The American Staffordshire Terrier is a breed of dog. The breed is descended from American dog fighting breeds and was intended to be a show strain of the American Pit Bull Terrier. American Staffordshire Terriers were first recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1936. They are a member of the Terrier and Molosser groups.

Appearance
The American Staffordshire Terrier is a large dog that ranges from 16 to 19 inches (40 to 50 cm) at the withers, and weighs from 57 to 67 pounds (26 to 30 kg).

The American Staffordshire Terrier is long muscular and strong, and gives the impression of great strength and agility for his size. The chest is deep and broad, and the neck is heavy. The American Staffordshire Terrier has a broad skull, pronounced cheek muscles, and strong jaws. The ears may be half prick, rose, or cropped.

Character
The American Staffordshire Terrier should be courageous, tenacious, friendly, extremely attentive, and extraordinarily devoted. Originally an all-around farm dog, hunter, and family companion, American Staffordshire Terriers should be highly stable around both children and other domesticated animals (such as livestock). Their absorption into the abusive practice of dog fighting lends many a propensity toward dog/animal aggression; however, their adaptability, inherent friendliness, handler devotion, and fearlessness makes this an easy issue to correct, even in American Staffordshire Terriers that have previously been trained to fight.
 

Temperament
American Staffordshire Terriers and other dogs commonly termed "pit bulls" are often thought to be vicious or unpredictable. Their attentiveness, courage, and devotion - beloved by fanciers, therapists, and search and rescue teams - allow criminals, "macho" people, and even families seeking protection to easily encourage dominance and hostility towards non-family members.

Exceptionally friendly, well cared for American Staffordshire Terriers are not natural watchdogs, often failing to bark at the door upon the arrival of visitors. A lack of protective and/or aggressive behavior, accompanied by fearlessness, is generally a good sign. The American Staffordshire Terrier is stable with children, friendly with new animals, and easily cared for by pet sitters. As an added bonus, a thorough familiarity with "normal" situations - the advent of the mailman or pet sitter - will make "abnormal" or dangerous situations impeccably clear to a devoted pet. Such devotion will motivate a dog of any lineage to lay down its life to protect an owner, friend, or even a stranger in need.

The American Staffordshire Terrier temperament is not ideal for every owner or family. These dogs learn quickly from the subtlest of our behaviors. The American Staffordshire Terriers are thus not only highly responsive during training but also apt to pick up unwanted behaviors that we subtly and unintentionally encourage. Rescuers often encounter behavior problems such as barking, submissive urination, aggression, and dominance that were directly encouraged by well-intentioned but ignorant owners.

Exercise/Training
The American Staffordshire Terrier loves to be active, and it needs daily mental and physical exercise to keep it from becoming frustrated. It can be a good companion for jogging, hiking or running along side a bike. Playing and obedience are very good types of mental exercise. 20 minutes obedience and playing with your American Pit Bull Terrier will be more useful for the dog's exercise then an hour walk on the leash can provide.

Color
The coat of the American Staffordshire Terrier is short and glossy and can be of any color although all white, mostly white, liver, and black and tan are not encouraged. The nose must be black.

Grooming
The coat of the American Staffordshire Terrier needs only a very little grooming and coat maintenance. Good nutrition and regular brushing keeps the proper coat of the American Pit Bull Terrier shiny and the skin healthy. Bathing doesn’t harm the coat of the American Pit Bull Terrier as long as you use a good quality shampoo that doesn't dry the skin and coat and is formulated for a canine coat. The ears of the American Pit Bull Terrier should be kept clean and regularly inspected as well.

Any breed described as "good with children", the dog must be accustomed to children. Any dog that is not well socialized with children will not behave predictably around them. As with all dogs, they should never be left alone with young children.