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If the UK have the Staffordshire Bull Terrier (Staffie), the US have its American counterpart, the American Staffordshire Terrier. The US version, also called Amstaff, is of terrier and molosser bloodline and its ancestry links back to the bull-baiting history of the 1800s England. It is a second cousin to the American Pit Bull Terrier (APBT), a breed that has a notorious bull-baiting reputation.

As animal welfare was practiced in the UK, bull baiting became illegal and therefore breeders have to transport these fighter dogs in order to save their legacy. In the US, it was the English and Irish who continued the fight games only this time it was dog pit fights. Unfortunately, the dog fighting did not flourish like in the UK, however, the breeding of these dogs still continued for the purpose of developing calmer and human friendlier companion breeds.

In the US, the Amstaff became an all around dog, serving the pioneers in new homesteads, ranches and farms. The breed then was used for farm work, as guard dogs, house pets and hunters of bears, wild pigs and other larger games. Today, the Amstaff are not much used for these tasks but instead, their owners train and prepare them to join dog sports competitions.

The Amstaffs are hardworking, agile, docile and quick learners. They can learn tricks quite easily and are sensitive to the master's orders therefore they excel at competitions. Most times, you will see Amstaffs joining obedience and agility competitions and tracking and conformation games.

At home, Amstaffs make incredible companion dogs as they are obedient and sensitive to the orders of their masters. They can pick up all forms of behaviors and tends to emulate them. This is good and bad in a sense that if the master show good actions, the Amstaff will tend to be good but if a negative behavior is displayed, the Amstaff will tend to act unfavorably, too.

The stance of this breed is an obvious demonstration of great power, high endurance and regality that they tend to appear unapproachable. On the inside, the Amstaffs are courageous, intelligent, and determined at the same time friendly, loyal and intensely devoted. This breed makes an outstanding watchdog and guard dog, too, since they are sensitive to the slightest kind of noise.

Physically, the Amstaff breed is short and stocky with a strong and well- built head. The coat is short, tight, glossy and coarse to the touch. It may come in colors of any solid, patched or parti colors but all white, tan, black and liver are not well-accepted.

Some believes that the APBT and Amstaff are the same breeds but they are different actually. Despite some similarities, they are different in built and bloodline. In the US, however, the AKC allows an APBT to be registered again as an Amstaff and vice versa.