What exactly an Irish Bull Terrier was? I remember someone (was it you Mr Murphy) asking about Irish Bull Terriers and then someone else saying that was another name for Pit Bulls.

The reason I ask is that there is a litter of Irish Bull Terriers being advertised here in Sleaford and I was curious.

Cheers
Melody

Hello Melody
I will explain what I beleive to be an Irish bull terrier. The ISBT (irish staffordshire bull terrier) originated in eire from the uk staff. This started about the same time that we started to breed the staff for show rather than work. The Irish bred the dogs for working ability(which I wont go into just now), and what they term as gameness(prey drive). The Irish did not realy care all those years ago what went into making a game dog as long as it could do the job. So the blood of the ISBT is somewhat colourful. There is reports of Kerry blue/Irish wheaton/and english bull in the bloodlines, along with the larger bull baiting dogs of the time. The title ISBT is wrong as the dog is not a stafford. It originated from the taller staffords of long ago. It is a bull terrier though(as it is bred from bull & terriers), and as the Irish dont have a bull terrier then an Irish bull terrier is a more appropriate name.
In more recent times the breed has become more stable and a couple of types have established themselves as recognisable to someone who knows the breed. They are the Flynn type/psycho type/and The old Dublin red type. The Dublin Red is exactly like our red staffs only larger. The flynn and psycho types are bigger than both the Dublin Red and the Uk type, though not as heavy as a pit bull. More lurcherish looking in build. There are people crossing staffs and pits and calling them old type or Irish staffs. This is getting the breed a bad reputation and fueling the fire with people saying "Oh its just another name for a Pitbull." The same as the Bandog. A cross pit/mastiff is not a bandog. A cross pit/noepolitan mastiff is the only way you get a bandog. The ISBT now has its own gene pool, not a very big one though. This making for the breed to conform more to size shape and colour (otherwise known as type) and be more readily identifiable.
I better stop here or this post will be to big if not already. Hope Ive answered some of the query's you may have Melody. If not let me know and I will do my best.
As for the ones advertised in sleaford it would be easy enough to suss out whether they are genuine or dodgy crosses by a phone call to them., as the people who know a bit about the breed know what they are talking about. In my quest to find a bride for Murphy I was offered all sorts from the "We like the long leggy type" to " Its the bigger ones you know what I mean". Ive heard most of them now.
Regards Mick

Fantastic post.Nice to see someone with a big interest in the irish stafford.I have bullmastiffs but my brother has irish staffs.They are pyscho/stormer lines of which he has had since the 80's.You have said so many truths in your post,well done.
Billy

Thanks Mick, I found that very interesting!

Best wishes, John

Nice to see you writing again Billy . Where on earth have you been .
Did you get my mail this week . had lots of news for you . no reply . Am I in the bad books . :) Mari

Hi Mari,You will never be in my bad books.You are my best buddy.I've had the flu which has been a pain in the back side.We are in the process of buying and selling a house and for the second time a virus has wrecked my computer.Things are slowly getting sorted.How's the new bully doing?How's kieran's health and how are you doing?
Billy

Oh Thank god I heard from you I was nearly going to get a flight over to check things out. Billy Sharon on this board is having the new bully Brett, We have made a deal and she is giving me a service next year . I want to breed one more litter and I want another Alice . so im waiting for then to raise another bully and am concentrating on the Sharpeis in the meantime . Kieran is no worse so thats good . I am judging the bullies in bullbreeds 28th and the pastoral group . will email you later Mari

The new Bully Brett is back in ireland Billy
just thought you would like to know

Hello Billy
Nice to hear Im not alone in the Irish staffs. Ive got two now. Psycho/Flynn lines. 8 month male and 9 week female. Will be breeding in the future. Im into all bully's large or small.
Regards Mick.

Hi Mick,
Getting some photo's past & present of staffs and irish staffs that belong to friends and family to add to my web site.Their will be some cracking photo's of the originals that were around in the early 80's.Mainly psycho/stormer lines.You might be interested to know that there will be a cracking photo of a pied bitch of the flynn lines who was a stunning example of the breed.I'll let you know when the page is finished.Can you send me any photo's(via email) of your dogs,my brother would be very interested.
Billy

Hi Billy.
Your e mail addy's missing. contact me on mine. Ive got loads off pics.
Mick

Mick
do they have the same temprement with regards to people and children ?
( for my own curiosity)
When looking for pup we were tempted to look at IS but stuck to the breed we know best in the end
Lel

Hi Lel

Mines are big pets but I always keep an eye on dogs round kids, or should that be kids around dogs?. I think they are very similar in nature to uk staffs.

Mick

Just what I was looking for mr murphy, I am confused about the Irish bull terrier/american pit and eagerly await any help you can give on this subject. tnx in advance.