CKC Official Breed Standard -- Staffordshire Bull Terrier

(I hope to add appropriate pictures as I collect them, and would appreciate contributions from other with staffords who have particular strengths that would help illustrate this standard.)

General Appearance
The Staffordshire Bull Terrier is a smooth-coated dog. He should be of great strength for his size, and although muscular, should be active and agile.

Temperament
From the past history of the Staffordshire Bull Terrier, the modern dog draws his character of indomitable courage, high intelligence, and tenacity. This, coupled with his affection for his friends, and children in particular; his off-duty quietness and trustworthy stability, makes him the foremost all-purpose dog.

Size
Weight: Dogs, 28-38 lbs (13-17 kg) Bitches, 24-331/2 lbs [11-15 kg). Height (at shoulder): 14-16 inches (36-41 cm), these heights being related to the weights.

Coat and Colour
Coat smooth, short, and close to the skin. Colour red, fawn, white, black or blue, or any of these colours with white. Any shade of brindle, or any shade of brindle with white. Black and tan or liver colour not to be encouraged.

Head
Short, deep through, broad skull, very pronounced cheek muscles, distinct stop, short foreface, black nose. The mouth should be level, i.e., the incisors of the bottom jaw should fit closely inside the incisors of the top jaw, and the lips should be tight and clean. Eyes: dark preferable but may bear some relation to coat colour. Round, of medium size, and set to look straight ahead. Ears rose or half-pricked and not large.

Neck
Muscular, rather short, clean in outline, and gradually widening towards the shoulders.

Forequarters
Legs straight and well boned, set rather wide apart, without looseness at the shoulders, and showing no weakness at the pasterns, from which point the feet turn out a little.

Body
The body should be close-coupled, with a level topline, wide front, deep brisket, well-sprung ribs and rather light in the loins.

Hindquarters
Should be well-muscled, hocks let down with stifles well bent. Legs should be parallel when viewed from behind. The feet should be well padded, strong and of medium size.

Tail
Should be of medium length, low set, tapering to a point and carried rather low. It should not curl much and may be likened to an old-fashioned pump handle.

Faults
To be penalized in accordance with the severity of the fault: Light eyes or pink eye rims. Tail too long or badly curled. Non-conformation to the limits of weight or height. Full drop and prick ears. Undershot or overshot mouths. The following faults should debar a dog from winning any prize: Pink (Dudley) nose. Badly undershot or overshot mouth. Badly undershot -- where the lower jaw protrudes to such and extent that the incisors of the lower jaw do not touch those of the upper jaw. Badly overshot -- where the upper jaw protrudes to such an extend that the incisors of the upper jaw do not touch those of the lower jaw.