Amstaff vs Pit Bull - American Staffordshire Terrier vs American Pit Bull Terrier - Dog Breed Comparison

 Amstaffs and Pitbulls – two extremely similar, i would say almost identical dog breeds. But are they really the same? And if not, what is the difference?
Before we start, i would like to clarify, that by Amstaff i mean American Staffordshire Terrier and by Pitbull i mean American Pit Bull Terrier. I think it is important clarification, because the term Pitbull can be used to basically any dog breed that was developed from dogs previously known as „bull and terriers“ and this category would include even the Amstaff, American Bully or Staffordshire Bull Terrier.
To make it even more confusing, both breeds are purebred as one can be registered by the AKC and second by the UKC and the confusing thing is, that the breed standards are basically identical. And to make it even more confusing, the American Staffordshire Terrier officially registered in AKC can be dual registered with UKC registry for show purposes. So officially, these two dogs truly are the same.
But in reality, there might be some slight differences. To understand the little differences, it is important to understand the breeds history. Both dogs can trace their origin to dogs that are known as bull and terriers. These dogs fond their way into America in the middle of the 19th century and most often they were used for the cruel dog fighting. The Pit Bull was officially recognized by the UKC in 1898 and the AmStaff was recognized by the AKC in 1936, but even then, these two dogs were still identical.
The real change happened, when the AKC opened a stud book for the AmStaff, which was in 1960s or 1970s. So today, it is more than 60 years since when the AmStaff breeding is completely separated from American Pit Bull Terrier and that is more than enough time to make a slight difference.
Simply put, the American Pit Bull Terrier remained similar to the original dogs, they are typically slightly smaller in terms of weight, but more agile and explosive. They tend to have stronger drive, they are slightly more agressive and energetic.
On the other hand the AmStaff is for decades bred for the show ring. This makes the dog more calm and less drivey. The selective breeding also makes them bigger and stockier, with thicker legs.
American Staffordshire Terriers typically possess a broader head with well-defined cheek muscles, giving them a distinctive appearance. In contrast, Pitbulls often have a more streamlined head shape and a narrower muzzle.
You can see that the Pit bull looks more like a working dog while the Amstaff more like a show dog. The AmStaff is focused more on meeting a specific idealized aesthetics and the APBT should be more focused on functionality and drive.
It is also important to say, that while the Amstaffs are bred strictly to the breed standard and it is not easy to officially register an Amstaff, this is not the case with Pit Bulls. This is causing a big variety in Pit Bulls in their appearance and temperament and clearly a lot of mixed breeds are registered as pure American Pit Bull Terriers in the UKC nowadays.
But in general, both dogs should be confident, intelligent, watchful, alert, self-composed, courageous, and hopelessly devoted to their families. They should NOT be agressive without a reason, contrary to popular belief that all bully breeds are agressive. For decades, pure Amstaffs and Pitbulls are not bred for agression anymore. This said, it is still extremely important to proper socialize and train them from the puppyhood as these dogs are extremely strong and with the wrong guide, they might become problematic. And you dont want to have misbehaved dog with the power of American Staffordshire Terrier or American Pit Bull Terrier. This is a reason why i would never recommend neither of these two dogs to unexperienced owners.
So in conclusion, the American Staffordshire Terriers and American Pit Bull Terriers are not completely identical, but they are extremely similar and for un-trained eye they are basically the same.