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Staffordshire Bull Terrier

The Staffordshire Bull Terrier is the “original Bull Terrier”, simply a re-named version of the old fashioned “Bull and Terrier”. He was manufactured by crossing the old-fashioned Bulldog; known for his strength and ferocity in the sport of Bear Baiting, with the quicker, more agile old English Terrier. The history of Bull Baiting goes back to the 1200s but did not become very popular until the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. At this time it was discovered that the Bulldog and the Mastiff were too slow in comparison to the bull and extremely vulnerable to being tossed and gored. A more agile breed was required to liven up the sport. A dog was required that was game, showed endurance, agility and speed, tenacity, determination, and indifference to pain.

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The Staffordshire Bull Terrier

The Staffordshire Bull Terrier is the “original Bull Terrier”, simply a re-named version of the old fashioned “Bull and Terrier”. He was manufactured by crossing the old-fashioned Bulldog; known for his strength and ferocity in the sport of Bear Baiting, with the quicker, more agile old English Terrier. The history of Bull Baiting goes back to the 1200s but did not become very popular until the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. At this time it was discovered that the Bulldog and the Mastiff were too slow in comparison to the bull and extremely vulnerable to being tossed and gored. A more agile breed was required to liven up the sport. A dog was required that was game, showed endurance, agility and speed, tenacity, determination, and indifference to pain.

So, the Staffordshire Bull Terrier standard calls for his coat to be smooth, short and close. That’s fairly no-nonsense and concise. Now though your standard doesn’t say this, the Am Staff and Bull Terrier standards do call for the coat to be glossy and frankly, there is no reason not to have shine on a Staffy. It looks fabulous and just gives that extra something to stand out from the crowd. So, how to achieve it? Apart from the good diet and conditioning, you do with your dog, this little outdoorsy person does need assistance.

Every day you ought to put a handful of the Plush Puppy Reviva Coat, a wonderful moisturising mousse through his coat. This keeps the moisture content up and prevents sun burning and brittle dry coats. By keeping the condition in this coat, you will also help to retain colour. Absolutely wonderful for reds and black coats.

Now, which shampoo to use? Depending on your coat colour and the state of the coat. So, you would use the Plush Puppy All Purpose Shampoo with Henna at a ratio of 1:5 (1 part shampoo to 5 parts water).  All Plush Puppy shampoos are quite concentrated. That is good for most coats and most situations and really brings up the coat colour.

Should the coat be black or blue and exhibiting colour fade, I would use the Plush Puppy Herbal Whitening Shampoo with Ginseng. This is a purple shampoo and kills all unwanted red or orange effects in the coat and will enrich a blue coat.

For blacks that are fading or showing signs of red tones or that require a bit more intensity of colour use Plush Puppy Black Opal Shampoo. Use at 1:3. Allow to soak in the coat for a minimum of 15 minutes before rinsing. Repeat to intensify if needed.

The head and expression is very important for the staffy. Use Plush Puppy Let’s Face It. This is a hypoallergenic sulfate free low foaming shampoo designed just for faces. It’s no tear formula features the highest quality Blue Cypress Extracts, Panthenol with Pro Vitamin B and SugaNate. These special ingredients clean, soothe, add moisture, aid healing and have anti-inflammatory benefits. A small golf ball sized amounts directly to the face and eye area allows you to thoroughly clean without causing irritation. It can also be used in and around the ears with the same benefits. Its low foaming design allows ease of rinsing, yet complete cleaning.

This is not a breed to use a conditioner as it will just fluff the coat. It is recommended you keep the focus of shine in mind and use Plush Puppy Seabreeze Oil as a rinse after shampooing. This will not soften but retains the correct coat texture. Seabreeze Oil is excellent for maintaining the healthy vigour to the skin and coat and is all plant sourced from Evening Primrose and Calendula Oils. It is non greasy and totally water soluble making it easy to apply and remove each time without build-up. Dilute 1 tablespoon in 4 Litres (1 Gal) of water and work well through the coat with a large sponge. LEAVE IN. DO NOT RINSE. It gives incredible sheen and finish to the hair. This also helps keep any scurf at bay and leaves the coat smelling delightful. We cannot stress enough the wonderful attributes of this product.

Even spray the Seabreeze Oil onto the coats during the week for extra protection. You can dilute this or use undiluted – just revert to the bath mix recipe when preparing for a show.

Blow dry if possible, for best finish. Why blow dry? You ask. By drying using a force drier it helps remove old coat and helps the coat sitting perfectly.

The fun part is the grooming your Staffordshire Bull Terrier. You can use makeup on your dog. Plush Puppy makes a terrific product for white areas called Plush Puppy Coverup Cream. This is a white paste that is applied with a damp sponge. Just dabbed onto the area that needs to be covered such as an unevenly pigmented muzzle area.  Then add some Plush Puppy Fairy Frost Powder, an ultra-white powder that is amazing. You can even mix a small amount of Plush Puppy Pixie Dust. 

Add a small sprinkle of the Pixie Dust along the dog’s topline. Brush into the coat well. This really adds some gleam and picks up all the sunlight or indoor lights. Works well even on black dogs as long as you don’t overdo it – we don’t need to turn them into the glitter fairy!

For the final flourish, you spray with Plush Puppy Shine and Comb, a magical shine spray that is non greasy and water soluble. This is the piece de resistance. A light burst onto the coat or onto your hands and smoothed over the top and flanks just works like a charm. Try spraying just one side first and see the difference. It’s amazing. Your black dog especially will just glisten with glowing good health.

Don’t ignore the olfactory senses of your judge. They all have a nose! Nothing pleases more than a good smelling dog. It tells your judge that you care about your dog and have made the effort to groom and present. No matter how much you bath some dogs they still smell doggy especially if you have to travel to get to the show. Use Plush Puppy Odour Muncher.  It literally munches the odour and works well for smelly problems such as emergencies in transit.  It leaves a light fragrance, certainly not too much and definitely not too little.

Stacked up on the three quarter stance in the show lineup, the indomitable Staffordshire Bull Terrier has character and class. Groomed and presented properly he is a formidable opponent to any breed exuding his courageous, real dog personality with all the glitz and showiness required to win the most prestigious of shows. Let’s hear it for the Staffies!