Kerry Blue Terrier vs Staffordshire Bull Terrier

A Kerry Blue Terrier
Photo: Eponimm
A Staffordshire Bull Terrier
Photo: W.carter

Side by side

Kerry Blue Terrier
Staffordshire Bull Terrier
Adult weight
Males 15–18 kg (33–40 lb); females 10–13 kg (22–29 lb)1
Males 13–17 kg (29–37 lb); females 11–15 kg (24–34 lb) (breed club figure)2
Height
Males 45.5–49.5 cm; females 44.5–48 cm1
Males 36–41 cm; females 36–41 cm (breed club figure)2
Lifespan
Median 12.4 years3
Median 12 years3
Fully grown
11 months, both sexes4
Group
Terriers1
Terriers5
Coat
Wavy coat1
Short coat5
Shedding
Sheds through the year
Grooming
Brushing a few times a week
A brush once a week
Exercise
A moderate amount
Health
Mouth melanoma (much more likely)6
Mast cell tumour (much more likely); Demodectic mange starting young, dogs under 2 (much more likely)7,8
Class
Watchdog
Family

Which suits you

Grooming
The Kerry Blue Terrier needs more grooming, brushing a few times a week, where the Staffordshire Bull Terrier needs a brush once a week.
Temperament
They differ most on affection (Kerry Blue Terrier: affectionate on its own terms; Staffordshire Bull Terrier: a lap or leaning dog) and on independence (Kerry Blue Terrier: decides for itself; Staffordshire Bull Terrier: cooperative, with its own ideas).
Alike
The Kerry Blue Terrier and the Staffordshire Bull Terrier are much the same size as adults, both about 14 kg (31 lb).
Alike
Both are rated the same on prey drive: likely to chase small pets.
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

Kerry Blue Terrier
Terriers · Medium

In temperament the breed is lively, clever and alert. It is affectionate and playful with its own household and watchful with strangers, which suited its old role as a farm guard.

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 Kerry Blue Terrier page →The Staffordshire Bull Terrier page →

Breed traits

Day to day
Kerry Blue Terrier
Staffordshire Bull Terrier
Activity
A good daily walk and play
A good daily walk and play
Intelligence
Differs
Needs daily brain work
Learns readily, likes games
Handler demand
Differs
Needs an experienced owner
Needs steady training
With people
Kerry Blue Terrier
Staffordshire Bull Terrier
Affection
Differs
Affectionate on its own terms
A lap or leaning dog
Loyalty
Differs
Sticks close to its people
Bonded to its family
Independence
Differs
Decides for itself
Cooperative, with its own ideas
Around the home
Kerry Blue Terrier
Staffordshire Bull Terrier
Sensitivity
Average
Average
Voice
Differs
Barks to alert, then settles
Quiet
Prey drive
Likely to chase small pets
Likely to chase small pets
Breed explains only about 9% of how individual dogs differ in behaviour9. Meet the dog. A good breeder breeds for temperament as well as health, and matches each puppy's personality to the right home10,11.

Puppy growth

Reference curves · both sexes
Both grow to much the same adult weight, about 14 kg.
Kerry Blue Terrier
Staffordshire Bull Terrier
051015202m4m6m9m12m18m
051015202m3m4m6m9m12m18m

More comparisons

Compare the Kerry Blue Terrier with
American Staffordshire Terrier vs Staffordshire Bull TerrierAmerican Pit Bull Terrier vs Staffordshire Bull TerrierAmerican Bully vs Staffordshire Bull TerrierKerry Blue Terrier vs Standard SchnauzerBull Terrier vs Staffordshire Bull TerrierKerry Blue Terrier vs Soft Coated Wheaten TerrierAll breed comparisons →

Sources

Parts of this page were written by AI ·