Showing your Stafford
 Showing has become an extremely popular sport among those people who own a Kennel Club (KC) registered Staffordshire bull terrier. Showing is where a handler exhibits their dog at KC approved events, usually in a ring. The dog is judged by someone who is very knowledgable in the breed, usually a successful breeder or a breed specialist and is compared to the breed standard. The breed standard is the 'blueprint' of how a particular breed of dog should look, how well it conforms to this standard should relate to the positioning of the winners in a show. However, obviously different people have different interpretations of the written standard.
Click here for the official Standard
How to enter your dog in a show
 To enter your dog in a show he or she must be registered with the kennel club. If your dog is registered you should have papers which confirm this and both of their parents will be registered. All you need to do is find out when a show is on and fill out the entry form, you will need to fill out your dog's registered name, its date of birth, both of its parents names and its breed.
Puppies cannot go to their first show until they are 6months old, they must have also had their first vaccinations. It is important to make showing fun for your dog as it can sometimes be a bit overwhelming to a puppy, don't forget to take lots of breaks! If you are interested in showing it can be useful to join your local breed club, they keep you updated on the stafford and send you show schedules and special offers.
Keeping your pooch in shape
 Staffordshire bull terriers are very active dogs, as we all know they need a lot of walking and keeping your dog in good shape is going to give it a better chance of winning at shows. Everyone loves to see a Stafford flexing its muscles and it is more likely to impress the judges than an overweight dog.
The traditional way to get dogs fit was to use treadmills but for staffs this isn't very stimulating as the sole source of exercise though it can be useful to tone them up. Many people who show their dogs also take part in another sport with their dogs like agility, lure racing or obedience which they seem to excel in. Road work, or walking on the roads is also good for toning your dog up though it is important not to overdo it with puppies as a lot of jarring on hard surfaces can damage their young joints.
It is important to exercise staffords regularly to prevent destructive behaviours and boredom, if you don't have time there are toys you can set up in your garden such as springpoles. Dogs can have hours of exercise from this and staffs love them!
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