og genes to terrier genes was influenced by which area of the country they originated.
A more common name began to emerge, the Bull Terrier, developed by James Hinks from Staffordshire, in the Black Country area of the Midlands. Some say that Hinks used Dalmations and Collies when creating the Bull Terrier, which some fans of the original bull and terrier didn’t much appreciate.
Therefore, this state of affairs led to the development of a separate breed which was to become known as the Staffordshire Bull Terrier.
The English Kennel Club recognises only four, the Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Bull Terrier, Boston Terrier, and Miniature Bull Terrier.
Whereas, The Kennel Club does not recognise the American Staffordshire Terrier and American Pit Bull Terrier. The APBT is currently one of four dogs on the UK Dangerous Dogs list.
Where Did Staffordshire Bull Terriers Originate From?
Dog experts agree that the Staffy originally descended from the centuries-old mastiff probably brought to Britain by the Romans. These dogs, the ancestors of the Old English Bulldog, were used for bull and bear baiting.
Once the government passed the 1835 Cruelty to Animals Act, dogfighting became prevalent, and one of the main areas was in the Black Country of Staffordshire in the Midlands. To improve the dog’s speed and agility, breeders crossed bulldogs with local terriers, and eventually, after selective breeding, the Staffordshire Bull Terrier emerged.
When Were Staffordshire Bull Terriers First Recognised?
From the first Staffies to emerge until the Kennel Club eventually recognised them took several years. Unfortunately, the authorities still harboured deep concerns about the Staffy’s heritage and close links to dogfighting and blood sports.
However, once regulated breeding became accepted, Staffy breeders created a formal breed standard, leading to Staffordshire Bull Terriers gaining recognition in 1935.
What Are “Bloodlines”?
A dog’s bloodline is its family tree, with parents and grandparents listed several generations back.
A pedigreed dog’s bloodline must include at least five generations. However, a puppy’s lineage will reveal more than just parentage. It also offers information about an animal’s temperament, attributes, and the number of shows it has won.
When looking for potential partners, a careful breeder will study bloodlines. Suppose he is hunting for competition-quality puppies. In that case, he will know that the more recent the show victories list, the more likely an animal will produce additional show ring winners.
Staffordshire Bull Terrier Bloodlines
Modern Staffy Bloodlines
Between May 1935 to December 1937, around 580 Staffordshire Bull Terriers were registered with the Kennel Club.
The six sires with the most registered puppies were:
|Sire||Number of puppies|
|Jim the Dandy||30|
|Fearless Joe||17 (Died in 1936)|
Staffy Bloodlines Up To 1946
|Bloodline||Number of Registrations|
|J line||1200 registrations|
|M line||1500 registrations|
|L line||500 registrations|
|B line||300 registrations|
|R line||500 registrations|
|C line||100 registrations|
Staffy Registration Growth
The Staffordshire Bull Terrier Club was founded in May 1935, and by the end of the year, 159 dogs were registered with the Kennel Club. Following that, the annual additions were as follows:
|To The End Of:||Number of Registrations|
All the above figures and tables for Staffordshire Bull Terrier Bloodlines were collated and produced by Stoutheart Staffordshire Bull Terriers. For further in-depth information about the Staffy’s bloodlines pay their website a visit.