HOW IT ALL BEGAN...
'ILLORI' ~ Taken from the African name 'Ilori' meaning 'special treasure'. (As I always used to tell my first Stafford Luci she would be my treasure forever. )
OVERVIEW...
Staffordshire Bull Terriers have been a part of my life since 1997 and in the years following have taken over to a point of obsession.
They are a real 'people breed' and will give you so much more back than you could ever put in, other breeds may never come close again and I could certainly never dream of having anything else.
If you are looking for information about the breed, what to expect from them and where to look for reputable breeders then please read on.
A LITTLE ABOUT ME...
I am based in Norfolk and was brought up around dogs, helped with their training and showed from a young age.
Myself and my ex partner bought our first Staffordshire Bull Terrier named Luci in 1997, an amazing companion that adored nothing more than being with us and cuddling up. She was my first introduction to the breed, a breed which I instantly fell in love with and could no longer imagine being without. She sadly passed away at 12.5yrs old and will always remain very special to me.
We later rescued Paddi, who was thought to be a Staffordshire Bull Terrier cross. He lived well into his senior years, approximately 17yrs. As he suffered with severe separation anxiety we were never able to leave him on his own and very gratefully accepted help from friends and family who stood in as dog-sitters!
In 2010 we got our first kennel club registered bitch called Echo, who we had from a puppy. She was the start of 'Illori'. (Initially 'Simazyanya'.)
It was a huge loss when in December 2025 she passed away. Her legacy however lives on in her progeny, and I will never forget her and just how incredible she was.
Echo gave us 2 beautiful litters and was the most amazing mother that I have ever seen or heard of. We currently still have her son Jabba from her first litter, and her daughter Nishka, from her second and final litter.
In 2010 we first became more actively involved with the breed, I began training with Echo and soon after returned to showing. We became members of our local breed club and give our time to helping with their Breed Information Stand where they do their best to reach the general public and provide accurate information about the breed, as well as other various events they attend and organise.
In 2013 I became the EASBTC Treasurer and remain as such. (To get further information about the Staffordshire Bull Terrier Breed Clubs around the UK, including the East Anglian Staffordshire Bull Terrier Club, please see the Links page.)
Following my return to showing and increased involvement with the breed I have become much more interested in the 'make up' of the breed, it's temperament, anatomy, construction and health. I have attended many seminars and continue to do so in order to learn as much as I can. In 2020 I accepted the role of the UK KC Lead Breed Health Coordinator.
OUR#PHOTOS
ABOUT THE BREED
Staffordshire Bull Terriers are
very people orientated and love to be with you. As stated in the breed standard they have a natural affinity with children and make fantastic companions. They can be very lively and excitable which can need to be kept in check, but also at the other end of the scale love to snuggle up with you on the sofa to sleep. They are a very intelligent breed and love to please so can be easy to train with a little time, effort and patience.
Being a victim of ‘yob fashion’ has been particularly detrimental to the breed and this is something the press has jumped on in their full glory, subsequently some people unfamiliar with them have a mis-conception of their true temperament. We owe it to them to ensure that we are at all times acting responsibly, being in control and promoting the many positive attributes of the breed for which they are loved by those that know them.
My thanks go to Clare Lee, author of ‘Pet Owners Guide to the Staffordshire Bull Terrier’, who kindly gave me permission to recite several quotations from the book which I believe perfectly summarises their character:
Courageous, hardy, fun-loving and fearless:
Being a dog which is not easily alarmed and able to cope with the rough and tumble of a busy home is one of the reasons that a Stafford is so good with children. (It goes without saying that any child should be supervised around animals, whatever their breed.)
Affinity with people:
They have massive hearts and absolutely love people… Their way of showing that they love human beings does not express itself by a friendly wag of the tail and a gentle lick of the tongue. This is a dog that will launch itself at visitors, and even when trained to be more controlled, will still be a fussy pet – nudging and pawing the object of his affection in order to win a response. If you want a quiet reserved dog who ‘knows his place’ and will not want to join in the game, then a Stafford is not for you.’
Strength:
Physically extremely strong for their size and can be powerful on the lead. If unsupervised, under-stimulated and lonely they can be very destructive.
Aggression:
It should never be forgotten what the breeds history was and you should always bear that in mind around other animals. That is not to say you cannot keep them with other animals, but that you do need to remain vigilant and never be complacent.
Under no circumstances should a Staffordshire Bull terrier ever show aggression to people!
On a personal note, I along with many others could never imagine not having Staffordshire Bull Terriers in my life, they are the most loving dog I have ever come across and give you their all.
There are so many traits they possess which are common to many;
~ Very talkative, once you get used to the breed you can soon recognise the sound of one!
~ Do not sit in a ‘lady-like’ manner, but instead tend to choose to sit on their bottom with their back legs stretched out in front. If you’ve seen it, you will know what I mean!
~ Always want to be with you, sometimes extending to when you visit the toilet!
~ Very clever and quick to learn, we’ve turned handles upside-down to stop them getting in rooms and they’ve figured it out…
~ Love their home comforts, allowed on the sofa you may end up relegated to the floor!
~ NEVER to be forgotten, the terrier instinct: They love to chase…
THE BREED STANDARD
The breed standard is the picture in words for how a breed should look and also details the temperament of a breed, it is the pattern used by breeders in their attempts to breed typical specimens of the breed, and it is the tool of the judge in assessing dogs in the show ring.
Currently talks are ongoing with breed clubs and the Kennel Club with regard to some amendments to the breed standard. If you look at the original dogs the muzzles were longer and skulls not so strong as in many today. In order to prevent exaggeration a minimum ratio of 1 part muzzle to 2 parts skull is being considered in order to protect the breed. Breeders should then strive to breed dogs that do not have shorter proportions, potentially leading to brachycephalic problems and the animal welfare considerations and legislations that could follow.
The FCI has approached the Kennel Club regarding the fact that a dilute (blue) dog cannot genetically have a black nose.
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 though 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 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 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 when viewed from front or rear. Discernible drive from hindlegs.
Coat
Smooth, short and close.
Colour
Red, fawn, white, black or blue, or any one of these colours with white. Any shade of brindle or any shade of brindle with white. Black and tan or liver colour highly undesirable.
Size
Desirable height at withers 36-41 cms (14 to 16 ins), these heights being related to the weights. Weight: dogs: 13-17 kgs (28-38 lbs); bitches 11-15.4 kgs.
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 and its effect upon the health and welfare of the dog.
Note
Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.