In all my years of working and dealing with dogs, I have never found a more controversial breed then the Staffordshire Bull Terrier. Here is a breed that shares ancestry with another Bull and Terrier breed who are looked down upon by the Media like the American Pit Bull Terrier. Also known as American Staffordshire Terrier or American Pit Bull Terriers. Which this breed often vied as two septet breeds by many and controversial amongst them selves. The Staffordshire Bull Terrier must be seen as a totally different breed. We must look at the Staffordshire Bull Terrier as the way the written breed standard was written and described. My number one question is why is there a breed standard if no one is going to follows it or uses it. Many breed standards are left open for interoperation by Judges and individuals. A few years back when I was in search of my first Staffordshire Bull Terrier, I encountered may breeds whos Staffies that were 17 inches plus and weight 45 pounds plus. I later learn that there are many in the west coast who have dogs like that. I encountered a few breeders who told me that they have the leggier Staffie and that the shorter leg Staffie are prone to joint problems The sad part about it is that they believe that statement themselves. The written AKC standard defines the height as 14 to 16 inches and weight as 24 to 38 pound. I know many breed who use height as a fault. I dont care how nice the dog or bitch is but if it is too tall it should not place or even win a class. The first place award or ribbon should be with held. I have show for years and I have seen Staffords win classes and even win breed, which do not fit within the written standard. The only people who can fix or resolve this problem are the Kennel Club who registers the breed. Some breed clubs need to work with the Kennel Clubs to truly defined the Breed standard.

How can we help the animal population in America? We as people should not buy animals from any pet store, Puppy Mill, or Irresponsible Breeders or Irresponsible Kennels. All pet owners should spay or neuter their animal if they have decided or chosen not to participate or exhibit their animal in performance events or confirmation. Kennel clubs and Animal Registers should commence to limit the numbers of liters any person has. As for Local and State Government to mandate spay and neuter for everyone with no exceptions is just uncalled for. Irresponsible breeders and Irresponsible Kennels do not follow any current laws nor will they follow any new laws including spay/neuter laws. I know a lot of Irresponsible breeders and Irresponsible Kennels who will sell a dog interact and encourage the person they sold it to breed it. So they can also make a few dollars. I know a lot of Responsible breeders who will disagree and argue with me on this topic. This is my view and opinion on this subject. I think that Local and State Government should put in place mandatory spay and neuter laws BUT with exceptions like: I have no problem with buying a license every year for a few dollars. I have no problem with having to supply paper work like I show or performance events and how many show do I attend or do. I have no problem with benign limited to 2 to 3 liters a year. Make all people with a breeding license health test their dogs and provide the proper documentation. This is just one of my ideas on how we can help reduce the animal population in America. This will help reduce or eliminate the number of Irresponsible breeders and Puppy Mills. Make revenue for the local and state government. Dog shows and events participation will rise. The number of dogs resisted every year will be reduced. The cost of dogs will rise due to the addition cost of breeding. The quality and health of dogs will go up. The number of dogs in shelters will be reduced in the long term. If you are person who truly loves the Breed of dog that you own and dislike what I wrote please write me or get me you comments. If you have any ideas or concepts that many help or reduce the animal population in America I would like to hear it. But you ideas or concept must protect your right to ownership and the breeding of your dog.

What about those breeders and so called Kennels that claim to have something they don’t? A few years back when I was in search of my first Staffordshire Bull Terrier, I call numerous breeders and kennels. Many of they claimed to have Champion pedigree in their dogs but when you look theirs not 1 champion dog in it for 4 to 5 generation back. In a 5 generations pedigree, you will have a total of 62 dogs. Now lets look at what can we call a champion pedigree:

• Can we use a percentages 5%, 10%, 25%, 50% 75% or even 100%?
• Can we call if its on only one side of the pedigree a few generations back?
• Can we call if there are only 2 dogs with in a 5 generations

In all my years of looking at pedigrees I have never seen a 5 generations pedigree consist of 62 champion dogs. My question to everyone in the dog world, what constitutes a Champion pedigree? I'm very interested on what you have to say.

What about those breeders and so called Kennels that claim to do something but don’t? I think that any breeder who claims to breed QUALITY and HEALTHY dogs should be able to back it up and prove it. I have always believed in that healthy dogs will give you healthy puppies and have longer life spans. I have found that the only way to know if you have healthy dogs is to test your dogs and obtain certificates from any of the following:

• The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals
• Canine Genetic Diseases Network
• University of Pennsylvania Hip Improvement Program

Your dogs are not just healthy because you take them to the local Vet. There are genetic things of issues in every breed. No breed is exempted from having some type of health issue. In Staffords we have all of the following:

• L2-Hydroxyglutaric Aciduria
• Hereditary Cataract
• Hip Dysplasia
• Elbow Dysplasia
• Patellar Luxation
• Dermatitis
• Demodectic Mange
• Brachycephaly
• Congential Epiepsy
• Distachiasis
• Persistent Hyperplastic Primary Vitreous
• Melanoma

We with only good breeding programs can improve the QUALITY and HEALTH of our dogs to reduce and practicality eliminate all health issues within a breed. As for me, I will not breed with out all my health testing begins done. The cost of health testing is minimal in the long run because you will have healthier dogs, which in turn will live longer. What a greater investment is there in health testing.

What about those breeders and so called Kennel’s who claim that wonderful people, breeders, and kennels have their dogs names (prefix) attached to them? But yet these same breeders and so called Kennel’s can’t provide not one name, address, phone number, website, email or some type of away to contact those people, breeders or kennels that they proclaim to have there dogs name attached to them.

What about those Breeders and so called Kennels that bad mouth the dog show world? I have found a few breeders and so called Kennels talking down the show world with out ever stepping in to it or have never participating in a show or an event. These breeders and so called Kennels claim that they do not show because of politics. Many breeders and so called Kennels say “It’s pretty much who you know, how your dressed and how much ass you kiss along the way can be sometimes determine whether your dogs becomes a Champion or Not.” I use to think that way before I started showing dogs but I have learn that its all about the interpretation of the Breed Standard and no two people see it or read it the same way. This is why we have a little variety in the breed. The AKC breed Standard use words like proportion, badly, considered, may be like and viewed leave a lot of fetchers open for debate. On the subject of dress, the AKC and other Kennel Clubs want dog shows to be a prestigious event. The same way we dress up to present our selves for a job, church and court. We should present our dogs the same way before a Kennel club Judge. On the subject of who you know that’s just not a factor. I know lots of judges, stewards, handlers and I still lose. You can know everyone in the world but if your dog is not the best dog in the show ring. You and your dog deserve to lose. On the subject of how much ass you kiss along the way that’s also not fact. Because trust me I’ve kiss a lot ass and it has made no difference for me or other that I know. To all of these breeders and so called Kennels it’s to say you have the best dog in the state but not paper work to prove it. If it wasn’t for the Show people and Responsible breeders and kennels you may have not been able to obtain your dog to begin with.

What about those Irresponsible breeders and so called Kennel’s that bad mouth dog show people, breeders and breeding programs? I have even found breeders and so called Kennel’s that say that pedigree dogs are becoming stupid as we breed them for look and not brains. What these Irresponsible breeders and so called Kennel’s don’t under stand is that more show, field and performance events dogs have their Canine Good Citizens awards, Family Obedience title and later obtain their Therapy Certification then the average house pet. More show, field and performance events dogs have more instinct to perform at what they were breed for then the average house pet. Yes we have breeders out there that still work their dogs to keep the dog able to do what they were breed for. Once facts that these Irresponsible breeders and so called Kennel’s failed to look in the article by scientist in Sweden, is that some of the breeds that were tested can no longer do what the were originally breed for thanks to animal rights activist. Thank to these individuals we have laws world wide the prohibit using dogs to hunt specific animals or game. There is a flip side to how to keep that pray drive in those breeds of dogs and that’s Herding, Lure Coursing, Earth dogs, and Terrier races. These are events that people have come up with to preserve their breed behavior and mental abilities. Confirmation events must be held to prove and insure that what is beginning breed today fits the breed standard. With out Confirmation events a breed look or appearance can and will be lost with poor breeding practices. So for people to claim that their is no need for confirmation is rediculous. These Irresponsible breeders and so called Kennel’s make comments mostly because they breed for money and not to improve their on stock or dogs. A lot of these Irresponsible breeders and so called Kennel’s won’t show or compete in field or performance events mostly because they can’t do it. Many Irresponsible breeders and so called Kennel’s dogs do not even conform to the Breed Standard listed by many Kennel Clubs around the world. Other Irresponsible breeders and so called Kennel’s dogs have so much dog aggression that they can not control them, themselves. A lot of these Irresponsible breeders and so called Kennel’s are quickly to point the finger at the show world and dogs events world but they, themselves fall short even to the things they claim. A lot of these Irresponsible breeders and so called Kennel’s are at fault with losing a look, a trait or something that applies to the breed standard. As for Responsible breeders and Kennel’s will spend money to get their dogs involved in different dog events and become active in the dog world. Many Responsible breeders and Kennel’s will even become big ambassadors to the breed. Many Responsible breeders and Kennel’s will also help fight for your dog rights. Less then half of the Irresponsible breeders and so called Kennel’s out there will not do anything dogs in America, and do not have any idea about Breed specific legislation or mandatory spay/neuter bills and laws that are begin promoted and pasted across America. So as for these scientists in Sweden to write this article, that lack evidence and proof to support their claim that pedigree dogs are becoming stupid as we breed them for look and not brains. Maybe if they can give better facts and less opinion I could understand their point of view on this topic. I’m very interested on what you have to say.

What about those breeders and so called Kennels who claim to have a Warranty or a Guaranty but will not put it in writing for the buyer? I have been slammed by several breeders and so called Kennel’s for Selling or Placing dogs on Co-Owned contracts. All my contacts protect both party the Breeder and the Buyer. All my contracts work both way if I (the Breeder) fail in any of the terms in the contract you (the Buyer) win’s. If you (the Buyer) fail in any of the terms in the contract I (the breeder) win. I have written down a few examples below for you to think about:

•  Example A: A person buys a puppy from someone for $1500.00. A few months go bye 13months a dog has one of many list hereditary illness. So you call the breeder and tell them your problem. The breeder in turn says to you "what do you want me to do about it?" You ask if they can replace the dog because they told you they had a Warranty or a Guaranty. But you have nothing in writing. So now you are out of the $1500.00, you now have a sick dog and you can't hold the breeder liable.

• Example B: A person buys a puppy from someone for $1500.00. A few months go bye 48 months you have lost you job or have become ill and can no longer keep the dog. So you call the breeder and tell them your problem. The breeder in turn says to you "what do you want me to do about it?" You ask if they can take the dog back because they told you they would and that it's in their Warranty or Guaranty. But you have nothing in writing. So now you it's all up to you to find a new home or shelter for you dog. Do note not many shelters will take Staffordshire Bull Terrier.

• Example C: A person buys a puppy from someone for $1500.00. A few months go bye 6 months you have the dog neutered. So you call the breeder and tell them hey I have neutered my dog per our contact can I have my dogs paper work. The breeder in turn says "good for you, what do you want me to do about it." Because you have a contract you get the paper work and your money if the breeder doe not follow thought with their part.

I could go on and on about Contracts Pros and Cons but you be the judge on, whom and why do you want to buy a dog for them. I suggest you research as many breeders as you can and check their references. I wish you the best in your puppy hunt.