A little more than 10 years ago I went to our yearly December-show in Stockholm, the most honorable show in Sweden, to show my Bearded Collie. I parked my dog, my show gear and myself just next to a pen with Bearded Collies from the renowned Farmaren kennel.

In the pen they also had a small, compact staffie bitch. That little female was jumping up and down as soon as a person approached, laughing with her whole face - a miracle of happiness!

 

During a visit at the Olsson family at Farmaren and Sunstaff kennels I met their Ch Lawbury Showcase of Cradbury - my heart pounded like crazy and I was stuck! I just had to have such a sprinkler of joy!

 

A big part of the staffords personality is their unrestrainedly way of showing happiness. They LOVE people - children as well as adults, people they know as well as strangers, and they show their love in a very physical fashion. I believe they are the ultimate family dog - they are easy to handle, physically hardy, not as demanding as many other breeds for activity but extremely alert and happy to be a part of whatever their family offers.

If you feel like spending the whole day in the couch in front of the TV, that's OK - as long as your staffie's allowed to be there next to you (or sleeping ON you...). If you the next day feel like taking a 5-hour hike, that's OK too - as long as your stafford's there to accompany you.

 

What the Staffordshire Bullterrier DEMAND, maybe more than other breeds, is to be close to humans, both mentally and physically - a perfect trait for a dog in a family with children. It's so easy to understand why the breed in it's land of origin, Great Britain, is nicknamed "THE NANNY DOG"!