The following information & the sub-sections in "Amstaff History" are based solely on historical fact & are for educational purposes only.

We do not agree with cruelty to animals or illegal activities involving animals.

The American Staffordshire Terrier is closely related to the Staffordshire Bull Terrier & the American Pitbull Terrier.

They are however three seperate breeds as they have been bred to different standards & down different lines since before the 1970's.

The American Staffordshire Terrier originates from the British Isles, Ireland, England, Scotland & Wales.

The exact history of the origins of the American Staffordshire Terrier are not known.

What is known is that they descend from the bull & bear baiting dogs of the British Isles, dogs that were later used for ratting in a pit, which gave rise to the name Pit Dog or Pit Bull & Terrier. These old dogs were also used in spectacles of baiting lions, dog fights & on some occasions fights against a willing human opponent.

These dogs began to find their way into America as early as 1870, where they became known as Pit Dog, Pit Bull Terrier, later American Bull Terrier, and  later still as Yankee Terrier.

All American Staffordshire Terrier’s can trace their pedigrees back to English and Irish imports, especially those imported by John P. Colby.

In 1898 the United Kennel Club (UKC) was formed with the express intent of providing registration and fighting guidelines for the now officially-named American Pit Bull Terrier. One of the founders, C. Z. Bennett assigned the UKC registration number 1 to his own APBT, Bennett's Ring in 1898. From that moment on, cross breeding was no longer accepted.

Later, those who wished to distance themselves from the fighting aspect of the breed petitioned the American Kennel Club (AKC) for recognition of the American Pit Bull Terrier so that it would be eligible for dog shows and other performance events. The AKC conceded on the 10th of June, 1936, but only under the stipulation that the dogs registered with them be called "Staffordshire Terriers", the name of the province in England in which the breed supposedly originated.

They were AKC registered as "Staffordshire Terriers" in 1936 .

Upon acceptance of the breed, many people dual-registered their dogs with both the AKC and the UKC. PR Lucenay's Peter the dog that starred in the Our Gang series was the first dual-registered American Pit Bull Terrier/Staffordshire Terrier.

With this purportedly newly created breed, the AKC required a breed standard. After visiting a few kennels, a committee headed by Wilfred T. Brandon chose Colby's Primo as a standard for the "Staffordshire Terrier". Colby's Primo was whelped on May the 29th, 1935. His sire was: Colby's Brandy and his dam: Colby's Mable. Primo was registered with the AKC 641-443, the UKC 233-460 and the ADBA 500-01. 

The name of the "Staffordshire Terreir" was revised effective January 1, 1972 to American Staffordshire Terrier. Breeders in the united states of America had developed a type which is heavier in weight than the Staffordshire Bull Terrier of England and the addition of the name "America" was to distinguish them as two separate breeds.

The AKC eventually closed its studbooks to American Pit Bull Terriers. They allowed registration only to those dogs with parents registered as "Staffordshire Terriers". For a short period in the 1970's, the AKC reopened its studbooks to American Pit Bull Terriers. Today, only those dogs with American Staffordshire Terrier parents are eligible for registration. Both the UKC and the ADBA allow registration of American Staffordshire Terriers, but in these organizations the dogs carry the original name, "American Pit Bull Terrier."

The American Staffordshire Terrier's standard allows a variance in weight, but it should be in proportion to size. The dog's chief requisites should be strength unusual for his size, soundness, balance, a strong powerful head, a well-muscled body, and courage that is proverbial.

The UKC evolved in the early 20th century, eventually beginning to register other working-type breeds, and later holding shows similar to those of the AKC. Currently, the UKC is the second largest purebred dog registry in the united states of America, complete with strict bylaws that ban anyone who is convicted of dog fighting.

The American Dog Breeders Association (ADBA) was formed in 1909 because of certain fanciers' opinions that the UKC was not doing its job protecting and preserving the American Pit Bull Terrier breed as they felt it should be preserved. The ADBA's goal is the same now is at was then: to register, promote and preserve the original American Pit Bull Terrier fighting-type dog, although like the other two registries, they officially frown upon the illegal act of dog fighting.

To clarify the confusion that may exist, even in the minds of dog fanciers, as to the difference between the American Staffordshire Terrier and the Bull Terrier, a comment on the latter may be helpful.

Early in the mid-1800s the "Bull and Terrier" breeds were developed to satisfy the needs for vermin control and animal-based blood sports. The "Bull and Terriers" were based on the Old English Bulldog (now extinct) and one or more of Old English Terrier and "Black and Tan Terrier", now known as Manchester Terrier. This new breed combined the speed and dexterity of lightly built terriers with the dour tenacity of the Bulldog, which was a poor performer in most combat situations, having been bred almost exclusively for killing bulls and bears tied to a post. Due to the lack of breed standards - breeding was for performance, not appearance - the "Bull and Terrier"

In the 1860s, James Hinks of Birmingham started breeding "Bull and Terriers" with "English White Terriers" (now extinct), looking for a cleaner appearance with better legs and nicer head. In 1862, Hinks entered a bitch called "Puss" sired by his white Bulldog called "Madman" into the Bull Terrier Class at the dog show held at the Cremorne Gardens in Chelsea. Originally known as the "Hinks Breed" and "The White Cavalier", these dogs did not yet have the now-familiar "egg face", but kept the stop in the skull profile.

Now known as the Bull Terrier , Hinks Bull Terrier, English Bull Terrier, also look at the Gull Terr.