AMERICAN STAFFORDSHIRE TERRIER

HISTORY

On the history of the dog it's possible to write an encyclopedia, but I will limit myself to the Amstaff and what could be usefull and interesting about him.
The most important aspect is that all dogs, both breed and not, descend solely from wolves. That has been proved by recent studies based on the analysis of mitochondrial DNA remains of prehistoric fossils of wolves and dogs.

The domestication of wolves by humans is dated back to about 12000-15000 years ago and has required a relatively short time. Of his original wild nature, the dog has kept, to this day, its instincts which must be known and remembered, as they still effect in a more or less important mannor the behavior of our friends.
Once domesticated, the dog has spread around the globe, developing into different types due to environmental pressures and climate, and the selection work done by humans to get better subjects able to perform certain tasks,as for advantageous  purposes.
About a thousand years ago several varieties of dogs had developed, if they still could not be considered breeds according to today's criteria, however, they already had common features: of interest to us are two of these varieties, both English: the Bulldog, and the different terrier  families selected in the United Kingdom.
Bulldogs (fighting dogs for distinction)and Terriers (brave and agile   den hunters) since the eighteenth century were crossed with each other and created subjects that developed in England, Ireland and in a less important way for the AmStaf, in Scotland, and were called in various ways: Bull and Terrier, Bulldog, Pit Bulldog, Pit Bul, Half and Half, Staffordshire, and so on.
In England the Bull and Terrier were very popular and were reared in the county of Staffordshire, from which derives the English race Staffordshire Bull Terrier.

In Scotland you could find Bull and Terrier called Blue Paul, and a legend says, they were the favorites of the pirate Paul Jones, who seemed to predilect the color blue and, after returning from one of his raids in 1770 left some specimens into the Scottish town of Kirkcudbrihut. It seems that they were unbeatable fighting dogs of a beautiful blue-grey colour, and for that reason, as said, were called Blue-Paul. Today this variety has estingushed in Scotland, but still lives in some specimens of Amstaf, which obviously are the heirs of the ancient Scottish dogs. The Bull and Irish Terrier, according to some, instead derive from  Bulldogs introduced in 1700 on the island by the Garrison family , blended with local Terriers.
In the counties of  Corcaigh (Cork) and of Londonderry (Derry), a famous lineage of these Bull and Terrier was brought up, which was then known as the Old Family. According to some, in 1850, the first Bull Terrier was imported to the United States from Ireland and imports continued until 1920.
In the XVII century began the colonization of the Dutch and the British towards the Atlantic coast of North America and these settlers brought with them dogs, among them also Bull and Terriers used in the fightings. 

Development in America

In America, since the mid-nineteenth century, the Bull and Terrier were also called Yankee Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier and American.
Once implanted in the new continent the people involved in these "performances"  began to import in the new continent the most famous fighters.

But not all dogs were used in combats, some of them came out to be excellent guardians and faithful defenders, a great help in hunting for dangerous wild animals and life partners.
Many fans began to breed these dogs not for fighting, but to bring out their  best qualities. In a few years, the reckless aggression became indomitable courage, the irrepressible ferocity in intelligent determination , fighting technique in ability to intervene to help man. The UKC was born in 1898, initially only for entering the American Pit Bull Terrier, and afterwards also recorded other dogs and other animals. in 1909 the A. D.B.A.(American Dog Breeders Association) was established which counterparted the descendants of the Bull Terrier under the name Pit Bull Terrier then changed to American Pit Bull Terrier. In 1921 a first standard was made, changed in 1932 and then remained the same until today.
Initially an attempt was made to recognize the breed at the AKC under the name American Bull Terrier, but the club, which protected the English Bull Terrier in America, opposed and the attempt failed. In 1936, thanks to the standard drafted by Bill Brandon, the breed was recognized by the AKC under the name Staffordshire Terrier. The month following the recognition 12 Staf joined, the second another 17, then the third month 12 and then gradually increased registrations. Soon the A. K.C. closed the registers and from then on only AKC Staffordshire Terriers were paired with A.K.C. Staffordshire Terriers and this happens for about sixty years. Such a long selective breeding has made the average AmStaf more homogeneous, reliable and standardized against the average of today's Pit Bull. 

The month following the recognition 12 Staf joined, the second another 17, then the third month 12 and then gradually increased registrations. Soon the A. K.C. closed the registers and from then on only AKC Staffordshire Terriers were paired with A.K.C. Staffordshire Terriers and this happens for about sixty years. Such a long selective breeding has made the average AmStaf more homogeneous, reliable and standardized against the average of today's Pit Bull.

In 1972 the name was then changed  to American Staffordshire Terrier, because in that year the first Staffordshire Bull Terrier from England was imported into the United States, the AKC was preparing to acknowledge that race (which happened in 1975), and wanted to avoid confusion.
In September 1937 the first National Specialty was held and is the most important specialized exhibition for the breed that the Staffordshire Terrier Club of America organizes, since then, every year. 

Scala punti

Standard AKC