AMERICAN STAFFORDSHIRE TERRIER

ORIGIN : U.S.A.

DATE OF PUBLICATION OF THE VALID ORIGINAL STANDARD : 03.09.1996.

FCI‑CLASSIFICATION : Group 3 Terriers.

Section 3 Bull type Terriers.

Without working trial.

GENERAL APPEARANCE : The 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.

CRANIAL REGION :

Skull : broad.

Stop : Distinct.

FACIAL REGION :

Nose : Definitely black.

Muzzle : Medium length, rounded on upper side to fall away abruptly below the eyes.

Lips : Close and even ; no looseness.

Jaws/Teeth : Well defined. Under jaw strong and to have biting power. Upper teeth to meet tightly outside lower teeth in front.

Cheeks : Very pronounced cheek muscles.

Eyes : Dark, round, low down in skull, set far apart. No pink eyelids.

Ears : Set high. Cropped or uncropped, the latter preferred. Uncropped ears should be short and held rose or half prick. Full drop to be penalized.

NECK : Heavy, slightly arched, tapering from shoulders to back of skull. No looseness of skin. Medium length.

BODY :

Topline : Back fairly short. Slight sloping from withers to rump with gentle short slope at rump to base of tail.

Loins : Slightly tucked.

Chest : Deep and broad. Well sprung ribs; close together, deep in rear.

TAIL : Short in comparison to size, low set, tapering to fine point; not curled or carried over back. Not docked.

LIMBS :

FOREQUARTERS : Front legs straight, with large bones. Set rather wide apart to permit chest development.

Shoulders : Strong and muscular, with blades wide and sloping. Pastern : Upright.

HINDQUARTERS : Well muscled.

Hocks : Let down, turning neither in nor out.

FEET : Of moderate size, well arched and compact.

GAIT / MOVEMENT : Springy but without roll or pace.

COAT

HAIR : Short, close, stiff to the touch, glossy.

COLOUR : Any colour, solid, particolour, or patched is permissible; but more than 80% white, black and tan, and liver not to be encouraged.

SIZE : Height and weight should be in proportion. A height of about eighteen to nineteen inches (46 ‑ 48 cm) at the shoulder for the male and seventeen to eighteen inches (43 ‑ 46 cm) for the female to be considered preferable.

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 and its effect upon the health and welfare of the dog.

Any dog clearly showing physical or behavioural abnormalities shall be disqualified.

N.B. : Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.