HISTORY
Walk a Staffordshire Bull Terrier down the street and you are bound to
be asked this question: „Is it a Pit Bull or Amstaff?”
Most Stafford
owners are quick to answer no, and then take time to say the name of the
breed over and over, slowly and carefully, to make sure there is no
misunderstanding.
However, the
complete and correct answer to this question would be not “no”, but “not
anymore”. At one time the Staffordshire Bull Terrier was a so-called Pit
Bull-a dog bred and conditioned to fight other dogs in an enclosure
called a pit. In fact, the Staffordshire Bull Terrier was the original
pit fighting dog, from which others have descended.
In England in the
early 1800s an unspeakably inhumane spectator sport called bullbaiting
was in vogue. The type of Bulldog (not to be confused with our modern
Bulldog) most successful in fighting bull weighed between 80 and 100
pounds, had a powerful neck and shoulders, and tremendous courage and
tenacity. Its lower jaw tended to protrude somewhat to allow the Bulldog
to continue breathing without loosening its grip until the bull was
pinned to the ground.
Then, in 1835,
bullbaiting became illegal. This left promoters and partisans of the
“blood sports” to come up with something to take place. The new
spectacle was dog fighting. It was fashionable sport not only with the
seamy section of the populace but patronised in no small measure by the
aristocracy who would enjoy wagering the outcome of a match between two
celebrated dogs in fight to the death. London had its notorious pit in
Duck Lane, Westminster, and here a regulation pit was maintained. At
first the Bulldogs were pitted against one another, but it soon became
obvious to dog fighters that a smaller, more agile dog would be better
suited for dog-to-dog combat. They crossed the Bulldog with one or more
of the native English terriers in an attempt to create a type of dog
that would combine the courage, strength and tenacity of the Bulldog
with the agility and fire of the terrier. He was needed to fight and
kill and never give way. The plan worked, and a consummate fighting dog
was the result. The new breed went by many names: Bull and Terrier, Half
and Half, Pit Dog, Pit Bullterier and-for the region where it originated
– Staffordshire Bull Terrier. Stock which came from the union of the
Bulldog and this Terrier would have varied in extreme cases at maturity
between 20 and 60 lb. weight, averaging no doubt between 30 and 45 lb.
This weight margin allowed a dog which was substantial, muscular and
athletic. These attributes motivated with courage and tenacity produced
fighting dogs for over 100 years and gave us Staffordshire Bull
Terrier.
At least some
owners of Staffordshire Bull Terriers were interested in this new venue
for showing of their dogs. However, his existence through the nineteenth
century had been obscure, and he had an evil reputation because of his
fighting prowess. He was never considered as a show dog. It was not
untill May 1935.
Those who owned
the “other” Bull Terriers, 40 men, came together to form the first
Staffordshire Bull Terrier Club at the Old Cross Guns Hotel in Cradley
Heath. As it happens, his admirers these days have no quarrel with the
name, for he was virtually evolved in the Black Country, the mining area
of South Staffordshire and it is felt the dog has a proud and
traditional title, which as a native breed suits him and which he
deserves. The early officers of the club: Joe Mallen, Jack Bernard
(president) and Joe Dun (secretary). These men knew and loved the
outstanding splendid character of the breed and the qualities
incorporated into an animal of outstanding merit.
During 1935, 174
Staffordshires were registered with the Kennel Club of England.
A standard was
drawn up at this time, and by 1938, the fanciers of the breed celebrated
the awarding of the first championship poinys at the Birmingham dog
show.
In 1939, 5 of the breed gained championship titles. They were:
Game Laddie, bred and owned by W.A.
Boylan;
Gentleman Jim, bred by J. Dunn, owned
by J. Mallen;
Lady Eve, bred by J. Evans, owned by J.
Dunn; Madcap Mischief, bred by W.A. Boylan,
owned by A. Harrison;
Midnight Gift, bred by G. Ashman, owned
by M. Beare.
Literature:
1. Gilmour D., 1996, The Complete of Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Ringpress Books Ltd, Lydney,
2. Gordon J.F., 1982, The Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Foyles Handbooks, The Pitman Press, London,
3.Lane M., 2003, The Guide to Owning a Staffordshire Bull Terrier, T.F.H. Publications, Neptune City,
4. Lemke D., 2000, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, T.F.H. Publications, Neptune City,
5. Nicholas A.K., 1991, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, T.F.H. Publications, Neptune City,
6. Stone S., 2007, Celebrating Staffordshire Bull Terriers, Pynot Publishing
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