Breed Standard
By The
Australia National Kennel Council
Country of Origin: United States of America
General Appearance: The Great American Staffordshire Terrier should give the impression of great strength for his size, a well put-together dog, muscular, but agile and graceful. He should be stocky, not long legged or racy in outline.
Characterisitics: {Not Specified}
Temperament: Keenly alive to his surroundings. His courage is proverbial.
Head and Skull: Head of medium length, deep through, broad skull, vey pronounced cheek muscules, distinct stop. Muzzle medium length, rounded on the upper side to fall away abruptly below eyes. Jaws well defined. Underjaw to be strong and have biting power. Lips close and even, no looseness. Nose definitely black, Dudley nose undesirable.
Eyes: Dark and round, low down in skull set far apart. Light or pink eyes undesirable. No pink eyelids.
Ears: Should be short or head half rose or prick. Set high. Full drop to be penalised.
Mouth: Upper teeth to meet tightly outside lower teeth in the front. Undershot or overshot mouths undesirable.
Neck: Heavy, slightly arched, tapering from shoulders to back of skull. No looseness of skin. Medium length.
Forequaters: Should be strong and muscular with blades wide and sloping. The front legs should be straight, large or round bones, pasterns upright. No resemblance of bend in the front. Forelegs set rather wide apart to permit chest development.
Body: Back fairly short. Slightly sloping from withers to rump with gentle short slope at rump to base of tail. Well sprung ribs, deep in rear. All ribs close together. Chest deep and broad. Loins slightly tucked.
Hindquarters: Well musculed, let down at hocks, turning neither in nor out.
Feet: Of moderate size, well arched and compact.
Tail: Short in comparisonto size, low set, tapering to a fine point, not curled or held over back. Not docked. Tail too long or badly carried undesirable.
Gait or Movement: Must be springy but without roll or pace.
Coat: Short, close, stiffto the touch and glossy.
Colour: any colour, solid, parti or patched is permissible, but all white, more than 80% white, black and tan, and liver not to be encouraged.
Size: Height and weight should be in proportion. Height in dogs approx 46-48cms : 18 - 19 inches at the shoulders. And bitches approx 43 -46 cms : 17- 18 inches at shoulders is considered preferable.
Faults: Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to it's degree.
Note: Male animals should have two apparent normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.