© Copyright 2009, PREOLIATOR Staffordshire Bull Terriers.
The Standard
In 1935 a man named Joe Dunn had rallied support amongst breeders of the Staffordshire Bull and Terrier to form a club. In May 1935, a formal meeting was called and an application written to the Kennel Club, to constitute the Staffordshire Bull Terrier Club. Sanction was soon granted, and one of the first duties required was to draw up the Breed Standard.
Seventy four years later, on our second Standard, the Staffordshire Bull Terrier lives on.
General Appearance: Smooth coated, well balanced, of great strength for his size. Muscular, active and agile.
Characteristics: Traditionally of indomitable courage and tenacity. Highly intelligent
and affectionate, especially with children.
Temperament: Bold, fearless and totally reliable.
Head and Skull: Short , deep through with broad skull. Very pronounced cheek muscles,
distinct stop, short foreface, nose black.
Eyes: Dark preferred but may bear some relation to coat colour. Round, of medium
size, and set to look straight ahead. Eye rims dark.
Ears: Rose or half pricked, not large or heavy. Full, drop or pricked ears highly
undesirable.
Mouth: Lips tight and clean. Jaws strong, teeth large, with a perfect regular and
complete scissor bite, i.e upper teeth closely overlapping the lower teeth and set
square to the jaws.
Neck: Muscular, rather short, clean in outline gradually widening towards shoulders.
Forequarters: Legs straight and well boned, set rather wide apart, showing no weakness at the pasterns from which point the feet turn out a little. Shoulders well laid back with no looseness at elbow.
Body: Close coupled, with level topline, wide front, deep brisket, well sprung ribs,
muscular and well defined.
Hindquarters: Well muscled, hocks well let down with stifles well bent. Legs parallel
when viewed from behind.
Feet: Well padded, strong and of medium size. Nails black in solid coloured dogs.
Tail: Medium length, low set, tapering to a point and carried rather low. Should
not curl much and may be likened to an old fashioned pump handle.
Gait/Movement: Free, powerful and agile with economy of effort. Legs moving parallel
when viewed from front or rear. Discernible drive from hindlegs.
Coat: Smooth, short and close.
Colour: Red, fawn, white, black or blue, or any of these colours with white. Any
shade of brindle or any shade of brindle with white. Black and tan or liver colour
highly undesirable.
Size: Weight: Dogs 12.7 - 17 kgs (28-38lbs), Bitches 11 - 15.4 kgs (24-34lbs). Desirable
height at withers 14 - 16 inches, these heights being relative to weights.
Faults: Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and
the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion
to its degree.
Note: Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into
the scrotum.