An American Staffordshire Terrier, also fondly referred to as an American staffy, is a well-loved choice for a house pet. Its looks can be deceiving. It appears very fierce on the outside. But on the inside, you’ll actually come across a sweet and loving, domesticated four-legged friend. As long as caring for one fits your home and lifestyle, there isn’t any reason why you should shy away from this choice for a pet.
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Like any dog, however, when you decide to bring home one, you have to be ready to take responsibility for taking care of your American Staffordshire Terrier. It’s not too different from having a new baby that you need to care for, love, and nurture. Your staffy also needs to feel like it belongs to your home, where it can lead a comfortable life.
With that said, here’s everything you need to know about caring for your American staffy:
A Run-Through Of Essential Facts
For you to be able to give the best care to your new dog, it’s important to equip yourself with some background knowledge on the American staffy. Here are some fast facts that you must know first about this particular breed:
- It’s a breed of dog characterized as courageous, people-friendly, and fun-loving;
- It’s best suited for families or fur parents who can commit to caring for it, as these dogs demand regular exercise and companionship (but really, if you’re a serious dog lover, you should provide these to any dog);
- It needs space, preferably an outdoor yard, where it can run around during the day;
- It was originally bred as show dogs and loyal family companions.
The Common Diseases That American Staffordshire Terriers Can Get
Like any dog breed, your American staffy can be at risk of certain diseases. Hence the need to take good care of it and feed it a healthy diet.
These are the diseases that an American Staffordshire Terrier can normally get, so you’ve got to be cautious about them:
- Obesity – This happens especially when you don’t give your dog the chance to run around, walk, or exercise regularly.
- Dental disease – This dog breed has a high chance of developing dental diseases compared with other dogs. This begins when a buildup of tartar starts on the teeth, and then it progresses as an infection on the roots of the teeth and the gums
- Parasites – This happens when your dog regularly drinks unclean water or gets bitten by a parasite-infected mosquito.
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Ask a Vet Live NowProper Socialization As A Puppy
Even when your American Staffordshire Terrier is still a puppy, you’ll have to make sure it gets to socialize with other dogs.
If there are other dogs around your area, or if you know of other dog parents that walk their pets in the nearby park at certain hours, then bring your staffy out so it can socialize. These dogs need interaction with other dogs to stay emotionally healthy. Otherwise, they might feel immediately isolated in your home, especially when you leave for a few hours in the day to work.
The Need To Spay Or Neuter
One of the best decisions you can make to keep your American staffy healthy is to have it spayed or neutered. Of course, that’s if you don’t intend on breeding it, or you just want to have it as a household pet.
When you spay or neuter your dog, you potentially reduce its risk of developing certain cancers. Of course, most importantly, you prevent them from getting pregnant or fathering unwanted puppies. If you’re reading this from a country or place where there are still so many stray dogs out in the streets, then this is something you should absolutely consider.
Obedience Classes As A Plus
If they’re available where you’re from, then it’s also a good idea to send your dog over to an obedience or dog training school. This is also a good idea if you’ve got kids at home, as training your dog early on can make them more obedient and domesticated.
This goes beyond just teaching them to do tricks. It’s also teaching them to go outside when it’s time to potty, or to eat only at a designated area in your home. Overall, the expense and effort of training your American Staffordshire Terriers will be worth it when caring for it doesn’t feel too much like an added chore.
Conclusion
With this care guide, you should gain more confidence that bringing home an American Staffordshire Terrier is a task that you can take on. Yes, it’s safe to consider it a task, because surely you won’t just bring one home and then take the easy and lazy route of leaving it on its own. A staffy can be a loyal friend, as long as you also give them a good reason to trust that they belong as a beloved new member of your family.
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Tom
Tom has always loved to write since he was little - he wanted to be either a writer or a veterinary doctor, but he ended up being a professional writer while most of his works are based on animals. He was born in San Francisco but later moved to Texas to continue his job as a writer. He graduated from the University of San Francisco where he studied biotechnology. He is happily married and a soon to be father!
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