The American Staffordshire Terrier has great stocky muscular strength, full of courage, agile and keenly aware of her surroundings. Her general appearance will help deter strangers. She must be trained and socialized with people and pets early as because she has a dominant personality. She will fight other dogs so she must be walked on a regular leash. She will do best at a farm or a home with a properly fenced enclosure so she can exercise. She makes a fine watchdog and is considered loving to her family and good with kids.
She can be good with children, especially if she is raised with them as a puppy. Her great strength should be considered if she is around very young children. No young child should ever be left along with a dog unsupervised for any length of time.
*Approximate Adult Size. The male is 18 to 19 inches high to the withers (highest point of the shoulder) and the female is 17 to 18 inches to the withers. Male and females can range from 56-67 pounds.
*Special Health Considerations. Like many dogs, the American Staffordshire Terrier is prone to American Staffordshire Terrier (hip joint was a malformed ball and socket), possible cataracts (cloudy eyes) and congenital heart disease. Can develop hives and allergies to insect bites.
*Grooming. She has a short, stiff glossy coat and is an average shedder. She will benefit from daily brushing and bi-weekly nail clipping. The coat can be rubbed with a cloth after brushing to bring out a healthy gloss. She should also have her teeth brushed once a week.
*Life Span. She will live from ten to twelve years with proper nutrition, exercise and health care.
*History. The ancestors of the American Staffordshire Terrier came from England. This breed was developed in early America by crossing game terriers and bulldogs. They were used by early settlers to help hunt large game, protect homesteads and companionship. The American Kennel Association recognized this breed in 1936. The most famous of its kind was perhaps Lucenays Peter, pooch star of Our Gang. He was, incidentally, believed to have been poisoned by a jealous trainer who supplied other animals to the Our Gang show other than Peter. This dog was used for fighting early in his history and is still feared as a fighting dog and may be labeled and legally named and outlawed as one of the pit bull family.
*Registries: AKC, UCA, ANKC, CKC, FCI, KC, UKC
*Category: Terrier, Mastiff
*SPECIAL GOOD POINTS Desire to please his owner. Good watchdog. Loving and devoted to their human family. Considered good with children. High pain tolerance.
*SPECIAL BAD POINTS Will fight other dogs. Aggressive and dominant tendencies. Difficult to housetrain. Do poorly in cold climates due to short coat. May consider cats and other small animals prey. Needs firm training. High pain tolerance.
The Wire Fox Terrier is a scrappy, tough little dog. They are playful but they are generally not for families with other dogs or pets. They may fight other dogs, even larger ones and may consider other pets fair game. They like children, especially if they have been well socialized with them. As a reminder, never leave a child unsupervised with a puppy or dog.
*Approximate Adult Size. The approximate adult size (two years old or older) of the male Wire Fox Terrier is 14 to 16 inches to the withers (highest point of the shoulder) and 15 to 20 pounds. The female ranges from 13 to 15 inches to the withers and 13 to 18 pounds.
*Special Health Considerations. Most dog breeds have certain inherited health problems associated with that specific breed and the Wire Fox Terrier is no exception. Be on the look out for epilepsy (common in dogs), deafness, skin problems, lens luxation and Legg-Perthes. This disease list is an informative guideline only. Other diseases may also be significant threats, please contact your veterinarian for a complete list.
She should visit the veterinarian several times in the first year for shots, boosters and check up. Then, as an adult, she should visit the veterinarian yearly for shots and check up. As she gets older, six years and on, she should visit the veterinarian twice a year for check ups and shots. Remember; avoid feeding your dog sweets.
*Grooming. The Wire Fox Terrier has a double weatherproof coat. This breed generally requires professional grooming at regular intervals. She should also be brushed regularly. Brushing will help her maintain a clean and healthy coat, help you keep a closer eye on her health and strengthen your emotional bond with her.
Her teeth should be brushed at least twice a week with toothpaste and toothbrush designed for dogs. Brushing removes the accumulation of plaque and tartar which can cause cavities (rarely) and periodontal disease. Dog periodontal disease can lead to pain, loss of teeth, bad breath and other serious disease.
Her toenails may need to be examined for growth and clipped regularly. The toenails of the rear feet grow slower than the toenails of the front feet.
*Life Span. The Wire Fox Terrier can live between 12 and 14 years with proper nutrition, medical care and excellent living conditions.
*History. The Wire Fox Terrier comes from England where they were raised to hunt vermin. They were first registered by the American Kennel Association in 1885.
Some Registries: *American Fox Terrier Club *UKC United Kennel Club *NKC National Kennel Club *CKC Continental Kennel Club *APRI Americas Pet Registry Inc. *AKC American Kennel Club *FCI Federation Cynologique Internationale *NZKC New Zealand Kennel Club *KCGB = Kennel Club of Great Britain *ANKC = Australian National Kennel Club *ACR = American Canine Registry
Litter Size: 3 to 6 Wire Fox Terrier puppies
Category: Terrier Group
Terms To Describe: Quick, keen, energetic, bold, brave, affectionate, lovable,
*SPECIAL GOOD POINTS Makes a good watch dog. Sheds little to nothing. Very intelligent.
*SPECIAL BAD POINTS Makes a poor guard dog. May bark a lot.
*Other Names Known By: Wirehaired Fox Terrier, Fox Terrier Wire Coat, Wire,
*Every dog is an individual so not everything in this information may be correct for your dog. This information is meant as a good faith guideline only.
Mitch Endick has sinced written about articles on various topics from Home, Puppies Dogs and Education. Mitch Endick is a short article writer, editor and website developer for the popular pet site petpages.com.