Also known as the Am Staff, the American Staffordshire Terrier is often confused with the England Staffordshire Bull Terrier, in spite of the fact that it is different from it in many respects. The main difference between the two concerns the weight. This way, the American breed is much heavier than the English one. `
Physical features:
- Medium sized
- Very solid and muscular
- Broad head
- Medium length, rounded muzzle
- Round, dark eyes positioned far apart from each other
- Extremely strong jaws that can break almost anything
- Ears high on the head, which are often cropped.
Weight: between 57 and 67 pounds
Height: between 16 and 19 inches
Diseases it may suffer from: like other dogs from this family, the American Staffordshire Terrier can be affected by health problems like hip or elbow dysplasia, congenital heart diseases, thyroid dysfunctions or patella. In this respect, it is very similar to the American Pit Bull Terrier. Like in this case too, with the proper care, the right alimentation and regular exercise, these health problems can be avoided or at least kept under control. One of the main features of this breed is that it has extremely high tolerance to pain, which is why it was used in dog fights in the past, until these fights were forbidden by law.
Life expectancy: owners may enjoy the company of this dog from 12 to 16 years.
Legal implications: in many countries of the world, this dog is banned from ownership, just like other breeds from the terrier and bull families, because of the incidents it has been involved in. Before getting one, you should check if the legislation from your state allows it and if there are some restrictions you need to be aware of.
Temperament: Although presented as an aggressive dog, this dog can be very loving and friendly if trained properly. Because it is a loyal type, once it is part of the family, it would do anything to protect it from any dangers. Being very strong, training is mandatory so that he can be controlled by the owners.
Why is it the family type dog?
The American Staffordshire Terrier can be an excellent companion due to its ongoing, confident and obedient nature. If trained properly, it will almost always obey the owner and do whatever it can to please him. Pleasing the master is something it adores to do, which is why it might give proof of extreme courage. It is also very intelligent and can spot threats at any moment. If, in the past, it was considered to be very dangerous around children, the breeding changes it was submitted to made it friendlier and less agitated.
Training experts recommend owners to socialize it as often as possible with people and other animals. This will temper its aggressive nature. The perfect owner is one that can dominate the American Staffordshire Terrier to the point it understands it is not the leader of the pack. Moreover, the owner needs to have time to take it on long walks on a daily basis and exercise to get rid of the energy it possesses.
Conclusions.
If the owners train the American Staffordshire Terrier properly, it can be an excellent family loving companion.
