American Staffordshire Terrier vs Staffordshire Bull Terrier - Dog Breed Comparison

The AmStaff and Staffy, or American Staffordshire Terrier and Staffordshire Bull Terrier are two breeds of dogs that share a common ancestry but have distinct characteristics. These two breeds are also very oten confuse to each other.

The reason why these two dogs are so similar is their common ancestry. They are both descendants of dogs known as „Bull and Terrier“ a Bulldog and Terrier crosses commonly used for dog fighting in Great Britain and Ireland. The Bull and Terrier is a common ancestor to AmStaff, Staffie, but also to American Pit Bull Terrier, Bull Terrier and Boston Terrier.

On the other hand, there is also a reason, why these two dogs are not completely the same. While the Staffordshire Bull Terrier was developed by British breeders, the AmStaff was developed from Bull and Terrier descendants that arrived to USA in the second half of the 19th century. So for more than 100 years these two breeds are bred separately on each other, which causes some minor differences.

The first main difference is the size. The American Staffordshire Terrier is larger in both height and weight compared to the average Staffordshire Bull Terrier. You can see the size comparison on the screen right now and as you can see, the difference is quite big. So when these two dogs will stand next to each other, it is actually quite simple to distinquish them apart. The bigger one is AmStaff and the smaller one is Staffy.
But beside the size, the appearance is extremely similar. They have the same coat, muzzle, ears and eyes.

However, the body of the Staffordshire Bull Terrier is much more compact compared to the more athletic body of the American Staffordshire Terrier.

When we compare the temperament and personality of AmStaff and Staffy, we can also find some differences. It is true, that both dogs are smart, confident and good natured companions and that both are courageous, loyal and trustworthy.

Both dogs are also known to be very gentle with kids and overall with the whole family. For generations these dogs are not bred for agression anymore and indeed, none of them should be agressive without a reason and they are typically quite friendly towards strangers. But as you probably expect, this is also vastly influenced by early socialization and training.

There are some small differences as well. The AmStaff is typically better around other dogs and animals, while the Staffordshire Bull Terrier can have higher prey drive. The American Staffordshire Terrier is also slightly more sensitive than the even-tempered Staffordshire Bull Terrier. The Staffordshire Bull Terrier is often described as slightly more energetic and more playful breed, in comparison to slightly calmer AmStaff. But all these temperamental differences are rather subtle and the temperaments of both dogs is extremely similar.

Last but not least, lets compare the health and lifespan. The Staffordshire Bull Terrier has average lifespan around 13 years, while the American Staffordshire Terrier around 14 years. Both dogs suffer from similar health issues, such as hip dysplasia, skin allergies, cerebellar ataxia, luxating patella or congenital heart disease.

​In conclusion, these two breeds are extremely similar. The major difference is the size, which should be your main factor when choosing between these two dogs. Other than that, they are almost identical.