The American Staffordshire Terrier, or AmStaff to their admirers, is a canine companion that is intelligent, self-assured, and friendly. Their bravery is legendary. A properly raised and well-adjusted American staff member is always a devoted, dependable friend.
American Staffordshire Terriers are robust and stocky bull-type terriers. The dark, round eyes are spaced far apart, and the head is broad with a well-defined jawline, cheekbones, and cheeks. AmStaffs move with grace and agility, and their bouncy gait communicates the breed’s innate confidence. The rigid, glossy coat is available in a variety of colors. AmStaffers describe their dogs as delightful “personality dogs” around the house who are extremely aware of their environment and up for anything. AmStaffs like both physical and mental challenges.
Males measure 18 to 19 inches in height, while females measure 17 to 18 inches. The usual weight range is 55 to 70 pounds for males, while females weigh 40 to 55 pounds.
The American Staffordshire Terrier is a healthy and hardy breed, with a life expectancy of 12 to 16 years.
Recommended Health Tests:
- Hip Evaluation
- Thyroid Evaluation
- NCL DNA test
- Cardiac Exam
- Ophthalmologist Evaluation
Breed History
Several dog breeds were developed in Great Britain in the past to thrive in blood sports. Such abhorrent pursuits have long been forbidden. The pleasant legacy of these tragic spectacles, however, is that many of today’s most popular breeds, such as the Bulldog, Bull Terrier, and American Staffordshire Terrier, originated as fighting and baiting dogs in the 18th and 19th centuries.
Everyone agrees that the bulldog was the defining feature of the bull-type terrier breeds.Breed experts get into a fight over which pre-existing terrier breeds are present in the genetic makeup of the AmStaff. Some people think that the genetic admixture that produced the Staffordshire Terrier, the ancestor of the AmStaff, included extinct breeds like the White English Terrier and the Black-and-Tan Terrier.
Whatever the true genetic makeup of the AmStaff may be, we are confident that working-class Brits interested in blood sports crossed terrier instincts for bravery and “gameness” with those of old-style Bulldogs to produce bull-type terrier breeds.
