Bull Terrier Pitbull Brindle Figurine

Bull Terrier Pitbull Brindle Figurine at Amazon

The Staffordshire Bull Terrier presents an unbelievable mix of intelligence, courage, and persistency tempered with a sweet affection for it’s family. As a breed, it is oftentimes shrouded in myth and misconception regarding it’s history and origin. Read on to learn the truth with regards to where the Staffordshire Bull Terrier came from and what the divergence is among 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 among 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 littler terriers and a smaller, more immediate breed of dog was born, weighing when it comes to 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 devised a dog of regarding 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 ofttimes hotly debate whether or not they are distinguished breeds. To clear things up a bit, the American Pit Bull Terrier was primary 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, http://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, consequently the name American Staffordshire Terrier. This is the breed normally referred to as Pit Bull.”

Although sure breeders have pursued more or less dissimilar goals with the American Staffordshire Terrier, many times referred to as the AmStaff, and the American Pit Bull Terrier (APBT), the two stay almost 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 general 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 permitting red, fawn, white, black, blue, or brindle or any of these colors with white and disqualifying black-and-tan and liver color.. AmStaffs may be any color except white (80% or more).

Described by the AKC as a, “formost all-purpose dog”, the Staffordshire Bull Terrier may be an intellectual and affectionate family dog and a courageous and tenacious protector. An all around good dog with a rich history!