The Staffordshire Bull Terrier presents an incredible mix of
intelligence, courage, and tenacity tempered with a sweet
affection for it's family. As a breed, it is often shrouded in
myth and misconception about it's history and origin. Read on to
learn the truth about where the Staffordshire Bull Terrier came
from and what the difference is between this breed and others
similar in name and appearance.
The Staffordshire Bull Terrier, or "Staffie," as fans of the
breed call it, dates back to Elizabethan England when an
ancestor of the Bulldog was used in a bloody sport called
bullbaiting (also bearbaiting). This dog was closely linked to
the Mastiff and weighed in at between 100 and 120 pounds.
Around the 19th century, when bullbaiting was outlawed, dog
fighting quickly gained popularity and the massive bullbaiting
dogs were crossed with smaller terriers and a smaller, quicker
breed of dog was born, weighing about 60 pounds. This dog became
known as a "Bulldog Terrier" or "Bull and Terrier" and was
further refined by outcrosses to an ancestor of the Manchester
Terrier. This produced a dog of about 30-45 pounds that came to
be known as the Staffordshire Bull Terrier, which is the father
breed out of which came the English Bull Terrier (1860), and
later, when exported to North America around 1880, the American
Pit Bull Terrier and the American Staffordshire Terrier.
The American Staffordshire Terrier, and the American Pit Bull
Terrier appear very similar to each other and people often hotly
debate whether or not they are separate breeds. To clear things
up a bit, the American Pit Bull Terrier was first recognized by
the UKC and later by the AKC. However, when the American Pit
Bull Terrier was entered into the AKC registry, the name was
changed to American Staffordshire Terrier, as noted by the AKC
on their website,
www.akc.org, "As the breed moved to America
the names Pitdog and Pitbull Terrier stuck. However, American
breeders wanted an animal heavier than the British breed, hence
the name American Staffordshire Terrier. This is the breed
commonly referred to as Pit Bull." Although certain breeders
have pursued slightly different goals with the American
Staffordshire Terrier, often referred to as the AmStaff, and the
American Pit Bull Terrier (APBT), the two remain virtually
indistinguishable and a single dog could conceivably be
simultaneously registered as both an AmStaff with the AKC and as
an APBT with the UKC.
The Staffordshire Bull Terrier, however, is a distinct breed.
It's official, AKC standard states that the Staffie stands at
14-16 inches; male dogs weigh 28-38 pounds and females weigh
24-34 pounds. This is in contrast to the AmStaff which has no
such size or weight limit. The Staffie's color is also
restricted allowing red, fawn, white, black, blue, or brindle or
any of these colors with white and disqualifying black-and-tan
and liver color. AmStaffs can be any color except white (80% or
more).
Described by the AKC as a, "formost all-purpose dog," the
Staffordshire Bull Terrier can be an intelligent and
affectionate family dog and a courageous and tenacious
protector. An all around good dog with a rich history!
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