History and temperament of American Staffordshire Terrier :-
The American
Staffordshire terrier also known as Amstaff is a medium-sized, short-coated
American dog breed. In the early part of the twentieth century the breed gained
social stature and was accepted by the American Kennel Club as the American
Staffordshire Terrier in 1936. The name was changed to reflect difference from
the Staffordshire Bull Terrier of England.
HISTORY
The
Staffordshire Terrier was first bred in the nineteenth century in the English
region of Staffordshire. The early ancestors of this breed came from England,
where until the first part of the 19th century, the Bulldog was bred in
England. Bulldogs pictured as late as 1870 resemble contemporary American
Staffordshire Terriers to a greater degree than present-day Bulldogs. Some
writers contend it was the White English Terrier, Fox Terrier, or the Black and
Tan Terrier that was crossed with the Bulldog to develop the Staffordshire Terrier;
all three breeds shared many traits, the greatest differences being in color,
and spirit. The cross of Bulldog and Terrier was called by several names,
including Bull-and-Terrier Dog, Pit Bull, or Half and Half. Later, it assumed
the name of Staffordshire Bull Terrier in England. These dogs began to find
their way into America as early as 1870, where they became known as the Pit
Dog, then the American Bull Terrier, and still later as the Yankee Terrier.
In 1936,
Amstaffs were accepted for registration in the American Kennel Club (AKC) Stud
Book as Staffordshire Terriers, belonging to the terrier and molosser groups.
The name of the breed was revised January 1, 1969 to American Staffordshire
Terrier; breeders in the United States had developed a variety which was
heavier in weight than the Staffordshire Bull Terrier of England. The name
change was to distinguish them as separate breeds.The breed's popularity began
to decline in the United States following World War II.
TEMPERAMENT
According to
the American Kennel Club "The Am Staff is a people-oriented dog that
thrives when he is made part of the family and given a job to do. Although
friendly, this breed is loyal to his family and will protect them from any
threat."
The American
Temperament Test Society conducts tests every year on thousands of dogs to
determine the soundness of their temperament. These tests measure various
aspects of temperament such as aggressiveness, friendliness, stability, as well
as the dog’s protectiveness toward its owner. ATTS breed statistics show that
American Staffordshire Terriers consistently score above average for all breeds
tested. However, Schaffner notes in this book that "This, of course, must
be taken with a grain of salt, as the numbers tested of each breed varied
widely.
Duffy et al.
(2008) investigated dog breed temperament via an online survey. They found that
the breed group represented by American Pit Bull Terriers, American
Staffordshire Terriers, and Staffordshire Bull terriers had an above average
level of aggression directed toward other dogs and a below average level of
aggression toward humans. Also, as this was a voluntary study the authors admit
that their results may be influenced by self-selection bias.
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