The American Staffordshire Terrier – In a nutshell.

The American Staffordshire Terrier is a medium-sized, solidly built dog whose smooth coat can be red to almost any shade of brindle. It has a short, broad head with divergent eyebrows and cheek muscles. This breed’s eyes are round to almond-shaped, dark in color, and have the appearance of being deep-set. Its small ears are pendants and may be natural or cropped. The tail is long and tapers to a point.
The body is well-balanced but slightly longer than tall. The chest is deep, and the back is level. The feet are round but strong, with well-arched toes and tough pads.

White markings at the chest and toes are not unusual.
The American Staffordshire Terrier’s temperament is far more outgoing than its English cousin, the Staffordshire Bull Terrier. It is courageous and confident but highly obedient to its master. 

The American Staffordshire Terrier does not exhibit high levels of aggression. However, it may be aloof in new environments or around strangers unless properly socialized at an early age by experienced owners who know how to display pack leadership to the dog while allowing it to maintain its confidence without becoming overbearing or aggressive. This breed enjoys children immensely because they tend to treat them as toys rather than pets; however, it may inadvertently knock down a small child due to its large size.

Its origins go back approximately 200 years when it was bred in the United States by crossbreeding the English Bulldog and the now-extinct Olde Staffordshire Bull Terrier.

Is the American Staffordshire terrier a pitbull?

The Staffordshire bull terrier is an example of a dog mistaken for a pit bull or labeled a pit bull. This is because of the lack of consistency in dog breed definitions. The Staffordshire bull terrier may resemble the American pit bull terrier, but it was bred for fighting and baiting bulls and bears, not dogs. Read on for more about why you can’t consider the two different breeds the same:
1) Staffords were bred to fight bulls and bears (larger than dogs): Stafford is an old English tough guy’s name given to these dogs as a tribute to their toughness. The Stafford’s early ancestors lived about 2200 years ago – they were used as canine gladiators; they fought bulls, bears & lions.
2) Staffords were bred for different physical characteristics than pit bulls. The Stafford’s physique is broader and stockier, more muscular in the neck, shoulders, and chest; he’s not quite as leggy with a shorter back than his cousin. He has smaller eyes that are set closer together.
3) Pit bulls were bred specifically for dog fighting; Staffies were not. Their American ancestors had been used for centuries in ‘bull baiting’ – which pitted dogs against bulls.
Dogfighting was made illegal in the United States in 1868 and Britain in 1835, although it remains popular today despite being illegal.

Staffordshire Terrier Temperament

The Staffordshire terrier has a solid temperament. They are highly confident and brave, showing no fear of any other dog breed or humans. These dogs do not back down from a fight if they feel that their family is threatened in any way. They make an excellent watchdog, as they can get aggressive with strangers that come to the house. They require a lot of attention and affection from their owner, so this should be considered before getting one of these pups.
If there is neglect, these dogs will become destructive and difficult to handle at times. Because of these traits, training and socialization from a young age are highly recommended. An owner must be consistent in teaching this dog what behavior will not be tolerated while rewarding them for good behaviors. If the owner can do so, they will have an exceptional companion that can provide love and protection for many years to come.
The Staffordshire Terrier does best when it has someone with whom it can bond strongly in its life. Apartments are also acceptable for this breed as long as they get enough exercise each day.
You should only get one of these dogs if you are willing to put a lot of time into training them and socializing them from an early age on up. The Staffordshire Terrier is considered an excellent family dog if it is properly trained.

Do they Shed?

Although the Staffy does not shed much hair, there’s general shedding here and there; still, you have to clean up after them for drooling and slobber. However, the shed hair is not very thick, which is why you don’t have to clean up a lot.

Life expectancy

The average lifespan of this dog is about 15-16 years, which means Stafford terriers tend to live longer than other dogs of the same breed.

The size of the Staffordshire Terrier

The Staffy ranges from 10-11 inches when it comes to height. The weight of a healthy Staffy generally ranges from 12-14 pounds.

To summarize

The American Staffordshire terrier is a great dog when trained and socialized from a young age. These dogs are naturally adorable and friendly towards humans, but they will become aggressive with other dogs if not properly trained. The Staffy is often confused for the American Pit Bull Terrier, as they look similar in many ways. However, this breed was originally bred to fight bulls and bears, while the pit bull terriers were bred specifically for dogfighting purposes.

Add some art to your home!