American Staffordshire Terrier

American Staffordshire Terrier

The American Staffordshire Terrier is a breed of dog. The breed is descended from American dog fighting breeds and was intended to be a show strain of the American Pit Bull Terrier. American Staffordshire Terriers were first recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1936. They are a member of the Terrier and Molosser groups.

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Appearance

The American Staffordshire Terrier is a large dog that ranges from 16 to 19 inches at the withers, and weighs from 57 to 67 pounds.

The dog is muscular and strong, and gives the impression of great strength and agility for his size. The chest is deep and broad, and the neck is heavy. The dog has a broad skull, pronounced cheek muscles, and strong jaws. The ears may be half prick, rose, or cropped.

The coat is short and glossy and can be of any color although all white, mostly white, liver, and black and tan are not encouraged. The nose must be black.

Temperament

These dogs should be courageous, tenacious, friendly, extremely attentive, and extraordinarily devoted. Originally an all-around farm dog, hunter, and family companion, American Staffordshire Terriers should be highly stable around both children and other domesticated animals (such as livestock). Their absorption into the abusive practise of dog fighting lends many a propensity toward dog/animal aggression; however, their adaptability, inherent friendliness, handler devotion, and fearlessness makes this an easy issue to correct, even in dogs (usually not actual, registered American Staffordshire Terriers but dogs labelled as "pit bulls") that have been bred and trained to fight.

American Staffordshire Terriers and other dogs commonly termed "pit bulls" are often thought to be vicious or unpredictable. Their attentiveness, courage, and devotion - beloved by fanciers, therapists, and SAR teams - allow criminals, "macho" people, and even families seeking protection to easily encourage dominance and hostility towards non-family members.

Exceptionally friendly, well cared for American Staffordshire Terriers are not natural watchdogs, often failing to bark at the door upon the arrival of visitors. A lack of protective and/or aggressive behaviour, accompanied by fearlessness, is generally a good sign. Such a dog is stable with children, friendly with new animals, and easily cared for by pet sitters. As an added bonus, a thorough familiarity with "normal" situations - the advent of the mailman or petsitter - will make "abnormal" or dangerous situations impeccably clear to a devoted pet. Such devotion will motivate a dog of any lineage to lay down its life to protect an owner, friend, or even a stranger in need.

The American Staffordshire Terrier temperament is not ideal for every owner or family. These dogs learn quickly from the subtlest of our behaviors. They are thus not only highly responsive during training but also apt to pick up unwanted behaviors that we subtly and unintentionally encourage. Rescuers often encounter behavior problems such as barking, submissive urination, aggression, and dominance that were directly encouraged by well-intentioned but ignorant owners.

Similarities to other Bull Terriers

The American Staffordshire Terrier and the American Pit Bull Terrier are closely related breeds, sharing a common ancestry as recently as the early 1900s. The main physical difference between the breeds is that the American Staffordshire Terrier is not permitted to have red ("Dudley") nose leather, whereas American Pit Bull Terriers may have nose leather of any colour, including red, black and blue. The American Staffordshire Terrier is also often of larger bone structure, head size and weight than their American Pit Bull Terrier cousins.

The American Staffordshire Terrier was developed by American farmers and settlers for all around farm work, hunting wild game, guarding, and companionship although some fell into the hands of dog fighters. The American Staffordshire Terrier, American Pit Bull Terrier, and other dogs with a similar "macho" look and/or a courageous, devoted nature continue to attract dog fighters and other criminals. Even when not pitted against each other, these dogs are often abused. There remain, however, dedicated owners and breeders who provide American Staffordshire Terriers with humane, responsible ownership, often training these dogs for community service tasks such as pet therapy and search and rescue.

There are also charitable organizations that rescue and rehabilitate abused, abandoned, or stray dogs, placing them into adoptive homes. Exceptionally adaptable, even fighting dogs usually learn quickly to love and trust both humans and other pets.

Breed-specific legislation

Areas which have passed breed specific legislation banning or restricting the ownership of Pit Bulls and "pit bull type" dogs usually include the American Staffordshire Terrier in this legislation.

Famous Staffordshire Terriers

• Pete the Pup in several Our Gang films.