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AKC Staffordshire Bull Terrier Breed Standard
The Staffordshire Bull Terrier is a smooth-coated dog with great strength for his size. He is active and agile and comes in six color varieties: solid red, fawn, white, black, blue, or brindle. Today, he serves primarily as a family companion and is seen in the show, obedience and agility rings.
Right Breed
for You?
The Staffordshire Bull Terrier is extremely courageous and obedient, highly
intelligent and affectionate with a sense of humor. This, coupled with its
affection for its friends, and children in particular, its off-duty
quietness and trustworthy stability, makes it a foremost all-purpose dog. He
looks forward to daily exercise, and his powerful jaws enjoy a supply of
sturdy chew toys. While he is a sweet-tempered, affectionate dog, his
strength and determination require an experienced owner who can work with
him in a firm, but gentle way. The Staffie’s coat is short and smooth, and
needs only a quick brushing once a week.
General Appearance
The Staffordshire Bull Terrier is a smooth-coated dog. It should be of great
strength for its size and, although muscular, should be active and agile.
Size, Proportion, Substance
Height at shoulder: 14 to 16 inches. Weight: Dogs, 28 to 38 pounds; bitches,
24 to 34 pounds, these heights being related to weights. Non-conformity with
these limits is a fault. In proportion, the length of back, from withers to
tail set, is equal to the distance from withers to ground.
Head
Short, deep through, broad skull, very pronounced cheek muscles, distinct
stop, short foreface, black nose. Pink (Dudley) nose to be considered a
serious fault. Eyes--Dark
preferable, but may bear some relation to coat color. Round, of medium size,
and set to look straight
ahead. Light eyes or pink eye rims to be considered a fault, except that where the coat surrounding the eye is white the eye rim may be pink. Ears--Rose or half-pricked and not large. Full drop or full prick to be considered a serious fault. Mouth--A bite in which the outer side of the lower incisors touches the inner side of the upper incisors. The lips should be tight and clean. The badly undershot or overshot bite is a serious fault.
Neck, Topline, Body
The neck is muscular, rather short, clean in outline and gradually widening
toward the shoulders. The body is close coupled, with a level topline, wide
front, deep brisket and well sprung ribs being rather light in the loins.
The tail is undocked, of medium length, low set, tapering to a point and
carried rather low. It should not curl much and may be likened to an
old-fashioned pump handle. A tail that is too long or badly curled is a
fault.
Forequarters
Legs straight and well boned, set rather far apart, without looseness at the
shoulders and showing no weakness at the pasterns, from which point the feet
turn out a little. Dewclaws on the forelegs may be removed. The feet should
be well padded, strong and of medium size.
Hindquarters
The hindquarters should be well muscled, hocks let down with stifles well
bent. Legs should be parallel when viewed from behind. Dewclaws, if any, on
the hind legs are generally removed. Feet as in front.
Coat
Smooth, short and close to the skin, not to be trimmed or de-whiskered.
Color
Red, fawn, white, black or blue, or any of these colors with white. Any
shade of brindle or any shade of brindle with white. Black-and-tan or liver
color to be disqualified.
Gait
Free, powerful and agile with economy of effort. Legs moving parallel when
viewed from front or rear. Discernible drive from hind legs.
Temperament
From the past history of the Staffordshire Bull Terrier, the modern dog
draws its character of indomitable courage, high intelligence, and tenacity.
This, coupled with its affection for its friends, and children in
particular, its off-duty quietness and trustworthy stability, makes it a
foremost all-purpose dog.
Disqualification
Black-and-tan or liver
color.
Effective January 1, 1990
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Loomis
Virginia Beach
