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The Staffordshire Bull Terrier, the smallest & most compact of the bull breeds, breathed life in the early 1800s and is a cross between the bulldog of the day and the old English Terrier, a now extinct breed. Impoverished miners and ironworkers of Staffordshire, then a poor industrious county famous for its rich coal and iron deposits, cultivated the breed and the core character traits of the Stafford - boldness, fearlessness and reliability emerged. In contrast to the Black Country landscape (a legacy due to the smoke from the many thousands of iron working foundries and forges), Staffordshire boasts pottery giants Royal Doulton & Wedgewood.
While generally not the aggressor of a quarrel he will respond if challenged, and more often than not victorious. They were , after all, the ultimate English fighting dog. Personally you having nothing to fear from a Stafford (except maybe personal ignorance and prejudice) as his fighting past was purely as a combatant and not as an aggressor to man. Staffords will do anything to please their human friends and can be relied upon to uphold their breed standard at all times. They are highly intelligent and affectionate especially with children. To see this breed prosper in our limited time as overseers of the breed, we need to educate & re-educate the general public, whether it be at a dog show or walking down the street. The greatest disservice we can do to the breed is tolerate dogs with bad temperaments towards people. It should be noted the cross breeds generally have the market of this offence.
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Pictured - Brookshire Son O Sedgely CDX JDX ADX & friend
A Stafford will generally not be an effective guard dog simply because the breed assumes human intentions are honest intentions, regretfully sometimes to the detriment of the breed. The Stafford will passionately defend its family from physical harm, conversely, uninterested in worldly possessions, he will gladly show any burglar your best silver with the distinct Stafford grin and the jaunty air of self confidence the breed is renowned for.
Staffords are a breed that very much needs family interaction. They are not a dog that can be left alone in the backyard to amuse themselves. They love to have a regular walk, a ride in the car and in general be included in your family's day to day activities. We will never come into contact with another breed of dog that will show as much faithfulness, companionship and loyalty as the Stafford.
As part of responsible dog ownership it is imperative to train them to behave in public and respect other dogs. Puppies can be easily trained to obey house rules and obedience training can be an excellent avenue to provide socialisation with other animals. A Stafford that has been bought up with other pets will foster an eternal friendship. Nurturing responsibility with discipline & avoid abusing the Staffords potential for aggression is pivotal to achieve the correct disposition. Inevitably when the vandals of the world come into possession of the breed, inflicting misery and menace, the Staffordshire Bull Terrier's temperament is a reflection of its owner, treated correctly he is bold, fearless and totally reliable , treated callously, he will mirror his owners malicious intent towards society.
Used with the kind permission of Brookshire
