Because the Staffordshire Bull Terrier’s history goes back to the early 19th century, and there were no pedigrees back then, the factual evidence of the Staffy’s bloodlines is too obscure.
However, it’s pretty much accepted that the Staffordshire Bull Terrier we know today descended from the bulldog and terrier crosses that were prevalent in those days.
Are There Different Types of Staffordshire Bull Terrier
You might have heard people talking about other Staffy “types,” such as:
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- Australian Staffy
- King Staffy, King Staffords, King Staffordshire Bull Terrier
- Athletic Staffy
- English Staffy, English Staffordshire Bull Terrier
- Irish Staffy, Irish Blue, Irish Red, Irish Blue Staffordshire Bull Terrier
- Scottish Staffy
- Old Type, Old Type Staffy, Old type Staffordshire Bull Terrier
- Long Legged Staffy, Short legged Staffy, Miniature Staffy
- Coloured Nose Staffy
What I can tell you is there is only one Staffordshire Bull Terrier. So, there are no other breeds or “types” of Staffy. However, breeders sometimes make up names to attempt to charge higher fees for puppies, and even the Irish Staffy was bred from the Staffordshire Bull Terriers.
They were taken to Ireland in the 1940s to compete in the Irish Kennel Club trials. The Irish Staffy might be slighter taller with slimmer legs, but they are still a Staffordshire Bull Terrier. In addition, no renowned Kennel Club in the world recognises any other Staffy type as a separate breed, including the Irish.
Is a Staffordshire Bull Terrier a Mixed Breed?
If you go far enough back into the history of any dog breed, you will find that most of them are mixed breeds of one type or another.
Some breeds exist today that are the descendants of the original species from thousands of years ago. According to Mesopotamia clay tablets discovered in the Kurdistan region, the Kurdish Dog breed or pejdar canine is one of the dog breeds that has remained pure and unique from 5000 years ago to present.
Pejdar dogs were used in ancient Assyrian Mesopotamia to hunt wild animals and protect villages. They are giant dogs with perhaps the strongest bite force of any dog.
However, most modern dog breeds we see and hear today began life as a mixed breed.
The Staffy started life in the early 19th century as a mixed breed between the Old English Bulldog and various local terriers in existence at the time. They were originally known as the Bull and Terrier.
Staffordshire Bull Terrier History
Bloodsports such as bull and bear baiting were incredibly popular before the nineteenth century, and spectators of any social class were more than welcome.
The early ancestors of dogs like the Staffordshire Bull Terrier would set upon and attack bulls going to slaughter.
Butchers saw this as a way of tenderising the meat. But the dogs were not allowed to kill the bulls; the aim was to get the animal worked up. Bull-baiting was also a form of entertainment for audiences, and organisers frequently arranged dog fights with bears, bulls, and other creatures.
The owners didn’t breed dogs for their cute and cuddly looks; but for their “gameness,” the ability to fight back against an opponent. Taking on a bear or bull was a great test of a dog’s bravery, strength, and agility.
In England, the government eventually banned all bloodsports in 1835. However, this forced the dog owners underground, where they organised dogfighting contests.
But regardless of how aggressive these dogs were in the ring, owners bred them never to show aggression to humans. This was crucial because handlers had to get in amongst the dogs to separate them during fights.
Owners gave these bull and terrier breeds several names, such as the Patched Fighting Terrier, Brindle Bull, Staffordshire Pit-dog, and the Bull-and-Terrier. Other similar dogs were known as half-and-halfs and half-breds.
Dogs like these came from various parts of the UK. So the amount of bulld