Staffys reign supreme in the Macarthur region
The Macarthur region is officially staffy territory with more than 160 bull terrier staffordshires and American Staffordshire terriers registered in the last 12 months alone.
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The Macarthur region is officially staffy territory with more than 160 bull terrier staffordshires and American Staffordshire terriers registered in the last 12 months alone.
In Campbelltown the numbers are overwhelming with 112 registered across the last financial year while in the Camden area the bull terrier staffordshire shares top spot with the cavoodle.
In the Wollondilly Council area, the jack russell terrier and German Shepherd share top honours.
South west Sydney resident Leanne Hazeltine and her husband bought their first ever blue staffy six months ago and told the Chronicle they never considered another breed.
“Staffys have a personality all on their own,” she said. “As soon as we saw him we fell in love. He has exceeded all expectations.”
The blue staffy, named Stamford after Chelsea Football Club’s home ground, has more than 4000 Instagram followers with Mrs Hazeltine describing him as the ultimate “attention-grabber”.
“Everywhere we go he gets attention,” she said. “He is so playful and loves people. When we go to Bunnings people run to get him a sausage and try to give him frisbees.
“I really believe staffys are the most misconceived dogs. At night he cuddles into you, when he is in trouble he puts his head down, they do that singing staffie talk. We fell in love with him straight away.”
Purebreds and designer breeds are still top dog in NSW, but for every fashionable pup purchased, dozens are waiting for forever homes in shelters around the state.
Statistics from the Office of Local Government and the RSPCA reveal a contrasting picture for dogs in NSW, especially bull breeds disproportionately ending up on adoption row.
The 10 most popular registered breeds in NSW are cavoodles, followed by the Australian Kelpie, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Labrador Retriever, Border Collie and American Staffordshire Terrier, Jack Russell Terrier, German Shepherd, Greyhound and Labradoodle.
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Cavoodles, a hybrid of a cavalier King Charles spaniel and a poodle, are so in demand, buyers are paying from $4000 up to $10,000 at peak times like Christmas for a puppy.
“They’re just like little teddy bears, people take them everywhere,” said Kelly Vella, of Sydney Cavoodles, who has a six-month waiting list for her puppies.
“They’re really smart, they don’t shed, I even have a few that have been trained to wake up the kids when the alarm goes off.”
Nowhere are cavoodles more popular in NSW than the Sutherland LGA, where residents registered 117 in 2018 and 213 the year before. Among them were Alexandra and Mark O’Keefe of Oyster Bay, who took home their $4000 eight-week old bundle of joy on June 5.