Quick Links: Table of Contents
- Staffordshire Bull Terrier Breed Overview
- History of the Staffordshire Bull Terrier Breed. Where Staffordshire Bull Terriers came from
- What the Staffordshire Bull Terrier Looks Like
- How Much is the Staffordshire Bull Terrier Puppy?
- Best Staffordshire Bull Terrier Breeders
- Adopting or Rescuing the Staffordshire Bull Terrier
- Staffordshire Bull Terrier Growth
- The Temperament of the Staffordshire Bull Terrier
- Staffordshire Bull Terrier Litter Size
- How Fast Staffordshire Bull Terriers Can Run
- Good Names for Staffordshire Bull Terriers
- How Intelligent are Staffordshire Bull Terriers?
- How Popular are Staffordshire Bull Terriers with New Dog Owners?
- Health Problems in Staffordshire Bull Terriers and How to Prevent Them
- How to Take Care of Staffordshire Bull Terrier
- Dog Breeds That Are Similar to Staffordshire Bull Terriers
- Other Things to Know About Staffordshire Bull Terriers
Staffordshire Bull Terrier Breed Overview
The Staffordshire Bull Terrier is a small-sized dog.
The adult Staffordshire Bull Terrier stands 14 to 16 inches tall at the shoulder.
The Staffordshire Bull Terrier belongs to the Terrier Dogs group.
Dogs in the Terrier Dogs group, like the Staffordshire Bull Terrier, were originally bred to go underground to hunt rodents and other small wild animals (vermin).
Terriers come in a wide range of sizes and shapes, but all terriers are energetic, highly intelligent, and territorial. Terries also have the tendency to escape. They require a securely fenced yard.
The fact that the Staffordshire Bull Terrier belongs to the Terrier Dogs group is one of the reasons why Staffordshire Bull Terriers have the personality and temperament that they have.
The temperament of the Staffordshire Bull Terrier is generally described as:
- Affectionate
- Bold
- Courageous
- Fearless
- Intelligent
- Loyal
- Reliable
History of the Staffordshire Bull Terrier Breed. Where Staffordshire Bull Terriers came from
Staffordshire Bullterriers have a long and distinguished history.
Staffordshire Bull Terriers were originally bred in Staffordshire, England in the 19th century.
The Staffordshire Bull Terrier was created by crossing the English Bulldog with the Old Staffordshire Terrier.
The Staffordshire Bull Terrier was bred for dog fighting, and it quickly became one of the most popular breeds for this brutal sport.
Staffordshire Bull Terriers were also used in bear baiting and bull baiting, another popular blood sport of the time.
In 1835, dog fighting was outlawed in England, and the Staffordshire Bull Terrier`s popularity declined.
However, the breed remained popular in other parts of Europe, and it eventually made its way to America.
Staffordshire Bull Terriers were once again used for dog fighting, but they also gained popularity as loyal and loving family pets.
Today, Staffordshire Bull Terriers are still cherished by their owners and are considered one of the most popular dog breeds in the world.
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What the Staffordshire Bull Terrier Looks Like
Staffordshire Bullterriers are large, muscular dogs that were originally bred for fighting.
However, they are now much more likely to be found as loyal family pets.
Staffordshire Bullterriers have short, stiff fur that is usually brown or black with white markings.
They have a wide head and chest, and their tails are usually docked.
Staffordshire Bullterriers are strong and athletic dogs that need plenty of exercise.
They are intelligent and loving dogs that make great companions, but they can also be stubborn and headstrong.
Staffordshire Bullterriers are fearless and protective dogs that will defend their family if they feel threatened.
Staffordshire Bullterriers need firm training and socialization from an early age in order to prevent them from becoming aggressive.
Staffordshire Bullterriers are loyal, loving dogs that make great companions for active families.
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How Much is the Staffordshire Bull Terrier Puppy?
The average price of a Staffordshire Bull Terrier puppy is $2030. The price of a Staffordshire Bull Terrier puppy ranges from $1050 to $2500.
A lot of factors determine the price of the Staffordshire Bull Terrier. These factors include what health records the Staffordshire Bull Terrier puppy has, the lineage of the Staffordshire Bull Terrier puppy, the US state the breeder is located in, etc.
To estimate how much you can expect to pay for a puppy Staffordshire Bull Terrier based on the many factors that determine the price of the Staffordshire Bull Terrier puppy, check out our calculator that lets you estimate how much you should expect to pay for the Staffordshire Bull Terrier puppy based on what you want in the puppy.
When looking to buy a puppy, look at buying a puppy only from well-established breeders that breed puppies primarily for the love of the Staffordshire Bull Terrier breed, and secondarily for profit. Do not buy a puppy from a puppy mill. Puppy mills mass-produce puppies in bad living conditions for maximum profit.
You may also consider adopting instead of buying a puppy. Adoption costs are very low compared to the price of a puppy.
Best Staffordshire Bull Terrier Breeders
We have researched reputable Staffordshire Bull Terrier breeders that you can buy a puppy.
Go to this page for our complete list of reputable Staffordshire Bull Terrier breeders in various states in the United States.
On this page, you will see how much these breeders sell their puppies for, and how many puppies they have available.
A few of these breeders are listed below.
Rockley Kennels
Puppy Price: $5000
Azkaban K-9
Puppy Price: Check with breeder
Relentless Staffs
Puppy Price: Check with breeder
Grabo Bull Terriers
Puppy Price: Check with breeder
Christopher Faison
Puppy Price: Check with breeder
Adopting or Rescuing the Staffordshire Bull Terrier
You may consider adopting a dog instead of buying a puppy. Many dogs, Staffordshire Bull Terriers included, are currently available for adoption in your local dog shelters.
These helpless but adorable dogs are waiting in dog shelters hoping that someday someone will rescue them. Dog adoption costs are lesser than the cost of a new puppy. Dog adoption costs are usually around $300 or even less.
In addition to your local dog shelter, another good place to find dogs that are available for adoption is petfinder.com.
Below is an adorable Male Staffordshire Bull Terrier named Guy that is currently available for adoption on Petfinder.com. You can find other lovely Staffordshire Bull Terriers like Guy on pefinder.com.
Brow is the name of another Staffordshire Bull Terrier (Male) on petfinder.com that is looking for a new forever home.
You can find more Staffordshire Bull Terriers that are available for adoption on petfinder.
Staffordshire Bull Terrier Growth
New Staffordshire Bull Terrier owners need to know about the growth of their Staffordshire Bull Terriers. This will help them plan their living spaces accordingly.
Also, knowing the typical growth pattern of the Staffordshire Bull Terrier will help new owners catch the abnormal growth of their Staffordshire Bull Terrier early.
See our calculator for predicting how big your Staffordshire Bull Terrier puppy will get. You will also learn about the typical weight of the Staffordshire Bull Terrier at different ages and how to catch abnormal growth in your Staffordshire Bull Terrier
The Temperament of the Staffordshire Bull Terrier
The temperament of the Staffordshire Bull Terrier based can be summarized as in the table below.
The table shows the scores of the Staffordshire Bull Terrier for 13 important dog behavioral factors.
We obtained these scores by analyzing raw data from the C-BARQ dog personality survey tool. The higher the score of a dog for a factor, the worse the temperament of the dog regarding that factor.
The C-BARQ tool was developed by researchers from the University of Pennsylvania, and it is a scientific tool that is used worldwide for reliably measuring the temperament of dog breeds.
See our complete analysis of the temperament of the Staffordshire Bull Terrier here.
| Factor | Score |
|---|---|
| Stranger Directed Fear | 9.2 percent |
| Owner Directed Aggression | 9.1 percent |
| Energy Level | 77.0 percent |
| Attachment Attention Seeking | 69.2 percent |
| Dog Directed Aggression | 62.6 percent |
| Prey Drive | 62.2 percent |
| Excitability | 58.0 percent |
| Dog Directed Fear | 43.4 percent |
| Dog Rivalry | 43.1 percent |
| Separation Related Behavior | 40.4 percent |
| Touch Sensitivity | 37.0 percent |
| Nonsocial Fear | 36.6 percent |
| Stranger Directed Aggression | 20.1 percent |
| Stubbornness | 17.1 percent |
Staffordshire Bull Terrier Litter Size
Researchers from the Norwegian School of Veterinary Science did a study where they counted the numbers of puppies in 82 different Staffordshire Bull Terrier birth litters.
From this study, the researchers found that the average number of puppies that Staffordshire Bull Terriers can have is 5 puppies. Also, the Staffordshire Bull Terrier can have as few as 1 puppies per litter and as many as 12 puppies per litter.
The number of puppies that the Staffordshire Bull Terrier will have depends on factors such as the age of the Staffordshire Bull Terrier, the method of pregnancy, etc.
Click here to see our calculator for predicting how many puppies your Staffordshire Bull Terrier will have and how the litter size of the Staffordshire Bull Terrier compares to the litter size of other dog breeds.
How Fast Staffordshire Bull Terriers Can Run
How fast a dog breed can run is a good measure of how athletic the dog breed is.
The American Kennel Club (AKC) regularly conducts dog running competitions. The AKC records the running speed of competing dogs in these competitions. These competitions are open to all dog breeds.
Based on our analysis of the speeds of 163 different Staffordshire Bull Terriers, the average speed of the Staffordshire Bull Terrier is 22.9 mph (36.8 kmph).
The fastest speed on AKC record that the Staffordshire Bull Terrier ran in a race is 36.87 mph (59.3 kmph) and the minimum speed on record in a race for a Staffordshire Bull Terrier is 10.66 mph (17.2 kmph).
Click here to see how the speed of the Staffordshire Bull Terrier compares to the speed of other dogs and other mammals such as cats, horses, humans, etc.
Good Names for Staffordshire Bull Terriers
Here are some really good names that are typical for the Staffordshire Bull Terrier ranked by popularity:
- Harvey
- Mister
- Jasper
- Henry
- Tyson
- Maddox
- Max
- Franko
- Madden
- Go
How Intelligent are Staffordshire Bull Terriers?
| Staffordshire Bull Terrier | |
|---|---|
| Intelligence Rank | 49 out of 130 dog breeds |
| Trainability | Tend To Learn New Commands After 25 To 40 Repetitions |
According to Prof. Stanley Coren, a Canadian psychology professor/dog trainer, the total intelligence that a dog demonstrates is the addition of three types of intelligence. These intelligence types are:
- Instinctive Intelligence: This is the natural intelligence that comes from instinct. For example, dog breeds that have been historically bred to be guard dogs will have a high `guarding` intelligence compared to dogs that were not bred for guarding.
- Adaptive Intelligence (learning and problem-solving ability): This indicates what a dog can learn to do for himself or herself. Adaptive intelligence is specific to each dog, and not breed specific. You can improve your dog`s adaptive intelligence by investing time to train your dog.
- Working/Obedience Intelligence: This type of intelligence is breed-specific. Certain dog breeds tend to have higher working/obedience intelligence than some other breeds. This intelligence is the closest to what we might call school-learning ability and it is based upon what the dog can learn to do when instructed by humans. This type of intelligence can be measured for each dog breed and compared to that of other dog breeds.
Professor Stanley Coren measured and ranked the working intelligence of about 130 different dog breeds.
Prof. Coren found that the Staffordshire Bull Terrier has an obedience intelligence rank of 49 out of 130 dog breeds. Thus, Prof. Coren put Staffordshire Bull Terriers in the `Average Working/Obedience Intelligence Dogs` category.
This means that Staffordshire Bull Terriers tend to learn new commands after 25 to 40 repetitions.
However, we should mention that a dog should not be judged based on its intelligence alone. There are other important factors you need to consider when deciding on which dog breed to get. These other factors include sociability, adorability, and compatibility of the dog breed with your lifestyle.
See the intelligence ranking of some other dog breeds below:
| Breed | Intelligence Rank |
|---|---|
| Border Collie | 1 |
| Shetland Sheepdog | 6 |
| Australian Cattle Dog | 10 |
| Miniature Schnauzer | 12 |
| English Springer Spaniel | 13 |
| Collie | 16 |
| Vizsla | 25 |
| Airedale Terrier | 29 |
| American Staffordshire Terrier | 34 |
| Norwegian Elkhound | 36 |
| Norwich Terrier | 38 |
| Dalmatian | 39 |
| Curly-Coated Retriever | 41 |
| Finnish Spitz | 43 |
| Skye Terrier | 55 |
| Dandie Dinmont Terrier | 62 |
| Saint Bernard | 65 |
| Pekingese | 73 |
| Borzoi | 75 |
| Basenji | 78 |
How Popular are Staffordshire Bull Terriers with New Dog Owners?
Every year, the American Kennel Club (AKC) publishes information on how popular a dog breed is in that particular year. The AKC gets the popularity information of a breed from how many dogs of that breed the owners register with the AKC every year. The AKC collects this data for about 200 dog breeds.
The graph below shows the popularity trend of the Staffordshire Bull Terrier.
The popularity of the Staffordshire Bull Terrier averaged over the years is Number 79 out of about 200 dog breeds.
Do not get a dog breed just because it is a popular dog breed. And do not reject a dog breed just because it is an unpopular breed.
Health Problems in Staffordshire Bull Terriers and How to Prevent Them
Every dog breed has its own set of health problems that it tends to develop. There is nothing like a perfect dog breed.
The Staffordshire Bull Terrier is prone to certain genetic health conditions. The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) is an organization that keeps track of genetic health problems in dog breeds.
From the extensive records that the OFA keeps, the OFA knows what health problems each dog breed is naturally prone to develop.
Hence, the OFA recommends which health screening breeders should perform on a dog breed to make sure that the breeders won`t breed `defective` dog parents that can pass down defective genes to their puppy offspring.
If you want a Staffordshire Bull Terrier puppy that will grow up to be healthy, make sure that your Staffordshire Bull Terrier breeder screens your puppy or your puppy`s parents for the health problems that the OFA recommends for your puppy`s breed. This will increase the chances that your puppy is free from genetic defects.
The following are the health tests that Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) recommends that breeders should screen Staffordshire Bull Terriers for:
- Cardiac Evaluation
- Elbow Dysplasia
- Eye Examination – min age 1 year
- Hereditary Cataracts DNA Test
- Hip Dysplasia
- L2HGA DNA Test
- Patellar Luxation
You can find out more about OFA`s recommended tests for Staffordshire Bull Terriers here.
How to Take Care of Staffordshire Bull Terrier
To take good care of your Staffordshire Bull Terrier, you need to make sure that you groom your Staffordshire Bull Terrier regularly.
Secondly, you need to find a veterinarian in your area that will routinely check the health status of your Staffordshire Bull Terrier regularly, and give you appropriate recommendations on your Staffordshire Bull Terrier`s preventative care.
Thirdly, you need to commit some time to exercise your Staffordshire Bull Terrier daily. Regular exercise helps improve the health and quality of life of your Staffordshire Bull Terrier.
Also, you need to feed your Staffordshire Bull Terrier high-quality dog food, and the food should be of the right amount to prevent your Staffordshire Bull Terrier from getting overweight or underweight.
See our recommendations on what to feed the Staffordshire Bull Terrier and how much food to feed the Staffordshire Bull Terrier at different life stages.
Finally, you need to make sure that your Staffordshire Bull Terrier has access to clean water all the time. See our recommendations on how much water your Staffordshire Bull Terrier needs to drink at different ages.
Dog Breeds That Are Similar to Staffordshire Bull Terriers
If you have not made up your mind on which dog breed to get, you may also want to consider some other dogs similar to the Staffordshire Bull Terrier.
We crunched the numbers and found that the following dog breeds that have similar behavior and temperament as the Staffordshire Bull Terrier:
- Rottweiler (70 percent match with Staffordshire Bull Terrier). Learn more about the Rottweiler here.
- Boxer (71 percent match with Staffordshire Bull Terrier). Learn more about the Boxer here.
- American Pit Bull Terrier (70 percent match with Staffordshire Bull Terrier). Learn more about the American Pit Bull Terrier here.
- Bluetick Coonhound (71 percent match with Staffordshire Bull Terrier). Learn more about the Bluetick Coonhound here.
- Schipperke (72 percent match with Staffordshire Bull Terrier). Learn more about the Schipperke here.
Other Things to Know About Staffordshire Bull Terriers
Here are some of the very important characteristics of the Staffordshire Bull Terrier that you need to know about the Staffordshire Bull Terrier breed:
