GatorGrip/Saxon Staffordshire Bull Terriers

     While Staffords today are extraordinary pets, show dogs and performance dogs, their humble beginnings were in the streets of the UK baiting bulls. When that was outlawed, they could be found in back alleys of English pubs as the coalminer's pit fighting dogs & ratters. Contrary to popular belief, a fighting dog can make an *excellent* pet. They are devoted to family and friends. Staffordshire Bull Terriers think everyone is their friend. Dog aggression is NOT the same as human aggression and it is important to note that. Human aggression was NEVER tolerated by the gentleman fighters. Any dog who showed human aggression was culled. ANY Stafford who shows human aggression should be treated the same. I make no exceptions to that aside from protection of the family. I don't write this information to scare, rather to educate. If you do not understand that a Stafford was bred to fight and may be dog aggressive, I would not be doing my job as a guardian of this breed. Staffords can live quite peacably with other animals (all of mine have lived successfully with other Staffords, Chihuahuas, Rottweilers, Bullmastiffs, as well as cats), however Stafford owners must always be aware of the breed's propensity for dog aggression and small animal aggression (due to their terrier heritage). This can be muted somewhat with early socialization and continued obedience training.

     Staffordshire Bull Terriers are successfully used in obedience, flyball, agility, rally, dock diving, lure coursing, therapy programs, service dogs, tracking, weightpulling-- virtually any and all canine activities. Anything you want a stafford to do, it can do it with proper training.

 Staffordshire Bull Terriers are a medium sized dog standing 14-16 inches tall and weighing 24-38 pounds. They have a single smooth coat and can be many varieties of colors including brindle, red, white, pied, blue, black, & fawn.

A link to the AKC standard is here and a link to the UKC standard is here.