American Staffordshire Terrier

Health

The breed has some common health problems such as hereditary cataracts and distichiasis, and the presence of a second layer of eyelashes that can scratch the surface of the eyes. Therefore, parents should regularly take him to the veterinarian to prevent future complications.

Curiosities

In World War I, an American Staffordshire Terrier named Stubby was promoted to Sergeant through his combat in the United States Army. The dog served for exactly 18 months and participated in 17 battles on the Western Front. Stubby was instrumental in surprise mustard gas attacks, rescuing and saving his teammates. After the period, his story on the battlefields made the cover of major American newspapers.

Intelligence

In an intelligence ranking prepared by Stanley Coren, in his book called “The Intelligence of Dogs”, the American Staffordshire Terrier is in 34th place, being one of the breeds with the easiest learning, as they need few repetitions to obey the rules. commands immediately. Therefore, the Staff is a dog of extreme intelligence and easy to train.

Temperament

The breed suffers from some discrimination thanks to its connection with the Pit Bull Terrier. In some cases, its physiognomy and bad face can "scare" some people who don't know about the breed. Following the opposite side of its upbringing, the Staff is a super docile dog, which has become popular in recent years due to its intelligence and dedication to the family. Contrary to what many think, he is usually very attached to humans and, despite being bred for fighting, he is not usually very resistant to people, making him more seen as a family dog rather than a guard dog. Socialization with other dogs from an early age is very important, as they do not get along very well with other dogs in general, and with their own breed in particular.

Lifetime

Because it is a super strong and healthy feed, its life expectancy is between 10 and 15 years.