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 American Staffordshire Terrier, also sometimes called Amstaff, is a medium-sized dog breed with good family values. It fits nicely as a pet, and works well together with older more considerate children as well as other animals. It is a relative of the American Pit Bull Terrier, and was brought to the US with the British and Irish settlers, more specifically after the Civil war. Animal fights, with larger animals such as Bulls, were popular in the 1830's, but became illegal in old Britain and Ireland because of the Human Ethics Act.
People then began to organize rat fights and dog fights instead, since they were much easier to hide from the officials. The American Staffordshire Terrier has a very large bone structure, head size and it weighs a lot, therefore fitting perfectly in this sport. Their body is very athletic, robust and compact. Still today these fights are arranged, but they are not as common as they were before. The American Staffordshire Terrier breed was first recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1936. They are a member of the Terrier and Molosser groups.
American Staffordshire Terriers are confident, laid back, and easygoing. They are also in general good natured, although best for those with some experience of dog ownership. Despite their calm style of life it is important to remember that they were bred to be aggressive towards other dogs, and they may still sometimes act based upon those ancient instincts. Their attitude and reaction when it comes to strangers varies, sometimes they can be friendly, at other times they can be very aggressive. The lifespan of the American Staffordshire Terrier is around 10-12 years. There are some health problems associated with this breed, including eye problems, ligament problems, thyroid disorders, cancer, temperament problems, and cataracts.
The American Staffordshire Terrier has a broad, powerful head, short muzzle, very strong jaws. Their ears are generally cropped. Their eyes are round and black. All colours are accepted, as long as they are not more than 80% white. The American Staffordshire Terrier is a general happy, stable and confident breed, as well as loyal companion dog. As quoted from unknown source "He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion".
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