About the breed
The American Staffordshire Terrier (amstaff) is a dog that has a reputation for being violent and aggressive, but in fact and far from this belief, the owners of amstaffs claim that it is a quieter animal. Now, if aggressiveness is stimulated with blunt methods, it can become an uncontrollable animal. His extraordinary jaws can produce tremendous wounds to any other animal even bigger than him.
American Staffordshire Terrier
If you settle an American staff in your house, you will get a playful, energetic friend, without whom you will no longer imagine your life.
This breed is a fun lover and has gone from being an ancient pit bull terrier ancestor to being a much more docile family dog that gets along well with other pets, children and adults.
Breed at a Glance
- Origin: United States
- Size: Medium
- Weight: 48 – 88 pounds
- Head shape: Square
- Lifespan: 11-15 years
- Coat Type: Short, smooth, and glossy
- Colors: Wide range of colors, including solid, patched, and brindle
- Temperament: Loyal, courageous, affectionate, intelligent, and confident
- Grooming Needs: Low; occasional brushing to remove loose hair
- Exercise Needs: High; needs regular physical and mental stimulation, such as walks, playtime, and training
- Best For: Active individuals or families, homes with a yard, experienced dog owners
The American Staffordshire Terrier is a strong, athletic breed known for its intelligence and loyalty. They are affectionate and protective of their families, making them excellent companions, but require proper socialization and training from a young age. Their high energy levels make them best suited for active families or individuals who can provide regular exercise and mental engagement.
The standard of the breed
The appearance of the American Staffordshire Terrier speaks of its strength. Power is too great for the size of the animal. This is indicated by the highly developed musculature of all parts of the body. With this, the staff can be called elegant and fast.
The growth of adult amstaff dogs is 43-48 cm, the weight is 22-40 kg, respectively. Females are more slender, lower and lighter than males.
Exercise requirements
Compassion for the owner
Friendship with strangers
Energy level
Playfulness
With other pets
Characteristics of the breed
Family
Amstaffs simply love children. According to the owners, these dogs become real nannies for them and are always ready to play and run with them. However, these dogs cannot always calculate their strength with precision, so it is worth monitoring the communication of young children with amstaffs and stopping excessive unleashing in time.
The strong character of the staffire burrows can push them to settle things with other dogs, so we must teach them in early childhood to communicate peacefully with their fellows and to stop the unwanted behavior of the animal. If that does not fully succeed, the responsible owner will always hold the amstaff on a leash when other dogs appear, preventing them from communicating between them. It is also necessary to keep in mind that the staffi burials have a very strong hunt instinct and often hunt cats and other animals that run.
Physical qualities
The American Staffordshire Terrier has a large and powerful head. Its head structure is proportional to its agile, very muscular and stocky body. It has high cheekbones, a broad head and a well-defined chin. It is a breed that impresses with its high cheekbones and its chin that reveals its strength. The nose is short. It has teeth that close in a scissor bite. The lips should be close and even. It is not desired for the lips to be sagging or loose.
The ears of the American Staffordshire Terrier are set high on the head. Their ears are quite erect and can be cropped where legal, or they can be left natural and uncropped. If one prefers not to crop them, no measures are taken, but when they are cropped, they should be kept short and shaped like a rose or half-spine.
The American Staffordshire Terrier’s dark, round eyes are set low on the head and set well apart. Pink around the eyes and on the eyelids is considered a fault by the AKC standard.
Very powerful, dense and strong. Teeth large, white, scissor bite.
AmStaffs are solidly built, stocky and muscular bull terriers. The American Staffordshire Terrier is an extremely strong and agile dog for its size. The American Staffordshire Terrier breed, called the “American Staffordshire Terrier” by the AKC and the “American Pit Bull Terrier” by the UKC, is generally considered to have a larger bone structure, head size and weight than its cousin, the American Pit Bull Terrier.
The American Staffordshire Terrier has a short, thick, harsh and smooth, shiny coat.
Forelegs
The forelegs are characterized by a parallel stance, elbows pressed against the body, and rounded, arched legs.
Hindlegs
The muscles of the hind legs are more pronounced than those of the front legs. The metatarsus is characterized by moderate length.
The American Staffordshire Terrier’s glossy coat can be solid, partial, or patchy and can be composed of many colors. The American Staffordshire Terrier comes in a variety of colors, including blue, fawn, white, black, or red. A mixture of white and other shades of color, or mixtures of white and brindle, may be seen in the fur. However, according to AKC standards, it is not encouraged for the breed to be more than 80% white.
Lifespan
Standards & Classifications
The American Staffordshire Terrier is recognized by major kennel clubs around the world, including the American Kennel Club (AKC), the United Kennel Club (UKC), and the Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI).
FCI Classification
Group 3: Terriers.
Section 3: Bull Terriers.
What to expect when taking care of a American Staffordshire Terrier
Taking care of a dog involves daily exercise, regular diet, grooming and veterinary care. Expect camaraderie, loyalty and joy, as well as responsibilities such as training, cleaning after them and the supply of a safe environment.
American Staffordshire Terrier dogs are prone to diseases listed below:
- Dysplasia, arthritis, arthrosis – the affected joints bring unbearable pain, lameness.
- Bloating – The dog could die if not taken urgently.
- Genetic non-closure of the botalle duct – as a result, there is a lag in physical development.
- Diseases of the eyes.
- Deafness.
- Oncological diseases – most often mast cell cancer and mastocytoma.
- Skin diseases – licked granulomas are common.
- Histiocytoma is a benign vascular-connective tissue tumor of the skin.
- Obesity.
- Solar dermatitis is a pathological process that affects poorly pigmented or poorly protected skin areas.
The American Staffordshire Terrier is a smooth naked breed. Therefore, you can brush your dog once a week and that will be enough. The eyes are generally cleaned daily, the ears are cleaned 2 to 3 times a week. Bat the animal once a week, cut the claws 3 times a month.
You can meet your American Staffordshire Terrier’s daily exercise needs by providing 60-minute activities or 2-2.5 kilometer walks.
Remember that the duration of the exercises is as important as the exercises your American Staffordshire Terrier does to be happy, fit and healthy. The duration and content of the exercise should be specifically planned according to the health status and needs of puppies, young, adult and senior dogs.
By supporting your dog’s mental and physical exercise, you can ensure that his development is positively affected. Ensuring that your American Staffordshire Terrier’s exercise needs are met is important for your dog’s health as well as his mental state.
American Staffordshire Terriers can adapt well to both houses and apartments, as long as they get enough exercise. They thrive in environments where they can engage in regular physical and mental activities, making daily walks and playtime essential.
Character and behavior
If we are talking about the character of the amstaff, there is little other race of dog whose character would be described by such diverse and sometimes completely opposite epithets.
Reliable, intelligent, loyal, endowed with a considerable amount of pleasure and even a certain playful, balanced and experienced – this is what lovers of the race say of the staffi. Aggressive and vicious – such an assessment is given by the criticism of the race. But the latest character traits are associated in almost all cases either in nonsense or to education aimed at the training of precisely negative qualities.
Sociality
Relationship with the human family
Attitude towards loneliness
Tendency to bark
Friendship with dogs
Adaptability
City life
Suitable as the first dog
Tolerance for hot temperatures
Tolerance for cold temperatures
Did you know?
- A record was recorded when an amstaff was able to drag a load weighing 135 kg. Considering that the weight of such a dog is about 30 kg, this case is the height of endurance and power.
- Representatives of the breed have proven themselves excellently in the service of the Ministry of Emergencies.
- One of the admirers of the American Staffordshire Terrier was Yuri Nikulin, he repeatedly spoke in defense of dogs when charges were brought against them for hatred of people.
- Among the American Staffordshire Terrier dogs, there are individuals who are panicky afraid of fireworks. During the fireworks, owners of such dogs have to insert earplugs into the ears of their pets.
Price and budget
Here’s a breakdown of the typical purchase price and annual maintenance cost of an American Staffordshire Terrier across France, Canada, Belgium, Switzerland, USA, and Germany, with mini and maxi values:
Prices for American Staffordshire Terriers depend on the breeder’s reputation, bloodline, and location.
| Country | Purchase Price (Mini) | Purchase Price (Maxi) | Annual Maintenance (Mini) | Annual Maintenance (Maxi) |
| France | €800 | €2,500 | €800 | €2,500 |
| Canada | CAD 1,200 | CAD 3,500 | CAD 1,200 | CAD 3,500 |
| Belgium | €900 | €2,700 | €900 | €2,700 |
| Switzerland | CHF 1,000 | CHF 3,000 | CHF 1,000 | CHF 3,000 |
| USA | USD 1,000 | USD 4,000 | USD 1,000 | USD 4,000 |
| Germany | €1,000 | €2,800 | €1,000 | €2,800 |
These values provide a general idea, and actual costs can vary depending on the specific care needs, the region, and how much you invest in the dog’s well-being.
History of the breed
The homeland of the American Staffordshire Terrier is America. In abbreviated form, such a dog is called “amstaff”. The history of the breed has its own interesting and even bloody details.
The distant ancestors of modern amstaff dogs were brought to America from England in the seventies of the nineteenth century. These dogs were named Bull Terriers or Pit Bull Terriers. Both in appearance and in character, the ancestors were very different from the current staff. They were powerful and aggressive. In connection with these qualities, bull terriers were used to work on farms, to guard houses. They went with them to hunt such animals as wild boars and bears. They also became participants in bloody dog fights.
In the United States, the attitude towards this type of dog has changed. At first they began to be called Yankiterriers or American Bull Terriers. The pets used were mostly companions. In 1972, the breed was officially named – the American Staffordshire Terrier. Representatives of this species differ from their English forefathers in greater power and less aggressiveness.
Amstaff is now a very popular breed. There is a large number of kennels that breed purebred Staffordshire Terriers.