Before You Buy - Is a Stafford the right fit?
The Staffordshire Bull Terrier is rugged, energetic, and impulsive.
"Why walk when you can run and play games?" is his motto.
Bold, Fearless and Totally Reliable.
He craves companionship. Stubborn and sometimes headstrong, the Staffordshire Bull Terrier is inclined to test for position in the family pecking order. Confident leadership and obedience training are musts. He is far too people-orientated to be exiled to the yard, and far too much an athlete to be stuck inside all day. Living with a Stafford means sharing time both inside and out.
The Stafford is well known for its love of humans and most especially children. He is most happy when on your lap and surrounded by his human family. He will quite happily spend time with children and indeed they are well known for their love of children - however - this does not make him a children's dog!
A child should never be left alone to play unsupervised with a Stafford (or any breed of dog) and should not be allowed to walk a Stafford on their own. The Stafford has great strength for his size and only has to spot something in the distance and he's off! A child is unable to restrain an adult Stafford with his mind firmly set on getting to where he wants to go. As the Stafford is such a robust and energetic breed, children also need to learn boundaries and 'Stafford manners' so as not to be hurt by an overexcited 17kg ball of muscle!
Given proper stimulation of body and mind, the Stafford is a well-behaved house dog and companion.
Most Staffordshire Bull Terriers will live peacefully with the dogs and cats in their own family. But many Staffords are more than willing to fight if challenged. Before bringing a Stafford into a multi-pet household, you should honestly evaluate your other pets. If you already have a dominant dog, a Stafford is not a good choice for you.
Due to his love of humans, Staffords do not often make good guard dogs. Whilst he may look somewhat intimidating a Stafford is more often than not likely to show your burglar where the good silver is and then hop in the car after him for the ride. So, if you are looking for a dog to be protective of the home - the Stafford is NOT it!
A Stafford should be closely supervised around strange dogs – make sure the other dogs are not challenging yours.
He is an easy upkeep dog, needing no special grooming, but they do shed.
Because Staffords have a short coat, they feel the cold easily; therefore, are not a breed that are suited to outdoor living, especially at night.
They also cannot regulate their body temperature very well so are also prone to overheating in summer.
As a Stafford's family, it'll be important that you're willing to be an ambassador for the breed — working with your trainer(s) to keep your pup a model canine citizen and breaking down breed stereotypes.
Staffords make excellent sporting dogs over a variety of disciplines, including but not limited to; agility, flygility, obedience, rally-o, dock diving, barn hunt, scent work, etc.
This "buff little dude" is a stable, confident dog who needs supervision and control from an owner who can match his intelligence.
With enough training, stimulation, exercise and attention, a Staffordshire Bull Terrier could be an ideal companion for your household.
