The ancestors of the American Staffordshire Terrier (Staffie) are the bull baiting dog breeds of the 18th century. In Staffordshire, England, the Bulldog and some other terriers were crossed in order to develop a fighting dog that soon to become the parent of the American Staffordshire Terrier (Staffie). This mixing resulted to the muscled, active and fearless Staffordshire Terrier.
When the bloody past times of bull baiting and bear baiting were popular in England during 18th century, the Staffordshire Terrier was a very noted fighter. But when this violent game was prohibited, many breeders transported their Staffordshire Terriers to United States and there these dogs were improved and tamed. The Staffordshire Terrier particularly was developed and produced two strains of dogs namely the American Staffordshire Terrier (Staffie) and American Pit Bull Terrier (APBT).
In the US, the Staffordshire Terrier was designed to have a broader and more powerful head and heavier weight. The resulting American Staffordshire Terrier (Staffie) was labeled as the show dog and the American Pit Bull Terrier (APBT) was labeled as the fighting dog. Today, these two dogs are considered as two different breeds by the American Kennel Club.
The Staffie and APBT relatively have the same gentle qualities and are considered as great pets of many families today. Both breeds are great as watchdogs, guard dogs, police dogs and even weight pullers. Compared to their British cousin, the Staffordshire Terrier, the Staffie and APBT are comparably larger and heavier.
The Staffie is a cheerful, fun loving, even tempered and confident dog. It has a loving and gentle disposition that's why people often take him in as a family pet. Towards the master and his family, this dog is very loyal, affectionate and kind.
As a companion, the Staffie is biddable, eager to please and protective of the master. It is also highly intelligent and fearless that it won't back down from any intruders who threaten the safety of the master or his property. The Staffie can come in good terms with other animals and humans so long as it is socialized at an early age.
The Staffie appears to be muscular, stocky and powerful. It has a broad and powerful skull, a short and strong snout, and strong jaws. Its weight can range between 57 to 67 pounds and its height stands between 16 to 19 inches.
The coat of this dog is short, thick and glossy. The colors are a combination of white and any other colors provided that the white color dominates the coat by 80%. Daily exercise is very essential to this dog's physical and mental health therefore, at the daily, this dog should be taken for walks or run.
