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American Staffordshire Terrier
American Staffordshire Terrier at a dog show
Common nicknames	AmStaff
Origin	United States
Foundation stock	Bull and terrier
Traits Height 16.9–18.8 in (43–48 cm) Weight about 50–80 lb (23–36 kg) Coat Smooth Color black, fawn, red, white, blue, solid, part or patched, brindle (All-white, 80%+ white, black and tan, and liver are not encouraged). Must have black nose and not red. Note there is also no such thing as a "blue nose Amstaff" or Merle colored Amstaff
Kennel club standards American Kennel Club standard Fédération Cynologique Internationale standard
Dog (domestic dog)

The American Staffordshire Terrier, also known as the AmStaff, is a medium-sized, short-coated American dog breed recognized by the American Kennel Club, but not the United Kennel Club, which instead allows American Staffordshire Terriers to be registered under the American Pit Bull Terrier breed.

The height of an American Staffordshire Terrier is 18–19 in (46–48 cm) tall and weighs between 40–70 lb (18–32 kg). The American Kennel Club (AKC) describes the breed as "confident, smart and good-natured". American Staffordshire Terriers are not to be confused with American Pit Bull Terriers, though the American Pit Bull Terrier has similar ancestry they are two distinct breeds. It also should not be confused with the "Staffy" Staffordshire Bull Terrier of the United Kingdom.

History

Some varieties of bull-and-terrier from the British Isles began to find their way into America as early as 1850. The name Staffordshire Terrier was approved because the ancestors of the breed originally came from Staffordshire, England. The name of the breed was revised on January 1, 1969, to American Staffordshire Terrier to distinguish it from the British Staffordshire Bull Terrier, which is a completely different type of purebred show dog that was recognized in England in 1935.

The AKC opened the AmStaff Stud Book to UKC dogs a few more times until the 1970s. Since then, both parents had to be AKC registered in order to register the offspring. Breed selection was based entirely on conformation and established breed standards that, for decades, has transformed the American Staffordshire Terrier into a much different breed from the American Pit Bull Terrier.

Temperament

According to the American Kennel Club, these dogs are "smart, confident, good-natured companions. Their courage is proverbial. A responsibly bred, well-socialized AmStaff is a loyal, trustworthy friend to the end."

The official breed club of America points out that dog aggression can occur even if the dogs have been well-socialized and that therefore they should not be left alone with other dogs.

Description

According to AKC's published breed standard which was approved June 10, 1936, the "American Staffordshire Terrier should give the impression of great strength for his size, a well put-together dog, muscular, but agile and graceful, keenly alive to his surroundings. He should be stocky, not long-legged or racy in outline. His courage is proverbial." His head should be medium in length with a broad skull, a distinct stop, and pronounced muscles in the cheek. The ears should be set high on their head and can be cropped or uncropped, but the latter is preferred. Height and weight should be in proportion. A height of about 18 to 19 inches (46 to 48 cm) at shoulders for the male and 17 to 18 inches (43 to 46 cm) for the female is to be considered preferable. The nose should always be black. Many coat colors are accepted. However, dogs with liver or black-and-tan coat, and dogs with more than 80% white are discouraged.

Health

A 2024 UK study found a life expectancy of 12.5 years compared to an average of 12.7 for purebreeds and 12 for crossbreeds.

The breed is predisposed to allergic skin disease and demodicosis. An American study found 20% of juvenile (under the age of two) American Staffordshire Terriers to suffer from demodicosis compared to 0.58% overall.

A North American study of 1,000,000 and 250,000 hip and elbow scans found 24.4% American Staffordshire Terriers to have hip dysplasia and 16.1% to have elbow dysplasia. Another North American study found 1.84% of American Staffordshire Terriers to have the condition, half of the overall rate of 3.52%.

Breed-specific legislation and restrictions

Worldwide, the American Staffordshire Terrier has often been included in breed bans that target pit bull–type dogs and/or fighting dog breeds. Such breed-specific legislation (BSL) may range from outright bans on possession to restrictions and conditions of ownership. Breed Specific Legislation has been enacted in various countries including the United States, France, Australia, Austria, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Kanpur, Ireland, Norway, and Turkey.

Popularity

In 2017, the breed was the eighth most popular dog according to the Australian National Kennel Council. According to Société Centrale Canine, it is the sixth most popular dog in France. According to the American Kennel Club, it was the 85th most popular dog in 2020.

See also

• Dogs portal
• List of dog breeds
• Bull Terrier
• Miniature Bull Terrier
• Pit bull
• Luke the Dog

References

1. "American Staffordshire Breed Standard" (PDF). Fédération Cynologique Internationale. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 23, 2018. Retrieved July 27, 2019.
2. ^ "American Staffordshire Bull Terrier Dog Breed Information". AKC.org. American Kennel Club. Archived from the original on October 4, 2005. Retrieved February 14, 2020.
3. Campbell, Dana (July–August 2009). "Pit Bull Bans: The State of Breed–Specific Legislation". GP-Solo. 26 (5). American Bar Association. Archived from the original on August 2, 2009. Retrieved July 30, 2009.
4. "Frequently Asked Questions". PBRC.net. Pit Bull Rescue Central. Archived from the original on June 23, 2015. Retrieved June 17, 2015.
5. "The Truth about Pitbulls". ASPCA.org. Archived from the original on March 8, 2015.
6. UKC APPLICATION FOR AMERICAN PIT BULL TERRIER SINGLE REGISTRATION (PDF), United Kennel Club, archived (PDF) from the original on June 26, 2022, retrieved April 17, 2023
7. Frome, Jane Hogg (March 13, 2012). Staffordshire Bull Terrier. i5 Publishing. ISBN 9781593789879. Archived from the original on April 17, 2023. Retrieved October 24, 2020.
8. Smith, Alison; Smith, Lecturer in Contrinetal European Cinema Alison (2009). Staffordshire Bull Terrier. Collins. ISBN 9780007274284. Archived from the original on April 17, 2023. Retrieved October 24, 2020.
9. ^ Stahlkuppe, Joe (April 2, 2000). American Pit Bull Terrier Handbook. Barron's Educational Series. ISBN 0764147447 – via Internet Archive. ISBN9781438081410.
10. "A Breed That Came Up the Hard Way". The New York Times. September 19, 1971. Archived from the original on December 26, 2017. Retrieved May 16, 2019.
11. ^ Zaurisio, Neylor (May 16, 2019). "The so-called "modern" bloodlines". Medium. Archived from the original on July 28, 2019. Retrieved July 28, 2019.
12. "Breed Info". Amstaff.org. Staffordshire Terrier Club of America (STCA). Archived from the original on July 16, 2024. Retrieved December 13, 2024. In general, an AmStaff should not be left alone with other dogs. Dog aggression is something that can develop in even well-socialized dogs.
13. "American Staffordshire Terrier Standard" (PDF). American Kennel Club. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 3, 2014. Retrieved July 28, 2019.
14. McMillan, Kirsten M.; Bielby, Jon; Williams, Carys L.; Upjohn, Melissa M.; Casey, Rachel A.; Christley, Robert M. (February 1, 2024). "Longevity of companion dog breeds: those at risk from early death". Scientific Reports. 14 (1). Springer Science and Business Media LLC: 531. Bibcode:2024NatSR..14..531M. doi:10.1038/s41598-023-50458-w. ISSN 2045-2322. PMC 10834484. PMID 38302530.
15. Hnilica, Keith A.; Patterson, Adam P. (September 19, 2016). Small Animal Dermatology. St. Louis (Miss.): Saunders. ISBN 978-0-323-37651-8.
16. Plant, Jon D.; Lund, Elizabeth M.; Yang, Mingyin (2011). "A case–control study of the risk factors for canine juvenile-onset generalized demodicosis in the USA". Veterinary Dermatology. 22 (1): 95–99. doi:10.1111/j.1365-3164.2010.00922.x. ISSN 0959-4493. PMID 20707860.
17. Oberbauer, A. M.; Keller, G. G.; Famula, T. R. (February 24, 2017). "Long-term genetic selection reduced prevalence of hip and elbow dysplasia in 60 dog breeds". PLOS ONE. 12 (2). Public Library of Science (PLoS): e0172918. Bibcode:2017PLoSO..1272918O. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0172918. ISSN 1932-6203. PMC 5325577. PMID 28234985.
18. Witsberger, Tige H.; Villamil, J. Armando; Schultz, Loren G.; Hahn, Allen W.; Cook, James L. (June 15, 2008). "Prevalence of and risk factors for hip dysplasia and cranial cruciate ligament deficiency in dogs". Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association. 232 (12). American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA): 1818–1824. doi:10.2460/javma.232.12.1818. ISSN 0003-1488. PMID 18598150.
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20. "Avoir un chien susceptible d'être dangereux : quelles sont les règles ?". www.service-public.fr (in French). Retrieved February 12, 2024.
21. Association (AVA), Australian Veterinary. "Breed-specific legislation". www.ava.com.au. Archived from the original on November 12, 2020. Retrieved October 20, 2020.
22. "Allgemeines zur Haltung von Listenhunden ("Kampfhunden")" [General information about keeping listed dogs (“fighting dogs”)]. oesterreich.gv.at - Österreichs digitales Amt (in Austrian German). Retrieved March 11, 2024.
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26. "Kanpur bans rearing of pitbull, rottweiler dog breeds within city limits". The Economic Times. September 28, 2022. Retrieved March 11, 2024.
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Further reading

Listed by year of publication

• Fraser, Jacqueline. The American Staffordshire Terrier, 1990
• Ormsby, Clifford & Alberta. The American Staffordshire Terrier, 1956
• Nicholas, Anna Katherine. Staffordshire Terriers: American Staffordshire Terrier and Staffordshire Bull Terrier, 1991, 256 pages; ISBN 0-86622-637-0
• Foster, Sarah. The American Staffordshire Terrier: Gamester and Guardian, 1998, 139 pages; ISBN 0-87605-003-8
• Linzy, Jan. American Staffordshire Terrier Champions, 1988–1995, 1998, 84 pages; ISBN 1-55893-054-X
• Linzy, Jan. American Staffordshire Terrier Champions, 1996–2001, 2002, 84 pages; ISBN 1-55893-102-3
• Janish, Joseph. American Staffordshire Terrier, 2003, 155 pages; ISBN 1-59378-248-9
• Off the Chain, 2005, Bobby J. Brown; IMDb 0472478.
• Beyond the Myth: A Film About Pit Bulls and Breed Discrimination, 2010, Libby Sherrill; IMDb 1993286

External links

• Staffordshire Terrier Club of America
• American Staffordshire Terrier at Curlie

• Terriers
• FCI breeds
• Dog breeds originating in the United States