Have you ever seen any of the “Our Gang” movies? If you have, you no doubt fell in love with Pete the pup, the lovable, tail-wagging sidekick. Pete is an american staffordshire bull terrier, and in fact was the first of his breed to be AKC registered. He is one of a popular breed seen in many television shows and movies, as well as a much loved breed of companion and sporting dogs to many Americans.

The american staffordshire bull terrier, also known as an American staffordshire terrier or amstaff, are square built, and depending on gender, weigh between 44 and 77 pounds and are 17 to 19 inches tall. They are agile, muscular, and graceful, which make them ideally suited to dog sports, such as agility training, weight pulling, and tracking. Their well known personality traits also make them ideal for dog sports, as well as desirable companion animals. Courage, devotion, tenacity, friendliness, loyalty and intelligence make this breed quick to respond to training, which is a benefit whether you are house training, or agility training. Because of this breed’s high degree of intelligence, ideal owners are those able to devote time and attention to training and interacting with their dog. An intelligent dog, combined with boredom, is a recipe for mischief!

The american staffordshire bull terrier originates from the bulldog-terrier crosses bred in the 1800’s, and gained AKC recognition and registration in 1936. Although its original ancestors were bred in England and used as fighting dogs, the distinct amstaff breed originates in America, where it was bred away from fighting, and toward practical uses such as general farm work, hunting of large game animals, and companionship. Although not often used for such purposes anymore, the qualities that made them ideal for these activities continue to be ideal for those wanting an active, all around family dog.

Although cousin to the American pit bull terrier, the american staffordshire bull terrier is a distinct breed from the pit bull terrier. The main difference between the two is build. The pit bull terrier has a less solid build, and is higher from the ground. Despite these differences, both are in the staffordshire family of breeds, and share many of the positive qualities listed above. If you decide to add a “Petey” to your family, be sure to thoroughly research the different breeds of staffordshires, so that you get the right companion for your family.