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Staffweiler |
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He is not recognized by the F.C.I. |
Origin |
U.S.A. <> Germany -> U.S.A. | |
Translation |
Francis Vandersteen |
A brief presentation of the Staffweiler |
| The Staffweiler is a hybrid breed that combines the traits of the American Staffordshire Terrier and the Rottweiler. It's a large breed, weighing up to 59 kilos and measuring between 63.5 and 68.5 centimeters. Although this breed can appear intimidating with its square shoulders, heavy head and intense gaze, the Staffweiler is a very affectionate and loyal breed. Its short, smooth coat is close to the body and comes in many colors, such as classic black with brown accents, or white with brown, black, blue or brindle accents. Whatever the coat color, the Staffweiler's almond-shaped eyes are always dark brown or, more rarely, hazel. The ears are large triangles that are either neatly folded back into flaps, or pricked and pointed, which is even more true when the dog is alert. As for personality, the Staffweiler is a very gentle and affectionate breed towards its family. What makes him an excellent watchdog, however, is his reserve and speculation towards strangers. Bear in mind that in order to maintain this natural protective nature in a productive area, early socialization and training are essential. If left unchecked, this personality can turn into something undesirable, given the reputation that the American Staffordshire Terrier and Rottweiler have earned when it comes to protecting their masters. The Staffweiler is a people-loving dog and does well with children, provided they are older and supervision is provided. It can be a little irritable with young children who like to push and prod it, but this breed is very affectionate and, with good training, is unlikely to become aggressive. |
History of the Staffweiler |
| The Staffweiler is a fairly recent hybrid that originated in the United States in the early 2000s. Due to its limited time in the world, this breed has not yet had a very detailed history of origin. Therefore, we need to take a look at the parent breeds, the American Staffordshire Terrier and the Rottweiler, to understand the Staffweiler's purpose and what its ancestry is. |
A little of the American Staffordshire Terrier |
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| The American Staffordshire Terrier, also known as the Am Staff, we discover an interesting fact: this breed and the American Pit Bull Terrier have very similar origins. Created by combining the Bulldog and Terrier breeds, the Am Staff was mainly used for entertainment during the 19th and 20th centuries, when dog fighting was legal and popular in the USA. This was a terrible tradition, as it made dogs extremely aggressive and the mistreatment encouraged even more terrible behavior. While the Am Staff was used in these entertainment circles, it seems that the Pit Bull was most affected by these problems, as this breed wasn't even registered by the American Kennel Club, whereas the Am Staff was from 1936 onwards. These breeds weren't all bad, despite what people tried to make them believe. Both the Am Staff and the Pit Bull were also used by families as farm and guard dogs. They were excellent raiders and defenders against animals such as bears and wild pigs. Their fearlessness and bravery made them ideal for the job. Today, the Am Staff is still a working dog, but is mostly seen at shows and as a family companion. | ||
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| Standard of the American Staffordshire Terrier |
A little of the Rottweiler |
| The Rottweiler was created by the Romans many, many years ago. These people were hard-working men and women who needed strong, reliable dogs to work alongside them. Using dogs they already owned, these are relatively unknown, to help them herd livestock, the Romans combined these breeds with local dogs in the town of Rottweil in Germany. This is obviously where the name Rottweiler comes from. The result of this combination was a breed of strong, loyal dogs that helped drive cattle to market and protected humans from thieves on the way home. As you can imagine, the Rottweiler was highly prized for its affectionate, loyal and hard-working personality. But once modern machinery made its way into people's lives, the need for strong dogs to pull carts and offer protection along the roads was no longer necessary, and the breed almost disappeared. Fortunately, there were a few dog enthusiasts in Germany who weren't prepared to see the breed disappear. They worked hard to restore the Rottweiler and, eventually, people around the world fell in love with the breed's work ethic and affectionate personality. Today, these dogs rank near the top 10 of the American Kennel Club's most popular dogs, and are mainly used as pets. |
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| Standard of the Rottweiler |
Appearance of the Staffweiler |
| Thanks to the Rottweiler genes, the Staffweiler has the potential to be a very large dog. At full size, the male Staffweiler weighs up to 59 kilos and stands between 63.5 and 68.5 centimeters tall; females tend to be slightly smaller and have a distinctly more feminine body structure. The head is broad and heavy in the standard Staffweiler, with solid shoulders and a very athletic body. While not particularly agile, this is a strong, fast breed. The coat is short and close to the body, with a tendency to shed seasonally. Although its coloring can vary considerably, the typical color pattern resembles a kind of solid background with accent colors, such as brown or white. The Staffweiler's ears are large and can be either folded back on themselves, or high and erect on the head. The eyes complete the Staffweiler's impressive appearance, with a lovely almond shape and brown or hazel color. |
Temperament of the Staffweiler |
| Even though the Staffweiler is a large dog, expect this big ball of love to follow you around the house and even crawl into your lap from time to time. This sense of loyalty and strong affection for his masters comes from both sides of his ancestry. This makes him the perfect breed for those looking for a strong protector who is not aloof and really enjoys spending time with his family. He's not a noisy dog, but he'll love to "talk" to you when he's excited or playful. The Staffweiler adapts very well to children, but they need to be a little older, around 7 years and over. This ensures that dog and children are protected and have a good relationship with each other. If a family has young children, it's important that the Staffweiler is raised with them, and that the children have an excellent sense of respect for this great breed. A lot of poking and prodding annoys everyone, and when it comes to larger, stronger dogs, it's best to leave this type of play aside. Overall, if you're looking for a family-oriented watchdog with an energetic, affectionate personality, the Staffweiler may be for you. Just be aware of its strengths and weaknesses, and you'll be fine. |
Needs and activities of the Staffweiler |
| The Staffweiler will need two very active and involved exercise sessions a day, interspersed with an hour of training or play. His high energy level usually comes from his love of work, and if you can give him any task during the day, he'll be a very happy dog. For example, he can pull a cart for yard work, or go for walks with smaller children. If you're hiking, carrying the dog's pack would also be an excellent example of work. These types of activities require some research and training to ensure they're performed safely and well, but they're a great way to give your Staffweiler a sense of purpose and exhaust him at the same time. Because of its size and exercise requirements, the Staffweiler isn't really suited to apartment living. He can get by for a short time, but generally needs a bigger house with a garden to play in. |
Maintenance of the Staffweiler |
| The Staffweiler is a very low-maintenance breed. Although its coat often sheds, brushing twice a week is enough to keep it shiny and clean. Bathing is only necessary from time to time, but it's very important to keep the Staffweiler's ears clean. Frequent cleaning will prevent foreign bodies or moisture from remaining inside the ear canals, thus avoiding any kind of damage or irritation and reducing the risk of infection. Trim your dog's nails about twice a month to keep them healthy and snag-free. This will also reduce the risk of serious scratches if the dog jumps on someone. Brush your dog's teeth several times a week. |
English (United Kingdom)