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The amateur breeder can obtain considerable satisfaction and no doubt a sense of some achievement as he watches the litter of home-bred Staffords romping in his pen. The fact that he planned the union of their parents, saw the dam through her ordeal, and built up the puppies through their weaning period into the ready-for going away stage is a matter for some pride. However, whereas it is not hard to sell well-bred stock, finding suitable homes for the youngsters may prove difficult. A lot will have to depend on your personal judgement of prospective buyers. Staffordshire Bull terriers are very good with children but sometimes are children not so good towards Staffords. In fact, some families with a number of very small children are quite unsuitable as owners of a dog.
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The
parents will might well be dog-lovers but they cannot for ever be
watching for and controlling the often unintentional cruelties of their
young to a puppy in the family circle. Very
old people too, will be ill-advised in buying a Stafford. The breed is
to strong, too lusty for the frail to handle and the dog will not get
the exercise he needs to thrive. Homes where the owners are businessfolk
and out all day are no good either. A small puppy needs four meals a
day, quite apart from the fact that he needs companionship and
some training at this early stage of his life. Husband and wife buyers,
when it is obvious the latter especially lacks keenness, seldom adapt to
puppy ownership because the woman becomes responsible for its
feeding and training, which either she does with resentment or not at
all.
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Never
sell a puppy that is to be given to someone else for whom it is to be
a "surprise" unless, of course, the person concerned can assure
you dog is really wanted. Most people wanting a dog, however, go out and
buy one, and an unexpected gift of a small puppy needing special
attention, while appreciated at the time, soon loses its novelty, often
to the puppy's disadvantage. It is usually worth putting a subtle form
of questionnaire to intending buyers, this can be done in a
respectful manner. Most people will be sensible enough to realise you
have their interests at heart, as the puppies. Finally, make sure
they want the dog because they have chosen it to join them in their
family circle and because they are dog lovers. |
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A
dog bought merely to guard the property from an outside shed or kennel
has no worth-while life and becomes miserable. If you are one bitch
owner and therefore but an occasional breeder, you will not worry
overmuch about the commercial side of dog-breeding. Your odd litter or
two will not be difficult to sell, provided they do not arrive and
become ready for selling at an unfavourable time just before or during
the peak holiday period between June and August, or coinciding with some
national emergency. The best months for having young Staffords ready to
go are January and February, followed by September to mid-December, then
March to May, in that order. Of course, winter puppies are better raised
in a warm, airy room in the house rather than in a kennel or shed where
the temperature is liable to fluctuate, and produce less than perfect
coats on the youngsters.
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Apart
from any puppy or puppies you intend for your own use, the litter should
be off your hands by the time it reaches eight weeks of age. Once
puppies exceed this age they begin to be a liability from an expense
point of view. If kept up to the age of three months with no buyers in
sight they can prove an embarrassment, and every day will add something
to the cost of thier keep, apart from the time given to cleaning them up
and settling their squabbles. Worse, the older they get, the more
apparent become their faults and their chances of selling lessened.
People like to buy a Staffordshire Bull Terrier puppy that, although a
little "buccaneer" in its manner, is solid, blocky and snug. In effect,
when a Stafford puppy has gone beyond the three Months stage it is
rather too big to appeal to the average buyer.
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Many
first time breeders, daunted by the thought of seeing their puppies go,
have run on the entire litter up to three months only to find they have
what is virtually a hornets'nest on their hands. The tragedy can be that
with no one to offer over-grown puppies new homes, the litter has to be
put down. Fortunately, this result is rare, but not unknown.
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The
Final Stages 
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