American Staffordshire Terrier: Tips, Care and Characteristics

Origin and history of the American Staffordshire Terrier

The American Staffordshire Terrier is a dog of English origin. Its origin goes back to dogs that helped British butchers to control the wildest bulls. Later, the ancestors of this breed of dog, like the American, were used for animal fighting.

Eventually, the American Staffordshire was able to shed this stigma and developed its offspring separately, as recognized by the American Kennel Club (AKC). In fact, it became very popular in the United States, where a more muscular variety than its English variant was bred.

Types of American Staffordshire Terrier

There are several types of American Staffordshire whose main distinction lies in the color of their coat.

Colors

Within this classification are:

• American Stanford Blue: its main characteristic is the pigmentation of the nose, coat, eyes and even nails in a grayish tone with bluish tints. This light color in their eyes can cause vision problems, resulting in cataracts or blindness.
• American Stanford Gray: in this case the nose may be black and the coat may have a white tone.
• American Stanford Black: this is a rare variety of American Staffordshire Terrier. In addition, it possesses the recessive blue gene, so that descendants of this type may have a bluish coat.
• American Stanford brindle: it stands out for having a coat made up of bands of different colors. Usually the predominant color is light.

Hair type

Regardless of its variety, the American Staffordshire is characterized by a short, glossy coat that is hard to the touch.

The American Staffordshire Terrier Puppy

The American Staffordshire puppy stands out for being a sociable dog with a marked protective character over the members of the family. At home he is calm and quiet, acting also as a guardian; while outside he can be impulsive and stubborn.

Therefore, early socialization is important so that he can live peacefully with other people and animals. In addition, it is a dog that learns quickly and is also curious. So to have a balanced American Staffordshire Terrier it is necessary a good education by its owner. Nor should we forget that this is a dog that requires daily exercise from puppyhood, especially considering the strength it possesses.

Breed character

The American Staffordshire is a cheerful, extroverted and trusting dog with people. However, its character depends on the training it receives.

It tends to be calm, affectionate and attached inside the home, being able to even take care of the children in the house. And once he goes outside, he becomes more active and dynamic, always looking for stimuli. For all these reasons, it is essential to educate him from the time he is a puppy, so that he can relate in a healthy way with other animals and also so that he is obedient.

American Staffordshire Terrier Health

Some of the most common diseases in this breed of dog are:

• Waterfalls
• Progressive retinal atrophy
• Heart problems
• Hip dysplasia

In addition, it can also suffer from demodicosis, a disease caused by an abnormal proliferation of the Demodex parasite, either due to genetic predisposition or immune deficiency; and disorders of sexual development, which is why it is advisable to sterilize it. Likewise, it is essential to follow their vaccination and deworming schedule.

Typical care of the breed

Among the most basic needs of this dog are regular brushing and physical stimulation to keep him playing and being active as well as exercised.

Hair

The care of his coat is simple. As it has a short coat, it only needs to be brushed twice a week. It is convenient to use a soft-tipped brush to avoid damaging their skin. Likewise, bathing them every month and a half or two months will be enough.

Others

On the other hand, the American Staffordshire is a dog that can get bored very easily if it is alone. In fact, it can suffer from separation anxiety if it spends too much time without company. That is why it is necessary to offer him different stimuli such as the Kong and intelligence toys, with which, besides keeping him entertained, he can exploit his potential.

In the same way, it is necessary to make sure that they exercise actively and regularly. For this, he needs at least two to three daily walks of at least 30 minutes.

What is the best diet for the American Staffordshire Terrier?

To ensure that their nutritional needs are met, it is necessary that the food for the American Stafford is complete and balanced throughout their different life stages.

American Staffordshire Terrier puppy

Care during this stage will condition its development and state of health as an adult. That is why it is important to choose a feed specifically formulated for puppies, which also have high energy and, therefore, protein needs. It is also important that their feed has a balanced amount of minerals, vitamins A and D, calcium and phosphorus so that their vision and bones develop optimally.

American Staffordshire Terrier adult

Once it reaches adulthood, the American Staffordshire needs to maintain its muscle mass. Therefore, their feed should contain an adequate level of high quality protein and essential amino acids from natural ingredients. Likewise, it is convenient to take into account the amount of carbohydrates and that its food is highly digestible, thus avoiding a possible digestive sensitivity. However, this breed of dog can suffer skin problems related to an allergy and for this reason its food should include vitamins that reinforce its natural defenses.

American Staffordshire Terrier senior

During its senior stage, an American Stafford reduces its activity level, so it is necessary to maintain its muscle mass and ideal weight. So its feed should provide a moderate amount of fats and it is also important that it is rich in antioxidants to delay the deterioration of its joints. And in order to avoid heart disease, this feed should also contain taurine.

Adoption of an American Staffordshire Terrier

Now that you know a little more about this powerful and affable dog breed, you may consider adopting an American Staffordshire. To do so, you must keep in mind that in Spain it is considered a potentially dangerous breed, so you will have to take it out on the street with a muzzle and obtain the mandatory license and insurance for PPP dogs.