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History of the Breed

Recognized by the American Kennel Club (AKC) in 1936 as Staffordshire Terrier and later changed its name to American Staffordshire Terrier in 1972 to avoid confusion with the smaller Staffordshire Bull Terrier, the Am Staff's roots date back to the 1800's.

It was from the fighting bulldog-terrier crosses that dedicated breeders succeeded in producing a loyal, trusting, docile animal that would function well as a family pet and did not possess aggressiveness toward other animals or people. It was during this time that breeders of American Pit Bull Terriers were concentrating on producing their own strain of bulldog-terrier cross, breeding solely for "performance".

The Am Staff and the APBT are 2 separate breeds and should not be confused for one another. Although they may resemble each other in looks, they were bred for different purposes, and the only common link they share is their ancestry

Probably the most famous early Am Staff was "Pete" of the "Our Gang" comedy TV series. "Pete" was among the first AKC recognized Am Staffs.

 

 

General Appearance

An American Staffordshire Terrier should give the impression of great strength for his size, a well put together dog, muscular but agile, keenly alive to his surroundings. He should be stocky, not long-leeged or racy in outline.


SIZE - Males measure about 19 inches at the shoulder, females about 18 inches. Weight ranges from 50 to 75 lbs.


COLOR AND COAT - Am Staffs come in all colors, solids and brindles, with or without white markings. Liver, solid white, and black with tan points are not desirable for the show ring. Dogs should have brown eyes and dark pigment (noses, eye rims). The coat is short, sleek and stiff to the touch, and requires minimal grooming.


His HEAD is of medium length with a broad skull and very pronounced cheek muscles with a distinct stop


EARS are set high on the head and may be cropped or naturally half-prick or rose.


EYES are dark and round and set far apart. Blue/dilute dogs may have eyes as light as their coat color, but no lighter.


NECK is heavy, slightly arched, of medium length, with no looseness of skin.


SHOULDERS are strong and muscular with shoulder blads set wide and sloping.


BACK is fairly short with a slight slope from withers to rump, with a low set tail.


RIBS are well sprung and close together, forelegs are set wide apart to allow for a deep and broad chest.


TAIL is short in comparison to size, tapering to a fine point, not curled or held over back. The tail is NEVER docked.


FRONT LEGS are straight, bones are large and pasterns upright.


HINDQUARTERS are well muscled.


FEET should be compact of moderate size.


TEETH should meet in a scissor bite.

 


The Am Staff Personality

The Am Staff combines power with grace and agility. He is bright and alert and has boundless courage. He is superbly gentle with children, intensely loyal and affectionate. The Am Staff's endless patience and great tolerance to pain makes them the perfect children's companion, taking any and all sorts of abuse in stride. Am Staffs can also live in harmony with other dogs and pets. ( We have cats, parrots and other creatures, and as far as living with other dogs, just ask Pat McKinney (Barbarian Amstaffs, Florida USA) how many she keeps in her house!) See pic below..

 

 

Activities for Am Staffs

Am Staffs do very well at dog shows, in both the obedience and conformation rings. Their great desire to please makes them highly competitive and their happy attitude makes them a joy to watch. Am Staffs also excel at weight pulling, tracking, agility, flyball, and as therapy dogs to children, the elderly and the invalid. Am Staffs are also used as farm dogs, and many work on TV commercials and movies. There is no limit to what you can do with this very versatile breed.

Exercise Requirements

Because of the Am Staff's high energy level and their compact size, they can get a lot of exercise even in an apartment, but they love their outdoor romps, and most Am Staffs love to swim.