HISTORY: FROM FIGHTING DOG TO FAMILY MEMBER

The Staffordshire Bull Terrier (SBT), or Staffie, has been known by many names, such as the Patched Fighting Terrier, the Staffordshire Pit Dog, the Bull-and-terrier, and the Brindle Bull. The breed is classified by the American Kennel Club as a “bull type” terrier, which includes the American Staffordshire Terrier and the Bull Terrier.

The Staffie, like most bull types, can trace its heritage to ancient Greek war dogs called Molossians, who were the ancestors of the Mastiffs, who in turn gave rise to the bull beed.

They date back to 1835, when dog-oriented bloodsports were outlawed in England but thrived underground. The fighting dog of choice was the Bulldog, which gamblers crossed with terriers, hoping for a breed that would have the Bulldog’s jaw power and the Terrier’s tenacity. The Staffie is one of the breeds remaining from that era. It was first bred by James Hinks of Birmingham, England in the mid-19th century and got its name from the English county of Staffordshire, where the breed was popular.

“Though the breed was originally bred to bait bulls, Staffies are the most gentle and loving of dogs to humans (in my opinion), and is totally opposite to aggressive muscle monsters as some people take them for,” says Fr. Dante Vllanueva Daylusan of the Ac-daystaff Team, breeders of Australian Cattle Dogs and Staffordshire Bull Terriers. “They are devoted and [are] very affectionate family [pets]. Staffordshire Bull Terriers are so eager to please [humans], highly trainable, and love learning more commands, especially when treats are involved. There is a need of course [for] the lessons [to] be repeated regularly to obtain effective results.”

The Staffordshire Bull Terrier is different from the American Staffordshire Terrier, or Amstaff, developed in the 1880s after the breed was introduced to the US. The Staffie was included in the English Kennel Club in 1935 and the American Kennel Club in 1974. By this time, what began as a fighting dog had developed a reputation as a loyal, lovable family pet.