The American Staffordshire Terrier is a born warrior who is not afraid of anything and possesses great strength, high intelligence. It is the most loyal dog, who, at the right moment, will protect his owner, even if it will cost him his life.
Content:
American Staffordshire Terriers are a dog that embodied all the best that a human wanted to see in it. They’re very gentle, but brave, and they’re playful but solid. And the strength and the subtlety of the character make these dogs so unique.
Aggressiveness: above the average (4/5)
Education: mild (3/5)
Need for care: minimal (1/5)
Health: mild (3/5)
Attitude to solitude: low (1/5)
Noisiness: low (1/5)
Activity: above the average (4/5)
Molting: below the average (2/5)
Friendliness: mild (3/5)
Owning cost: mild (3/5)
Intellect: mild (3/5)
Security skill: excellent (5/5)
* The characteristics of the American Staffordshire Terrier breed are based on an assessment by lapkins.ru experts and feedback from dog owners.
All people have long dreamed of contemplating cruel and bloody scenes. The medieval English were among these people, they loved to have fun by arranging dog fights with bulls, bears, and wild boars. Bulldogs and mastiffs were used for these purposes more often than other dogs. The problem was that the dogs of these breeds were very large and insufficiently agile, so they often died from the blows of hooves or horns of evil opponents.
The intense to modernize the fighting skills of these dogs made it possible to employ breeders. And so it turns out that bulldogs are crossed with terriers. They’re very smart, very agile, very active dogs. So, at the beginning of the 19th century, bull terriers appeared, which perfectly combined the best features of the predecessor breeds. In 1835, the English Parliament passed a ban on bullfighting. It was then that dog fights became fashionable. This is when terrier genes began to be introduced by breeders into the “blood” of other breeds. Variants of the breed name like Staffordshire Terrier, Pitbull Terrier transformed step by step and consolidated in a single name of the English branch, like «Staffordshire Bullterrier».
British migrants rushed to North America in search of a better life. This happened after the victory of the North over the South in the Civil War. It was they who brought a large number of these dogs to the continent. Fierce dog fighting, by this time already banned on the islands of Great Britain, gained special popularity in America. The main direction of breeding was the development and strengthening of the fighting skills of dogs. In the late 19th century, the United Canine Club was established in Michigan. It was primarily interested in studying the patterns of development and improvement of the American Pit Bull Terrier. The dogs that bred here not only be participants in battles but were also successfully used as guardians of houses and farms. They also hunted wolves.
Soon after, however, animal lovers who opposed dog fighting began to make themselves known. They were the ones who popularized the shows with the pedigree Staffordshire Terriers. Thanks to these people, the world today has a Pit Bull standard too. As a result, the Americans received a dog that looked like formidable Pit Bull Terriers but had nice, gentle, and charming nature. It was this “product” of breeding that was named the American Staffordshire Terrier. The American Kennel Club recognized this breed in 1936. As a result, the breeders were divided into two groups. Some registered their pets exclusively as fighting American Pit Bulls, while others chose Staffordshire Terrier standard.
FCI in May 1971 officially registered the American Staffordshire Terrier breed in its register with number 286. The following year the American Canine Club changed the breed’s name to American Staffordshire Terrier. It was emphasized that the branches have certain differences. So, American dogs were eight centimeters taller and five kilograms heavier than English ones.
American Staffordshire Terriers were not introduced into Russia until the 1980s. They quickly became popular. High demand leaded unscrupulous breeders to control the appearance of the dogs. This is the reason why Staffordshire terriers have come to be considered Murderers. It was a slander, a lie that led many foolish owners to train cute Staffordshire to be fierce and aggressive dogs. In today’s world, the trend has changed, and these smart dogs are confidently having the image of companions.
……………………………………………………
The American Staffordshire Terrier is a powerful dog with broad bones and muscles.
The weight of males is about 25-30 kg and for females, it is 22-25 kg. The weight is from 46 to 48 cm for males, from 43 to 46 for females.
The head of these dogs is medium in length, but it is quite wide and large. The breed has a very noticeable bend in the area between the forehead and the muzzle. The dog’s muzzle is medium in length, has very strong and dense chewing muscles. The lips should not be hanging.
The lobe is black, rather large, with well-open nostrils.
The American Staffordshire Terrier has very powerful, strong, and dense jaws.
The ears are located high and wide on the head. This breed has had variants of sharp and short-cut ears as well as cropped ones. Cropped ears are more appreciated if they were naturally short and have strong cartilages.
The eyes of these dogs are located at a wide distance from each other. They are round and dark brown in color.
The teeth of the American Staffordshire Terrier are large. They have white in color. The incisors on the mandible are linear.
The necks of these dogs are muscular and big. The neck is medium. In healthy dogs, the skin on the neck does not hang.
This breed has withers that are very conspicuous. Its line passes smoothly into the back line. Dogs have long scapula on their backs that are pressed against their backs and do not stick out.
Dogs have a short but strong straight back. Muscles are pumped.
The back of the torso is slightly oblique, rounded. This part of the body is broad and muscular.
The American Staffordshire Terrier’s tail is straight and short. It is located low in relation to the back line. The tail narrows slightly to its end. When the dog is nervous, the tail rises up.
If you look at the limbs of this breed of dogs, you will notice that they are parallel to each other and straight. The muscles in the limbs are large and strong. The joints are not smooth.
In relation to the length of the limbs, the paws of these dogs are round and strong, not large.
The fur of the American Staffordshire Terrier is short, moderately thick, tightly attached to the body. It is straight and shiny if you look at it.
These muscular guys have a monotonous color of fur. They can be both cream and black. But there are also healthy individuals with spotted and tiger hair. There are also dogs with white markings. However, such spots should not cover more than 20% of the body area.
Any deviations from the standard, depending on their seriousness may be considered as either defect.
Among the disqualifying defects of American Staffordshire Terriers are cryptochism, the cream color of the nose lobe, the distal mandible, peroxide, deafness, long or cropped tail, light eyes, and a walking disorder.
…………………………………………………
The nature of the American Staffordshire Terrier
Different people with the most contradictory judgments describe the nature of dogs of this breed.
Reliable, intelligent, loyal, with a lot of fun and even some naughtiness, balanced, and mature. That’s what they say about Staffordshire. Critics of the breed say that these animals are aggressive and vicious. But these judgments are almost always associated with either inappropriate qualities of education, that owners get to their dogs.
If you wish to purchase a puppy of this breed, remember that American Staffordshire Terrier is a strong dog who will not be averse to a fight with detractors if it does not train correctly. It will protect you to the end. And not only the members of the family in which it lives, but also all the territory entrusted to it against any encroachment. Under such circumstances, a well-mannered Staffordshire would only be aggressive if it felt threatened. These dogs have advanced intuition, so they can literally read the mind of the opponent. Staffordshire can attack scoundrels even without them doing anything. The pet will fight the enemy either to victory or to death. This dog is hard to stop when it fights. The owner of the Terrier must let it know that all family members are friends of the pet. It’s the only way you can make your pet grow into a smart and good pet.
One of the tasks of breeding the Staffordshire terrier was to obtain the dog best suited for the role of family protector. For the children, the dog will become a gentle, attentive babysitter who patiently endures all the pranks of the babies. But leaving a dog alone with a very young child is not a good idea.
When this dog is in an apartment, it is the sweetest, kindest creature on the planet. The Staffordshires are very fond of making their master laugh. But in order for a dog to treat you with such adoration, you have to make it clear to the pet that you are the most important person in his life and authority. You will be able to supervise the dog only after a short professional studying.
This brings us to the question of training of the American Staffordshire Terrier. The American Staffordshire terrier is a dog whose keeping and training must never be allowed to run wild. From the very first day, a puppy enters your home, you have to be very clear about all the responsibilities that you have assumed in bringing this particular breed.
For dogs of this breed, the most important thing is socialization. In adolescence, a pet cannot be left alone for long. Introduce the dog to other pets and children, your friends. However, do not introduce him to angry and aggressive animals, otherwise there is a high probability of a fight. The puppy is very nosy, and it is vital that it only have pleasant memories from his new knowledge, as the fear will be remembered for a long time and will eventually turn into aggression. Surprisingly, a small American Staffordshire Terrier even remembers the breed of its offender. In the future, it is fraught with problems.
Many owners of these dogs use two extreme methods of parenting. They either allow everything or ban everything. Both methods are incorrect. The first time a dog grows up, it makes you laughing all the time. You don’t have to follow your pet’s lead. If in the future, when your pet turns into a strong, big dog, you have trouble keeping it on a leash for walks, it’ll look ridiculous and unpleasant. And if you don’t let your “kid” do anything, it might grow up to be a coward. It’s been proven that many cowardly dogs become angry and aggressive.
Apparently, some people think the American Staffordshire terrier is an insecure dog. Don’t argue with people who will prove to you that you have a killer dog. Better avoid them. Just walk right past those people who look at your nice and well-mannered pet with their eyes blown out. So, you won’t have a fight with anyone.
However, all other aspects of the American Staffordshire Terrier’s training are no different from those of other mid-sized dogs. Take lessons with the puppy from the very first day it arrives in your house.
Don’t indulge your pet until you’ve developed in it a sustainable behavior. The American Staffordshire Terrier is very smart and trainable. The best results can be achieved by visiting special lessons with specialists.
And remember one thing. Don’t make a killer out of a dog. That doesn’t make you as tough as Walker was. An animal cannot be used as a tool for self-assertion.
The American Staffordshire Terrier is an unpretentious animal. If you follow a few simple rules, you will avoid many problems with your teenage dog.
Starting at puppy age, your dog must be carried out prophylactic pest control activities, systematically, within a specified time frame. Handle the dog with fleas, ticks, and intestinal worms. Depending on the type of dog, the vet will select the medication. Also, remember to vaccinate the dog. All vaccinations must be marked in your pet’s passport.
It’s not hard to take care of this guy’s fur. It’s so short, it’s easy enough to wash it regularly. Comb the dog with a massage brush. So you remove the dead hair from the animal’s body. Wash the dog every day with wet napkins or a special towel that you moisten with water. But do not in any way bathe Terrier often. It will dry the dog’s skin. To avoid this, wash your dog at least once every two months and use special shampoos for short-haired dogs.
The dog owner has to cut the claws of his dog every month. However, if you walk a lot on the asphalt with the dog, don’t cut it. In this case, they will become shorter when walking on asphalt. It is also very important to clean a dog’s ears and teeth. This will help the dog not to contaminate ear canals and not get sick with teeth.
The American Staffordshire Terrier is a very mobile dog that you have to love and play with.
With regard to feeding, a number of important points should be noted.
Health and illness of the American Staffordshire Terrier
The American Staffordshire Terriers is very healthy dogs. These dogs are active and tough. However, there are a few ills to which they have a certain propensity.
First of all, it could be hip dysplasia. The problem is common in almost all large dogs. This is not to say that all American Staffordshire Terriers suffer from dysplasia, as many aspects depend on diet, physical activity, and genetic predisposition. Just ask the breeder who sold you the dog if the puppy’s ancestors had this disease.
Some Terriers suffer from gastrointestinal disorders. This will manifest itself in swelling. If you have a problem like this, take your dog to the vet and ask him which products should be excluded from the dog’s diet. Don’t let the dog get obese.
Some American Staffordshire Terriers suffer from allergic reactions that can be transmitted by genetics. If your dog gets allergic, it’ll just have red acne on the dog’s skin and nose excretions.
Many Staffordshires also suffer from retinal atrophy and cataracts. Today, veterinary medicine can cure, or at least minimize, the consequences of a very large number of ills. It’s only important to find them in time. Pay close attention to the condition of your pet. Look at the dog’s fur, ears health, and eyes, how much the dog is active. Maybe, your dog loses its appetite, or it has problems with defecation. It will not require super effort, but it will definitely bring the correct results.
It is worth mentioning that you can buy a purebred puppy only in expensive nurseries, but not from random acquaintances.
The procedure of buying in a specialized nursery is long and well established and you must be thoroughly acquainted with it if it is a place with a good reputation. In this instance, it is vital to know that when purchasing a dog, it is better to conclude a formal contract. Occasionally, the contract of acquisition of a puppy offered to clients has a number of nuances that can impair the rights of the owner both to the dog itself and to its future progeny.
But you can always look for a proven and respected breeder to buy a puppy yourself. In this case, it is recommended to remember the following aspects:
The interesting thing is that a mother sometimes burps her puppies with recently eaten food, and the babies are happy to eat that kind of treat. This is completely normal and is due to dogs’ instincts. Also, such behavior can ensure you that all females from the offspring of this mother will behave in the same way.
You should remember that you can’t buy a puppy you like right away. The American Staffordshire Terrier is not officially allowed to be purchased until they reach the age of 45 days. It’s only at this age that a puppy can get its first vaccination. But you still go to the breeder, because you have to take a look at the puppies in the very early stages of their lives.
The American Staffordshire Terrier puppies pictures
……………………………
The American Staffordshire Terrier is classified by category. It is the category that determines its price.
If you’re planning on buying a dog for the show, get ready to give the breeder about 400 dollars. If a puppy has famous parents, it’ll cost even more.
If you want to open your own kennel and buy your first breed class puppy, you’ll spend a little less. The cost will be about 270 dollars.
200 dollars is the price of cheap puppies that will be for the new owner just darling companion. Such babies will grow up to be good friends and loyal pets. The only minus is you can’t go on a show with a dog like that.
However, any puppy you buy will be your treasure, which you will have to nurture and educate properly.
