Last Updated: 8/8/01

Direct link to ANKC standard, click here.

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

Direct link to AKC standard, click here.

GENERAL APPEARANCE - Smooth coated, well balanced, of great strength for his size.  Muscular, active and agile. 

CHARACTERISTICS - Traditionally of indomitable courage and tenacity.  Highly intelligent and affectionate especially with children. 

TEMPERAMENT - Bold, fearless and totally reliable. 

HEAD AND SKULL - Short, deep though with broad skull.  Very pronounced cheek muscles, distinct stop, short foreface, nose black. 

EYES - Dark preferred but may bear some relation to coat colour.  Round, of medium size, and set to look straight ahead.  Eye rims dark. 

EARS - Rose or half pricked, not large or heavy.  Full, drop or pricked ears highly undesirable. 

MOUTH - Lips tight and clean.  Jaws strong, teeth large, with a perfect, regular and complete scissor bite, i.e. upper teeth closely overlapping the lower teeth and set square to the jaws. 

NECK - Muscular, rather short, clean in outline gradually widening towards shoulder. 

FOREQUARTERS - Legs straight and well boned, set rather wide apart, showing no weakness at the pasterns, from which point feet turn out a little.  Shoulders well laid back with no looseness at elbow. 

BODY - Close coupled, with level topline, wide front, deep brisket, well sprung ribs; muscular and well defined. 

HINDQUARTERS - Well muscled, hocks well let down with stifles well bent.  Legs parallel when viewed from behind. 

FEET - Well padded, strong and of medium size.  Nails black in solid coloured dogs. 

TAIL - Medium length, low set, tapering to a point and carried rather low.  Should not curl much and may be likened to an old fashioned pump handle. 

GAIT/MOVEMENT - Free, powerful and agile with economy of effort.  Legs moving parallel when viewed from front or rear.  Discernible drive from hindlegs. 

COAT - Smooth, short and close. 

COLOUR - Red, fawn, white, black or blue, or any one of these colours with white.  Any shade of brindle or any shade of brindle with white.  Black and tan or liver colour highly undesirable. 

SIZE - 
Weight: Dogs 12.7-17 kg (28-38 lbs) at withers 
Bitches 11-15.4 kg (24-34 lbs) at withers 
Desirable Height:  14-16 inches 
(these heights being related to the weights) 

FAULTS - Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree. 

NOTE - Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.

Australian National Kennel Council

Last Updated: 8/8/01