Diamond Paws

WE are committed to this standard!

Staffordshire Bull Terrier Breed Standard

General Appearance: Smooth coated, well balanced, of great strength for his size. Muscular, active and agile.

Characteristics: Traditionally of indomitable courage and tenacity. Highly intelligent and affectionate, especially with children.

Temperament: Bold, fearless and totally reliable.

Head and Skull: Short, deep through with broad skull. Very pronounced cheek muscles. Distinct stop, short foreface, nose black.

Eyes: Dark preferred but may bear some relation to coat colour. Round, of medium size, and set to look straight ahead. Eye rims dark.

Ears: Rose or half pricked, not large or heavy. Full drop or pricked ears highly undesirable.

Mouth: Lips tight and clean. Jaws strong, teeth large, with a perfect, regular and complete scissor bite, i.e. upper teeth closely overlapping the lower teeth and set square to the jaws.

Neck: Muscular, rather short, clean in outline gradually widening towards shoulders.

Forequarters: legs straight and well boned. Set rather wide apart, showing no weakness at the pasterns from which point the feet turn out a little. Shoulders well laid back with no looseness at elbow.

Body: Close coupled, with level topline, wide front, deep brisket. Well sprung ribs, muscular and well defined.

Hindquarters: Well muscled, hocks well let down with stifles well bent. Legs parallel when viewed from behind.

Feet: Well padded, strong and of medium size. Nails black in solid coloured dogs.

Tail:  Medium length, low set, Tapering to a point and carried rather low. Should not curl much and may be likened to an old fashioned pump handle.

Gait/Movement: Free, powerful and agile with economy of effort. Legs moving parallel from front or rear. Discernible drive from hindlegs.

Coat: Smooth, short and close.

Colour: Red, fawn, white,black or blue, or any of these colours with white. Any shade of brindle with white. Black and tan or liver colour highly undesirable.

Size: Weight: Dogs 12.7 - 17 kgs (28 - 38 lbs), Bitches 11 - 15.4 kgs (24 - 34 lbs). Desirable height at withers 14 - 16 inches, these heights being related to weights.

Faults: Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree.

Note: Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.

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