Group: Sporting

Weight: males 25-38, females 23-35 lbs

Height: males 14-16, females 13-15 inches



History

The English Staffordshire terrier has its origin in Staffordshire, England and it is believed that they have developed from crosses of old English bulldogs and various terriers. The original aggressive dogs were probably descended from Bulldogs and Mastiffs. During the 19th century smaller and faster dogs were needed for dog fighting – therefore the English Staffordshire terrier was developed.

Characteristics

These dogs are often referred to as “the Staffie”. These dogs are very well-built and sturdy, and show lots of courage and athletic ability. They are brave dogs with lots of tenacity. The Staffordshire bull terrier is without fear, and also has a very firm nature. Their most unique characteristics are their broad head and animated face.

Temperament

Being strong willed, feisty and very energetic – the Staffordshire bull terrier loves the attention of their families. These strong dogs have lots of loyalty, affection and devotion to give to their owners and families. Although the Staffordshire bull terrier does not bark excessively, they are very alert. And will intensely protect his family if anyone tries to harm them. Staffordshire Bull Terriers are very fond of spending time with their families and may be seen as overly attached at times. They are surely not the right breed for owners with little time on their hands for pets. Staffordshire Bull Terriers can be very stubborn, and therefore better suited to those with some previous dog ownership experience.

Care

The Staffordshire bull terrier does not require a lot of maintenance, and will work well with those owners who can’t afford a lot of time for grooming. Brushing their coats occasionally will help to keep it in a good condition. These dogs do shed more heavily during certain seasons and will not be suited to people with allergy problems. For more detailed info, take a look at the Staffordshire Bull Terrier Grooming page.

Training

Staffordshire Bull Terriers will require dominant owners, seeing that they can be very headstrong. Early socialization and obedience training are also recommended for these dogs. They are fairly easily housetrained. Training of these dogs should be done in a positive and consistent way in order to produce positive results. These dogs do very well in obedience competitions, and are also used as therapy dogs.

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