STANDARD:
GENERAL IMPRESSION: The American Staffordshire Terrier should give the impression of great strength for their size, a well put together dog, muscular, but agile and graceful. They should be stocky, not long-legged or racy in outlines.
CHARACTERISTIC'S: Keenly alive to their surroundings.
TEMPERAMENT: Their courage is proverbial.
HEAD AND SKULL: Medium length, deep through, broad skull, very pronounced cheek muscles, distinct stop; and ears are set high. Muzzle medium lenghth, rounded on upper 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.
EYES: Dark and round, low down in skull and set far apart. No pink eyelids.
EARS: Uncropped ears should be short and held half rose or half prick. Set high. Full drop to be penalised.
NECK: Heavy, slightly arched, tapering from shoulders to back of skull. No looseness of skin. Medium length.
FOREQUARTERS: Shoulders strong and muscular with blades wide and sloping. The front legs should be straight, large or round bones, pasterns upright. No resemblance of bend in front. Forelegs set rather wide apart to permit chest development.
BODY: Back fairly short. Slight sloping from withers to rump with gentle short slope at rump to base of tail. Well sprung ribs, deep in rear. All ribs close together. Cheat deep and broad. Loins slightly tucked.
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.
TAIL: Short in comparison to size, low-set, tapering to a fine point; not curled or held over back. Not docked. To long or badly carried undesirable.
COAT: Short, close, stiff to the touch and glossy.
COLOUR: Any colour, solid, part, or patched is permissible, but all white, more than 80% white, black & tan or liver not to be encouraged.
SIZE: Height and weight should be in proportion. A height of about 46-48cm (18-19 ins) at shoulders for a male and 43-46cm (17-18 ins) for a female is to be considered preferable.
FAULTS: Faults to be penalised are Dudley (flesh coloured) nose, light or pink eyes, tail to long or badly carried, undershot or overshot mouths and any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness to which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree.
NOTE: Males should have 2 apparently normal testicles fully decended into the scrotum.
STANDARD:
GENERAL APPEARANCE: Well boned, large, strongly built, vigorous, alert and muscular. Or majestic bearing, with intelligent expression.
CHARACTERISTICS: A degree of loose-fitting skin over body and head, with some dewlap, is a feature, not to be excessive.
TEMPERAMENT: Devoted and loyal guard of owner and property.
HEAD AND SKULL: Head large,broad short skull. Broad across cheeks. Head proportion; skull length 2/3 to muzzle 1/3. Top of skull parallel to topline of muzzle. Well pronounced, definite stop, nose should not protrude beyound vertical line of muzzle. Nose large with well opened nostrils, lips full and heavy. Upper lip resembles inverted "V". Muzzle deep, sides flat and vertical, showing flews. Head deep and spherical.
EYES: Set forward, well apart, rather rounded. Set fairly deep. Rim pigmentation to tone with nose colour.
EARS: Small for size of head, set forward, high and well apart. Triangular, hanging flat towards cheeks, but not reaching beyound line of throat.
MOUTH: Teeth white and regular. Strong, well developed jaws, with scissor bite, but level tolerated. Scissor bite, ie Upper teeth closely overlapping the lower teeth and set square to the jaws.
NECK: Short, stocky, very muscular, dewlap from lower jaw reaching mid-point of neck.
FOREQUARTERS: Shoulder long, slightyly sloping with well developed and definite muscle. Elbows not too close to body to allow very free action. Pasterns slightly sloping, legs vertical when viewed from front.
BODY: Longer than height at withers. Broad, well muscled chest, ribcage reaching at least to elbow. Ribs long and well sprung. Topline straight, slightly lower than withers, line of belly parallel to topline.
HINDQUARTERS: Broad loins, well let into backline, slightly rounded with well developed muscle. Croup broad, muscular, with slight slope. Thigh long, broad, moderate stifle, powerful hocks. Drewclaws (single or double) removed.
FEET: Oval; close, arched toes. Pads thick, hard and dark coloured. Nails curved, strong and dark. Hindfeet slightly smaller than front.
TAIL: Thick at root, set on slightly lower than topline. Tapering towards tip. Customarily docked by 1/3 length. Never carried up or over back, but may be carried level with topline when moving.
GAIT/MOVEMENT: Slow, free, bear-like. Slow trot, long steps covering ground well. Rarely gallops.
COAT: Short, dense, even, fine, hard texture. With good sheen. No fringe.
COLOUR: Preferred black, blue, all shades of grey, brown varying from fawn (tawny) to red (mahogany). Brindling on either of the latter colours. Small star on chest and white on toes permissible. Pigmentation to tone with coat colours.
SIZE/HEIGHT: 65-75cm (26-29in); weight: 50-70kg (110-154lb). Some tolerance allowed. Bitches somewhat less.
FAULTS: Any departure from the forgoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded in exact proprtion to its degree.
NOTE: Males should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.
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