Faster than a
speeding bullet...
 The Breed Standard
of the Staffordshire Bull Terrier requires it to be bold, fearless and totally
reliable. It is one of only two Breed Standards that mentions
suitability with children. So it is surprising that Staffords (aka Staffies) receive such bad
press. A very high percentage of dogs in rescue centres are Staffordshire Bull
Terriers or SBT crosses. A lot of places are overrun with the breed and refuse
to take any more in. Avril Taylor and Lesley McFadyen wonder why as they make wonderful family pets
and super agility dogs.
Originally a cross
between a bulldog and a terrier, the Stafford's temperament comes
from both breeds. It's love of people is well documented. They crave your
attention and want to please, and most of them also love their food.
Following some displays by the East Anglian Staffordshire Bull Terrier Club in
the Good Citizen ring at Crufts in 2002 and 2003, team members did a Stafford
agility display in the Special Events arena the following year. This attracted
the comment from one spectator that they were like 'canine bullets'.
 So is the Stafford
the
ideal agility dog?
They are fast, athletic, powerful and very enthusiastic which gives
them the potential to be wonderful agility dogs.
The biggest
problem you may find is that they have no respect for the agility equipment and
they will blast through anything they can't go round or over! Their
reliability around other dogs also needs to be taken into consideration. Some Staffords love other dogs but a lot don't and won't tolerate other dogs in their
face. Once focused on agility, however, they can be fine but they may require their space
carefully managed whilst queuing, in group training sessions etc.
 Staffords
in agility today
There are now more
and more Staffords competing in agility around the world at all levels.
The East Anglian SBT Club is the only Staffordshire Bull Terrier breed club
in the UK to have held
agility shows specifically for Staffords in the past. The first one attracted a
couple of dozen dogs from across the country, but unfortunately the second one
was scheduled just as the measuring changes took place and not everyone could
get their dogs measured in time. As there are considerably more Staffords now
competing around the country, the Club is now considering holding another breed
specific agility show in the near future.
The Club is very
fortunate to have members who are very dedicated to agility, and in 2011 the
Staffordshire Bull Terrier Agility League was set up. There were 42 members in
the first year and currently just under half of the Staffords that are
registered with the League are rescues.
The EASBTC Display Team was formed which
is now performing around the East Anglian region throughout the summer and also
at Crufts and Discover Dogs on a regular basis. The team consists of home bred
dogs and rescues, some KC registered and some not. Every opportunity is taken to
show the general public the positive side of the breed and dispel some urban
myths. The message is also given out that while rescue homes everywhere are full
of bull breeds, they are great dogs.
 Even
if you find that competitive agility is not for you, why not aim for one to one
training and get some equipment for your garden. Generally most Staffords enjoy
the challenge and stimulation.
They aren't the right
breed for every family so make sure you research before committing.
For more information
on The Staffordshire Bull Terrier Agility League and East Anglian Staffordshire
Bull Terrier Club, please visit the following websites:
Staffie v. Stafford
A lot of people, mainly people who show and breed SBTs, dislike the term
'Staffie,' probably because 'Staffie' has become a term for dogs that look like SBTs (probably crosses) and not necessarily pure bred SBTs.
Most pet dog owners and agility people use the term 'Staffie' but Breeders and Show people use
'Stafford.'
 About the authors...
Lesley McFadyen has had
Staffords in her life since the mid 1970s, raised her family with them, shown
them since the mid 1980's and not a day goes past when they don't feature in her
life. She has bred over those years some lovely dogs, some show Champions and a
fair few that have gone on to agility homes, including one who represented
Canada at the EO Championships in 2013.Through those she's bred she has made
some lifelong friends in their owners.
She has been
Secretary of EASBTC since 2000, having been on Committee since 1990, has judged
around the world (Australia, NZ, Spain, Ireland, France, S Africa)
but her biggest strength is organising and bossing around her lovely display
team members!
 Avril
Taylor got her first Stafford in 2002 and now lives with Saffi (13 year old
SBT), Dakota (8 year old SBT), Milo (4 year old SBT X Labrador) and new addition
Jersey (8 week old SBT.) She has been doing agility for about 18 years, runs the
Staffordshire Bull Terrier Agility League and is a member of the EASBTC Display
Team.
First published
10 May 2015
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