They are just analogies my friend. Those dogs have their place, as designer dogs. Kind of like a cockapoo or a labradoodle.Originally Posted by realpitsnobull
They are just analogies my friend. Those dogs have their place, as designer dogs. Kind of like a cockapoo or a labradoodle.
First, it is important to know that Staffordshire Terrier and “pit bull” are not official breeds, but rather common terms used to describe a certain type of dog. There are actually many dog breeds that can be easily confused and are often mistakenly referred to as pit bulls. The correct designations are:
American Pit Bull Terrier (APBT) - recognized by the ADBA (American Dog Breeder’s Association) and UKC (United Kennel Club)
American Staffordshire Terrier (AST) - recognized by the AKC (American Kennel Club)
Staffordshire Bull Terrier (SBT) - recognized by the AKC and UKC
These breeds are essentially the same dogs but have been bred for different purposes and/or size standards since the mid 1930's. Some are even dual registered (i.e., registered as an American Pit Bull Terrier with the UKC and as an American Staffordshire Terrier with the AKC). Petey the Pup from The Little Rascals was among the first American Pit Bull Terriers to be registered with the AKC as an American Staffordshire Terrier.
How can we tell the difference? We can't, really. We can only try to guess the breed based on subtle characteristics. Note that even experts can't always tell if a pit bull is an APBT, an AST or a SBT. Even with DNA testing, many known purebred dogs come up with results of mixed breed lineage. For the average pit bull owner, however, these distinctions are not really relevant. As a general rule, dogs of these breeds tend to have stable and loving temperaments.
The American Pit Bull Terrier (APBT)
Like many other common breeds, including Labrador Retrievers, Greyhounds, German Shepherds, and the Parsons (or “Jack”) Russell Terrier, the American Pit Bull Terrier is essentially a canine athlete. As the UKC points out, during the nineteenth century breeders in the British Isles began to experiment with crosses between terriers and Bulldogs in hopes of finding a dog with the “gameness” of a terrier and the athleticism of a Bulldog (a very different dog from the English Bulldog of today). This original breed, which later resulted in the breeds we now call the American Pit Bull Terrier, the American Staffordshire Terrier, and the Staffordshire Bull Terrier, came to America with immigrants during the late nineteenth century. Just as the Bulldog was originally bred for bull and bear baiting, dog fighting was part of the APBT’s original purpose. But as the UKC also notes, the breed’s many talents did not go unnoticed, and the APBT was also used as an all-purpose farm dog and family companion.
Today, the APBT is bred for a wide variety of purposes, so it is difficult to make generalizations about appearance or purpose. While some APBTs may be directly from fighting lines (“game bred”), many are genetically far removed from their fighting ancestors. Aggression or reactivity toward other dogs or animals can range from non-existent to very high to somewhere in between. For more information on pit bulls and other dogs go to: http://www.pbrc.net/breedinfo4.html
While aggression toward other dogs can be relatively common among pit bulls, aggression toward humans has never been a normal trait among these breeds. Pit bulls were not bred to be aggressive towards humans or for guarding purposes. This is one reason why they score so highly in tests such as the American Temperament Test Society’s standardized temperament test: http://www.atts.org
An often-overlooked fact of the APBT’s history is that human aggressive dogs have been actively culled from bloodlines. In the world of fighting, it is not useful or desirable for a dog to attack handlers or spectators. Not all APBT breeders breed for the pit, though. Many breed for conformation, temperament, weight-pulling, obedience trials, or therapy work. Regardless of their purpose, APBTs share the same physical and mental characteristics of a lean and athletic body, agility, courage, and stable personality.
Because breeding purpose varies so widely among APBTs, less consideration is paid to conformation (how closely the dog matches a set physical standard for the breed). As these pictures show, APBTs can look quite different from one another. In general, however, APBTs can weigh as little as 30 lbs. and as much as 70 lbs. News reports of “pit bulls” weighing in excess of 100 lbs. should be taken with a grain of salt. These dogs are either not pit bulls at all or are mixes of some sort.The AST or “Amstaff” used to be the same dog as the APBT but was completely taken out of the pit in the mid 1930s. In 1936, the AKC opened its studbooks to a few APBTs that fit their standards and came up with the name “Staffordshire Terrier.” In 1972, the name was changed to American Staffordshire Terrier to avoid confusion with the newly recognized "Staffordshire Bull Terrier" from England. The only dogs that can properly be called American Staffordshire Terriers are those from AKC-registered bloodlines.
ASTs are primarily bred for conformation and good temperament. They have a set height standard of 18 to 19 inches for males and 17 to 18 inches for females. They usually weigh between 50 to 80 lbs., which should be in proportion to their height. They may be a little stockier than the APBT but not always. “The dog’s chief requisites,” the AKC explains, “should be strength unusual for his size, soundness, balance, a strong powerful head, a well-muscled body, and courage that is proverbial.”
Red (or “Dudley”) noses are considered a fault according to the AKC’s breed standard, and this physical trait has been bred out of most AST lines. Red-nosed dogs are common in APBT lines. This may help you differentiate between the breeds. If the dog has a red nose, it is more likely to be of APBT than of AST lineage.Because the AST and APBT have the same ancestors (some are even dual-registered), they have a similar look and similar personalities.
Staffordshire Bull Terrier (SBT, Staffie or Stafford)
Staffies remain very popular in England, but they are less common in the United States. They share common ancestors with the APBT and AST, therefore exhibit many of the same breed traits. Staffordshire Bull Terriers should be 14-16" at the shoulder height and at 24 to 34 lbs., they are noticeably smaller, though, and their ears are rarely cropped. They are essentially bred for good disposition and conformation. The AKC points to the Staffie Bull’s “affection for its friends” as well as “off-duty quietness” and “trustworthy stability,” all of which make it “a foremost all-purpose dog.” They are often referred to as "nanny dogs" because they are excellent with children. Typically, dogs labeled in a shelter as a SBT are wrongly labeled as such.American Bully
The American Bully is a "type" and not a recognized breed. It first appeared in the 1990s and was created by crossing American Pit Bull Terriers and American Staffordshire Terriers. There is some speculation that English Bulldog was also used in this type's development due to the abundantly low carriage and overall shape. American Bullies vary in looks, but all share the same bullfrog-like appearance. While the American Bully type certainly looks tough, it is a conformationally exaggerated dog with emphasis on extremes: wide, short, jowly and slow-moving. They are not as athletic as their bully breed relatives and may suffer from crippling health problems as they age like English Bulldogs and other breeds bred for a certain look. According to American Bully breeders, gameness and dog-aggression have been bred out, thereby, creating a dog highlighting the characteristics of loyalty and stability with people.
LMFAO!!! very true!!
There are working staffies in UK actually.
And the USA
Yeah, but it's a stated FACT by the dog men in the UK, that they are mediocre dogs and the APBT is much better working dog.
Yes, it is, nobody said the oposite.
The American Pit Bull Terrier is bred for only one purpose although it can do a variety of things.. And only one way to test fuck the DNA test... Lol... If you've got an APBT that comes from untested lines and is bred for other things.. Might as well call it a staff. Cause it ain't no real APBT ...
There are a shit ton of mediocre bulldogs alive and well all over the world, and they're being bred and producing more mediocrity. Whether staffs are mediocre really isn't relevant in the bulldog world. The simple fact that some are still working at least points in some direction of someone trying to do the right thing with them. On the other hand, mediocre bulldogs are bred because people have no fuckin idea what it means to own or breed quality dogs. That's a sad state of affairs.
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