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Is an American Staffordshire Terrier a "Pit Bull?"

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Answer by tracey
Submitted on 8/22/2003
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NO, staffordshire terriers are not the same as a pit bull...they have many of the same qualitys but they are a totally different dog...people have givin them the bad name because some seem agressive to people, but really it is only the owners fault, because of how they bring the dog up...some people want staffys to look and be agressive, coz they want them to be like the pit bull...as i said before they are not the same dog the just have the terrier in there names! So stop givin these beautiful dogs a bad name even though the pitty'sshouldn't get a bad name either...coz really they are just like and other dog, beautiful, gentle and loveable...it's just the owners fault the way they turn out! SO people stop giving all these dogs a bad name. i have always wanted a staffy, but at the moment i am a bit young (not enough money to but 1) but the minute i move outta home i will get 1...@ the moment i have a pomeranian and it would be so so so funny if some one game her a bad name all because of something stupid! STAFFORDSHIRE TERRIERS ROCK!!!

Answer by Owner of Both
Submitted on 10/18/2003
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Pit Bulls and American Staffordshire Terriers are genetically the same breed of dog and there are several instances in which a particular dog has dual registration. In fact, the UKC was founded for the express purpose of allowing registration of the breed. If you don't believe me, look at the bylaws of the UKC which set forth the 12 rules of pit bull fighting. Over time, the UKC also became the registry for hunting dogs which is its main focus today. The AKC eventually began allowing the breed to be registered under the name of American Staffordshire Terrier. What we currently have is a situation in which one group (the UKC) has been breeding the dog for "performance" and the other (the AKC) has been breeding the dog to maintain specific physical standards. Selective breeding over many generations have produced two strains of the same dog with pit bulls having the tendency to be more aggressive. Since only an idiot would want to fight a dog, I prefer the temperament of the American Staffordshire Terrier.

Answer by Belliemonster
Submitted on 10/29/2003
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The American Pitbull Terrier and American Staffordshire Terrier are one and the same. They carrier to different names due to the fact that the AKC doe's not register the pitbull by its chosen name Pitbull Terrier. This is because they do not want to be associated with a dog who has a bad rep or the people who tend to own these dogs. The Colby book of Pitbull Terrier's explain the different names for the to clubs which register the breed. The AKC standard for the AmStaff is based on a dog named Primo who was a full blooded pitbull bred by the Colby family during the turn of the century. I tend to believe that no dog is bad, but because of the love it has for its owner, its actions are misunderstood.

Answer by kmw1977
Submitted on 11/7/2003
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I've been hearing a lot of opinions about these two dogs being different. My opinion is that long time ago these two dogs were once the same. But now they're totally different. A true Pitbull has been breed for hundreds of generations to be a fighter. The owners cared about two things One being that the dog was not a man biter. Ones that where found out to be man bitters were often killed. Two that they be a total fighting machine(gameness,ability, bite, etc..) And when you breed for standards like that you lose out on things that would be important for a show breeder. Being able to determine a dog's size, color, etc.. was not important for Pit breeders. So now if you have 10 different pit bulls from 10 different lines of pits you will see a different looking dog most of the time. Some may be heavy, so may be short, some make be rail thin, but if breed correctly all will be dog stoppers. The Staff in my opinion is nothing more the a repersentive of the pit that was breed for show standards. So today some staffs and pits look a lot alike. But all things being equal they are not the same dog.. That's my two cents... kmw1977@yahoo.com

Answer by Nica
Submitted on 11/8/2003
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Let's clear this up- for good!! I have a Staffy. I did a lot of research on this BEFORE I bought the dog. The Pit Bull and Amstaff have a different genetic make up. The are scientifically different dogs. They look alike because they are in the same "terrier" group, but their very chemical makeup is totally different. Not to mention the breeding!! Staffys are shorter, stockier, and are very trust worthy and show no aggressive traits when raised correctly. The true reason the AKC has not been able to recognize the "Pit Bull" as a breed, is because they are bred indiscriminately and many times bred for all the wrong reasons- you know- those "aggressive" traits. The AKC can't find a group of "Pit Bulls" that have the same GENETIC make up to call that group a breed. Furthermore, the AKC'sresearch has found to get a "Pit Bull" someone had to mix a Staffy and a Bull Terrier(the Spud's McKenzie dog) to get the dog known as the Pit Bull today. The Staffy'slineage has been carefully watched for years and will never be tainted with cross breeding. It's a shame really for the Pit Bull; some one should care enough to find a "perfect specimen" so that they can call it the Pit Bull officially with AKC and the breed could be controlled from stupid people who think it's a good idea to breed the aggressive "junk yard pit". I hope this helps!!

Answer by Eddie H
Submitted on 11/13/2003
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Actually I'm pretty sure that they are a little bit different. Like some people said the staffy is a show dog and the pit is a sporting dog. But if you really want to you can easily make the pit a family dog and the staffy a sporting dog. For example my grandma's staffy was found at a park near her home in L.A. and it used to be a fighting dog, and a friend of mine has a pit bull that is a perfect pet. Another thing is that I don't think people should go around sayin that all pits and staffy's are mean I think if you really wanna blame someone for the way that a dog act's you should blame the owner. What i'm trying to say is that pits and staffy's are definatly not born mean it's your choice on how you raise it.

Answer by Here
Submitted on 11/13/2003
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Then a small group of pit bull fanciers decided that their "Grand Old Breed" needed full American Kennel Club recognition in order to distance itself from its baiting/fighting heritage. A standard was drawn up and application made to the AKC. [John Colby's dog "Primo" was one of the dogs used to formulate the AKC standard, and Primo's picture illustrated the idea of perfection for many years. Those wanting to know what a real American Staffordshire is supposed to look like should study a picture of Primo.] The dogs were accepted, but the AKC would not allow the word "pit" in the name, and so the rather dubious designation of Staffordshire "terrier" was chosen. Only the AKC could come up with a name like that! Staffordshire was a place in England noted for its harsh way of life and its fighting animals, however, it could hardly claim to be the place of origin. And placing this bulldog in the terrier group was simply ludicrous. Terriers, named for the Latin "terra" meaning earth, are smallish dogs which "go to ground" after small prey. They are noted for their quick tempers and sharp intelligence. True terriers are "hand spannable", meaning a man can grasp the dog behind its shoulders and have his fingers touch. Dogs larger than this are of doubtful use in ground work. To consider a breed which has always worked above ground, whose original purpose was the gripping of large wild game, then later wayward bulls, and then later still combat with a variety of animals, a "terrier" defies explanation. The word "American" was added to the name of this very British breed in the 1970's when pit bulls began being imported to the US under the name Staffordshire Bull Terrier. Most registries simply lumped the two dogs together, since they were the same breed. The AKC and UKC did for many years. Yet the two lines of the same breed had changed in some important physical ways. The pit bulls developed in the UK after the turn of the century had been bred strictly for show and pet. Emphasis had been put on a stocky, "bully" look and small size. Top weight for the breed was 35 pounds - in reality the bottom weight for most pit bulls. Because of these differences, the AKC created two breeds where before their had been one (this has been done several times, as with the Norwich and Norfolk terrier to name one example). Because of this division of the same dog, there were now three distinct "breeds" all originating from the good ol' pit bulldog. The American pit bull terrier as registered by the ADBA and UKC, the American Staffordshire as registered by the American Kennel Club (and by the UKC, but as an American pit bull terrier) and the Staffordshire bull terrier as registered by the AKC and now the UKC.

Answer by ROXY25
Submitted on 11/23/2003
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All of you guys saying that they are not the same breed, are just idiots. Can you guys please read the history of the American Pit Bull terrier (APBT) where in the heck do you think Amstaffs come from? you can take an amstaff pedigree and a UKC APBT and go all the way back in their pedigree and see that they came from the same dogs. You guys keep saying APBT look different the American dog breeder association ADBA registers APBT there standard is different from the AKC,and UKC. If you would read the AKC and the UKC standard you will see they are similar with little differences. The person that said they look alike because they are terriers is an idiot. Ok you are basically saying that all terriers are alike by saying that dumb statement. Second to the insurance man with 3 pit bulls you are the stupidest person here. you wonder why people can't get insurance is because people like you throwing these myths about APBT having locking jaws! All of you guys need to please visit www.purebredpuupy.com and get real answers from real breeders. I will say this can be debated because some breeders feel they are different because AKC dogs have been bred for 60 years without open stud book. well I disagree because that didn't change the AKC dogs genotype there was no out-crossing to make AKC amstaffs different from UKC/ADBA APBT please even read what AKC said about Amstaff they state they changed the name because they didn't want the word "pit" in it, AKC is just snobbish and didn't want controversy. please all visit that site I gave you can learn alot about the breed instead of these myths filling your head on this website!!!!!!!!

Answer by stafflover
Submitted on 12/8/2003
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it's obvious that most of the talk on this site is from hear-say. no one wants to do some research on these 3 breeds. the term "pit bull" is a generic, street name given to this breed during it's development. it is used way too loosely. they all have the same lineage and roots. they've just taken diff't paths over time. staffordshire bull terriers were "pit fighting' dogs but since the sport was outlawed, they were bred for show and conformity and have strictly followed it's breed standard. everyone has their own opinion about each breed but one thing is undeniably true; apbt's, amstaffs, staffords& bull terriers are all related. they are just bred for diff't qualities or traits. some are bred for show, some for sport/work. some of the breeds are more consistent in their breedings and some are done irresponsibly. c'mon people...lock jaw??? that's nonsense that ignorant people believe. they were bred to fight relentlessly to the death which may account for that stereotype.they are very determined dogs and they all possess the same traits instilled in them for the purpose of fighting.there are noticeable differences between the breeds but they are all related.staffords and amstaffs are bred for show but still possess the same qualities as apbt's that's all there is to it. if you read their breed standards, you will discover the differences between them but only in appearance. all in all, they are a great breed who have been exploited for their capicity and ability to inflict harm onto others for the selfish desires of their owners. punish the deed, not the breed.

Answer by stafflover
Submitted on 12/8/2003
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i'mgoing to steal an exerpt from a book on staffords to further clarify my previous response. sorry for beating this to death but i'mpassionate about the breed and enjoy clarifying things. Walk a staffordshire bull terrier down the street and you're bound to be asked "Is that a pit bull?" Most Staffordshire owners are quick to answer no and say the name of the breed over and over again. However, the complete answer is not "no" but "not anymore". At one time the Staffordshire Bull Terrier was so-called Pit Bull- a dog bred and conditioned to fight other dogs in an enclosure called a pit. In fact, the Staffordshire Bull Terrier was the orignal pit fighting dog, from which others have descended. But that was over a hundred years ago. Today the Staffordshire Bull Terrier, both here and in England, is a family pet. now, that covers the stafford. as for apbt'sand amstaffs, they are very close cousins, only different in the breed standards that each adheres to since they are registered in diff'tkennel clubs. you will never, ever see a stafford w/ his ears or tail cut, for the record. apbt'sare typically bred to retain more of it's gameness as opposed to amstaffs and staffords which are bred for show and companionship, abandoning it's fighting past.

Answer by Romeo
Submitted on 3/15/2004
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The Staffordshire or Irish Staffordshire's were the first pit dogs. In the UK staffy bulls are the champion pit dogs. American pitbulls and amstaffs hardly ever win matches there. The pit is too skinny and the amstaff is too big, but staffy bulls are short stocky and are the toughest when gamebred. All of these dogs can be gamebred. The only dog with the longest fighting line is the original fighting dog which makes the staffy bull the most game. The word "pit" is a generalization that people use as clarifying a fighting type. All fighting types branch from the strong roots of the staffy bull. You'd have to find the underground fighter in UK to see real dog fighting. The american champ looses every year in the UK. The champion always brings in an american pitbull terrier. The pits long legs dont give him the leverage to win against a stockier dog. They are always rolled and severely mangled. People produced both spin-off dogs for looks. The staffy wasn't made for looks, but only for fighting. People that dont gamebreed their dogs dont have true pitbulls. The true pit bull is the staffy bull. And the ampit and the amstaff have only been separated lineages for 60 years. They haven't had time to vary in looks. Anyone who owns a pit nowadays breeds thier dog to the way they want it to look. Staffy bulls are gamebred, not for looks, but for fighting. So they are the same breed.

Answer by jab2
Submitted on 3/20/2004
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I can't help but laugh at how mis informed 99% of you people are. Whoever said the word lockjaws should be banned from AMPBT or amstaff ownership, your ignorance is the reason we are subject to our unfair breed laws in the first place. I dont have to repeat as there are correct answers on this board E.G. Roxy.. Staff lover Im sure your a great staff owner but where did you get your info from, Many AMSTAFFS , actually most show amstaffs have there ears done. None of the three breeds should ever have their tails docked. Both staffs and apbts are breed for conformation or work depending on what the breeders purpose is. Both traditionally, and thank god responsible breeders are lobbying back for their dogs, are bred to be the ultimate people lovers. Unfortunately pit bull bites man is news dog bites man isnt. In reality None of these "pit bull" breeds are even close to the top of the list of reported dog bites in the country, Cocker spaniels and standard poodles are both way up on our "pit bulls" ooooh scary. Even though both of those breeds are wonderful also in the right hands. Id much rather pay higher taxes to jail some of these dog fighting felons then have my homeowners insurance skyrocket cuz my staffy bull wont stop licking the neighbor's toddler's face. You want to know what our "pit bulls" are bred for,, take them rollerblading. bottom line same original bloodlines, AKC wont register apbt but UKC will register AMSTAFFS as apbt's Oh yeah Romeo,, you should be in prison getting staffy bulled up your @#$, what place in todays society is there for a fighting dog try some evolution savage boy..

Answer by John
Submitted on 3/21/2004
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This one goes out to the idiots. 1) Cassie - I hope you know alot about insurance because you know nothing about dogs. Everyone knows Pits can't lock their jaws: no dog can. 2) Lucky Luciano - AmStaffs are usually bigger/heavier than Pits, not the other way around. 3) Nica - I guess the AKC can pat themselves on the back, because they actually got you to believe their crap. They're all Pit Bulls, they all came from English Staffies, and they are way more bulldog than terrier in every sense of the word. True terriers don't shed at all. Lastly, English Staffies aren't winning any illegal fights against Pits, Romeo. You may say this to make you feel better, but we took Staffies and made them bigger, stronger and better fighters over here in America, like we do with everything else. Take a 35lb English Staff and see what he does with a 75 lb Pit. Nothing, that's what. Want to see real dog fights? Go to Central Asia where it's not only legal, but part of the culture. Even in Japan they don't roll dogs like they used to because of "public" opinion. In Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, it's done all the time, in public, and people who fight dogs all around the world bring their best over there to see who's really the top fighting dog. And guess what? It's not the Tosa, not the Fila Brasiliero, or the Presa Canrio or the Cane Corso. It's the Pit Bull.....American version, followed very closely by the Caucasian Owcharka. English staffies are tops for their weight class only, and size counts. An Owcharka would pick their teeth with a little English Staffie.

Answer by stafflover
Submitted on 3/26/2004
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hey "amused", read my submission again. i said "staffords" not "amstaffs" never have their ears cropped. that's how they are commonly referred to. john, john, john. what are doing talking about dog-fighting??? you should be on a diff'tweb site, don't ya think? you made some good points initially which i agree to but took a turn for the worse when you went into "dog fighting". you should not have any right to comment about this breed if that's what you are into. it's like a child molester at a PTA meeting. i dont know if you participate in it but you sure seem to know an awful lot about it. enough to be associated w/ the scum who exploit this breed. who wants to hear about "my dog is tougher than your dog" crap!? they are all great! they may have been bred to fight but that was back in the 1800's. we're trying to move on here john and you're slowin' us down w/ that b/s. i hope i'mwrong about you and if i am, then i take it all back. if not, do the breed a favor and stay away from them.

Answer by patch69
Submitted on 3/29/2004
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Hi there, not that it really matters but if you really do a study on the differnce of the dogs, you will find that there are a few of there breeding that is different, but you dont see this much in New Zealand, a big Factor is your colours of your dogs, APBT are mainy tan with white or lighter colours with a longer legs and a head like your normal English Staffy, how ever the Amstaff if breed right have pointed tiped ears, with out being cut or made that one by humans wanting there dog to look more that it is! I have one like that, she is small but not much bigger than the English but heaps smaller than AMPT. each to themselve really, its all bout the breeder and breeding , and then the rasing of the animal! not the breed !!!

Answer by snipe
Submitted on 4/3/2004
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ROMEO ... you see that .. and you allow that to happen you so CRUEL .. for letting thing happen if i was me i could have STOP IT because i am very against "dog fight" .... it seem like you enjoy it .. and brag that UK that beat Pit bull .>OH PLEASE ... i don't even enjoy reading your post .. that CRUEL ... i do love pit bull and i have raised them.. and they are kind PUFF .. even i look at Amstaff .. they look too SMALL and they have good name .. like their history during the war ... that soldiers had them as their heroes and stuff like that ... and make pit bull look bad .. and now many many insurance refuse to accept pitbull... and it it accept STAFFFORD SHIRE .. then what different between them.. so it is very Obviously that Pit and AmStaff is not the SAME !

Answer by Fletch
Submitted on 4/9/2004
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Here is a question to that donut John. Why do Americans like you think bigger is better? it is just so typical of your arrogance which reflects badly on all decent americans. I personally have no interest in dog fighting but being an owner of fighting dogs I have an interest in the history of the breed. Serious dog fights were always matched pound for pound, only an idiot would match a 35 pound dog against a 75 pound dog, the smaller dog would have no chance no matter what the breed. Nearly all dog fights were staged at around 30 pounds at fighting weight and this includes Pit Bulls, it is only since the second world war that pit bulls have dramatically increased in size and that is for guarding and protection reasons. Genuine fighting dogs are too small to be efective protectors/guards. Staffordshire bull terriers have had their size fixed at between 24 and 38 pounds, this is ensure the current breed does not get too large and develop into a molosser (like the pit bull terrier has, which has no current restrictions). Pit Bulls have been outlawed in Britain and the only ones you see have been imported illegally. Since this has happened pit men have develloped the 'Irish' staffordshire bull terrier which is much more like the staffords that were taken to America 100 years ago. These are true game staffords and to back 'Romeo' up I have heard that these dogs are beating Pit Bulls when matched pound for pound at illegal dog fights. KEEP YOUR BIG FAT AMERICAN EGO UNDER CONTROL!!!

Answer by jkbegnaud
Submitted on 4/15/2004
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OK. If you really don't know what you are talking about, please keep your opinions to yourself. 1. Technically they were the same breed until about the 50's. The breed was then selectively bred for certain qualities. The APBT was still bred for the sporting traits and gameness and the American Staffordshire terrier was bred for conformation and show traits. 2. Whoever thinks that they have "lock Jaw", I have 100 acres on the moon that I am selling for a great price.....call me. ANY color is acceptable for the APBT breed except solid white. The AKC"version" of the APBT cannot have a red nose. Which by the way is a trait of the old Irish bred dogs. 4. You can register an APBT with the UKC, and register the same dog with the AKC as an American Staffordshire terrier. I have one that is dual registered. When it comes down to it, the dogs, unless you a expert on the two, are basically the same. And for the idiot that said that the AM staff was a pure breed and the APBT was a mixture of a bunch of terriers..... you're stupid. There is no such thing as a pure bred dog. the are all mixtures of some multitude of different MUTTS of yesteryear. The wolf id the only true pure K9. The Doberman was selectively bred by Dr. Doberman, a tax collector in Germany who was tired of getting robbed and wanted protection. Today's rottweiler looks nothing like the rotts of the 1700's. Those are extinct. All of these "poo" dogs are those pure also. I think I want to make my own breed the heinz 57. You think the AKC will take me up on it. I just think that it is pathetic that incapable owners want them because they look tough. I think that you have ego probs. I have owned several of the dogs and would not get another breed for anything. So to all of you idiot owners out there, Educate yourself and help out the breed instead of wearing your muscle shirts and putting ads in the local paper for"PITS ,Huge heads and weigh 120 lbs." I applaud all of the good answers that many of you have given, you exemplify the breed. My dogs say thank you.