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LargeTerrier Group

American Staffordshire Terrier

The American Staffordshire Terrier was developed from 19th-century Staffordshire Bull Terrier imports brought to the US, selected for larger frame than the English parent breed.

Calculate American Staffordshire Terrier age
Lifespan12.5 yrrange 11–14
SizeLargeTerrier Group
Weight40–70 lb18.1–31.8 kg
Senior at6 yrgeriatric at 10

Gallery (3)

About

About the American Staffordshire Terrier

The American Staffordshire Terrier was developed from 19th-century Staffordshire Bull Terrier imports brought to the US, selected for larger frame than the English parent breed. AKC recognized in 1936 as distinct from the American Pit Bull Terrier (not AKC-recognized).

Aging

How American Staffordshire Terriers age

RVC VetCompass gives a median 12.5 years (n=236, small UK sample). Cerebellar ataxia (NCL-A variant) is the defining breed-specific inherited neurological disease — DNA-testable — with hip dysplasia and heart disease secondary late-life concerns.

Lifespan deep-diveAvg 12.5 yr · range 11–14Senior careSenior at 6 · geriatric at 10Common health issues8 tracked conditions
Physical

Physical characteristics

Weight
40–70 lb(18.1–31.8 kg)
Height
17–19 in(43.2–48.3 cm)
Coat type
Short
Colors
BlackWhiteBrownBlueFawn SableBlue FawnRed BrindleBlue Fawn BrindleLiverBlack BrindleFawn BrindleBlue Brindle
Temperament

Temperament

How American Staffordshire Terriers tend to show up around their people, other dogs, and the world.

confidentsmartgood-naturedathletic
  • Energy
  • Trainability
  • Good with kids
  • Good with other dogs
  • Shedding
Health

Common health issues

Full health profile
  • Moderatetypical onset ~2 yr

    Elbow Dysplasia

    Description and veterinary guidance for Elbow Dysplasia land in Phase 4. Prevalence and onset-age figures above are drawn from https://ofa.org/diseases/disease-statistics/.

  • Moderatetypical onset ~6 yr

    Adult-Onset Cardiac Disease (Echocardiogram)

    Description and veterinary guidance for Adult-Onset Cardiac Disease (Echocardiogram) land in Phase 4. Prevalence and onset-age figures above are drawn from https://ofa.org/diseases/disease-statistics/.

  • Moderatetypical onset ~8 yr

    Degenerative Myelopathy

    Description and veterinary guidance for Degenerative Myelopathy land in Phase 4. Prevalence and onset-age figures above are drawn from https://ofa.org/diseases/disease-statistics/.

Exercise
45min
per day

American Staffordshire Terriers are satisfied by around 45 minutes of daily activity (energy level 3/5). Short, regular outings beat one long session.

Related

Related breeds

Breeds with a similar size and group profile, for readers comparing options.

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References

Sources

Lifespan and health figures on this page are drawn from the peer-reviewed and organizational sources below.

  1. AKC breed standardAmerican Kennel Club breed page

    Breed size, weight range, height, AKC group, origin, coat type, and temperament baseline.

  2. RVC VetCompassRoyal Veterinary College VetCompass life-table research (McMillan et al. 2024)

    UK primary-care records; source for the median-lifespan and mortality figures.