Bull Terrier vs Staffordshire Bull Terrier

Photo: Robert Tadlock from Westminster

Photo: W.carter

Side by side

Bull Terrier

Staffordshire Bull Terrier

Adult weight

Males 23–32 kg (51–71 lb); females 20–27 kg (44–60 lb) (breed club figure)1

Males 13–17 kg (29–37 lb); females 11–15 kg (24–34 lb) (breed club figure)2

Height

Males 53.3–55.9 cm; females 53.3–55.9 cm (breed club figure)1

Males 36–41 cm; females 36–41 cm (breed club figure)2

Lifespan

Median 12 years3

Fully grown

11 months, both sexes4

Group

Terriers5

Terriers6

Coat

Short coat5

Short coat6

Shedding

Sheds through the year

Grooming

A brush once a week

Exercise

A moderate amount

Health

Dry eye (far more likely)7

Mast cell tumour (much more likely); Demodectic mange starting young, dogs under 2 (much more likely)8,9

Class

Companion

Family

Which suits you

Size

The Bull Terrier is much larger: about 26 kg (56 lb) as an adult, against 14 kg (31 lb) for the Staffordshire Bull Terrier.

Temperament

They differ most on affection (Bull Terrier: affectionate on its own terms; Staffordshire Bull Terrier: a lap or leaning dog) and on independence (Bull Terrier: decides for itself; Staffordshire Bull Terrier: cooperative, with its own ideas).

Alike

Both are rated the same on voice: quiet.

Neither is the better dog in general. Which suits you depends on your home, your days and the care you can give.

Take the breed matcher

What they're like

Bull Terrier

Terriers · Medium

By temperament the Bull Terrier is lively, affectionate and clownish, with a stubborn streak and a strong attachment to its household, though it can be intolerant of other dogs.

Staffordshire Bull Terrier

Terriers · Medium

Temperamentally the Staffie is bold, tenacious and very attached to people. The Kennel Club standard notes its fondness for children, though its fighting past can show as intolerance of other dogs.

The Bull Terrier page →The Staffordshire Bull Terrier page →

Breed traits

Day to day

Bull Terrier

Staffordshire Bull Terrier

Activity

A good daily walk and play

Intelligence

Learns readily, likes games

Handler demand

Differs

Needs an experienced owner

Needs steady training

With people

Bull Terrier

Staffordshire Bull Terrier

Affection

Differs

Affectionate on its own terms

A lap or leaning dog

Loyalty

Bonded to its family

Independence

Differs

Decides for itself

Cooperative, with its own ideas

Around the home

Bull Terrier

Staffordshire Bull Terrier

Sensitivity

Average

Voice

Quiet

Prey drive

Likely to chase small pets

Breed explains only about 9% of how individual dogs differ in behaviour10. Meet the dog. A good breeder breeds for temperament as well as health, and matches each puppy's personality to the right home11,12.

Puppy growth

Reference curves · both sexes

Summary

Detail

The Bull Terrier grows to the heavier adult, about 26 kg against the Staffordshire Bull Terrier's 14 kg.

Bull Terrier

Staffordshire Bull Terrier

More comparisons

Compare the Bull Terrier with

American Staffordshire Terrier vs Staffordshire Bull Terrier American Pit Bull Terrier vs Staffordshire Bull Terrier American Bully vs Staffordshire Bull Terrier American Pit Bull Terrier vs Bull Terrier Bull Terrier vs Miniature Bull Terrier Rottweiler vs Staffordshire Bull Terrier All breed comparisons →

Sources

1
American Kennel Club. Bull Terrier breed page. ↑
2
American Kennel Club. Staffordshire Bull Terrier breed page. ↑
3
McMillan et al., 2024. Longevity of companion dog breeds: those at risk from early death. Scientific Reports 14, 531 (VetCompass). CC BY 4.0. ↑
doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-50458-w
4
Hawthorne et al., 2004. Body-weight changes during growth in puppies of different breeds. Journal of Nutrition 134(8 Suppl): 2027S–2030S (WALTHAM). ↑
doi.org/10.1093/jn/134.8.2027S
5
FCI. Breed standard no. 11. Fédération Cynologique Internationale. © FCI. ↑
www.fci.be/Nomenclature/Standards/011g03-en.pdf
6
FCI. Breed standard no. 76. Fédération Cynologique Internationale. © FCI. ↑
www.fci.be/Nomenclature/Standards/076g03-en.pdf
7
O'Neill et al., 2021. Keratoconjunctivitis sicca in dogs under primary veterinary care in the UK: an epidemiological study. CC BY 4.0. ↑
doi.org/10.1111/jsap.13382
8
Shoop et al., 2015. Prevalence and risk factors for mast cell tumours in dogs in England. CC BY 4.0. ↑
doi.org/10.1186/2052-6687-2-1
9
O'Neill et al., 2020. Juvenile‐onset and adult‐onset demodicosis in dogs in the UK: prevalence and breed associations. CC BY 4.0. ↑
doi.org/10.1111/jsap.13067
10
Morrill et al., 2022. Ancestry-inclusive dog genomics challenges popular breed stereotypes. Science 376: eabk0639 (Darwin's Ark). ↑
doi.org/10.1126/science.abk0639
11
Dogs Trust. Finding a good, responsible breeder. ↑
www.dogstrust.org.uk/dog-advice/getting-dog/choosing-dog/finding-a-breeder
12
American Kennel Club. Screening puppy buyers: how top breeders find the best homes. ↑
www.akc.org/expert-advice/dog-breeding/screening-puppy-buyers-how-top-breeders-find-the-best-homes/
13
Salt et al., 2017. Growth standard charts for monitoring bodyweight in dogs of different sizes. PLoS ONE 12(9): e0182064 (WALTHAM). CC BY 4.0. ↑
doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0182064

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