American Staffordshire
Terrier Breed Standard
Terrier Group
General
Impression
The American
Staffordshire Terrier
should give the
impression of great
strength for his size, a
well put-together dog,
muscular, but agile and
graceful, keenly alive
to his surroundings. He
should be stocky, not
long-legged or racy in
outline. His courage is
proverbial.
Head
Medium length, deep
through, broad skull,
very pronounced cheek
muscles, distinct stop;
and ears are set high.
Ears -
Cropped or uncropped,
the latter preferred.
Uncropped ears should be
short and held rose or
half prick. Full drop to
be penalized.
Eyes - Dark and
round, low down in skull
and set far apart. No
pink eyelids.
Muzzle - Medium
length, rounded on upper
side to fall away
abruptly below eyes.
Jaws well defined.
Underjaw to be strong
and have biting power.
Lips close and even, no
looseness. Upper teeth
to meet tightly outside
lower teeth in front.
Nose definitely black.
Neck
Heavy, slightly arched,
tapering from shoulders
to back of skull. No
looseness of skin.
Medium length.
Shoulders
Strong and muscular with
blades wide and sloping.
Back
Fairly short. Slight
sloping from withers to
rump with gentle short
slope at rump to base of
tail. Loins slightly
tucked.
Body
Well-sprung ribs, deep
in rear. All ribs close
together. Forelegs set
rather wide apart to
permit chest
development. Chest deep
and broad.
Tail
Short in comparison to
size, low set, tapering
to a fine point; not
curled or held over
back. Not docked.
Legs
The front legs should be
straight, large or round
bones, pastern upright.
No resemblance of bend
in front. Hindquarters
well-muscled, let down
at hocks, turning
neither in nor out. Feet
of moderate size,
well-arched and compact.
Gait must be springy but
without roll or pace.
Coat
Short, close, stiff to
the touch, and glossy.
Color
Any color, solid, parti,
or patched is
permissible, but all
white, more than 80 per
cent white, black and
tan, and liver not to be
encouraged.
Size
Height and weight should
be in proportion. A
height of about 18 to 19
inches at shoulders for
the male and 17 to 18
inches for the female is
to be considered
preferable.
Faults
Faults to be penalized
are: Dudley nose, light
or pink eyes, tail too
long or badly carried,
undershot or overshot
mouths.
Approved June
10, 1936 |
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