A Staffy puppy or adult is a bold and faithful companion. Although they may be small in stature, their big hearts and unwavering loyalty to loved ones make up for any lack of physical bulk.
Today we’ll look at the breed qualities of the Staffy and find out whether their unfortunate background as fighting dogs affects their ability to be a treasured lap dog for families.
We’ll show you how to select happy, healthy Staffordshire Bull Terrier puppies and raise and care for them to become pleasant and happy adult dogs.
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Unfortunately, this beautiful little dog, sometimes known as a “Staffy” or “Stafford,” has received much negative attention in the media in recent years. However, they are highly trainable, energetic, and intelligent dogs. A purebred Staffy has the potential to excel as either a show dog or a beloved family pet.
What Are Staffy Puppies Like?
Once they’ve tired themselves out, Staffordshire Bull Terrier puppies (and adults) love nothing more than the company of their owners and a good snuggle. They must be the focus and attention of all the comings and goings in the house.
Busy families that love outdoor activities will get on famously with a Staffy puppy. These dogs appear to have an endless supply of energy.
They thrive when constantly in the company of their human family. Staffies are not the kind of puppies that enjoy being left alone for lengthy periods. As they grow out of their puppy stage and their jaws and teeth get stronger, they can do a lot of damage if they suffer from separation anxiety.
Staffies are intelligent dogs that will learn rapidly, so beginning training early with a focus on positive reinforcement will serve you well. Consistency is essential since they may try to push your limits.
To train your Staffie successfully, you need to establish strict but fair boundaries and keep to them. Suppose you are a first-time owner or are unfamiliar with the breed. In that case, you may want to enrol your Staffy puppy in training sessions, which you can easily find online.
Training your Staffie’s recall early on is recommended due to their high levels of energy and excitability. Staffordshire Bull Terrier puppies will develop into confident dogs who enjoy going for walks and meeting new people and other dogs if you begin socialising them from an early age.
When there are many people around, your dog may take longer to finish his walks because they want to say hello to everyone they meet.
Staffy Puppy Colours
- Blue Staffy
- Brindle Staffy
- Black Staffy
- Red Staffy
- White Staffy
- Black and white Staffy
- Fawn Staffy
- Blue and white Staffy
- Red and white Staffy
- Brindle and white Staffy
The Staffy is no exception to the rule that dogs can be of any colour or pattern you can imagine.
Given that dogs of the same breed might have drastically varying coat colours, this is a fascinating phenomenon.
The Staffy puppy can have a wide range of coat colours, as the above list demonstrates.
The Blue Staffy is the most popular colour for this breed these days. This, of course, doesn’t guarantee that your puppy will be a brilliant shade of blue. It’s more of a silver or dark grey.
A blue coat indicates that your Blue Staffy has a recessive gene for the blue coat colour. Both of its parents likely have the gene for a diluted black coat. However, it doesn’t mean either of the parents has a blue coat.
The second most popular coat colour for Staffies is brindle. It is worth noting, however, that brindle is frequently used to describe the pattern of the Staffy’s coat colour. This type of coat will be striped.
Do Staffy Puppies Change Colour?
When Staffy puppies are born, it takes until their third week before the coat’s proper colour comes out. It’s unusual if a puppy’s coat changes colour after this time. Their coats might grow lighter or darker as they get older. You might see dark tips with red puppies, but these will typically disappear as the dog ages.
What to Look for When Buying a Staffordshire Bull Terrier Puppy?
Research the Breeder
The Staffordshire Bull Terrier is an overbred breed because so much of the breeding in the breed is unplanned, unregulated, and unrecorded.
You might find ads for puppies for sale on the Internet or in your local area. But you should be very careful about back-street breeders or puppy farms that pretend to be good owners.
You might meet the puppies in a pleasant environment at the breeder’s home, not realising they have their puppy mill elsewhere.
The paperwork might not be authentic. If the parents aren’t registered, the puppies won’t be either. Illegal papers mean you won’t be able to show your dog or have registered puppies. Crucially, your puppy may have or develop several genetic conditions that affect Staffies without knowing the family history.
Your best option is to buy your puppy only from breeders registered with the UK Kennel Club. That way you can find out more information.
Research the Parents
Breeding dogs according to Kennel Club standards necessitates following specific measures to assure the puppies’ health. Only parents who do not have these diseases should have offspring.
Providing you get your puppy from a legitimate breeder, you can rest assured that it will have a healthy and long life. In this way, despite a higher initial investment, a dog with certified breeding typically results in lower long-term costs due to fewer trips to the veterinarian.
Meet the Puppies
You should meet the puppies at least a couple of times before you bring your puppy home, and a good breeder will welcome this. The breeders want to meet you as much as you want to meet the puppies. For the sake of the puppy, a breeder wants to ensure you’re going to be good parents.
How Much Is a Staffordshire Bull Terrier Puppy?
Pets4Homes is a classified ads website in the UK. They say the average price of a registered Staffy is £965 and unregistered £468. Of course, if you buy from a renowned breeder that breeds champion lines, you’ll pay much more money; there might even be a waiting list.
Where to Buy a Staffordshire Bull Terrier Puppy?
To buy a Staffy puppy, I suggest you visit the UK Kennel Club website and click on the link “Find a Puppy/Rescue.” There you’ll find a list of the Kennel Club Assured Breeders. At the time of writing this article, I did precisely that and found a list of twenty Assured Breeders, all with available Staffy puppies.
The breeders cover a large area of the UK, and wherever you live, no more than a two-hour drive to visit the breeder and the puppies.
How to Look After a Staffy Pup
Bringing Your Staffy Puppy Home
- Meeting other animals, such as healthy, vaccinated dogs and cats, is a great way to break the ice and build trust.
- Taking them on walks about the neighbourhood in your arms is a great way to familiarise your puppy with the sights, smells, and sounds of the outside world.
- Gradually exposing them to new situations such as riding in a car, getting a bath, being held, and having their ears, eyes, and other body parts examined.
Additionally, you should:
- To avoid separation anxiety, gradually increase the time they spend alone.
- Put a regular schedule and regulations in place, rewarding good behaviour and disregarding bad.
- Maintain the same pattern with tiny, frequent servings of the same puppy food.
- Maintain toilet training progress by rewarding the puppy after each successful time they do their business outside.
Staffy Puppy Food
How Much Should I Feed My Staffordshire Bull Terrier Puppy?
Staffy puppies, like all other puppies, need to be fed at least three times a day. The correct amount of food, distributed fairly throughout feedings, is also essential.
The simplest solution is to set up a feeding schedule that includes specific times of day for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
You should set up your feeding schedule something like this:
The first meal is at roughly 7 a.m., its midday meal at around noon, and its evening meal at around 5 p.m.
It’s best to have the last meal around 5 o’clock every evening, so they have time to digest the food and go to the bathroom before bedtime. This also helps with toilet training routines.
When your Staffy puppy is about 14 and 18 weeks old, you can switch to feeding it twice daily. Until then, stick to this basic feeding regimen (unless your vet tells you otherwise).
| Staffy Age | Staffy Feeding |
|---|---|
| Weaning to 12 months | 1/2 – 1 1/2 cups |
| Four to five months | 1 1/2 – 2 3/4 cups |
| Six to eight months | 1 1/8 – 2 1/3 cups |
| Nine to eleven months | 2 – 3 cups |
| One to two years | 2 – 4 1/4 cups |
The maturity weight of your Staffy should be between 20 and 50lbs.
What Is the Best Food to Feed a Staffordshire Bull Terrier Puppy
Most pet owners give their Staffy puppies dry kibble or canned wet food. While humans might not find these processed foods appetising, they provide puppies with all the essential nutrients puppies require for good health.
Commercial dog diets that make the cut are subject to extensive testing by vets and food safety experts.
The very best dog food is the one that provides all the nutrients your Staffy requires. Even though the majority of commercially available dog food contains at least the bare minimum of nutrients necessary for a dog’s health, it is essential to keep in mind that all dogs have the exact dietary needs.
Staffy Puppy Training
How to Train a Staffordshire Bull Terrier Puppy
Staffies are highly trainable and ready to learn as soon as you bring them home. Staffies are incredibly people-oriented and eager to learn, qualities that can make training much more straightforward.
The first step is to build a relationship with your Staffy. The best way is by hand-feeding your Staffy. Training a Staffy begins with food, boundaries, consistency, and positive reinforcement-based training.
How to Stop a Staffy Puppy From Biting
1. Consistency is key. All dog training depends on consistency. You can’t let them get away with bad behaviour sometimes and discipline them at other times.
2. As soon your Staffy bites – playing is over, you turn your back and walk away. No angry response or telling the dog off because, in their mind, you’re still playing the game.
3. Redirect their attention to a chew toy.
4. Puppies need to socialise with other dogs and puppies because they learn bite inhibition easier from other dogs.
5. Try to avoid rough play with a Staffy puppy. You’re encouraging biting with rough play.
6. Use only positive reinforcement training. Reward your Staffy for good behaviour.
7. This shouldn’t need to be said; however, never hit your Staffy puppy.
How to Toilet Train Staffy Puppy
Take Control
Be proactive. Take your puppy outside every hour. Sometimes they will go and not others. But the sooner they understand, the sooner they are housetrained.
Create a Routine
All dogs love a good routine. Puppies might not know what you want. But they grasp routines very quickly.
Reduce the Accidents
Crate training, keeping your puppy close to you so you can get them outside quickly, and not letting them drink after a specific time in the evening all help reduce accidents.
Warning Signs
After watching your puppy for a few days, you’ll see little warning signs they are about to poop or pee. Look out for those little signs and get them outside quickly.
Treats
Staffies love a treat. When your puppy goes outside and does the business, make a fuss and give a little treat. Your puppy will begin to realise going outside is a good thing and means a treat coming their way.
Never Punish
You would never punish a baby for soiling their nappies, so why would you punish a puppy for something they don’t understand.
Staffy Puppy Exercise
How Much Exercise Does a Staffy Pup Need?
Your dog’s formative years are critical because they shape the habits and behaviours they’ll carry into adulthood. However, because their bones, joints, and muscles are still developing, excessive exercise can be just as damaging as lack of exercise.
How Long Should You Walk a Staffy Puppy?
Every puppy is different depending on its weight and age. A common rule of thumb is five minutes of exercise for every month of age. However, it would be best to judge your puppy by how they seem to respond to the activity you provide.
Staffy Puppy Size Guide
How Much Should a Staffy Puppy Weigh?
| Age | Weight (Kg) |
|---|---|
| 3 Months | 4.5 to 7Kg |
| 4 Months | 6 to 9Kg |
| 5 Months | 7.5 to 11Kg |
| 6 Months | 8.5 to 12.5Kg |
| 7 Months | 9 to 14Kg |
| 8 Months | 9.8 to 14.5Kg |
| 9 Months | 10 to 15Kg |
| 10 Months | 10.4 to 16Kg |
| 11 Months | 10.8 to 16.2Kg |
| 12 Months | 11 to 16.5Kg |
When Is a Staffy Puppy Fully Grown?
When a Staffordshire Bull Terrier’s growth plates have finished closing and no longer make new tissue, then it’s fully grown. This typically occurs between months twelve to eighteen. However, Staffies will continue to fill out and pack on muscle. You’ll notice this around the chest and shoulders. Between two and three years, Staffies are considered fully mature.
