Hello and welcome back all our lovely readers to our brand new topic at spanieldogs.com. Here today we will be covering all aspects of a popular canine breed – Blue staffies. So, let’s start.
Staffordshire Bull Terriers, also known as Blue Staffies, are one of the gentlest and kindest souls that you can ever find in dog breeds. Their unfaltering loyalty and eagerness to please their owners makes them a great choice for both beginner as well as experienced pet parents. They are highly intelligent and can easily accustom to any living environment, given that they are provided ample opportunities to blow off their steam regularly.
Table of Contents
Origin History of Blue Staffies
Arriving from the beautiful region of Staffordshire, England, these gentle giants owe their origins to a cross between purebred Bulldogs and local terriers. The breed which was initially considered a hybrid between the two canine varieties has however successfully managed to register itself as a distinctive breed by the AKC in 1974.
The early idea behind selective breeding between these two dog parents was to create a strong, agile, muscular and ferocious dog that could fight off bears and bulls. Unlike their parents, the hybrid was swift in its movements and hence was used for bear or bull baiting and even for dog-fighting competitions in old England.
Apart from the above theory, there is also a slightly less popular theory that states the emergence of this very breed from the purebred old English bulldog. It focuses on the fact that both breeds display similar genetic and physical characteristics and therefore might have been born due to generations of selective breeding from only one dog breed, not two.
So, while there is not much proof to support any of the two notions, it is completely the individual’s decision to accept any of the two theories they like. Because at last it is not the history but the present characteristics of a canine breed that decides their compatibility with their owners.
Physical appearance
Carrying the genes of the old English bulldog, Blue staffies have a stockily built, compact athletic body that gives them the ferocious look they were once bred for. The breed’s size varies from small to medium and even though they may seem tiny compared to other dogs, they are better not provoked in the wrong way.
Their heads are broad with a short powerful muzzle that is enough to scare off strangers. Similarly, like most bullies their ears fold over the tips and give a seemingly cropped appearance, although it is all natural. Their bodies are super sinewy with a set of strong shoulders, broad chest, wide-set legs for greater speed and balance, and also attached with a comparatively small sized tail that acts like a whip.
They come in a variety of colours, including red, fawn, brindle shades, jet grey, and even pure white or black. So although they are popularly called ‘Blue Staffies’, the term typically denotes the tints of blue found on their coats which is actually jet grey reflecting the shade under certain light conditions.
The coat is super smooth and short, thereby needing low maintenance unlike other canine breeds. Males achieve a weight of 13-17 kg and measure around 36-41cm to their shoulder ridges while females are generally a few kilos less than their counterparts. A female Blue staffy reaches 33-38 cm in size to the withers and has a weight of 11-16kgs upon reaching adulthood.
Temperament and Personality
In the previous section of this blog, we learned how these majestic Blue staffies were initially built for ferocious games and human entertainment. However, fortunately the breed has been gaining inclination from pet lovers all around the world for another one of its attributes. A fun-loving mini giant, this breed adores cosy family time and won’t back down from snuggling with their parents all day. This breed is a super lovely dog that LOVES to be the centre of attention and will do any crazy trick to make you go rolling on the floor holding your stomach.
The once ‘aggressive’ tagged dog is highly amiable, docile, playful, easy to eager, intelligent and unwaveringly loyal to its pack. The pupper will do anything to make sure everyone’s safe, even if it requires to lay down it’s own safety instincts. The canine is amazing with infants, toddlers and other pets when properly socialised from the start. So, if you are in need of a ‘Super Nanny’ this breed won’t definitely disappoint you in any way.
However, be aware, the woofer refers it’s family as it’s EVERYTHING, so you should know better before inducing these lil’ giants from showing you their bad side. Similarly, you might also want to be prepared for your patience to be tested as Staffies can be headstrong and stubborn in the first few months of their training. But once they start respecting you, there’s nothing that is going to make them rethink before obliging to your commands.
Life Expectancy
The Staffordshire Bull Terriers are normally healthy, but as all breeds, they may also be passed down with some hereditary health problems. The most common ones include:
- Hip and elbow dysplasia
- Patellar luxation
- Juvenile cataracts
- Skin allergies
- Breathing problems, etc.
Apart from hereditary issues, the pup breeding method also keeps a huge role in deciding their life quality. Most often breeders don’t care much about the parents or their puppies and keep on breeding them under unfavourable conditions, which leads to their untimely demise during puppyhood or they might have to live a compromised life forever.
Thus, while you may never completely eradicate hereditary health risks, if you are bringing a Staffy puppy, make sure to do a thorough research on the breeder’s credibility.
Cost
These little beasts can range anywhere from $800-$2000, the better the pedigree the higher the price. The same also depends upon the coat colour you are choosing as Blue staffies that have a hint of blue on their coats sell far more than other colours.
This is mostly because jet-grey pups are very rare to find and therefore requires the breeders to carefully select between the parents while making sure they are healthy enough to produce a baby. Moreover, the genes need to be of the right combination or the pup’s coat may change colour upon maturing.
Exercise Needs
Build-up with an agile body with a playful character, the Staffies require optimum physical and mental stimulations on a regular basis. They love to run, chase or play tug of war with their owners and therefore if you like lazing around, the breed is not for you.
When bored, the canine resorts to destroying furniture or anything that falls within their eye level, and hence a regular of one hour exercising is a must. They need to be left off leash for half the time of exercising in a secure area to get rid of their pent up energy levels before giving a good walk back home.
Additionally, before deciding to become a Staffy parent, it is essential to know that they are ‘Master Escape Artists’. They love digging and jumping, therefore you might want to Staffy-proof your yard prior to letting them unmonitored and all by themselves. This won’t only put the passersby but even your beloved pooch at risk.
So, after going through all this, if you think you are ready for the adventure, then it’s time to bring a Blue Staffy pup to your home or adopt one from the local shelter and give it a new, happy, fulfilling life. The decision is yours to make.
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