American Staffordshire Terrier puppies

About the American Staffordshire Terrier

The American Staffordshire Terrier descends from the bull and terrier crosses of nineteenth century Britain, taken to the United States and bred heavier than the Staffordshire Bull Terrier they share roots with. The result is a compact, thickly muscled dog, 43 to 48 centimetres at the shoulder, with a broad head, a short glossy coat and a low, planted way of standing. Good AmStaffs are confident, cheerful and deeply attached to their people, and they read a room quickly.

Exercise should be shared rather than delegated to a garden: long play sessions, training, and sports such as obedience, agility or dock diving suit them well. Grooming is a weekly bristle brush and a bath when needed. They rate three out of five with children and with other pets, so supervision, early socialisation and honest management around unfamiliar dogs are essential. Put real time into puppy socialisation, because this breed's tolerance of other dogs varies, and any gap tends to show up in adolescence.

The law in your country

This breed or type is restricted in some places. Check the current rules where you live before you commit to a puppy.

Canada

Ontario's Dog Owners' Liability Act bans pit bulls, and its definition names the American Staffordshire terrier along with the pit bull terrier, American pit bull terrier and any dog that looks substantially like them. No one may own, breed, transfer, abandon or import one, apart from restricted pit bulls already in Ontario when the ban began in 2005, whose owners must follow the controls set by regulation. A court can use the UKC and other club breed standards to decide whether a dog is a pit bull. Source.

What to expect at eight weeks

At eight weeks a American Staffordshire Terrier puppy is sleeping around 18 to 20 hours a day, is not house trained, and cannot hold on for more than an hour or two at a stretch. A medium breed puppy at eight weeks is a manageable armful that will not stay that way. Most of the growth happens between now and six months, so buy for the adult dog where you can. Expect moderate energy, in short bursts separated by long naps. Grooming is straightforward, but start handling the coat, feet and ears in week one anyway so it is never a fight later. The socialisation window is open and closing: everything they meet calmly now, from vacuum cleaners to men in hats, is easier for the rest of their life.

Health worth knowing about

Conditions this breed is reported to be predisposed to. Predisposed does not mean inevitable, it means ask about it.

• Cerebellar ataxia, also called neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis 4A, which causes a loss of coordination from three to five years of age, detectable by DNA test
• Hip dysplasia, screened by hip evaluation of breeding stock
• Cardiac disease, screened by a cardiac exam
• Thyroid disorders, screened by a thyroid evaluation
• Skin and coat allergies, diagnosed by a vet once parasites and infection have been ruled out

Your American Staffordshire Terrier puppy's first six months

• Vaccination schedule, dated for your country.
• Worming and parasite schedule.
• Feeding calculator. Set expected adult size to Medium for a American Staffordshire Terrier.
• Adult size predictor, to check growth against the 18.1 to 31.8 kg adult range.
• Puppy names and the first week checklist.

Kit sizes: crate 36 inch (36 x 24 x 26 in, 91 x 61 x 66 cm) for an adult of up to 31.8 kg; chew toys made for medium breeds. Worked out the same way as the crate size calculator. PetMD bases a crate on the dog's own measurements, not weight or breed alone, so measure once the puppy is home.

Buying guides for this

• Best crate for a puppy: wire, plastic or soft, and how to size one with a divider

Other medium breeds

More on the American Staffordshire Terrier

Previous: American Pit Bull Terrier · Next: American Water Spaniel

Sources

• akc.org for adult weight and height, life expectancy, energy, grooming, shedding and the temperament ratings, coat type and health notes
• fci.be for country of origin
• ontario.ca for the legal status notes
• Health notes from American Staffordshire Terrier breed information at https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/american-staffordshire-terrier/. Discuss any of these with your own vet.

Photo: Pleple2000, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped. All photographers are listed on the photo credits page.