Perfect stafford - what would your ideal Staffordshire Bull Terrier look like? Discussions

I must admit that Jas does show a lot of rib cage when he's been running round like a nutter but not that much but Jas isn't used for weight-pulling or anything.

I think she is very pretty

I agree Staffy She's a stunner My Jas has quite a bit of rib showing too (when he's fit )

Hello Minty, how u doing...im sorry m8...but i dont see the point in talkin about weight pullong on here...its quite obvious if ur dog aint a couch potato then its being abused...i was wrong to even try discussing somthing with Archer when its quite obvious they aint got no knowledge of what im onabout...this is not meant to put archer down..as i aid they are more than entitled to their opinion...but what i dont agree with if their trying to say the dog in that pic is under weight..i asked them to provide a pic of a healthy dog..(in their opinion) they didnt do it...so as far as im concerned the'r is nothing to discuss with them. This is in no way directed at u minty..i just feel that by talkin about this subject is to encourage other's to slag off...not discuss !...cheers Tusker

I appreciate a nice fit dog Tusker I think she is a cracking looking dog she really caught my eye before, seems people here are mistaking a very fit dog with an underweight/skinny dog an under fed/nourished dog is a completley different kettle of fish to a dog in peak fitness. Like you say though no point bitching I for one like both dogs you posted but my preference would tend towards the bitch. Do you have pics of the sire/dam (if poss)?

Cheers

Hey Laura, here's a pic of the dam... o own this bi,tch...my m8 owns the father....i dont really want to get into an argument over this, ..iv seen one of Archer's dogs..and whilst not my idea of a fit dog...i know nothing of this breed so i feel im in no position to comment on it....unlike Archer...but if pushed i'd say the dog was a good few lbs over ideal weight...but hey what do i know !...lol

aye tusker they are all butiful dogs mate and look good and fit

hi tusker....what do you feed your dogs... do you feed diff foods ie....when going to be wieght pulling...or run up to getting them fit... i dont mean amount ov food....i mean type... this is not a ? directed at ppls views on skinny ect....im asking as im interested in what you feed....also what would your weekly/daily routine be for getting dog in fit/healthy condition.....thanx jayne
www.geocities.com/jayne/

Sometimes I think people confuse a fat Stafford with a muscular Stafford thinking they should be really broad & wide and likewise some people confuse a well-conditioned dog with a skinny animal. Not getting at anybody here just an observation. Not only is a fit dog healthier but surely an overweight dog must have more pressure on its body and therefore be less healthy than a well conditioned dog that is worked out and kept in good physical condition.

A bit like athletes, they work out intensely before an event (be it running etc) at this point they are in peak physical condition and then afterwards being to rest but always maintaining a good body condition, that is what many of these Staffords that people see as thin are like. When they are being conditioned for an even (weightpull or something) they are at the peak of fitness so that they can perform at their best then they are left to rest after the event. If they were underfed which essentially would lead to a skinny dog, as its been noted here, surely the dog would loose a lot of vitality and condition and be unable to perform because they would be physically weak. I mean look at greyhounds nobody would ever say that they are too skinny or overworked, and before anybody says it yes I do know that Staffords are not greyhounds but you get my jist?

I think it will be a shame if we are to start sniping at each other here, yes it is a place for heated debates but hopefully we can act like adults and accept that some people will have views different to our own, at the end of the day it’s the love of the breed that keeps us here talking eh….

I don’t keep Cassy superfit and never claim to but I do like to keep her lean, I like to keep her fit but if I take her weight down too much she can look scraggy because she has a slight roach to her topline and therefore her backbone shows and she just looks scruffy. This is how we keep her all year round and usually build her up during better weather by lots of walking & biking. I know her faults but for the most part imo she is well balanced: a nice height, not over or underweight, good head and tons of personality.







Well this is my image of the perfect Stafford (Cassy & a friend) lol whether fat thin tall or small it’s the personality that really matters for me…



Handsome looking dog there Tusker, very nice indeed.

Hi guys
dont forget to sign the BSL for Canada- or we mightnt have any *perfect staffys* in ANY form :?

cracking dog again tusker, i like blues.
But..............and this is just an observation............... I think the front is a bit bulldoggy, I like to see a dog which is square not out at the elbows, but thats just me, fine looking dog anyway, nice size and i like the chiseled head.

As regards Archers breed, I believe she breeds elkhounds?
Now, that breed may have pulled down elk in the past but I tell you something there is not a hope in hell that they would pull elk nowadays unless you had a pack of them!! If a good bull cross lurcher has a job pulling a red stag singlehanded then imagine how much harder it would be for a dog like an elkhound which is only bred as a show dog nowadays!

How were elkhound originally used archer? were they used in packs to hunt the elk and bring it to bay so it could be shot or were they used to pull the beast down?

Im sorry but when you get past roe and sika deer and onto the bigger classes of beast, it takes a very tough and determined dog to bring its quarry to a standstill - an elk being twice the size of a red deer, Im having a lot of difficulty picturing elkhounds being able to do this job.

Are there any breeders who still work their dogs in Norway or any other countries? Cant say its a breed Ive heard of being used with any success.

Im not having a go, genuinely interested. (move this to a different section if you like as it is a bit off topic from staffords)

Interesting topic guys

Some nice looking dogs and some in fine condition . My husband and i seem to talk about the feeding and condition of dogs . We do alot of searches on the WWW and actually i have come accross this picture. To me, this is a super fit athlete and alot of work and hours have been put into this superb specimen . What you think ?

I'll second that- the board seems to have very bitchy lately :?

I dont like it personally

i dont either :?

Hi Lel

Do you think this is skinny ? is this not like a marathon runner, who would be very lean when in peak fitness before a big maraton run ?

As in human form and canine i think this is the beauty of natures way to show how we can take our bodies and canines alike to such a conditioned level.

Would you disagree

to be honest if i saw that dog out, i would think it was being mistreated as it looks starved....... JMHO :?

Thankyou for your opinion emma, i think it looks fit and would like to think there is a rest period after the increased workouts and regime to get to this level. I think the science of this type of fitness would go over our heads

Do some of you honestly think that dog looks mistreated, you are kidding right????



That dog looks fighting fit - (pardon the pun) it looks in excellent condition, not too fat, not too thin, It has plenty of muscle mass and looks well toned, If people think that dog looks thin then I really do wonder what the stafford world is coming to

Athletic dogs are supposed to have the last couple of ribs showing and well defined muscle!!!
A greyhound will show the same sort of rib and muscle and they are the fastest breed of dog, long lived and suffer no hereditary disorders, they are the cream of the canine athlete crop!!
A staffie is (or should be) a working dog too and should also show muscle tone I wish that was in the breed standard!!! :?

Thankyou for agreeing with me CBT I thought i was going crazy thinking it was just me whom thought that dog was fit looking.

I think that dog looks really good condition. I said exactly the same in my last post about these dogs being athletes and comparing them to human athletes. People seem to not realise that these dogs are not underfed, that lots of time & dedication lots of exercise and correct nutrition gets these dogs into good shape you could not just underfeed a dog and expect it to look fit or to be able to do any kind of “work” they would not have the resources, its not a case of starving dogs fit just like with human athletes its these dogs are in peak performance it’s not always to everybody’s tastes but you have to admire the owners dedication to get their dogs into such shape. I’ve said it before but it takes a lot of work to get dogs into that shape but not much to let them get fat.

Do you have any pics of your dogs (if you wish to post them) Stafford Fan?