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The Staffordshire Bull Terrier
The Staffordshire Bull Terrier Page was created as an educational tool to develop further understanding within the Staffordshire Bull Terrier standard, and further more the breed as a whole.
The articles below are inputted to question beliefs, stir thoughts and develop higher thinking towards the breed.
Understanding
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Handling
Are we drifting away from the Stafford?
I was recently viewing a picture of a red Irish bitch at 10 months and was pointing out to my wife the dog’s English attributes. So impressed by this bitch I momentarily thought of drifting away from my intended breeding program and incorporating some UK imports.
A bit of a web search later and I was trumpeting off names of dogs and breeders who had introduced UK imports or had that distinct “English Look” as I called it. Some time later though, I pondered on a very subjective question.
Are we drifting away from the Staffordshire Bull Terrier? As most experienced breeders can pick an import or that distinct look, it must therefore be said that our local bred Staffords are in fact noticeably different.
The early English settlers of America needed a much bigger Stafford for hunting game. This inturn saw the introduction of the American Staffordshire Bull Terrier. Will there one day be an Australian Staffordshire Bull Terrier?
It’s always intriguing to hear Stafford breeders rip into their standard.
We are in fact in our breed’s second standard, and many argue it needs amending. Tail-set is commonly discussed as the standard reads ‘carried low’ and ‘likened to a pump handle’ which many Staffords display. However when moving beside another Stafford in the ring, the hackles are up, and so to is the tail. Some argue the problem therefore becomes a behavioural issue, and in the show ring, should still be carried low, likened to a pump handle.
Size and weight can not be so easily dismissed and is also a hot topic amongst breeders. The standard reads a dogs weight should be 12.7 – 17kg, and a bitch’s 11 – 15.4kg. With the desired height being 14 – 16 inches at the withers (shoulders).
Important point to note, the standard does not differentiate dog from bitch regarding height.
My dog stands at 15 ¾ inches and weighs in at 20kg. Now he’s over the weight limit by around 20%, and there’s a lot bigger dogs then him winning in the ring.
Remember to that a Staffords fighting weight, was far less then its natural weight. Although this fighting weight is not needed for the show ring, all Stafford specialists demand a very fit and well conditioned exhibit. Would achieving this fighting weight inturn see a closer height weight ratio?
A very noticeable factor too is whether the Stafford is heavy or light set. My wife is an advocate for the lighter set Stafford believing they’re agility out performs that of a heavy set foe, therefore making them a better fighting dog.
I prefer a heavy set dog and refer to the standard where the forequarters read ‘well boned’. Would any weight advantage gained through a well boned dog, providing its agility is not impeded, make it a stronger fighter?
On a whole are we drifting away from the Stafford outlined in our standard? Are we seeing increasingly bigger Staffords in Queensland? The critique of the 2006 Queensland Specialty Championship Show may indicate just that,
“An overall view of the dogs is many are of good type & sound, some were way too big for what the standard calls for, some of the biggest I have seen in height, so big that they border on Am Staff height, and we must keep height in perspective to the standard just like the heaviness of the dogs as they cannot do the job to their capacity if they are to these extremities, they should be fit & agile, they are a terrier which should be kept to size, as most are bred to go to ground.”
Are we breeding a bigger dog? Are we beginning to see the segmentation of a breed? Will there be an Australian Staffordshire Bull Terrier? But more importantly, does the standard need changing to suit the evolution of the dog, or are we failing to breed to the standard?
There’s no right or wrong answer but it’s definitely something to think about.
Lesley Murphy
Much more
to come..