Thanks to the stigma of its cousin the Pit Bull, the Staffordshire Bull Terrier is a breed fraught with misconceptions and untruths. To the uninitiated eye, the Staffordshire Bull Terrier looks very much like a Pit Bull and is therefore often on the receiving end of unwarranted negativity. Though the Staffie was once used for such things as bear and badger baiting, this type of activity was mostly a prime source of entertainment for people in the seventeenth century. Though used for fighting by some afterward, the breed was more often kept as a family pet to guard property and family as well.
The first and foremost myth about the Staffordshire Bull Terrier is that they are an aggressive breed that will brutally attack unprovoked. Though they have been known to take an aggressive stance with other dogs, the Staffordshire Bull Terrier is anything but an unpredictable time bomb. The breed not only adores human contact, they require it in order to stay mentally and emotionally fit. As further proof of this, the American Temperament Test Society, an organization that assesses the disposition of various dog breeds, put the Staffie and other dogs in tense confrontational situations. The more aggressive their reaction, the lower the score a dog would receive. While the Labrador Retriever's friendliness was ranked at 91.1%, the Staffordshire Bull Terrier ranked at 93.2%. In fact, Staffie owners are often cautioned to keep their dogs inside a secure fence as many have been nabbed after wandering up to a stranger to make friends.
The second most misleading myth basically stems from the first in that there is suspicion about the Staffordshire Bull Terrier's trustworthiness around children. This misconception is quite common for those who do not know the breed has earned the nickname The Nanny Dog. Also commonly referred to as The Children's Dog, the breed has earned its moniker due to its noticeably maternal character that seems to be present even in males. The Staffordshire Bull Terrier is especially protective of younger brood and will often make sure children stay within its sight at all times. The breed also has a stamina that easily matches the energy level of children and they absolutely revel in the attention that children lavish on them.
Those who are interested in taking on the Staffordshire Bull Terrier may find unscrupulous breeders offering what they call rare blue puppies. In all actuality, blue is a common color for the Staffordshire Bull Terrier. Whenever a breeder tries to rope interest by making this claim, it is often because they are banking on a prospective owner's lack of knowledge on the breed. Staffordshire Bull Terriers can be found in blue, black, brindle, red, fawn or white. They may also be found in a combination of white and any of the aforementioned colors.
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