History

  The American Staffordshire can be traced with reasonable certainty to late 18th Century England. Where Bull Baiting, a variety of other baiting sports, and dog fighting were all common pastimes.  In an effort to produce ever more efficient fighting machines, numerous crosses between bulldogs and working terriers were carried out over a period of several decades. The products of these crosses as early as 1806 have a striking resemblance to today's American Staffordshire Terrier.  In 1835 with the passage of Cruelty to Animals Acts, Baiting, Dog Fighting and other blood sports were outlawed and driven underground   About 1860, the white Bull Terrier emerged as a distinct off shoot of the basic Bull-and-Terrier.  The originator of this cousin of the American Staffordshire Terrier was James Hinks, founder of the Bull Terrier.  James Hinks bred the white Bull Terrier using a combination of the bull-and-terrier, and the white English terrier (now extinct)

The Breed in the United States  1850-1930

Many dogs were brought to America before 1860.  The great dog,” Spring” was imported by McCaffrey in 1857.  In 1880, "Cockney" Charlie Floy imported, “Paddy” and “Pilot”.  Both destined to win fame in the fighting pits of the northeast. In 1898, the United Kennel Club was founded in Michigan, by C. Bennett, for the purpose of registering the American Pit Bull Terrier.  Owned by such famous persons as John L. Sullivan and Theodore Roosevelt, make the breed one of the most popular dogs during the first quarter of the Century ."Pete" the famous dog with the ring around his eye of the "Our Gang Comedies" was the first staff registered by the American Kennel Club in 1936. .  The American Pit Bull Terrier Club, founded in 1921 in Clay Centre, Kansas, published a standard from which the present day standard is derived. While the American Pit Bull Terrier and the American Bull Terrier was being developed in this country, the English continued to develop their version of the Pit Bull.  This dog distinctively smaller and somewhat different type, was recognized in 1935 by the British Kennel Club under the name Staffordshire Bull Terrier.

  Modern History

  By 1930 a number of fanciers of the American Pit Bull Terrier began to work towards American Kennel club recognition.  The man most responsible for achieving recognition was Wilfred T. Brandon. The original petition, under the name "American Bull Terrier" was denied, in part. At this time, Captain Will Judy, publisher of "Dog World" magazine proposed the name "Yankee Terrier" but this was also denied.  A compromise was therefore reached and the breed was recognized in 1936 as the Staffordshire Terrier The final step occurred in the early 1970's as a result of the recognition by AKC of the Staffordshire Bull Terrier. The name AKC offered "American Staffordshire Terrier" as the final designation of the Staffordshire Terrier.

                                                                     Back                                     The American Staffordshire Terrier.
Published in 1977
by: H. Richard Pascoe