FCI -Standard N° 286 / 01.12.1997/ GB AMERICAN STAFFORDSHIRE TERRIERORIGIN : 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. Chest : 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 descended into the scrotum. |