American Staffordshire Terrier
Also called AmStaff, Staffordshire Terrier (former AKC name)
From United States, from bull-and-terrier dogs that arrived from Britain around the mid-1800s.1
At a glance the quick version
Hill's: males 50-70 lb, females 45-60 lb. Wikipedia gives 40-70 lb (18-32 kg) overall.
Males 18-19 in, females 17-18 in.
Coat and looks how to spot one
short, smooth coat
A tight, glossy short coat over a stocky, muscular and very agile body. The nose is always black.12
Personality what they are like
A self-assured, smart dog with a playful, gentle side at home. Well-socialised AmStaffs are typically devoted to their family and good with children; early socialisation with other dogs is recommended.321
Daily activity how busy a day looks
Moderate to high: at least 20-40 minutes of exercise a day, ideally with running or ball games.2
Grooming and care the hands-on bits
Very low-maintenance coat; an occasional brush and bath keep it tidy.2
Company who they like around
A very affectionate breed that wants to be close to its people and does not like being left out of family life.2
The story where it all began
Bull-and-terrier dogs reached America around 1850 and were used as farm and all-round dogs. The AKC registered them in 1936 as Staffordshire Terriers and added 'American' in 1969 to tell them apart from the smaller British Staffordshire Bull Terrier.12
Fun facts for the dinner table
- 1
Pete the Pup, the ring-eyed dog from the Our Gang (Little Rascals) films, is often cited as the breed's best-known member.2
- 2
The breed's AKC name gained the word 'American' in 1969 to separate it from the Staffordshire Bull Terrier.1
- 3
The FCI lists its definitive acceptance date as 1936, the same year the AKC first recognised it.4
- 4
A black nose is required in the show standard.1
Recognised by the official bits
- AKC
- Recognised in 1936 as the Staffordshire Terrier; renamed American Staffordshire Terrier from 1 January 1969.1
- FCI
- Standard no. 286, Group 3 (Terriers), Section 3 bull type terriers; definitive acceptance dated 10 June 1936.4
- UKC
- Not registered as a separate breed; UKC registers these dogs as American Pit Bull Terriers.1
The care rhythm Furry Diary remembers it for you
A typical home-care rhythm for a American Staffordshire Terrier. It is our own starting plan, not a vet's advice, and you can change every line in the app.
- Brushingevery week
- Bathevery 8 weeks
- Nail trimSooner if you hear clicking on the floorevery month
- Ear checkFloppy ears trap moisture, so check and dry themevery week
- Teeth brushingDaily brushing is idealevery 2 days
- ExerciseDaily walks and playevery day
- Flea, tick and worm protectionSchedule as your vet recommendsas your vet recommends
- Vet check-upSenior years usually start around age 8every year
You might also like
American Pit Bull Terrier
Staffordshire Bull Terrier
Bull TerrierLike what we are building? Buy us a coffee.
The breed atlas is free for everyone, with a source on every fact, and it will never show ads. If it helped you, a small tip keeps the research going. Any amount is lovely, and no is a perfectly fine answer too.
Where this comes from
Every breed page shows where each fact comes from. If we got something wrong, sorry, we are pet people, not a science magazine. Tell us at [email protected] and we will fix it.
- American Staffordshire Terrier - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.orgused for origin, recognition, size, colours, history
- Hill's Pet: American Staffordshire Terrier hillspet.comused for weight, lifespan, exercise, grooming, temperament, fun fact
- AKC: American Staffordshire Terrier akc.orgused for temperament
- FCI nomenclature: American Staffordshire Terrier (286) fci.beused for FCI recognition
Checked 2026-09-30. Text is written in our own words from these sources.