Breed comparison

Bull Terrier or Staffordshire Bull Terrier: Which breed should you choose?

Bull Terrier and Staffordshire Bull Terrier are two dog breeds often compared by prospective owners. Here’s a point-by-point comparison to help you decide: size, temperament, purchase price, monthly budget, and compatibility with your lifestyle.

Bull Terrier

Medium22–38 kg€1,000 – €1,500

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Staffordshire Bull Terrier

Medium10–17 kg€1,300 – €1,800

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Key takeaways

Bull Terrier is larger: 22–38 kg compared with 10–17 kg for Staffordshire Bull Terrier.
Bull Terrier costs less to buy: €1,000 – €1,500 compared with €1,300 – €1,800 for Staffordshire Bull Terrier.
The monthly budget is similar for both breeds: about €119 per month.
Staffordshire Bull Terrier needs less daily activity (4/5 compared with 5/5 for Bull Terrier).
Staffordshire Bull Terrier scores higher for “Families and children”: 4/5 compared with 2/5 for Bull Terrier.
Staffordshire Bull Terrier scores higher for “Apartment living”: 3/5 compared with 2/5 for Bull Terrier.
Bull Terrier scores higher for “First-time owners”: 4/5 compared with 1/5 for Staffordshire Bull Terrier.
Both breeds have a similar life expectancy: 11–14 years.

Our verdict

Choose Bull Terrier if you’re looking for…

Active person: Its high exercise needs suit an owner available for long outings.
Household often at home: It thrives with people able to offer it companionship and daily interactions.
Patient and consistent owner: Regular and kind training helps channel its assertive temperament.

Choose Staffordshire Bull Terrier if you’re looking for…

Active owners: He thrives with people capable of ensuring outings, games, and regular training.
Committed families: Well supervised, he can become a very close and playful companion on a daily basis.
Adopters already familiar with dog training: A household familiar with socialization and managing the dog's strength starts with a clear advantage.

Detailed comparison

	Bull Terrier	Staffordshire Bull Terrier
General information
Origin	United Kingdom	United Kingdom
FCI group	3	3
Build	Medium	Medium
Height at the withers	45–55 cm	33–40 cm
Weight	22–38 kg	10–17 kg
Coat	Short, smooth, glossy and hard	Short, smooth
Life expectancy	11–14 years	12–14 years
Average price	€1,000 – €1,500	€1,300 – €1,800
Monthly budget	≈ €119	≈ €119
Compatibility
Families and children	Fair	Very good
Daily exercise needs	Very high	High
Apartment living	Fair	Good
First-time owners	Very good	Limited
Other pets	Fair	Good
Tolerance of being alone	Good	Fair
Guarding instinct	Fair	Very good
Strengths and weaknesses
	Low risk of running away Rarely barks Good health Easy to care for Rarely drools Not very obedient High exercise needs Not very adaptable Prone to destructive behavior Sheds a lot	Low risk of running away Robust health Easy to care for Sheds very little Not very obedient High exercise needs Not very adaptable Prone to destructive behavior Barks a lot Drools a lot

Add a third breed Which dog should you choose?

Bull Terrier or Staffordshire Bull Terrier: Which breed should you choose?

Bull Terrier

Staffordshire Bull Terrier

Key takeaways

Our verdict

Detailed comparison

Bull Terrier

Staffordshire Bull Terrier

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