 The Staffordshire Bull Terrier first came into existence around the 17th century when a dog was produced using the bulldog of the day with other terrier blood, this cross became known as as a "pit dog", they were renowned for their courage and tenacity were excellent companions and remarkably good with childre. The pit dog was a favourite with miners and steelworkers where the dogs provided a valuable extra income when worked against badgers or as ratters. When baiting and dog fighting became illegal in 1835 a small group of men in Staffordshire preserved the breed by introducing them to the show dog world. The kennel club first registered the breed in 1935 and the first breed show took place in the West Midlands 60 dogs and bitches were entere.
The Stafford requires very little in the way of grooming. Once a week they need to be brushed with a stiff bristle brush and then polished with a velvet cloth or chamois leather which will make their coats shine.
Staffords should be fed according to their breeders instructions, they are naturally inclined to muscle up well on a quality food with an average amount of exercise..
The Stafford is a boisterous, intelligent and active dog with lotrs of stamina and even more character. They are extremely affectionate and love children earning them the nickname "the nanny dog". The Stafford is renowned still for their empathy with humans and is not suited to be "an outside dog" he will be much more comfortable sharing the family home surrounded by people of all ages however you need to remember that they thrive on human contact and will need to be trained not to be too boisterous around your visitors, not all of them will appreciate a muscle bound extrovert leaping all over them. Beacuse of his close relationship with humans the Stafford does not make a good guard dog and is not suited to being left alone for long periods. You will also need to be aware that while they love people some Staffords are not keen on other dogs and as a Stafford owner you must be responsible in training and understanding your dog. If you choose to have two Staffords they should always be seperated when left alone as minor mishaps can turn into full blown fights and a Stafford will fight to the death. 
A Stafford is intelligent and easy to train as they always so eager to please. Crate training is a great idea with a Stafford as it eliminates the chewing that happens when your dog gets bored you can leave a safe chewable toy with your dog in his cage to prevent household destruction!
The Stafford has been a victim of bad press dogs who have been involved in human attacks are often claimed to be Staffords when in fat they are not. Staffords when properly bred, reared and brought up cannot be rivalled as companions they love their human family deeply and thrive on as much attention as can be lavished on them. Many skirmishes that occur are not the fault of the Stafford but the owner of another dog who believes that they should be allowed to roam free, and consequently, challenges a perfectly controlled Stafford leading to a grisly fate.
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