American Staffordshire Terrier

GENERAL APPEARANCE

The AST must give the impression of great strength: it is a well-built and muscular dog, yet agile and elegant. It should be compact, not kinky or tucked up. He is smart and his courage is evident.

HEAD

High of medium length; broad skull; very pronounced zygomatic muscles, well defined stop; high-set ears.

EARS

They may or may not be cut, but cut is preferable. IF uncut, they should be short, pink and raised. Completely drooping ears will be penalized.

EYES

Dark in color, round, set low and well separated. Depigmented eyelids will be penalized.

SNOUT

Of medium length, rounded at the top and falling sharply below the eyes. Well defined jaws. The jaw must be strong with powerful bites. Lips close and even, without looseness. Upper incisors in contact with the anterior part of the lower incisors. Definitely black nose. (scissor bite).

NECK

Heavy, slightly arched, tapering from shoulders to base of skull. Not loose skin. Average compliance.

SHOULDERS

Strong and muscular. Shoulders broad and oblique.

BACK

Reasonably short. Slight slope from the withers to the croup, which has a short, gentle slope to the base of the tail. Loin slightly arched.

BODY

Ribs arched, elongated backwards, well joined together. Forelegs far enough apart at set to allow development of chest, which is deep and broad.

TAIL

Short, set on low, tapering towards the end, which is thin. Does not curl, does not rise over the back, does not cut.

MEMBERS

Forelegs straight, bones strong and round, metacarpals upright, front part should not show any curvature. Hind limbs very muscular, hocks low and not turned in and out. Feet of medium size, well curved and compact. Agile step, the dog must not have been swaying.

COAT

Hair short, tight, hard to the touch, shiny.

COLOR

All colors are accepted: solid, partcolor or piebald. In any case, only dogs with more than 80% of their body white or liver colors will be penalized.

SIZE

The weight is in relation to the size, the ideal dimensions vary between 45 to 48 cm for males and 43 to 45 cm for females.

DEFECTS

Unpigmented noses, light eyes (unless dogs with a gray coat, the eyes will follow the coat color) or unpigmented eyelids, tails that are too long or badly carried are penalised.

GROUP 3 – TERRIER
SECTION C – BULL TYPE
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN – UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
NAME IN COUNTRY OF ORIGIN – AMERICAN STAFFORDSHIRE TERRIER