FCI -Standard N° 286 / 01.12.1997/ GB

AMERICAN STAFFORDSHIRE TERRIER


ORIGIN: U.S.A.

DATE OF PUBLICATION OF THE VALID ORIGINAL STANDARD: 03.09.1996.


FCI CLASSIFICATION: Group 3 Terriers.
Section 3 Bull type Terriers.
Without working trial.

GENERAL APPEARANCE: The 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.

CRANIAL REGION:
Skull: broad.
Stop: Distinct.

FACIAL REGION:
Nose: Definitely black.
Muzzle: Medium length, rounded on upper side to fall away abruptly below the eyes.
Lips: Close and even; no looseness.
Jaws/Teeth: Well defined. Under jaw strong and to have biting power. Upper teeth to meet tightly outside lower teeth in front.
Cheeks: Very pronounced cheek muscles.
Eyes: Dark, round, low down in skull, set far apart. No pink eyelids.
Ears: Set high. Cropped or uncropped, the latter preferred. Uncropped ears should be short and held rose or half prick. Full drop to be penalized.

NECK: Heavy, slightly arched, tapering from shoulders to back of skull. No looseness of skin. Medium length.

BODY:
Topline: Back fairly short. Slight sloping from withers to rump with gentle short slope at rump to base of tail.
Loins: Slightly tucked.
Ches : Deep and broad. Well sprung ribs; close together, deep in rear.

TAIL: Short in comparison to size, low set, tapering to fine point; not curled or carried over back. Not docked.

LIMBS:

FOREQUARTERS: Front legs straight, with large bones. Set rather wide apart to permit chest development.
Shoulders: Strong and muscular, with blades wide and sloping. Pastern : Upright.

HINDQUARTERS: Well muscled.
Hocks: Let down, turning neither in nor out.

FEET: Of moderate size, well arched and compact.

GAIT / MOVEMENT: Springy but without roll or pace.

COAT

HAIR: Short, close, stiff to the touch, glossy.

COLOUR: Any colour, solid, particolour, or patched is permissible; but 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 eighteen to nineteen inches (46 - 48 cm) at the shoulder for the male and seventeen to eighteen inches (43 - 46 cm) for the female to be considered preferable.

FAULTS: Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree.
• Dudley nose.
• Undershot or overshot mouth.
• Light eyes.
• Pink eyelids.
• Tail too long or badly carried.

Any dog clearly showing physical or behavioural abnormalities shall be disqualified.

N.B.: Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully de