Staffordshire Bull Terrier

The Staffordshire Bull Terrier originated in England, in the Staffordshire region. It was produced with the help of the Old English Bulldog, which gave rise to nearly all today’s bully dogs. The Staffordshire Bull Terrier is smaller than the Old English Bulldog, since he was bred for dog fighting rather than for bullbaiting, which was outlawed in 1835. English Staffordshire Bull Terriers have been instrumental in developing the American Staffordshire Terrier, and these two breeds show kinship in terms of temperament and physical appearance.

As the popularity of dog-fighting declined, so did the breed. However, breeders succeeded in reintroduction of various fighter breeds and undertook attempts to breed the old ferocity out of them. The Staffordshire Bull Terrier appeared due to the crossing of the Old English Bulldog with a much smaller terrier dog, probably the Manchester Terrier. The United Kennel Club (UKC) recognized the Staffordshire Terrier in 1935.

The Staffordshire Bull Terrier arrived in America in the 1870s, and at the beginning, it shared studbook with what was then called the American Staffordshire Terrier, i. e. the two species represented the same breed. Years later, the growing distinction between the dogs resulted in the acceptance of the American Staffordshire Terrier as a separate breed. The English Staffordshire Bull Terrier was registered by the American Kennel Club (AKC) in 1974.

Staffordshire Bull Terriers, like American Staffordshire Terriers, have strong and powerful bodies and somewhat formidable facial expression. American Staffordshire Terriers are a little larger than Staffordshire Bull Terriers. Both dogs feature broad and powerful chest, strong legs and clenching jaws. Both dogs are smooth-coated, and hence they do not require too much grooming or bathing. Coat colors include fawn, red, black, blue or any combination of these colors with white. Black-and-tan and liver colors are not preferred in either of the two.

American Staffordshire Terriers, as well as Staffordshire Bull Terriers, are very people friendly. In temperament, they are not as menacing as they look or they are often considered to be. These dogs are not even wary of strangers, and they even tend to express joy on seeing new people. American Staffordshire Terriers are good with children, and they can get on well with other pets. However, they do have a stubborn streak, and hence they can be hard to train for young dog owners. The Staffordshire Bull Terrier and the American Staffordshire Terrier can be extremely aggressive toward same-breed dogs, so they should not be allowed to roam neighborhood without supervision.