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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. Underjaw
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. Not 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 per cent 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.
Approved June 10, 1936 |
