Caring for your Staffy
Staffordshire Bull Terriers are a medium-sized
member of the Terrier group that come from England. They possess the typical Terrier tenacity,
and determination. They put their whole heart into everything they do. Short-haired breed, their colors vary from black to
brindle, red and even blue which comes from the ancient "Blue Pol" breed from Scotland (very recessive gene). Usually with a little white on their chest and often on the faces or paws.
Staffordshire Bull Terriers are a well refined breed of ancient lines and a great addition to a loving family with common sense if
properly cared for, but they do require some special care & attention.
1. Only purchase your Staffordshire Bull Terrier from a reputable breeder. You should only select well-adjusted, socialized puppies. The puppy you pick should show a positive reaction to people, and other dogs.
2. Once you bring your Staffordshire Bull Terrier puppy home, you should continue his socialization. Enroll him in puppy classes, and start his training young. Take him for walks on a leash in a park or other busy place. Get him used to being around children, and other pets.
3. Staffordshire Bull Terriers can be stubborn, but they are also very intelligent. They do very well in obedience or agility training. They respond much better to training with rewards than they do punishment or harsh words. If you are positive, they will try to please you.
4. Staffordshire Bull Terriers tend to be impulsive. This makes it very important for them to at least have some basic obedience training. You need to have control of them at all times. If you reinforce the obedience commands, and teach them well, you will have the control you need.
5. Well-socialized Staffies love to interact with, and meet new people, but should be supervised around children, or pets they do not know.
6. With their powerful muscles, and strong jaws, Staffordshire Bull Terriers love to chew. Always have a Nylabone or uncooked beef bone on hand to satisfy that urge to chew. It is not a good idea to give them rawhide, stuffed or vinyl toys. They will make short work of these items, and may swallow or choke on large pieces they have chewed off.
7. Staffordshire Bull Terriers require some form of exercise every day. Most of them enjoy walking or hiking. You can also train them to play ball or Frisbee.
8. Their short coat requires little grooming. Run a soft brush over their coat at least once a week to remove dead hair, and to stimulate the oils in their skin. This will keep shedding to a minimum, and keep their short dark coat gleaming.
9. Staffordshire Bull Terriers do not do well in outdoor weather extremes. They do not have a thick coat to handle extreme hot or cold temperatures. They should be an indoor pet.
10. Take your Staffie to the veterinarian at least once a year for a complete checkup, shots update, teeth, etc.
11. Wipe inside the ears gently with a soft cloth to keep them clean.
12. They often keep their nails worn, and do not require trimming. If your Staffordshire's nails do need trimming, only trim the very tip. If you do not feel comfortable trimming the nails, consult your veterinarian or a local groomer.
13. Feed your staffy quality dry food mixed with meat or dog food or roll once per day in the morning or mid day. This will help maintain bones fur and nails in tip tiop condition. Additives such as bob martin and MyBeau are also a good addtion to the diet. It is best to give a 2nd meal a day such as a few dog buscuits, chicken necks, or egg whites to stave off hunger pains and also to stop the dog storing food as fat, which happens naturally after longer fasting cycles.
14. One of the most important things to remember with a Staffordshire Bull Terrier is to work with him from a young age. Get him used to children, and other pets early in life. A great way to do this is to enroll him in puppy classes at your local obedience school.
Caution:
- SBT's can be stubborn, DON'T loose your patience, just give them the cold shoulder.
- SBT's are very emotional and can get upset easily, don't be too hard on them, they just want to make you happy be carefull never to punish too harshly or ignore for too long
- They tend to be impulsive, watch them near roads especially when young as the instinct to chase something that runs or flies may lead them to the middle of a busy road.
Quick Tips:
- Socialized Staffies love to interact with people
- Staffs require some form of exercise every day, ideally three times a day if they live in smaller confines or don't have frinds at home to play with even in large confines
- Protect your Staff from strange people such as sketcky mugger types or evil complainers looking to provoke your dog. Remember until ignorance is outlawed, even if your staffy saves someones life to stave off a mass murderer, they are always assumed to be the guilty one
For the best dry dogfood, visit orijen.co.nz Suggestion for Puppy Food
What you feed your staff is your choice based on your own budget. Our way is here though.As a pup, use puppy kibble like Orijen, Nutro, Royal Canin, Eukanuba, Hills, etc softened a little with hot water and coolled before giving the pup.Another thing is Pro-nutro breakfast cerial or weetabix with hot water, butter and wee bit of milk (easy on the milk or they get the runs) for calcium for those growing bones. Serve when not too hot of course.Our advice is you can't really overfeed a staffy pup unless they are ludicrously gutsy, they will burn it off. Probably a good way of making them more in control of their eating actually by having lots when they are young.
Egg is natures superfood but if you feed more than one, remove some of the whites as they inhibit absorption of key vitinmins and other nutrients.
Suggestions for meals for Pup to Adult stage
Dad
is very fussy about what I eat. I am fed a high protein diet
which has changed a lot since I was a pup and is modified occasionally to keep me happy. I am still fed twice a day
as once a day feeding causes the body to store engergy as fat, just
like with humans. Feeding too much can cause high levels of poo :-).
Cycle-Staple Feeding
-Good for staffy's with an average level of activity to maintain lean build
Day 1 Morning
Porridge
Day 1 Evening
1 egg yolk, MyBeau, mixed with 2 to 3 cups of Orijen
(Orijen is a little more expensive, but more complete & higher in protein)
Day 2 Morning
Handfull of biscuits just to break hunger (tux, Eukanuba or whatever)
Day 2 Evening
MyBeau, mixed with 2 to 3 cups of Orijen
Staple Feeding
- Good for mainitaining general pet staffy that might only be walked once a day
Morning
A few buscuits to break hunger, any brand
Evening
1 egg yolk, MyBeau, mixed with 2-3 cups Orijen
Cycle Feeding
- Good for bulking very active staffys that can burn off excess calories
Day 1 and 2 Morning
1 square of minced meat* 2 cups Royal Canin or Nutro
Day 1 and 2 Evening
1 egg yolk, MyBeau, mixed. Then, 8 Small Eukanuba biscuits or similar
(if you can get from South Africa, Bob Martin Tablets are great)
Day 3 Morning
1 square of minced meat*, minced veges, 1.5 cups Royal Canin or Nutro
Day 3 Evening
8 chicken necks microwaved then cooled or just thawed raw *NB
*Meat:
Meat comes in 6 squares per pack form pet essentials. We buy a mixture
of the following: Lamb&Garlic - Lamb&Tripe - Chicken&Fish -
Venison&Heart
*NB - with the exception of vertibrates, never feed any animal cooked bones (chicken, beef, etc) unless cooked to mush or
if they can't splinter such as chicken neck/vertibrates & some
brisket which is mainly cartilige. Also, avoid giving dogs too many egg
whites as they inhibit the absorption of key nutrients and vitamins. A
little is ok though.
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In New Zealand, Pet essentials
are a good supplier for game and other unprocessed meets such as Fish,
Chicken, Lamb and Garlic, Venison, Venison & Heart