First Published: 1952

Printed in Great Britain by W. Carling & Co. Ltd., Hitchen, Herts.

80 pages

Product Dimensions: 13cm x 19cm approx

Book Weight:   170g approx

ISBN N/A

Book Description:

Published in 1952 this book contains a great deal of history and background. Moreover since the original authors were all stalwarts of the breed, their contributions provide a link from the days of the Pit Dog and the modern, respectable, Staffordshire known today.

From the Dust-jacket inside flap:

Major Hollender needs no introduction to lovers of Staffordshires. With Mr. H. N. Beilby, whom he put up for the Kennel Club, he fought for many years to get the breed recognised, and is himself one of the oldest breeders in the country. Recently his book on Bull Terriers brought enthusiastic notices from the Press, and the present volume is certain to be greeted in similar fashion. "One of the most interesting books on dogs that has come my way," said the Irish Field; "There is plenty of informa­tion in the book," claimed Our Dogs; while the reviewer of Sporting Life added, "It is a most interesting anthology and I was sorry when I reached the last page." In Staffordshire Bull Terriers, as in the previous book, Major Hollender includes articles by other leading breeders and owners, so that the reader obtains a wide impression of the main trends in the breed.

FOREWORD by MAJOR COUNT V. C. HOLLENDER 

I HAD finished my book six months ago and the fact that it is not yet published may have dis­appointed many of my contributors as it has me. In some ways I am recompensed by the delays as I have been able to procure a lot more interesting literature and many excellent photographs. I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. J. Hanlon some time ago, whose favourite bitch, Brindle Bridget Brinie, was, I regret to say, brutally murdered. She was by Ch. Game Laddie out of Brindle Bridget. When I met Mr. Hanlon two things struck me very forcibly: (a) the perfect condition of his stock; (b) his extremely sporting behaviour in the ring. Mr. Hanlon, as he told me, is only in the show game because he loves the company of dogs and doggy people, and as he states in the words of Kipling, "I believe the game is worth more than the prize." I cannot vouch for the quotation of Kipling, but I can for Mr. Hanlon's sportsman­ship and integrity. Perhaps to demonstrate what a sportsman he is he sends me a photograph of Mr. Boylan with Brinstock Addition, Bridget and Ch. Sandy Bridget. (I met Mr. Boylan many years ago and put a dog of his over Bridget of Looe, owned by Tom Walls, one of my greatest friends, to STAFFORDSHIRE BULL TERRIERS whom I gave his first Bull Terrier. She had never been beaten up till then.) Mr. Hanlon very sportingly finishes by saying he bought a dark brindle bitch from Bill Boylan, having had the choice of her from a fawn. He says the only bitch to compare with Sandy Bridget is Tryhoms Tawny of Dugarde, and it must be remembered against Tawny's twelve certificates that Bill Boylan brought out another bitch, Brinstock Red Radiance, and made her champion. 

Sitting and watching the Staffordshires being judged by that excellent judge and breeder, Mr. Boylan, at Cruft's this year, I was very impressed by a lovely dark brindle dog, Pal of Aveth, C.D. (Ex.), who eventually won best of breed in show, and I am indebted once again to Mr. John F. Gordon for the lovely photographs and his usual courtesy in replying so quickly, and his sporting spirit, because although Mr. Gordon owns many champions himself, he has furnished me with, so to speak, a ring rival's photograph. I am also indebted to the owner, Mr. E. H. Payne, for the following: -He says, "Pal has won numerous 'Best in Show' awards at the Northern Counties Staffordshire Bull Terrier Club and the North­Western Staffordshire Bull Terrier Club, and several bests in breed awards at Open Shows. He won the C.C. best in breed at Birmingham Championship Show last December, and best in breed at Cruft's Championship Show, 1952. He is a very friendly dog and at the same time is a first-rate watchdog. Owing to the fact that I do not consider the show ring the place to show whether a dog can fight or not Pal has been accused of lack of spirit. There are quite a few dogs who know to their sorrow that he has plenty of spirit when it is required. One dog in particular, weighing nearly three times his weight, jumped on Pal's back when he was on a lead. That dog today has only one ear. In regard to the letters C.D. (Ex.), they mean Companion Dog (Excellent). The Associated Sheep, Police and Army Dog Society hold four working trials each year, and at each of these there are four qualifications which a dog can enter for. They are Companion Dog, Utility Dog, Tracking Dog, and Police Dog. According to the number of points awarded you are entitled to either a bare qualification or the words Good, Very Good, or Excellent. At the trials at Otley, Yorks., last year, Pal qualified C.D. (Ex.), beating over twenty Alsatians and tying for third place with a total of 302 out of a possible 320 points." Mr. Payne concludes by saying he is sorry he has no good photographs left, but has sent me some in case I can use them, but of course, is unaware at the time of writing, that Mr. Gordon has so generously sent me one of Pal's best photographs. I must say that I rather rejoiced in Pal's great success at Cruft's. I was sitting next to Mrs. Barker, the charming and very attractive wife of the well­known pianist and bandleader. They are terribly keen on Staffordshires and own a very nice and extremely intelligent bitch, and the moment that Pal came into the ring I said to them, "I'm sorry I cannot stop for the finals, but that dog will want a hell of a lot of beating." I had not judged Staffordshires for some years, so was very pleased with my own judgment. Apart from his all-round soundness and good looks, he was so well trained in the ring and has such perfect ring manners. I would emphasise this point as still there are so many of the public who think that because a dog strains on the leash, tries to get at another, and yelps and barks, that he is game.

Mr. Beilby has contributed much to the Stafford, and this great authority's articles must be treated with interest, and are of enormous value to the public. I have read with interest the letters of Mr. F. J. Hesketh-Williams and Mr. Beilby on the Blue Stafford. There were so many dogs sold as Staffords in a boom after the 14-18 war, where Whippets, mongrels, and any small, smooth-coated dogs were used as sires.

The modern-coloured Bull Terrier was revived in the same way, and one of the best ' breeders who ever lived (I refer to Harry Monk, of the Blooms-bury prefix) informed me that Greyhounds, Whippets, etc., were introduced in the modern product. Hence the light, leggy specimens that were first produced. Monk left the breed but came back years later to turn out many more champions a second time. It is irony to relate that most of the greatest white dogs of the day are all coloured bred, which demonstrates the value of fresh blood and proves that inbreeding is very much overdone. This was always the opinion of that great authority, Dr. Turner, once Chairman of the Kennel Club. 

I think I can claim to be the oldest sponsor and breeder now living. There is very much that is lovable in Staffordshires and I am not astonished at their great progress and undoubted improvement and popularity. To sum up briefly: the majority are not good guards, they have changed hands too often in the pit for money. Their movement and balance is far better than the modem Bull Terrier, which is still my favourite as he is far more classical. A big round eye is a handicap to a fighting dog or one that goes to ground They are very reliable, affectionate and trustworthy, and many have them trained for obedience tests, and all those who have trained them have achieved great and deserved success. I must record that I find Staffordshire owners better sportsmen and losers than any other breed that I have judged or been connected with. I have no axe to grind, but occasionally at shows I have heard awful yapping and hysterical barking going on the whole time. This is not Staffordshire Bull Terrier character, and I would not look at them even if they were champions. They should be put down, and the sooner the better. It is the worst propaganda for these very great, loyal, well-behaved and lovable English dogs.

CONTENTS

Foreword - Editor

History of the Breed - Jack Barnard

Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow - H N Beilby

The Real Staffordshire - John F Gordon

Early Reminiscences - Joe Mallen

The Staffordshire as a Guard Dog - A W A Cairns

The Fighting Staffordshire - Editor

How to Rear a Puppy - Joseph Dunn

The Head of a Staffordshire Bull Terrier - W A Boylan

Up One Day, Down the Next - Why? - H N Beilby

Articles of Agreement and Rules

Breed Standard

Illustrations

Ch Tawny of Dugarde

Tom Cribb's PUSS and the GAME MONKEY

Rowlandson's "A Dog Fight"

THE GREAT BOMBER

Ch GENTLEMAN JIM

CHESTIONIAN NIBS PAL with Miss Marie Barnard

Ch FEARLESS RED OF BANDITS

Mr J Hanlon with BRINSTOCK BRINDLE BRINIE

Ch SANDY BRIDGET

Mr W A Boylan with Ch SANDY BRIDGET and two of his favourites

PAL OF AVETH, C.D.Ex

Mr A W A Carins with Ch CONSTONE'S CADET

Int Ch HEAD LAD OF VILLMAR

New Impressions: 1988, 1994, 2002

ISBN-10 : 1852590629

ISBN-13 : 978-1852590628

Also: 1st edition (printed in Great Britain) marketed with different dustjacket / spine and distributed by A.S. Barnes and Company, 232 Madison Avenue, New York