Skip to content
PetPrep
Get early access

Animal register · DogIn the app

Staffordshire Bull Terrier

Staffie, Staffy, Stafford

The Staffordshire Bull Terrier comes from Great Britain; the FCI lists it among the bull-type terriers. The FCI standard describes a smooth-coated, well-balanced dog of great strength for its size — traditionally of indomitable courage and tenacity, highly intelligent and affectionate, especially with children. It stands 35.5–40.5 cm; males weigh 12.7–17 kg and females 11–15.4 kg. It comes in brindle, red, fawn, black, blue or white, alone or with white.

The Royal Kennel Club calls it a wonderful family pet and recommends up to an hour of exercise a day; it needs grooming once a week, sheds and usually lives over 12 years. The PDSA says Staffies are tolerant and sweet-natured towards children, but as people-orientated dogs they are known to suffer with separation anxiety when left alone, they are known chewers, and with their very strong prey drive smaller pets are not a good idea around them.

Available in the 12-week PetPrep Challenge (paid breed).

Updated:

Staffordshire Bull Terrier — photo (AI)
AI-generated photo

At a glance

Size
small — The Royal Kennel Club S538
Adult weight
males 12.7–17 kg, females 11–15.4 kg — FCI S537
Daily exercise
up to 1 hour a day — The Royal Kennel Club S538
Brushing
once a week — The Royal Kennel Club S538
Shedding
sheds — The Royal Kennel Club S538
Lifespan
more than 12 years — The Royal Kennel Club S538

Key facts from the sources at the bottom of the page. Where sources differ, each value is listed.

Who it suits

Good for:

  • family lifeS538
  • families with childrenS537

Keep in mind:

  • chews things when boredS540
  • loves company — best with someone home most of the dayS540
  • shedsS538
  • strong prey drive — may chase small petsS540

The same tags as in the app. Each tag is backed by the sources listed at the bottom of the page.

What it needs

From breed standards, kennel clubs, veterinary charities and studies. Where sources differ, each one is shown.

Exercise

  • Daily exercise: up to 1 hour a day — The Royal Kennel Club S538

Coat and grooming

  • Coat: short — The Royal Kennel Club S538
  • Brushing: once a week — The Royal Kennel Club S538
  • Shedding: sheds — The Royal Kennel Club S538

Meals

General guidance for dogs (not breed-specific):

  • 8–12 weeks: 4 meals a day — ASPCA S18
  • 3–6 months: 3 meals a day — ASPCA S18
  • 6–12 months: 2 meals a day — ASPCA S18
  • Adult: at least 2 meals a day — VCA Animal Hospitals S19
  • Senior: 2–3 meals a day, smaller portions — Dogs Trust S14

Lifespan

  • Lifespan: more than 12 years — The Royal Kennel Club S538

Life stages

  • Reaches adult size at: about 12–15 months (guidance for its size class) — PetMD S10

General guidance for dogs (not breed-specific):

  • Puppy: until about 6–9 months — AAHA S11
  • Young adult: until 3–4 years — AAHA S11
  • Senior: the last 25 % of the expected lifespan — AAHA S11

Size and weight

  • Size: small — The Royal Kennel Club S538
  • Height at the withers: males 35.5–40.5 cm, females 35.5–40.5 cm — FCI S537
  • Adult weight: males 12.7–17 kg, females 11–15.4 kg — FCI S537

Training

  • No. 49 in Stanley Coren's ranking of working and obedience intelligence. — Wikipedia S35
  • FCI standard no. 76, group 3 (terriers); origin: Great Britain. — FCI S536

Questions and answers

Answered only from the sourced facts on this page; every answer names its sources.

How much exercise does a Staffordshire Bull Terrier need?

According to our sources, the Staffordshire Bull Terrier needs this much exercise: up to 1 hour a day — The Royal Kennel Club S538.

How long does a Staffordshire Bull Terrier live?

According to our sources, the lifespan of the Staffordshire Bull Terrier is: more than 12 years — The Royal Kennel Club S538.

How big does a Staffordshire Bull Terrier get and how much does it weigh?

Size and adult weight of the Staffordshire Bull Terrier, according to our sources: Size: small — The Royal Kennel Club S538; Adult weight: males 12.7–17 kg, females 11–15.4 kg — FCI S537.

How much grooming does a Staffordshire Bull Terrier need?

Coat and grooming of the Staffordshire Bull Terrier, according to our sources: Brushing: once a week — The Royal Kennel Club S538; Shedding: sheds — The Royal Kennel Club S538; Coat: short — The Royal Kennel Club S538.

Who is the Staffordshire Bull Terrier a good fit for?

Our sources describe the Staffordshire Bull Terrier as a good fit for: family life — The Royal Kennel Club S538; families with children — FCI S537. Keep in mind: chews things when bored — PDSA S540; loves company — best with someone home most of the day — PDSA S540; sheds — The Royal Kennel Club S538; strong prey drive — may chase small pets — PDSA S540.

Game rules, not veterinary advice

How PetPrep simulates it

In PetPrep one real week is one month of the pet's life. These are the rules the game uses for this breed. PetPrep chose them from the sources on this page; they are not care instructions for a real animal.

Life stageStartsMeals a dayDaily step goal
Puppyarrives at 2 months4; from month 3: 3; from month 6: 21,000 steps per month of age (2,000 on arrival), up to 6,000 from month 6
Young dogmonth 926,000 steps
Adultmonth 36 (3 years)26,000 steps
Seniormonth 108 (9 years)24,500 steps
  • Step goal = minutes of daily exercise × 100 steps: an adult gets 1 hour, so 6,000 steps a day.
  • Learns commands as fast as the mixed breed of the free plan.
  • Becomes a senior in month 108 (9 years) — the last quarter of the breed's expected lifespan.
  • Walks count real steps from Apple Health or Health Connect (with permission, read-only) and the phone's motion sensor — no GPS.
  • Combing once a week.

Each game number is a PetPrep decision recorded with its sources. — PetMD, AAHA, Dogs Trust, ASPCA, VCA Animal Hospitals, The Royal Kennel Club, Purdue University Canine Welfare Science, Wikipedia, British Journal of Sports Medicine S10S11S14S18S19S21S24S35S45S538

Health

For information only, not vet-reviewed. Ask your vet about your own animal.

  • Hip dysplasia, a loose, poorly developed hip joint, occurs in the breed and can eventually lead to arthritis. — PDSA S540
  • Skin allergies (atopy), which cause itching and sore skin, can occur in the breed. — PDSA S540
  • Cataracts, which cloud the lens of the eye and can lead to vision loss, can occur in the breed. — PDSA S540
  • L-2-hydroxyglutaric aciduria (L-2-HGA), an inherited metabolic disorder that affects the nervous system, can occur in the breed; a DNA test of the parents is available. — PDSA S540
  • Certain cancers can occur in the breed. — PDSA S540

Before you buy: what to check with the breeder

Questions to settle before you take a puppy home. The points are advice from vets, welfare charities and kennel clubs; each cites its source.

For every breed

  • See the puppy with its mother, where it was born. — PDSA, RSPCA K1K2
  • The puppy should not leave its mother before 8 weeks of age. — PDSA K1
  • Ask for the pedigree. Under FCI rules a pedigree may be issued for correct parentage only. — FCI K7
  • Ask to see the health-test results of both parents. Which tests matter depends on the breed. — PDSA, British Veterinary Association, FOUR PAWS UK K1K9K10
  • National kennel clubs can set breeding rules that go beyond the FCI's — ask the breed club which tests the parents need. — FCI K7
  • Ask for a written sale contract that records the puppy's background and health. — British Veterinary Association, FOUR PAWS UK K9K10

Laws on the minimum age, microchipping and vaccination differ by country — check the rules where you live.

Health tests of the parents for this breed

Tests the Royal Kennel Club recommends as a minimum

  • Genetic diversity — check the inbreeding coefficient — The Royal Kennel Club S538

Further tests for best practice

  • DNA test for hereditary cataract (HSF4) — The Royal Kennel Club S538
  • DNA test for L-2-hydroxyglutaric aciduria (L-2-HGA), an inherited metabolic disease of the nervous system — The Royal Kennel Club S538
  • Elbow X-ray screening for elbow dysplasia (UK: BVA/KC scheme) — The Royal Kennel Club S538
  • Eye examination by a veterinary eye specialist (UK: BVA/KC/ISDS scheme; for some breeds with gonioscopy) — The Royal Kennel Club S538

These lists come from the UK's Royal Kennel Club and are an orientation; national kennel clubs can set their own, stricter rules. Ask the breed club and the breeder which tests the parents have done.

Similar breeds

Other dogs in the register with similar needs — each with sourced facts.

Sources

Every fact on this page cites one of these sources.

  1. S10PetMD — S. C. Mitchell, DVM, DABVP, 2025-05-20 — When Do Dogs Stop Growing?https://www.petmd.com/dog/general-health/when-do-dogs-stop-growing
  2. S11AAHA — 2019 AAHA Canine Life Stage Guidelines — Canine life stage definitionshttps://www.aaha.org/resources/life-stage-canine-2019/canine-life-stage-definitions/
  3. S14Dogs Trust (UK) — Caring for an older doghttps://www.dogstrust.org.uk/dog-advice/life-with-your-dog/at-home/looking-after-an-older-dog
  4. S18ASPCA — General Dog Carehttps://www.aspca.org/pet-care/dog-care/general-dog-care
  5. S19VCA Animal Hospitals (2025-02-21) — Feeding Times and Frequency for Your Doghttps://vcahospitals.com/pets-first/know-your-pet/feeding-times-and-frequency-for-your-dog
  6. S21The Royal Kennel Club (UK) — Puppy feeding tipshttps://www.royalkennelclub.com/health-and-dog-care/health-dog-care/health/health-and-care/a-z-of-health-and-care-issues/puppy-feeding-tips
  7. S24Purdue University Canine Welfare Science (content: Pet Leadership Council 2019, bedogsmart.com) — Dog Fitness and Exercise (PDF)https://caninewelfare.centers.purdue.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Dog-Fitness-and-Exercise.pdf
  8. S35Wikipedia — The Intelligence of Dogshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Intelligence_of_Dogs
  9. S45British Journal of Sports Medicine (2018) — Tudor-Locke C. et al. How fast is fast enough? Walking cadence (steps/min) as a practical estimate of intensity in adults. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2017-097628https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6029645
  10. S536FCI — FCI breeds nomenclature — STAFFORDSHIRE BULL TERRIER (76)https://www.fci.be/en/nomenclature/STAFFORDSHIRE-BULL-TERRIER-76.html
  11. S537FCI — FCI-Standard N° 76 Staffordshire Bull Terrier, English (PDF)https://WWW.FCI.BE/Nomenclature/Standards/076g03-en.pdf
  12. S538The Royal Kennel Club — Breeds A to Z — Staffordshire Bull Terrierhttps://www.royalkennelclub.com/search/breeds-a-to-z/breeds/terrier/staffordshire-bull-terrier/
  13. S540PDSA — Staffordshire Bull Terrier breed informationhttps://www.pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/looking-after-your-pet/puppies-dogs/medium-dogs/staffordshire-bull-terrier
  14. K1PDSA — Getting a puppyhttps://www.pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/looking-after-your-pet/puppies-dogs/getting-a-puppy
  15. K2RSPCA — Buying a puppyhttps://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/pets/dogs/puppy
  16. K7FCI (copy hosted by Norsk Kennel Klub) — International Breeding Rules of the FCIhttps://nkk2023.stage22.coretrek.no/getfile.php/131987377-1520848467/Dokumenter/Registrering/FCIs%20avlsregler%202013.pdf
  17. K9British Veterinary Association — What should you consider when buying a puppy?https://www.bva.co.uk/news-and-blog/blog-article/what-should-you-consider-when-buying-a-puppy/
  18. K10FOUR PAWS UK — Questions to ask when buying a puppyhttps://www.four-paws.org.uk/our-stories/publications-guides/questions-to-ask-when-buying-a-puppy

PetPrep is a simulation for families. This page is not veterinary advice — for a real animal, ask a vet or the breed club.

Ready for a pet?

Be among the first families to try PetPrep. We will email you when it is ready — nothing else.

By subscribing you agree to receive emails about PetPrep. Unsubscribe anytime. Privacy policy