American Staffordshire Terrier

American Staffordshire Terrier
American Staffordshire Terrier with intact ears and tail.
Common nicknames	AmStaff
Origin	United States
Kennel club standards Fédération Cynologique Internationale standard
Dog (domestic dog)

The American Staffordshire Terrier is a breed of dog. The breed is a relative of the American Pit Bull Terrier. Early Bulldog-Terrier crosses were brought to the US with the British and Irish settlers, especially after the Civil War, where they were mainly used as fighting dogs, but also as hunting dogs and farm and guard dogs.

In the early 1830's animal fights, especially the formerly extremely popular bull-baiting and bearbaiting (the roots of which go back to the old roman arenas) became illegal in old Britain and Ireland, because of the Human Ethics Act. From then on the people began to organize ratfights and dogfights, because they were much easier to hide from the officials than fights with big game like bulls. First the ratfights and dogfights started off with little terrier strains like the old white English terrier and its black and tan cousin, today known as the Manchester Terrier, which were known for their extreme prey drive and gameness. Some of these dogs were crossed with bulldogs, to create more powerful dogs, with the fighting abilities of the old bulldogs, for example the unwillingness to let go of the prey, their power, and the abilities of the terriers. Every dogman had his own blend of "bull and terriers", that's why those days bull terriers were everything but uniform in appearance and temperament! In the eyes of the dogmen, who were mainly workers, for example miners from the black county - the home of the today Staffordshire Bull Terrier, these dogs were the newest ultimate fighting dogs.

These fights were and are extremely lucrative, and many people lost the whole money they earned over the day by gambling at a dogfight in the evening. The Amstaff and the Pit Bull are a doggy version of American history. Just like their owners the many bullterrier and molosser varieties came to the US with the masses of European immigrants, and became a new thing in the famous melting pot, for example the blue paul of Scotland, a very large blue-gray coloured bull terrier variety from Scotland and smaller and closer inbred dogs from Ireland and England. They became the Yankee Bull Terrier, and many efforts were made in the late 19th century to register the American Pit Bull Terrier with the AKC (the oldest American Kennel Club of all) and create a uniform standard for the American bull and terrier dogs. But the AKC was not willing to register the breed under this name, which is associated with the illegal pit fights. Some fanciers then founded a new club, the UKC, in 1899, (the today second largest multibreed-kennel club in America and the world, registering dogs in all American states and in 25 other countries around the world). In that time a pit bull specialized club. Since then these dogs were standardized purebred and no more outcrossed with other dogs like the Hinks bullterrier (the today English Bull Terrier). Blue Pauls were allowed. This was the first step to the American Stafford.

After World War One the discussion about registering the Pit Bull with the AKC started again, mainly because of the role of the pit bull as a war dog hero, for example the famous dog "Sgt. Stubby" or the American war patriotic posters and art showing the Pit Bull as a national icon, just like the German Shepherd Dog for the German nation. The AKC considered registering selected Pits as American Bull Terriers in a new own studbook. This was defeated by the English bull terrier fanciers. Later new efforts were made to register the Pit as "Staffordshire Terrier" or American Staffordshire Terrier. In 1936 the AKC founded a own studbook for selected dogs, for example Colby Line Pits, (a breeding line of the Pit Bull that exists until today under UKC and ADBA registration,) just to name one of many lines.

From this time on the American Bull Terrier began to separate into two different breeds which are still closely associated with each other, into the American Pit Bull Terrier in different lines, and the AmStaff, which is mainly a showbred and companion dog and legal working dog, for example as a hunting or as a guard dog, while in the Pit Bull breed a type mainly used for fighting still exists, as well as a show and companion type which is more closely associated with the Staff. Many of today's Staffs are also registered as Pit Bulls with the UKC. The UKC registers AKC registered Dogs as Pit Bulls as long they fit in the Pit Bull Standard, not so the AKC.

The American Staffordshire Terrier is of large bone structure, head size, weight, and is short and stocky. The owners and breeders 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 'Amstaff' charitable organizations that rescue and rehabilitate abused, abandoned, or stray dogs, placing them into foster or adoptive homes.

American Staffordshire Terriers were first recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1936. They are a member of the Terrier and Molosser groups.

Characteristics

Appearance

American Staffordshire Terriers overview
Weight:	45-70 pounds (25-30 kg)
Height:	17-19 inches (43-48cm)
Coat:	Thick, shiny hair,short
Litter size:	5-15 puppies
Life span:	9-18 years

The American Staffordshire Terrier is a medium sized dog that ranges from 40 to 50 cm (16 to 19 inches) at the withers, and weighs from 26 to 30 kg (57 to 67 pounds).

The dog is of square build, and gives the impression of great strength, agility, and grace for their size. They should be stocky, not long-legged or racy in outline. The chest is deep and broad, but should not be too wide. The neck should be strong, and well arched.

The coat is short and glossy. Any color, solid, parti, or patched is permissible, but all white, more than 80 per cent white, black and tan, and liver are not to be encouraged.

Temperament

These dogs should be courageous, tenacious, friendly, extremely attentive, and extraordinarily devoted.

An Amstaff with cropped ears

Bred to be extremely friendly towards humans, American Staffordshire Terriers are not natural guard dogs. An overly protective and/or aggressive behavior, accompanied by fearlessness, is generally a bad sign. This dog should be protective of its family and home, knowing when to protect and knowing when to relax. These dogs are good with children and owners, can get along with other dogs, cats and any other animal if raised properly and introduced through puppy years.

These dogs learn quickly from the subtlest of our behaviors. They are thus not only highly responsive during training, but also pick up good habits for example, being house-trained. This can become a problem when an owner unknowingly allows the dog to pick up bad behaviors.

The American Staffordshire Terrier is a loyal companion dog.

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 1960s when the Staffordshire Terrier Studbook was re-opened and then closed to UKC registered American Pit Bull Terriers.

Breed-specific legislation

Areas that have passed breed specific legislation banning or restricting the ownership of Pit Bulls and "pit bull type" dogs most often also ban the Amstaff, as the Amstaff is without a doubt an offspring and sister breed of the APBT. Most often, dogs are judged solely on their looks.

Famous American Staffordshire Terriers on Film

• Pete the Pup in several Our Gang films. Also known as Petey. who was also registered as an American Pit Bull Terrier under the UKC
• Buzzin' Around (1933) Directed by Alfred J. Goulding
• Bubble Boy (2001) Directed by Blair Hayes
• 'Jake', a dog, featured in an "easter egg"; hidden in DVD format for the horror film Cabin Fever.

Books

• American Staffordshire Terrier by Joseph Janish, 2003, 155 pages; ISBN: 1593782489
• American Staffordshire Terrier Champions, 1988-1995 by Jan Linzy, 1998, 84 pages; ISBN: 155893054X
• American Staffordshire Terrier Champions, 1996-2001 by Jan Linzy, 2002, 84 pages; ISBN: 1558931023
• Staffordshire Terriers: American Staffordshire Terrier and Staffordshire Bull Terrier by Anna Katherine Nicholas, 1991, 256 pages; ISBN: 0866226370
• The American Staffordshire Terrier: Gamester and Guardian by Sarah Foster, 1998, 139 pages; ISBN: 0876050038

External links

• American Kennel Club - American Staffordshire Terrier information

• American Staffordshire Terrier and American Pitbull Terrier Forum / Discussion board

• Staffordshire Terrier Club of America