| General Impression: |
The American Staffordshire Terrier should give
the impression of great strength for his size, a well put-together dog,
muscular, but agile and graceful, keenly alive to his surroundings.
He should be stocky, not long-legged or racy in outline. His courage
is proverbial. |
| Head: |
Medium length, deep through, broad skull, very
pronounced cheek muscles, distinct stop; and ears are set high. |
| Ears: |
Cropped or uncropped, the latter
preferred. Uncropped ears should be short and held rose or half
prick. Full drop to be penalized |
| Eyes: |
Dark and round, low down in skull and set far
apart. No pink eyelids. |
| Muzzle: |
Medium length, rounded on upper side to fall
away abruptly below eyes. Jaws well defined. Under jaw to be
strong and have biting power. Lips close and even, no
looseness. Upper teeth to meet tightly outside lower teeth in
front. Nose definitely black. |
| Neck: |
Heavy, slightly arched, tapering from shoulders
to back of skull. No looseness of skin. Medium length. |
| Shoulders: |
Strong and muscular with blades wide and
sloping. |
| Back: |
Fairly short. Slight sloping from withers to
rump with gentle short slope at rump to base of tail. Loins slightly
tucked. |
| Body: |
Well-sprung ribs, deep in rear. All ribs
close together. Forelegs set rather wide apart to permit chest
development. Chest deep and broad. |
| Tail: |
Short in comparison to size, low set, tapering
to a fine point; not curled or held over back. Nor docked. |
| Legs: |
The front legs should be straight, large or
round bones, pastern upright. No resemblance of bend in front.
Hindquarters well muscled, let down at hocks, turning neither in nor
out. Feet of moderate size, well-arched and compact. Gait must
be springy but without roll or pace. |
| Coat: |
Short, close, stiff to the touch, and glossy. |
| Color: |
Any color, solid, parti, or patched is
permissible, but all white, more than 80% white, black and tan, and liver
not to be encouraged. |
| Size: |
Height and weight should be in proportion.
A height of about 18 to 19 inches at shoulders for the male and 17 to 18
inches for the female is to be considered preferable. |
| Faults: |
Faults to be penalized are: Dudley nose,
light or pink eyes, tail too long or badly carried, undershot or overshot
mouths. |