Shimmering

 The Staffordshire Bull Terrier:

Also known as Staff, Stafford, Staffy, Staffie, English Staffordshire Bull Terrier

The Staffordshire Bull Terrier is a smooth-coated dog with great strength for his size. He is active and agile and comes in six color varieties: solid red, fawn, white, black, blue, or brindle. Today, he serves primarily as a family companion and is seen in the show, obedience and agility rings.

A Look Back
The Staffordshire Bull Terrier draws its character of indomitable courage, high intelligence, and tenacity from his past history. The breed originated in the nineteenth century when coal miners in Staffordshire, England, wanted a small, fast dog. They combined the Bulldog with a small local terrier similar to the Manchester Terrier. The result was the Staffordshire Bull Terrier that we know today.

Right Breed for You?
The Staffordshire Bull Terrier is extremely courageous and obedient, highly intelligent and affectionate with a sense of humor. This, coupled with its affection for its friends, and children in particular, its off-duty quietness and trustworthy stability, makes it a foremost all-purpose dog. He looks forward to daily exercise, and his powerful jaws enjoy a supply of sturdy chew toys. While he is a sweet-tempered, affectionate dog, his strength and determination require an experienced owner who can work with him in a firm, but gentle way. The Staffie’s coat is short and smooth, and needs only a quick brushing once a week.

• Terrier Group; AKC recognized in 1975.
• Ranging in size from 14 to 16 inches tall at the shoulder and 24 to 38 pounds.
• Game sports.

General Temperament
The courageous and loving Staffordshire Bull Terrier handles every aspect of it’s life with passion. An extremely obedient and loyal breed, they will fiercely defend their owners even if it results in injury to themselves. This should not be mistaken as unprovoked aggression towards humans, however; they are actually quite people-friendly and most enjoy making new human friends.

Staffies are particularly gentle and patient with children, and have even been described as “nanny dogs.” Other dogs and animals that they are raised with will be well-tolerated, Effectively training a Staffordshire Bull Terrier requires strength and consistency from an experienced owner who can establish dominance over the dog from the very beginning, although this breed should never been treated harshly and training should never be heavy-handed. If socialization and obedience training are started early in the dog’s life, the Staffie can excel in agility and obedience trials and can even be effective therapy dogs. They have tremendous stamina and require plenty of exercise, including daily walks.

Staffordshire Bull Terriers are well-known escape artists and have been known to dig under, climb over, or even barrel through fencing. If the dog is to be left unattended for any length of time in a fenced area, be sure the enclosure is extremely well-secured. Given that they are seemingly impervious to pain, “invisible” fences are generally not sufficient for this breed. Staffordshire puppies are incessant chewers, and their strong jaws can tear apart vinyl toys easily, even those that are advertised as “indestructible.” Provide plenty of strong toys and rawhides, but be sure to monitor them to be sure the dog does not swallow anything that might harm them.

Although the Staffordshire Bull Terrier can be satisfied living outdoors, they have a very low tolerance for extreme heat and should not be left outside in hot climates or summer without sufficient shade, or possibly even an electric fan. They have similar problems with colder temperatures and extra steps should be taken during the winter months. The Staffordshire’s muscular body lacks buoyancy and therefore most individuals cannot swim. Extreme care should be taken when this dog is around pools or bodies of water.

Body Structure and Composition
Squarely-proportioned and muscular, the Staffordshire Bull Terrier exudes stout agility. The broad skull is topped by rose-shaped or partially pricked ears and flanked by rather muscular cheeks. The jaw should not be undershot, but they do have a unique bite in which the lower incisors rest inside of the upper incisors. The neck, like the body, is thick and muscular. The medium-length tail is fairly straight, never curled or docked, and carried low. The forelegs are well-boned and straight, and the hind legs well-muscled and parallel when viewed from behind. The Staffordshire Bull Terrier has a free and powerful gait.

Medical Information
As this breed is bold and fearless, the most prevalent medical problem for the Staffordshire Bull Terrier is injury. Jumping off of balconies, scuffles with wildlife and being hit by cars are all common occurrences reported by Staffordshire owners. This breed is known to have a very high tolerance for pain, and most individuals will rarely show any significant signs of injury or illness unless the discomfort is extreme.

This does not mean that the Staffordshire Bull Terrier is free from the hereditary ailments that plague other breeds. Hip and Elbow Dysplasia are particular problems for this breed. These conditions occur when the head of the bone no longer fits comfortably into the cup provided by the joint socket, resulting in lameness and arthritis. The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) provides certification of breeding stock to help prevent the spread of these diseases, among others.

Juvenile cataracts can also be a problem for a small percentage of Staffordshire Bull Terriers. This condition causes opacity on the lens of one or both eyes, leading to blindness by as early as age three. In order to show signs of this hereditary disease, a puppy must receive copies of the affected gene from both parents, but they can still be a carrier if only one gene is present. DNA testing is available to determine the presence of this disease in breeding stock, and individuals who test positive should not be bred (certainly not to other positive individuals).

The gene for a metabolic disorder known as L-2-Hydroxyglutaric Aciduria (L-2-HGA) has been shown via DNA test in approximately 15% of all tested Staffordshire Bull Terriers. Affected dogs lack the ability to break down L-2-hydroxyglutaric acid, causing the compound to build up in the dog’s cerebrospinal fluid and plasma. Symptom of this disease include lack of coordination, tremors, personality disorders, poor learning abilities, and seizures, and since there is no cure, most affected dogs will need to be euthanized at an early age. Inheritability is like that of juvenile cataracts, and similarly, a DNA test can detect the gene’s presence in breeding stock.

Like many other breeds, the Staffordshire Bull Terrier is sometimes prone to skin allergies and mange. Be sure to provide preventative medicine throughout the year to minimize insect infestations. Otherwise, the coat of the Staffie is easy to maintain; simply brush occasionally and/or rub them down with a clean cloth or chamois.

Anecdotal Information
The Staffordshire Bull Terrier has been the unfortunate subject of breed bans in several areas of the world, largely due to this dog being branded as a “pit bull.” The breed was banned in Ontario in 2005, and the German government attempted to ban the dog across the European Union in 2000, but the ban was blocked by members of the British Kennel Club.