Where Do American Staffordshire Terriers Come From?
The American Staffordshire Terrier’s origin is an unfortunate one. In the late 1800’s, Americans imported English dogs to compete in the sport of dog fighting. The AmStaff is a cross between the bulldog and terrier, which created a powerful, agile, and courageous brawler.
After dog fighting became illegal in the early 20th century, breeders reduced the aggressive tendencies so prized by their earlier owners, leaving the loyal and protective AmStaff we know and love today. The Staffordshire Terrier was accepted by the AKC in 1936, but the name was changed to the American Staffordshire Terrier in 1972 to differentiate from the English Staffordshire Bull Terrier, which is smaller and lighter than its American counterpart.