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.  

The Labrador Retriever is the most popular dog breed in the world, but did you know that there are two unofficial varieties of this lovely dog breed? The American and the English Labrador. Why i say unofficial? Well, officially, the english and american breed standard is essentially identical with one slight difference, which is the height – the American standard allows taller dogs than the brittish standard.
But even though the rest of the breed standards is basically the same, when you put English and American Labrador side by side, you will spot some important differences.
The English Labrador is typically stockier dog with shorter legs and deep barrell chest, wider neck and thick straight tail. On the other hand, the American Labrador looks much more athletic, they are thinner, taller and they have visibly longer legs. The tail is also thinner and can have a slight curl. You can also find some differences in face, because the American Labrador has longer muzzle and narrower face.
I would love to mention that this is a generalization and even pure English Labs can be very athletic with longer legs. This is my pure English Labrador i previously owned and most people would say that he was American Labrador. It is because every dog is different. Most of them will fit the criteria for English and American Labs i previously mentioned, but not all of them.
With that said, the difference between the American and English Labs goes deeper than height, body shape or face shape. There are even slight differences in temperament. Why? It is because of the differences in breeding practices in America and England.
The English Labrador was primarily bred for a long time for show and conformation and they are bred to fit the breed standard criteria as much as possible. On the other hand, the American Labrador was primarly bred for generations to be the best hunters companion, worker and retriever. This not only cause differences in appearance, but also in temperament. So what are those differences?
Well, British Labs are calmer, quieter, softer and less active as opposed to the American Labs generally being more active with higher energy and greater drive.
When i say it like this, it sounds that the difference is quite big, but these two varieties are much closer than most people think. Both – American and English Labs – share the same loving, eager to please, empathetic, gentle, trusting and outgoing temperament and the differences are rather subtle.
Vast majority of Labs, i would definitely say that more than 90% of them, lives as companion dogs today and for a good reason, they are just amazing companions. And you will not make a mistake if you will choose an American or English Labrador.
But if you are very very active person that loves long hikes, walks, jogs, swims, who would possibly do some kind of dog sport or maybe even go for a hunt with the dog, than the American Labrador is better choice.
If you are looking for calmer and more relaxed dog, than you should go for English Labrador. But even the English Labrador is active breed, be prepared for it. They still need daily longer walks, vigorous playtime or fun training sessions to stay in good mental and physical health. Neither of these two varieties are coach potatoes.
In conclusion, both types of Labs make terrific active family dogs and even though there are some slight differences between them, they are not that big. If you are ready to meet the exercise needs of Labrador and you want loving, trainable and always fun to be around companion, you will be happy with either American or English Lab.

Lets start with the visual differences. For me personally, these two dogs are easy to distinguish apart, especially thanks to their different body types. It is true, that both are big and powerful, but Rottweilers are considerably heavier and bulkier dogs, they are built more like a tank. On the other hand, the Doberman is on average slightly taller, but much more slender and they have more sleek appearance. You can see the size comparison on the screen right now. In general, the Rottweiler has more mastiff like appearance, while the Doberman is more compact and many people will agree, that they are much more elegant and noble looking dogs.
The body type is not the only visual difference. The Rottweiler has much bigger head with a square muzzle, compared to the longer muzzle of Doberman. Both breeds have naturally dropped ears, but especially in some countries, most Dobermans will have cropped ears, which is another major difference.
The coat color is another difference in appearance. It is true, that majority of Rotties and Dobies have black and tan coats, but Dobermans can also be in red and tan and unofficially in blue and tan, all black, red, white or blue.
Now lets jump into temperament comparison. Again, there are many similarities and both dogs are known for their loyalty, intelligence, courage and independence. But there are many differences and it is important to know them before choosing one of these dogs.
Of course, this is a generalization and dogs temperament is individual and vastly depends on early socialization, but in general, the Doberman is more alert and much more suspicious around strangers. That definitely does not mean that Rottweiler will welcome anyone into your home, but they are more chill around other people. Dobies seems to be always guarding, watching and checking its surroundings, while the Rottweiler is little bit more laid back and relaxed.
Both breeds share the history of working guarding dogs, but are they good companions? Well, of course they can make wonderful family companions. The Rottweilers are little bit more docile and cuddly, while the Doberman is more energetic, lively and playful and they are better choice for active people and active families.
Of course, none of these two dogs is a good choice for novices, due to their enormous strength and protectivness. But in the right hands, they can make superb companions.
The reason for some of the similarities is in the origin of both dogs. The Rottweiler is much older breed, with its ancestry dating back to Roman dogs that were brought to the area of todays Germany, where they were crossed with local dogs, especially around the southern Germany town Rottweil, hence the breeds name Rottweiler.
The Doberman is a much more recent development from about the turn of the 20th century. The foundation of the Dobe is the German Pinscher, but other breeds were added into the mix and next to Beauceron and Weimaraner, one of the breeds that was used in the creation of Doberman is the Rottweiler.
Last, but not least, lets compare the health of both breeds. Both dogs are prone to some more or less serious health problems. Both can suffer from joint problems such as hip dysplasia and they are both at risk of suffering gastric torsion. The Doberman is in danger of von Willebrand’s disease or cardiomyopathy but in general, Dobermans tend to outlive the heavier Doberman. The average lifespan of Dobie is around 11 years while the average lifspan of Rottie is only around 9 years.

 Poodles are one of the most popular dog breeds of all, mainly thanks to their high intelligence, non-shedding coat, elegance and active character. But did you know that there are three different Poodle types? The Standard, Toy and Miniature. 
First of all, lets explain why we have three different recognized Poodle breeds. The largest – Standard – Poodle is the original one. It is very old breed with its ancestry in Middle Ages and the exact origin is rather unknown. This dog was used mostly in Germany and France as a water retriever.
Later, french circuses discovered the talent and intelligence of Poodles and started using them for the circus shows. They needed slightly smaller dogs and they selectively bred down the Poodle in size to create what is now known as the Miniature Poodle.
The Toy Poodle is the latest variety, developed only in the 20th century. People loved Poodles, but they wanted them in smaller size so they can keep them as home companions. That is why breeders once again selectively bred Miniature and Standard Poodles down in size in order to achieve that. At first, many bad breeders were doing this, which led to unhealthy Toy Poodle dogs with unpropriate temperaments, but later, responsible breeders started breeding Toy Poodles and the Toy Poodle truly became a small replica of the Standard Poodle.
According to official breed standards, all three varieties are basically identical, except for the size. And indeed, the size is definitely the most important difference. You can see the size comparison on the screen right now and as you can see, the difference is very big.
All three Poodle breeds have the same almost non-shedding curly coat that comes in various colors, including white, black, brown, blue, gray, silver, cream or apricot. You can easily find Standard Poodles in all color varieties, but the smaller versions are most often found in white or cream. But all three breeds can be in all the mentioned colors.
Speaking of coat, lets mention grooming as well. As you probably know, Poodles need quite extensive grooming. It is recommended that you have your Poodle professionally groomed at least once every six weeks. But since the smaller Poodle breeds have less coat, their grooming is easier and cheaper. On contrary, grooming of Standard Poodle by professional services can be quite expensive.
BTW, interesting fact about Poodles is, that in the past, it was quite common to find Poodles with corded coats, but this variety is unfortunatelly extremely rare these days.
Now lets compare the temperaments of all three Poodle breeds. In theory, all three breeds should have identical temperament, which can be characterized as intelligent, sociable, energetic, faithful, alert and instinctual. But after speaking to relatively large number of Poodle owners, there were some repetitive answers which imply žý.
The Standard Poodles should in general be the most active and energetic and they are most often used as service dogs. The Miniature Poodle is still very active breed, but not to the extent of Standard Poodle. And logically, the Toy Poodle is the most laid back of these three breeds. So if you are looking for a very active companion, i would choose the Standard or perhaps the Miniature Poodle. If you are looking for a dog, that will be more suited as a typical household companion, i would choose the Toy Poodle.
This can not be said about barking. All three breeds are known to like barking, but it seems the smaller the Poodle is, the bigger barker it is.
This can be said about separation anxiety as well. All three Poodle breeds are known as total velcro dogs. They want to be everywhere with their owners. Sadly, they are also known to have separation anxiety. But this condition is quite rare in Standard Poodle, but you will find it very very often in Toy Poodles.
Last, but not least, lets talk about the health. As you can see on the screen, the Standard Poodle, like most large dogs, tending to be more short-lived in comparison to the smaller Miniature and Toy Poodle. But all three varieties tend to be pretty healthy. All of them can suffer from progressive retinal atrophy, catarats or Addison Disease. Especially the larger dogs can have problems with hip dysplasia or bloating. On the other hand, the Toy Poodles are known to suffer a lot from dental issues.
I would also love to mention, that there is a so called Teacup Poodle variety. This refers to extremely small Poodles, even smaller than Toy Poodles. But i would advice you to stay away from any breed that is called as teacup. Teacup breeding practices prioritize creating the smallest possible dog instead of a healthy dog. This can produce health issues ranging from fragile bones to dental problems to organ failure. Teacup dogs are extremely often unhealthy and by buying teacup dog you are most likely supporting unethical breeder.

 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.  

Today we will be comparing two hardworking herding dog breeds, the Australian Cattle Dog (also known as the Red or Blue Heeler) and the Australian Kelpie. These breeds share similar temperaments and personalities, and we'll explore their main differences and similarities.

Technically, the Australian Cattle Dog is primarily a cattle dog, while the Kelpie is a sheepdog. However, both breeds are versatile and capable of herding various farm animals.

Their origins trace back to British dogs, loosely referred to as collies, which were brought to Australia by early settlers. These dogs faced challenges adapting to the harsh Australian climate. While the exact ancestry is uncertain, it's believed that both breeds may have been crossed with local dogs, and there have been theories about Dingo ancestry as well, but this theory is uncertain.

As you can see, the history, purpose, temperament, and appearance of both breeds are remarkably similar, with more similarities than differences. They are hardworking, lively, somewhat independent, highly alert, loyal, and incredibly intelligent.

Of course, when we talk about the temperament, it is always a big generalization, but on average, it is said, that the Australian Cattle Dog is slightly more independent and lets say stubborn.

The Australian Cattle Dog also tends to have stronger guarding instincts and may be slightly more compatible with other household animals. However, early socialization plays a significant role in shaping their behavior.

But this does not mean, that the Kelpie is better family dog. I would actually say, that the Australian Cattle dog is slightly better for companionship, as Kelpie is just too demanding in terms of exercise and working needs.

Most of them would love to work all day every day. The Australian Cattle Dogs also needs plenty and plenty of physical exercise, but not to the extent of Kelpie.

That said, both dogs will prefer to live in a house with large yard, where they can stretch their legs whenever they want to. Both are extremely active.

Again, this is only a generalization and you will find dogs on both ends of the spectrum, However, Australian Cattle Dogs are generally considered to be slightly better with kids. They are outgoing, relatively gentle, and protective of little ones. Nonetheless, it's important to supervise interactions between any dog breed and very young children.

Now, let's discuss their appearance. The main differences lie in size and coat color. Take a look at the size comparison on the screen. As you can see, the Australian Cattle Dog is generally slightly taller and more robust than the Kelpie.

Both breeds have smooth, short, and dense double coats that shed quite a bit, so regular brushing is necessary. The difference in coat lies in coloration. Australian Cattle Dogs come in either red or blue, with mottled or speckled patterns, hence their nicknames, Red and Blue Heelers.

On the other hand, Australian Kelpies come in a wider variety of colors. They can be single-colored or have tan markings. Colors range from black, red, chocolate, blue, fawn, and cream, and they can also have a black and tan combination. Kelpies are not mottled or speckled.

It is important to say, that we are talking about breed standards. The working lines, particularly in Kelpies, may exhibit variations in coat, size, or facial features compared to the typical standardized Kelpie.