The American Staffordshire Terrier, also known as an AmStaff or Staffy, and the scientific name for dogs Canis lupus familiaris is one of the most popular family dogs. They can be friendly, almost to a fault. Despite their often tough appearance, they are not ideal guard dogs. These dogs are part of the group that includes Mastiffs and descend from dogs brought over by English and Irish immigrants in the 19th century. The first pit bull dogs under the American Staffordshire Terrier name received American Kennel Club in 1936. This dog is a popular pet because of its friendliness with people.

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The American Staffordshire Terrier is a friendly, loyal companion and will usually get along with other pets when well-trained. Since they are bred to get along well with people, these dogs are responsive to training. An owner willing to train and socialize one of these dogs will find their pet a delight.

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3 Pros and Cons of Owning an American Staffordshire Terrier

American Staffordshire Terrier Size and Weight

The American Staffordshire Terrier is a medium short hair terrier with an average height of 19″ for males and 18″ for female dogs. Fully-grown males weigh about 70 pounds, while fully-grown females weigh 55 pounds on average. AmStaff puppies weigh about 19 pounds at eight weeks and will reach their full size by about three years.

American Staffordshire Terrier Common Health Issues

The Staffy is susceptible to a few health problems. Elbow dysplasia is one of the most common issues that these dogs might face, impacting their mobility over the longer term. Hypothyroidism can lead to excessive weight gain and decreased activity, making your dog more likely to experience additional health problems. Heart disease is another condition that these dogs are unfortunately prone to developing. Lastly, these dogs can develop progressive retinal atrophy, an eye disease that can lead to vision loss. These issues are relatively easy enough to diagnose with regular veterinary care. In short, the most common issues that American Staffordshire Terriers might experience include:

• Elbow dysplasia
• Hypothyroidism
• Heart disease
• Progressive retinal atrophy

American Staffordshire Terrier Temperament

American Staffordshire Terriers are well-known for their confident, good-natured temperment, as well as intelligence. Their good nature makes them perfect companions for all activities that take place in your household. Since these dogs like getting mental challenges, that keep their minds busy. These dogs, like most breeds, live up to their scientific name of canus lupus familiaris when given the chance to indulge their outdoorsy side.

Health and Entertainment for your American Staffordshire Terrier

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Although these dogs are active, they also enjoy downtime. Although these dogs like to learn and do so very willingly, they require constancy in training. Staffies enjoy going on walks but are quite capable of getting overexcited and pulling a lot. You need to find a balance where your dog has boundaries, without your being needlessly harsh.

How To Take Care of an American Staffordshire Terrier

New pet owners who want to bring an AmStaff into their life will need to keep a few important matters in mind. From the time they are puppies all the way through adulthood, they will require training, plenty of physical stimulation, and attention to health needs.

The Best Dog Food for AmStaffs

American Staffordshire Terrier puppies, in particular, have dietary needs that are suited to their strong builds. Choosing food that helps these dogs grow and develop well is key to your dog’s health throughout life.

American Staffordshire Terrier puppy dog food: Puppies of this breed are very active, requiring food that offers 22% protein. Puppies also require 8% fat. A puppy food rich in vegetable ingredients, as well as meat, will help meet these requirements.

American Staffordshire Terrier adult dog food: Adult AmStaffs require 18% protein in their dog and 5% fat. Limited-ingredient foods free of refined grains and additives can help your dog look and feel its best. Alternately, read up on legume-free dog foods and the link between dog food containing legumes and heart failure, since the American Staffordshire Terriers can develop heart disease.

Therefore, at A-Z Animals, we think the best dog food for American Staffordshire Terriers is Stella & Chewy’s Wild Red Dry Dog Food Raw Blend High Protein Grain & Legume Free Prairie Recipe.

This unique formula uses not just muscle meat, but quality animal protein from organs and cartilage as well. While this food avoids grains, it doesn’t use potentially harmful legumes as an alternative like many grain-free dog foods. Instead, there’s ample taurine to aid AmStaffs’ heart health. Your American Staffordshire Terrier will crave the raw-coated kibble, and can thrive from its well-rounded nutrition.

You can get Stella and Chewey’s Wild Red Raw Blend High Protein Grain and Legume Free Dog Food on amazon.

Stella & Chewy’s Wild Red Dry Dog Food Raw Blend High Protein Grain & Legume Free Prairie Recipe, 3.5 lb. Bag

• Love Is Raw: Our Raw Blend dog food offers the protein-rich taste dogs crave with the nutrition they deserve; the flavor and nutrition of raw is in every bite with freeze-dried raw coating, plus freeze-dried raw chunks
• Feed Your Dog’s Wild Side! Our Prairie Recipe includes six animal protein sources: chicken, turkey, quail, guineafowl, goose and duck
• Whole Prey Ingredients: Feeding your pet a diet similar to what their ancestors enjoyed in the wild helps your pet thrive; 93% of the recipe’s protein comes from animal muscle meat, organ meat and cartilage
• Grain-Free: Our nutritious, grain-free recipe is easy for dogs of all life stages to digest, with no unnecessary fillers and only the finest ingredients
• Supports Whole Body Health: Fortified with vitamins, minerals and amino acids, our Raw Blend formula helps improve your dog’s entire well-being, with fiber and probiotics for digestive support and taurine for heart health

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Maintenance And Grooming

An easy answer to the question of how much does the American Staffordshire Terrier shed is: not very much. A weekly brushing, using an ordinary dog brush, is sufficient, along with baths every four to eight weeks to keep their coats that inck=lude shades like blue, looking good. However, should your dog has allergies or sensitive skin, consider using shampoos with soothing ingredients like aloe and tea tree oil.

Training

American Staffordshire Terriers are eager to please and intelligent, both of which make them great companions. However, proper mental stimulation is a must to avoid boredom-based or destructive behavior. Owners also need to take care when introducing this breed to other dogs.

Exercise

A Staffy requires regular daily exercise, such as play in the yard or a brisk walk, to stay healthy. Fenced-in yards are preferable to apartments for these dogs because they need the space. Playing fetch or taking your dog along on a jog are great ways to keep your pet well-exercised.

American Staffordshire Terrier Puppies

An American Staffordshire puppy is likely to have a high energy level. Supervision is essential to help prevent chewing and other destructive behaviors. They will have their coat colors, regardless of whether they are blue or another color, early.

American Staffordshire Terrier and Children

AmStaffs are good with children, having an energy level that allows them to keep up with kids’ demands. However, their large size makes supervision during play necessary to avoid the risk of injury.

Dogs similar to American Staffordshire Terrier

Some other breeds similar to the American Staffordshire Terrier include the American Pit Bull Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, and American Bulldog, all of which share a common scientific name.

• American Pit Bull Terrier: Has a similar energy and activity level to American Staffordshire Terriers. These dogs boast a short coat that also has minimal care requirements.
  
  
• Staffordshire Bull Terrier: A dog similar in family loyalty to the American Staffordshire Terrier, these dogs have a low maintenance coat and high energy level.
  
  
• American Bulldog: A descendent of the English Bull Dogm this breed enjoys great popularity as a family companion.

Famous American Staffordshire Terrier

Pete, of Little Rascals fame, was probably the most famous Ameeican Staffordshire Terrier that ever lived. Another famous dog of this breed was Stubby, the 102 Infantry Regiment mascot that served with the U.S. Army in World War I.

Popular Names for American Staffordshire Terrier

Popular names for American Staffordshire Terriers include:

• Lucky
• Mac
• Oscar
• Diesel
• Maya

Last update on 2022-07-06 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

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