American Staffordshire Bull Terrier (AmStaff)
The AmStaff originated from the English Staffordshire Bull Terrier but progressively bred to be a larger stockier dog in the US. Whilst it shares some history or foundation breeds with both the English Staffy and the American Pitbull it has long been considered and registered as a distinct breed.
There are however many intentional or accidental cross breeds that will be called AmStaff’s as well as dogs of other breeds such as Pitbull’s that may be called AmStaff’s to avoid restrictions. This can lead to some variability in what is perceived as an AmStaff and or its characteristics.
There are no restrictions on ownership or movements of AmStaff’s in Australia but there can be a perception of them being an aggressive or dangerous dog.
Despite the breeds characteristics describing it as being somewhat brachycephalic in skull type, the AmStaff is not generally considered a brachycephalic breed and is not typically affected by BOAS. Many Bully breeds tend to have a wide range of breed characteristics due to their recent development and competition between breeders for a specific look or type. This leads to there being some individuals within those types that may have shorter muzzles and which do suffer from some BOAS symptoms when under stress. This is less evident in the AmStaff due to a longer history than more recently developed Bully types.
As with all dogs, but more particularly with Bully type breeds predominantly from the US and which include foundation breeds bred for fighting it is important that dogs are well assessed before transport. During transport dogs will be housed adjacent to many other dogs and handled by a variety of people. Those that are not well socialised or show ANY signs of dog or human reactivity or aggression should not be transported on our standard Express services and may be better suited to a more personalised and planned service if possible.
