The Staffordshire Bull Terrier arrived in Norway during the 1960s and has since grown from an unknown breed into one of the country’s most popular terriers. Discover the story of the early imports, the breed ban challenge in 2004, and how Norwegian breeders and dogs have achieved international success.
There are British sources mentioning that some Staffordshire Bull Terriers may have been sent to both Germany and Norway even before the breed was officially recognised in 1935. These were unregistered, and little is known about their fate. Therefore, the Staffordshire Bull Terrier may have existed in Norway earlier than many realise, but the first documented registrations appear in the 1960s.
The first registered dog we can trace is Black Goddess, born in Britain in November 1962, she was flown to Norway as a puppy in a cat basket by Eimar Wulff Jr., and registered in Norway in 1964. Black Goddess performed well at shows; she won her class at the Norwegian Kennel Club’s international show in Oslo 1964, received CACIB and was awarded BOB. She was later shown with further good results and stood as a pioneer for the breed in Norway. Her first litter sadly did not survive, but she was later mated in Sweden with Svarte Rudolf (son of the Danish import Verles Vantage). This resulted in the very first Norwegian Staffordshire Bull Terrier litter, born on 14 March 1968: two puppies, Golden Princess and Svarte Rudolfs Premiär. The latter became the first Norwegian Stafford to be exported – to Lars Peterson in Sweden. Black Goddess lived to the age of 15.
During the 1970s several more imports came to Norway. Among them was Hutton Faith (called Judi), imported from England to Oslo in 1969 by Tor Arne Thorsen. She was inseminated with Bandits Millgarth Square Deal, and in 1971 she produced four puppies. A newspaper clipping from 1972 shows the Thorsen family advertising the puppies as “good guard and companion dogs, child-friendly and non-shedding” – a typical description of the time, illustrating how the breed was marketed to Norwegian homes. In the 1970s and 80s the breed remained rare in Norway. In 1981 Sunstaff’s Wish me Luck (called Shanty) was imported to Norway by Sonja Haakenstad. She became Norwegian champion in 1983, Swedish champion in 1986, and distinguished herself both in the show ring and in obedience. At that time, she was often the only Stafford at Norwegian shows, unless exhibitors came from Sweden or Finland.
A new chapter began in 1989 when Parkstaff Princess Di, bred by Mr & Mrs Hemsley in England, was imported by Kirsten Svendsen (kennel Kedisto). Kirsten’s encounter with this puppy at the airport is legendary; the puppy immediately rolled onto her back, displaying the typical Stafford temperament. In 1991 kennel Kedisto was established – Norway’s first kennel name dedicated to breeding Staffordshire Bull Terriers – which remains active as of 2025. “Bess”, as she was called daily, was later mated with Sunstaff’s Classic Claudius, producing kennel Kedisto’s first Stafford litter.
From the 1990s onwards, imports increased and the breed became more visible at Norwegian shows. Among them was Weneva Ursula, a British import in 1987, who became a Norwegian champion the following year. In addition to the British imports, Swedish breeders such as Sigvart Olsson (Sunstaff) contributed to providing a foundation for Nordic breeding combinations.
A dramatic turning point for the breed’s development in Norway came in 2004, when the authorities proposed a breed ban. The ban included the American Staffordshire Terrier (Amstaff) and potentially the SBT. The Staffordshire Bull Terrier risked being included because of its resemblance in appearance to the Amstaff. Kirsten Svendsen and several others worked tirelessly to secure the breed’s future. They took part in parliamentary hearings, organised demonstrations outside parliament, and documented that the SBT was a distinct, pure breed. An important measure introduced was mandatory blood samples from both parents and puppies in every litter, ensuring breed purity could be scientifically proven if necessary. This was a major factor in preventing the Staffordshire Bull Terrier from being banned in Norway. The requirement for blood samples is still unique to Norway. Until 2021, samples had to be taken before import into Norway, but they can now be taken after arrival. The aim remains to prevent crossbreeds from being registered as SBT. This has created a system where all registered dogs in Norway can be genetically linked to their parents – providing security for both breeders and the breed’s status.
After 2004 registrations rose sharply. The breed was seen as a legal alternative to the banned breeds, and many families wanted a Stafford. This led to an explosive growth in the population, and by 2022 Norway had the highest number of living Staffords in the Nordic region – estimated at 11,500 individuals.
The show community has grown in parallel with the increase in Staffords. The breed club has organised specialty shows since 1996, and several breeders have distinguished themselves both nationally and internationally. Norway’s “Top Stafford” lists have existed since 2013, and there is healthy variation in which kennels top the rankings. You can find the Top Stafford lists on the breed group’s website here
Norwegian dogs have also succeeded at the highest international level. Norwegian-bred Staffords have achieved BOB at Crufts, the most prestigious show in the breed’s homeland, as well as winning titles such as World Winner and European Winner. Although Norway has far fewer registered Staffords than the UK, it has nevertheless managed to compete at the very top, proving that Norwegian Staffords meet an international standard.
From the first tentative steps with Black Goddess in the 1960s to today’s thriving community, the Staffordshire Bull Terrier in Norway has had a remarkable journey. The breed went from being almost unknown, to threatened with prohibition, to becoming one of the country’s most popular terrier breeds. The story clearly shows how individuals – from pioneers such as the Wulff family and Kirsten Svendsen, to the breed community that fought against BSL – have shaped its development.