American Staffordshire terrier is a very strong, powerful dog breed. It originated in Staffordshire, England in the 19th century when a cross between Bulldog and different terriers were made. It led to the origin of Staffordshire Bullterrier and later when it was brought to the US, it was given more weight and a powerful head creating the breed of American Staffordshire terrier.

This breed will create a first impression of a potential guard dog which is muscular and intelligent but the one you would not like to mess with. American Staffordshire terrier has a very agile, muscular and strong body. Generally, the muzzle of this breed is of medium length and on the upper side, it is rounded which then falls below the eye abruptly. It has a broad and powerful head too. American Staffordshire terrier has its eyes set far apart, which are round in shape. Eye color in this breed is generally dark and the eyes are set in the lower part of the skull. If the eyelids of this breed are pink, it is disqualified according to the standards set by the American Kennel Club.

There is no dewlap or looseness in the lips of American Staffordshire terrier. Its lips are tight and close and the jaw is strong. The teeth form a scissor bite, which is generally accepted by the AKC standard. This breed has short ears that can be cropped or uncropped, and are set high on the head. However, uncropped ears are preferable in this breed. The color of the ears should be either rosy or half pink according to the same standard.

American Staffordshire terrier has only one coat and no under-coat. The hair on the coat is glossy, stiff and thick. Naturally, much grooming is not required and just a regular brushing or combing with stiff bristled brush will do well for its coat. This breed is a medium shedder. There is no particular standard or guideline regarding the color of the coat in American Staffordshire terrier. All types of colorings – be it parti-color, solid, or patched color are accepted. However, more than 80% of white color in this breed is not encouraged by the American Kennel Club.

American Staffordshire terrier has undocked tail. The tail in this breed also tapers to some point. American Staffordshire terrier is larger than American Pitt Bull terrier and has a larger bone structure, and head. It also weighs heavier than the other breed. The males of American Staffordshire terrier breed generally have a height of 17-19 inches and weigh around 57-67 pounds whereas the females are of 16-18 inches in height. In general, American Staffordshire terrier has 9 to 15 years of life expectancy.

Though American Staffordshire terrier is often mistaken as a very unruly breed, it is not so. A good amount of training can make it a very good guard dog as it already has a good temperament and is intelligent enough to learn quickly. So, if you are thinking of bringing home a dog that’s graceful and agile at the same time, opt for an American Staffordshire.