only thing that Stafford should not, and indeed do not want to do, is to “work according to the person,” although some too active “trainers” are trying to achieve this. In a dog that loves everything living, they try to instill qualities that are not inherent in them. Completely in vain - all the charm of this dog is in its goodwill.
Attitude towards animals
The Staffordshire Bull Terrier coexists perfectly in the same house with other pets. Our hero simply ignores small dogs. Apparently, he considers himself a large and wise dog, and therefore takes care of them very touching. With dogs of large breeds, he behaves on an equal footing, and, as a rule, they establish friendships or partnerships.
But cats should be more tolerant of their new neighbors, especially for pets. Sooner or later, the cat will understand that licking against the hair from the top of the head to the tip of the tail is a great Staffordshire love. A separate article should be written about the relations of two dogs of this breed. Grunting licking, gentle chewing of ears, sleeping in an embrace with sniffing ... This is an incredibly touching and cute dog.
English Staffordshire Bull Terrier: price
A puppy of this breed, or rather its value, depends on its possible future, class of animal. As a rule, puppies without the necessary documents cost about 6,000 rubles. Representatives of the show class, who are considered promising in the exhibition, are up to 40,000 rubles.
Starfordshire Bull Terrier: owner reviews
How did this dog win the hearts of breed lovers all over the world? The answer is obvious - in character. The owners claim that the breed is surprisingly plastic. The dog from the fighters was retrained into a magnificent family dog. She is obedient, manageable, even a child can easily cope with her. Stafford is so attached to his family that he respects even the smallest owners and can tolerate a lot from them. Owners are sure that this huge love for children is a feature of this breed.