Angel Rock Staffords SBT 101 WHAT A STAFFYBULL IS, AND WHAT IT ISN'T |
by Cheryl Ellicott |
|
The English StaffyBull has been called the nanny dog. Again, this is a perfect nickname for a trustworthy, stable, calm breed who enjoys nothing more than being in close contact with babies and children. The StaffyBull is, of course, an English breed, from the region of Staffordshire. While various muscular breeds are fairly non-existent in England (sadly, the APBT, for example has been banned in England for a long time etc) the English have a particular fondness for their StaffyBulls; they're the fourth most popular breed in the country. So while people in many countries understand what a StaffyBull is, many Americans are confused. I suspect this is because, while we live in a land where the SBT is still very rare, muscular dogs with similar sounding names abound. In a country so grossly oversaturated with muscle-dogs, misconceptions are bound to exist. More than once, I've heard it said that the Staffordshire Bull Terrier is exactly the same as a pit-bull, only smaller. Well, you can't believe everything you hear. No matter how many times it's said. The statement is much like saying the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is exactly like a Clumber Spaniel, only smaller. Or, the Miniature Pinscher is exactly like a Doberman, only smaller. Those who believe such things miss the point of purebred animals. We have various breeds so that we can selectively breed, over decades or centuries, for different and specific qualities. All terriers will share some characteristics, all bulldogs will have some similar traits - therefore all bulldog and terrier blend breeds share some similarities. But no two breeds can be lumped together unless those breeds have now and had through history the same exact breeding criteria and standards that breeders adhered to, and can be proven to be exclusively genetically linked. This isn't true in the case of the APBT or the AST when comparing them to the SBT. The Staffordshire Bull Terrier is an entirely different breed; it wasn't even introduced into the USA until the late 1960's. At the last count, AKC listed less than 900 registered Staffordshire Bull Terriers in our country. These numbers are just about the same as that of the Norweigen Elkhound (when was the last time you saw one of these? Your statistical chances are the same for SBT.) If you want a concise history of the Staffordshire Bull Terrier in the USA, get Steve Stone's last book here, or see this page: http://www.staffordmall.com/historyroom.htm Still, many are confused by the breeds with similar names. And others think anything with muscles must be a pit-bull. Here's a brief explanation of some breeds which SHOULD NOT be confused with our StaffyBull (but often are): The following two breeds are correctly known as pit-bull, taking their nickname from "american pit bull terrier" - some dogs are still dually registered as both APBT and AST: APBT: American Pit Bull Terrier - a muscular, diverse breed that comes in many sizes and shapes. Breed is not recognized by the American Kennel Club. Tends to be a working style dog. The red-nose strain is APBT. Not many agree on what was added to create the APBT; some say they descended from Irish bull and terriers. Other experts say no, just bull-baiting dogs. Still others say a number of other breeds and types were bred in to create or improve the APBT. AST / AmStaff: American Staffordshire Terrier - the AKC show version of the pit-bull. Breed is more consistent in type, size and temperament than the current APBT. Recognized by the American Kennel Club. Ears are usually cropped for showing, many say the prey-drive/gameness has, to a large degree, been bred out of the AST. Here are some others with similar names, looks or history: IRISH SBT: Irish Staffordshire Bull Terrier - a medium to large bodied group of mixed breed dogs (diverse in characteristics) who are indeed not Staffordshire Bull Terriers. Do not confuse them with pure SBT who happen to live in Ireland. The Irish Stafford is believed to be a hodge-podge of muscular mutts, rumored to be chosen for breeding by testing their physical abilities. BT: Bull Terrier - a medium sized, heavily muscled, roman-nosed dog, of bulldog/terrier blend descent. Various other breeds were added during development in 19th century England. Recognized by the American Kennel Club. Also exists in a miniature version. BOSTON: Boston Terrier - a small, strong terrier with a pronounced under-bite and distinctive coat pattern. Developed in America from bulldog/terrier cross dogs; formerly known as the Boston Bull Terrier. Recognized by the American Kennel Club. There are countless other muscular breeds of dogs. Each has it's own unique temperament and physical traits. Usually only experts can tell them all apart. Other breeds, or variations of muscle breeds you might see or be confused about are the Shorty-Bull (in development), the Gotti-style Pitbull (also called American Bully if I remember correctly - it's a thicker, slower, bigger version of the amstaff or pit), American Bulldog, and so on. Visit this website to see if you can identify the breeds: http://www.pitbullsontheweb.com/petbull/findpit.html Take note that there are over 20 muscular breeds pictured and the SBT is not even on that page.
By saying the SBT is unique, I don't mean any insult to other breeds. They too are unique. Neither do I believe the media hype regarding pit-bulls. But I do object when my dogs are mistaken for a breed they're not. When such errors go uncorrected, families cannot wisely choose what breed of dog they want to live with. In regards to the APBT, one thing that's not disputed is that
they've been selectively bred (for the past half a century or more) predominantly as a
working dog; hog catching, pit tests and so forth - with the more recent crop of
breeders engineering a guard dog. During which time, our English Nanny dog (Staffordshire Bull Terrier) has been selectively bred and chosen for their excellence as quiet and affectionate companions, trustworthy children's pets, and their successes in the show ring. Even if nothing were added to the APBT during it's creation, many decades of breeding in opposite directions would result in a completely different animal. If you still insist that the SBT is the same as the APBT because they share some history, then consider this --- the SBT shares history with other breeds too. For example - the Boston Terrier was created exclusively through a White Terrier to English Bulldog cross. This is the genetic origin of the SBT as well. Since their inception, neither breed have had other breeds mixed in (according to some historians). Both have been bred carefully to produce exceptional companion animals. In the 1930's when both breeds began to emerge, they were hard to tell apart. (see this page for early Boston photos http://www.moloss.com/brd/mr/o001/history.html ) But these breeds are now very different. Their differences stem from selective breeding programs aimed toward emphasizing desired traits. The Boston has been bred to have more of the terrier energy and qualities, plus dwarfism traits, whereas our SBT is known for it's off-duty quietness and bully physique. As mentioned above, no two breeds can be lumped together. The SBT is an incomparable breed and has been for nearly a century. Because the SBT is rare in the USA, many who've actually met one assumed it was a baby AST or APBT. On the contrary, if you've met a SBT that was adopted from a shelter or rescue, it probably was a fake. The shelters are notorious for adopting pit-bulls and mixes out as rare breeds. They commonly choose the SBT label to fancy their strays up. For the sake of adoptive families, and for the dogs themselves, stray dogs should never be labeled with a purebred name. All strays that appear bull and terrier should be represented honestly, as unknown bulldog and terrier types. This will protect families from mistakes, and dogs from being disappointments to their new families when they fail to live up to the traits a wrong-purebred label implies.
To further understand what a Staffordshire Bull Terrier is, meet some purebreds. In the meantime, get out your ruler and draw marks on your wall (if you do that sort of thing) - one at 13 inches and another at 16 inches. Imagine a dog that fits within this height range. Now perhaps the first words you say when you meet a SBT won't be,
I hope this clarifies some misconceptions about the breeds. For more information about the Staffordshire Bull Terrier's history and characteristics, take a look at the website: www.staffordmall.com.
|
Should you travel to England, you will see many SBT. It's
said that the Staffordshire Bull Terrier earned it's reputation as the Nanny
Dog in the UK. Rightly so. The SBT is one of only two breeds (from over 190
recognized by the UK Kennel Club) to have a mention of the breed's suitability with
children, and it's the only breed to have the words 'totally reliable' in its breed
standard. 