Irish Staffordshire Bull Terrier vs English Pointer - Breed Comparison

The Staffordshire Bull Terrier comes from Staffordshire, England, but the Irish Staffie was later developed by Irish breeders so its origin is essentially Ireland. They were developed from bulldogs and different terrier breeds.

The dog was always used for bull baiting, but when this sport died out, the Irish breeders wanted to create a taller, leaner dog suited for dog fighting. When dog fighting was banned the breed became rare again, but today it has been restored and is essentially a popular companion pet.

We can find records for pointers from 17th century. Breeds such as Old Spanish and Portuguese Pointer were set in to England from European Mainland. In 1800s they were brought to America and then they slowly developed their hunting skills and in 1910 they became an excellent bird hunter. In 1936 Modern American Kennel was established and they bred pointers in large quantities. They are very popular in southern United States and are called as "bird dog". Pointers are good in hunting birds like pheasant and grouse. They got their name because of their special skills in hunting.

The Irish Staffordshire Bull Terrier is a medium sized pure-breed dog standing at roughly 43 to 48cm and weighing anything from 14 to 18kg.

He has a short, smooth coat which can be a mix of colors such as fawn, tan, black or brindle. The coat can also be bi-colored such as in fawn and white or black and white. He is a powerfully built dog with short legs which are fairly wide apart.

He has a large head and short muzzle with powerful jaws.Sometimes when he pants after a hectic bout of exercise he gets a comical, grinning look on his face. The ears are semi-erect, semi-upright and he has a long tail.

Temperament:

Your Irish Staffy is a feisty, confident dog that has been known to have a temperament which leads towards aggression. It is why he should be trained and socialized to make him more amicable and obedient. He is an intelligent and alert dog, so won't have difficulty with training.

A well trained and socialized Irish Staffordshire Bull Terrier will get on well with children in the home as he is a playful, jovial dog, always ready for a game.

Pointer has a long head and its body is perfectly suitable for hunting. In hunting the pointers shows hunter the direction of the bird and also they will go and get them after they were shot. They are well known for their speed, energy and continuous working. Pointers are also a good companion dog and love the family members so much. It is very easy to groom them as they have short coat. They are very alert and excellent watch dog.

If pointer is not set in huntng then they should be given lots of exercise daily. Pointers love to play and run with children. They will give a good company for cyclists. Pointers show their talents in dog shows especially in obedience and field trials. They will not worry about the crowd surrounding them and performs well. In performing at public, pointer will show perfect attention to its master. Pointer must be trained slowly from its puppyhood to get good results.

The older Irish Staffie has always been an aggressive type dog used for fighting, but today the modern breed is capable of being a splendid, entertaining, amicable pet with an even temper. He is feisty for sure, being brave, fearless, loyal and loving with his human family members.

All it requires with this dog is to have a firm, loving upbringing, some training and socialization as well as good food and plenty of love and attention. Many dogs get labelled wrongly because of the humans that rear them the wrong way. When done correctly, the Irish Staffordshire Bull Terrier promises to be a wonderful, loving, loyal pet.

Special talents

Pointer is a wonderful kid friendly dog and a nice companion. Also he is very energetic,fun-loving and an excellent watchdog. Pointers are very courageous as well as obedient. They can work for a very long time. Early socialization will make them with a good behaviour.

Adaptability

They will be happy if they are given a fenced yard to play and spend their natural energy. They will not have a good behaviour in apartment living. Pointers always likes to be with some one in his family. They are suitable for areas having hot weather and they will not do better in cold weather.

Learning ability

Pointers have very high intelligence and thus they are very easy to train. Good behaviours must be taught to them and the main word they must learn is "NO". They should stop what they are doing when they hear the word "NO" from you. "Sit" is another important word they should learn. Training should be given friendly and not compelling them to do it. Giving reward to them will make them happy and give more interest in training.

The Irish Staffordshire Bull Terrier, just like with any other dog, has a good chance of living a good number of years if he is fed properly. He can live to be anything up to between 10 and 16 years.

Say what you like, good nutrition and the lifestyle you provide for your Irish Staffie will determine how long he lives. An unhappy dog that has to beg for love and attention won't do well. Your Irish Staffie can live to a ripe age but he is still at risk for certain health problems.

Mastocytoma:

These mast cell tumors are graded according to their location in the skin. Certain dogs like Boxers and bulldogs are more susceptible to mast cell tumors than other breeds, and the Irish Staffie isn't immune either. Most times the tumor develops in an older dog, though young dogs have also been known to develop the tumor. These tumors can be inactive for a while and then experience some rapid growth with some redness and fluid build up. Immediate veterinary intervention will be required.

Pointers face health problems such as gastric torsion, hypothyroidism and canine hip dysplasia. Overweight will also lead to many health problems in them. Other problems seen in them are cardiomyopathy, ectropion and progressive retinal atrophy.

Hair fall

They have the chances to get several skin disorders which leads to hairfall. Follicular Dysplasia is a hereditary disorder which causes hairfall. Special shampoos or lotion to combat the dry skin should be used to overcome this problem.

Exercise:

The Irish Staffie is an active dog, who is always game for anything. He will certainly need active owners who include him in all their activities. He has a lot of stamina and endurance and will want to join you on your walks, hikes and swimming. Ignoring his exercise needs can turn him into a restless, unhappy, frustrated, destructive dog.

Grooming:

Having a short, smooth coat means your Irish Staffie being a low maintenance dog. He does shed a bit so his coat will need to be brushed at least twice a week to get rid of all those loose hairs. Its always a good opportunity to check him for fleas and ticks too.

If the short coat gets too dirty, a wipe down with a damp cloth can keep the coat bright and shiny. Certainly avoid bathing him too often as this can aggravate the skin.

Check his nails and trim them if they get too long. Check his ears and teeth as these are all problem areas which can contribute to your dog becoming ill.

Diet:

Your Irish Staffie is such an energetic dog that he will need excellent food that promotes this energy. Whether you buy him the best commercially manufactured kibble, you want to also add in some home-made food such as cooked chicken, rice and vegetables as well as including some raw meat occasionally. The food you provide your Staffie with needs to be full of vitamins and minerals to avoid illness. Always make sure he has access to fresh, cool water.

Feeding the puppy

Normally puppies require more food when compared with adult to meet their growth needs. The food given to the pointer puppy must contain vitamins, carbohydrates and minerals. Also the food given to his mother should be continued to the puppy as to avoid digestive problems for the puppy. If it is needed to change the food then it should be done in a step by step process.

Feeding the adult

Pointer can be fed one or two times a day. Usally small meal is given in morning and full meal will be given in the evening. But in case if they will be left alone for the whole day then morning food shall be a full meal. They can be fed meat of goat, pork, fish and woodcock. Brown rice is a good food for pointer.

Points for Good Health

Pointers will be happy if they are always with their family. They enjoy when they are taken outside for playing or camping. Puppies don't need much exercise as adults need. Adults should not be fed too much as it will lead to overweight.

Games and Exercises

When pointer is given proper exercises and training they will be a very good mannered dog. They are very active and intelligent dogs and hence require exercise and training regularly. The breed was developed to be a hunting dog and can work continuously in a day. Pointers should be exercised a minimum of an hour per day. They will be happy to run along with your bicycle and playing frisbee with you.