Article VI
Another article gleaned from the Staffordshire Bull Terrier Forum E-mail
List. This fledgling e-mail list dedicated to the Stafford has had more
than its share of good and insightful posts. This is among the most on
target to date.
In response to my request, here is a short introduction of the e-mail
author, Paul H. Skelton.
Terry,
First, I would like to thank you for the kind words and your wonderful web
page. The pedigree section in particular is great to me. I
love the old pedigrees. Second, feel free to reprint my diatribe
on your page. I am flattered to be in such company.
I am Paul Skelton, I live in Augusta, GA with my wife, 2 sons, 5 birds,
Fish, turtles, frogs, 12 year old Pug, and 2 seven month old Staffords,
Mojo (Intrepid Dr. Buzzards Bad Mojo) and Geechie (Intrepid Low Country
Boil). I plan on showing them both if they have the inclination
and turn out well. We stay busy, as most younger families do, with work,
school, sports, church, etc... We love to spend time together with each
other and the dogs.
I have been a dog person since birth I guess. I was raised around old
county white Bulldogs, now American Bulldogs, Pit Bulls, hounds of
every shape and denomination, and Bird Dogs. We always had house
dogs as well. I came to the Stafford after a long period of
deliberation and debate on what breed I wanted next. I lost my last
American Bulldog to a congenital bone deformity, and I knew that our
Pug couldn't take the rough and tumble of 2 young boys any
longer. I looked at literally dozens that might have fit the bill
and decided that the Stafford best met my desires and needs. For an all around
dog, I felt that I wanted a breed that hadn't been over bred,
over popularized or villanized, and most of all fit my families life
style.
My pups are both sired by Ch. Nozac Intrepid Jet and both of their dams are
heavy Trugrip Revolution. I was very interested in finding a dog
that went back to Black Tusker or Red Atom, I got both. Mojo is
more bully than I prefer, but will probably take the ring by
storm. Geechie, on the other hand, is more terrier and fits the bill for
what a Stafford used to be in my opinion. Both are black brindle
and white. I can't explain how well they have met my
expectations. They are great puppies and will be great dogs if I let
them live through their adolescence. :-) They can be a handful. Thanks
again for the wonderful work on your Web page. As always, I am...
Up to scratch...
Paul
To: sbtforum@northcomp.com
Subject: Re: Re.Re. Ashtock Anotations and form follows function
At 03:30 PM 5/16/98 -0400, you wrote:
Steve Stone requested something to debate and I guess I am going to jump up
to scratch.:-) First this is not a reflection on anyone or any
dog. It is simply my take.
Form follows function, aesthetics
follow fashion.
aesthetics
follow fashion.
The tendency of the Stafford toward his current
"Bully" conformation is strictly due to the last hundred years or so
of breeding for standard "show" conformation. If the Stafford
were still being used as a working pit dog, he would not be the dog that
he is; and thus, not the dog I wanted. If the Space Shuttle were a
Crop Duster, it wouldn't need ceramic tiles.:-) If you will look at the
old pictures of Staffords that were used in the pits, they bore a
striking resemblance to today's American Pit Bull Terriers. Smaller
heads, deeper chests, longer muscle, etc. etc. This was strictly
due to their success in the pit, not because he had a perfect bite, topline,
ears, and so on and so forth.
Conformations only contribution to the working pit dog was wrestling
ability. Gameness, stamina, biting ability, and conditioning were
all as important if not more important than what the dog looked
like. His form followed his function until
we, society, decided he had no legal,
moral, or ethical function. From that point on, asthetics followed
fashion. Today's Stafford could be bred back to his
earlier days if he were used in the pits and Champion was bred to
Champion for a few generations. The resulting dogs would not look
like the barrel chested athlete asleep at my feet, nor would it have many of
the characteristics that make my 1997 model Staffords different from
the 1897, 1797, and 1697 models.
We cannot compromise our standard. We cannot breed bad attitude into
a perfect shape. The 1997 Stafford is not a working pit dog as
his ancestors were. He is my companion, my child's
playmate, my wife's foot warmer, and my neighbor's poodles' worst
nightmare. :-)
To sum it up, our dogs couldn't be made to last 2-3 hours in a pit today,
and I don't want mine to. I also don't want my little barrel
chested 1997 model Staffordshire Bull Terrier athlete turning into a 65
pound 20 inch show-stopping champion that is more Bulldog than Bull
Terrier. I love dogs and I love the Stafford. We serve him best by
keeping to our standard, "Jim the Dandy". If you love
the Stafford, don't show, promote, condone, or for any reason breed an
oversized, big headed, pot bellied, 65 pound 20 inch dog for aesthetics or
profit. I hope this causes some response and discussion, Steve. As
always, I am...
Up to scratch...
Paul
