American Staffordshire Terrier

American Staffordshire terrier is an American dog breed. It is an animal of the Chordata phylum. Chordata phylum has five classes. Among them, the American Staffordshire is an animal of the Mammalia class. It is a pet dog breed. The origin is the United States of America. It is originally called Staffordshire Terrier. Also, it is known as American Staffy and Amstaff. The foundation stock of this dog breed is bull and terrier. American Staffy is a smooth-coated pet dog. They were also used for bear-baiting in ancestral America. This dog was bred for stable temperament and adapted for hunting rodents. They live around 12 to 16 years. They are available in different colours. American Stafford was registered with the American Kennel Club (AKC) in 1936. They can be kept as pets with special food and care. In this article, we will discuss the history, body structure, behaviour, maintenance, health, and other things about this dog breed.

American Stafford Terrier in Animal Kingdom 

In the biological classification system, all the living creatures are classified into two kingdoms - plant kingdom and animal kingdom. In the animal kingdom, there are a total of 12 phyla. Among them, the Chordata phylum has five classes. Dogs are the animals of the Mammalia class. The scientific name of the American Staffordshire is Canis lupus familiaris. They are the bred species of bull and terrier. They are also known as American Staffy and Amstaff. 

Classification Characteristics of American Stafford Terrier

In the biological classification system, all the animals are 4 placed under a particular phylum and class. They are placed according to their classification characteristics. American Staffordshire is under Chordata phylum and Mammalia class. The classification characteristics of this dog breed are mentioned below.

• The entire body of the American Staffords is covered with hair.

• The female red foxes have active mammary glands.

• American Staffords reproduce in sexual reproduction in the mating of male gamete (sperm) and female gamete (eggs).

• The lower jaws of the American Staffords are structured with a single bond. 

• Red foxes have heterodont, diphyodont, and thecodont types teeth.

History of the American Staffords

Staffordshire terrier is a breed of dog from the bull and terrier. Therefore, this dog has characteristics of both bulls and dogs. This breed was produced mainly for the sport of bull-baiting. The breeding process happened in West Midlands, England. These dogs combine the grit and courage of bulldogs and the agility and spunk of the terrier. This dog first came to America in 1870. At that time, it earned some nicknames such as Pit Bull Terrier, Pit Dog, American Bull Terrier, etc. In 1936, this dog breed was registered with the American Kennel Club (ARC). This dog breed is known as Amstaff and American Staffy also. American breeders changed the breed of England slightly. After changing, the new and heavier version was named American Staffordshire Terrier in 1972 by AKC. The new version was named differently to introduce it as a new breed from its English Staffordshire Terrier.

Body Structure of American Staffordshire

Am Staff is a smooth-coated dog breed. The body structure is almost similar to the smaller British Staffordshire Bull Terrier. They have a strong, stocky, and muscular body with full cheeks and broadheads. Their ears are sometimes cropped short. Their average height is 17 to 19 inches (43-48 cm). Their weight is around 18-32 kgs. The weight can differ for female dogs. Its glossy and stiff coat can occur in different colours such as white, black, brown, tan, etc. Mostly they are available in contrasting two colours. As an example, they can be white with brown patches on the head, throat, and chest. They have a broad skull with distinct stops. Their noses are always black. This breed is a heavier version of the original English breed. 

Behaviour of American Staffords

The American Staffy is a loyal and affectionate dog breed. They have some level of aggression also. They are aggressive toward other animals but not humans. They are intelligent and courageous also. These characteristics make them good domestic animals. Their interaction ability with humans makes them ideal pets. They love to play with children and be part of a family. They are a bit stubborn. But they are clowns at heart and can socialize easily. They can be trained and can be consistently obedient in a short time. The American Staffy has a high energy level. As they were produced for fighting and hunting, they are good at hunting and baiting. They are keenly alive and graceful to their surroundings. Their courage is proverbial. Overall we can say that Am staff is a good-natured, smart, confident, responsible, trustworthy, and loyal companion. They can be a good option as your pet.

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Food and Maintenance

Healthy and good food are vital for the growth of any dog. The food habits are different according to different dog breeds. American Staffordshire bull Terrier mainly likes meat. You should never compromise the food quality of your pet. Along with food, they need fresh and clean drinking water. Also, you should keep an eye on the food quantity. They eat their food twice a day.

If you keep this dog as your pet, you should care for and treat him correctly. To maintain their strength and body structure, they need exercise along with good food. You should treat them with care and love like your family. You should start socializing from the age of seven weeks. You can involve them in playing and dog treats. You can take the Staffordshire Terrier puppies to training classes. You should take care of your dog’s health also. The dog should always stay in a familiar and safe environment. If the dog is in a public place, you should keep him on a leash. You should clean your pet dog regularly with a soft and damp towel. The mentioned things must be followed for maintenance of the American Staffords.

Health of American Stafford

Generally, American Staffords live 12 to 16 years with good care. To take care of this dog, you should be aware of the different health issues of this breed so that you can care accordingly. They can be affected by urinary tract infections (UTI), skin allergies, autoimmune diseases. These are the main health issues they can have. Old dogs can be affected by osteoarthritis and spondylosis. Other health issues can be elbow dysplasia, hip dysplasia, congenital heart disease, luxating patella, cerebellar ataxia, thyroid dysfunction, etc. To prevent all the health issues, they should be taken care of with proper food and hygiene. If the dog is having any health issues or symptoms, you should go to the animal doctor immediately and get him proper recovery treatment.

Training of American Shire Bull Terrier

American Staffords are used in fighting. Therefore they should be trained properly. As they have a strong personality, the authoritative approach of training must be confident. The trainer has to gain the dog’s respect and confidence. Otherwise, the dog will not consider the trainer as his leader. The trainer must have patience and consistency to train an American Staffy. As long as the dog is under the control of the trainer, it is easy to train them. A well-trained dog can socialize and adapt to things easily.

Conclusion

In ancient times, the American Staffords were used for bull-baiting and other sports. Nowadays, they are mainly used as pets. They are very friendly and loyal companions. As they are adaptable and easy to groom with low maintenance, they are very popular as family dogs. Many organizations sell these dogs as pets. You can check out different variations of this dog and buy one of your choices. 

Did You Know?

Now, we are going to discuss some unknown facts about the American Staffords.

• Though they are known as American Staffords, the original dog breed is from Great Britain.

• They arrived in America in 1870 and were registered with the AKC in 1936.

• American ancestors used these dogs for bull-baiting for their strength, energy, and fearlessness.

• Though American Staffords are aggressive toward animals, they are loyal and friendly toward humans.

• American Staffords love to play with children and protect their families.

• There is a false myth that American Staffords can lock their jaws. No dogs can lock their jaws.

• American Staffords are called pit bulls sometimes, which is wrong. The pit is an umbrella phrase including different breeds of terrier and bulldog.

• American Staffords are smart and good learners. They can learn new skills easily and quickly from the trainer.

• Though they have tough and muscular bodies, they are not very good guard dogs. They are too friendly to strangers.

• American Staffords have longer lives compared to other dogs.

• These dogs love to have a family and specific jobs to do. Therefore, they are considered great pets.

• Though American Staffords are aggressive and strong, they are very calm and loyal to their human family.