American Staffordshire Bull Terrier

What we sometimes mistakenly call the American Staffordshire Bull Terrier is actually the English Staffordshire Bull Terrier, since it originated in England, descending from the all-important Old English Bulldog. Those early dogs were widely used in bullbaiting and bearbaiting. The ban on these activities in 1835, instigated public interest to another show – dog-fighting. This sport required dogs of smaller size, so many Bulldogs were crossed with Terriers in order to produce a compact yet strong and enduring fighter dog.

In the 1860s, James Hinks used the Old Pit Bull Terrier (now referred to as the Staffordshire Bull Terrier) to produce the white-coated Bull Terrier. The latter was the first dog to be accepted by the English Kennel Club. The Club was reluctant to accept the dog bred for doubtful purposes, and it was not until 1935 that the English Kennel Club officially recognized the breed. In America, the Staffordshire Bull Terrier was recognized in 1974. Today, there are two closely related breeds of dogs accepted both in England and the USA: the American Pit Bull Terrier, and the American Staffordshire Terrier. There seems to be a little bit of confusion between these two species. While we have the English Staffordshire Bull Terrier, the world’s major kennel clubs do not recognize the American Staffordshire Bull Terrier.

The American Staffordshire Terrier is a companion dog. He is no longer intended for dog fighting, and is not as dangerous as many people believe he is. American Staffordshire Terriers are tenacious and infinitely brave in defending their loved ones. However, they know when to fight and when to relax, and are not necessarily wary of strangers. They do regard strangers with a bit of suspicion, but they are good at seeing people through. American Staffordshire Terriers make friends with trustworthy people easily. They are excellent companions for children, and do not show unprovoked aggression against other pets. The American Pit Bull Terrier is very similar to the American Staffordshire Terrier, and these two breeds were even recognized as a single one back in 1936. There is original English Staffordshire Bull Terrier, but there is no American Staffordshire Bull Terrier.

American Staffordshire Terriers stand 16-19 inches high at the withers. They have an athletic and muscular body, characteristic broad head, powerful legs and very strong jaws that close in a scissors bite. These dogs have a smooth coat, which occurs in various colors, solid or parti-colors. There is usually a certain amount of white, but it should not exceed 80% of the body. The coat is short and glossy, and it does not require much grooming. American Staffordshire Terriers do resemble American Pit Bull Terriers, but there are legal restrictions on the latter in many states. American Staffordshire Bull Terrier is an incorrect term, often applied to these two breeds, as well as to the original English Staffordshire Bull Terrier.