Staffordshire Bull Terrier
Staffordshire Bull Terrier are dogs who play the role of companions and watchdogs in a brilliant manner. Even though they are an energetic breed, they do well in small households and apartments which makes them good family dogs.
Average sizes and life expectancy of the breed
33-41 cm
11-17 kg
12-14 years
United Kingdom
pure
terrier
Characteristics of the Staffordshire Bull Terrier
The Staffordshire Bull Terrier is probably the least popular of these terriers. Bred in the 19th century in the United Kingdom, it was specially selected to be a good fighting dog, but it was also used as a “mouse” (for hunting mice and small rodents) in some regions. Determined, he hails from the county of Staffordshire, England, where he takes his name. Even though they are fierce guard dogs, they are excellent as family pets and do well with children too. They love to play and goof around and even suits apartment dwellers and small households.
Coat
Apart from the smooth and short coat over his body, the Staffordshire Bull Terrier also has a thick fur that protects it during “fights”. They come in colour like Solids (golden, cream, fawn, blue and black) and Bicolors such as black and white and those with markings mainly on the paws. and chest. Its fur does not tend to shed in abundance, but it is recommended that it be brushed at least once a week and bathed monthly. In order to maintain a glossy coat, it is essential to groom them on a regular basis. These dogs do experience shedding and it would be wise if owners can brush them weekly. Weekly brushing also helps in keeping the problem of matting and tangling of hair at bay. For brushing their hair, it would be best if you can use a bristled brush as Staffordshire Bull Terrier has a thin coat. As for bathing, you can bathe these dogs once in a week.
Pet Profile
Best Dog Food For Staffordshire Bull Terriers
An ideal diet for Staffordshire Bull Terrier will include high protein and moderate fat content as these dogs are a highly energetic breed. High protein content is essential especially for puppies in order to support healthy growth and overall development. Yet, you can reduce a little bit of protein content when it comes to adult dogs as too much of it can hamper their digestive health. For almost dogs, the immune system depends heavily on the digestion of foods and it is essential that you give them enough fibre content to keep up excellent digestive health. Fibre also go a long way in ensuring higher nutrient absorption in them. When it comes to feeding, you can feed adult Staffies twice, once in the morning as well one in the night. For puppies, the meal can be broken down into several times in a day as they tend to eat a lot. For Senior Staffordshire Bull Terriers, you can reduce their calorie intake as they will be mostly inactive throughout the day.
Grooming Your Staffordshire Bull Terrier
As the coat of these dogs are thin, their grooming requirements are not that extensive in comparison to other dogs. Yet, they experience a bit of shedding throughout the year and there is a need for brushing their hair on a regular basis. For Staffordshire Bull Terrier, an oval pin head brush would be great as it gives the best results while brushing their hair. Brush them weekly so that you can get rid of problems like matting and tangling of hair. Regarding bathing, it is suggested that you bathe them weekly in order to keep them looking healthy and shiny. Also, consider applying a high quality shampoo on these dogs while bathing as it will effectively cleanse out all the rake and dirt from their skin. If you are also using a conditioner, repeat rinse process and make sure the conditioner is rinsed out of the coat.
Taking Care of a Staffordshire Bull Terrier
The Staffordshire Bull Terrier only needs that much care as every other dogs require. Affection, good nutrition and frequent visits to the veterinarian are essential along with attention to its behaviour.
History of Staffordshire Bull Terriers
Staffordshire Bull Terrier were bred in England during the 19th century for the sole purpose of dog fighting. In order to create a faster and a more compact dog breed, bull dogs were crossed with small terriers especially Manchester Terriers. At that time, bull dogs were larger and more fierce than the ones you are seeing today. Before getting it's current name, Staffords have been called bull and terrier dogs, bull terrier dogs and old pitbull terriers. Once when the dog fighting became illegal, Staffordshire Bull Terrriers evolved into the loyal companions dogs that we are seeing today.