Physical Differences Between Amstaff & Apbt

[GABBA]

Today i saw two dogs jump a fence (from one house to another), it was a 5 foot wooden fence, and after they jumped it there was only a small 4 foot fence between me and the dogs. Now i wasn't sure if they were APBTs or AMSTAFFs, i would like to know, are there any physical differences between the two breeds or is it simply a case of "one was bread for showing while the other was for fighting'? (if that is the case then as far as im concerned they are essentially the same dog)

[Janba]

I can't answer you question as I don't know if I could pick an amstaff from a pitty with accuracy and in a way it is irrelevant. Just because a dog can jump a 5 foot fence or because it may be a pitbull doen't mean it will jump a 4 foot fence to attack or harrass you or your dogs. The dogs may be in the habit of visiting next door to play or be fed etc but have no desire to escape.

[Alyosha]

"one was bread for showing while the other was for fighting'? (if that is the case then as far as im concerned they are essentially the same dog)

Nope and nope.

Some people do essentially class them as the same dog, not technically true. They share a background. Someone more knowledgable than me on the subject will no doubt pop in and explain at length...

Responsible breeders of either do not breed for fighting. ANY breed CAN be bred for fighting, if they are unfortunate enough to fall into those sorts of hands.

Lots of breeds share history with other breeds. Lots of breeds came from stock designed to do things that are no longer socially acceptable. That doesn't mean that those breeds are no good at doing what they do now - being pets and companions. This is what responsible owners of any breed strive for with their dogs, whether they are pit bulls, chows or whippets (trying for some random breeds here!).

[geo]

Today i saw two dogs jump a fence (from one house to another), it was a 5 foot wooden fence, and after they jumped it there was only a small 4 foot fence between me and the dogs. Now i wasn't sure if they were APBTs or AMSTAFFs, i would like to know, are there any physical differences between the two breeds or is it simply a case of "one was bread for showing while the other was for fighting'? (if that is the case then as far as im concerned they are essentially the same dog)

Have you read the other threads on this issue? or are you wanting to cause a big debate..? did 2 dogs really jump that fence..? search the net and make your own mind up, a good place to start is workingpitbull.com, there you'll find examples of working dogs (eg huskies) then pictures of their show dog counterparts and they look entirely different, barely similar infact.

Opinions vary greatly, look at several amstaff breeder websites you'll see different styles that they have bred for, some small some very large..

same for pits, some big some small, some where the breeder doesn't care about looks just functionality, in fact any pitbull breeeder breeding for looks may as well breed amstaffs.

It's like trying to identify a snake by it's colour alone which will definately get you into trouble.

[GABBA]

I see. Firstly I'll address geo, why would I come here and make up a story, I've recently purchased a dog and I use this forum to get tips and advice (see my other posts) on raising/feeding him, so I use this forum for that. I have no intrest in starting a debate or defaming any breed. This is the situation, as is.

I do know what you mean though, German shepards are a good example, with some lines being good for show, the other for working (police, etc)

As for jumping the fence, I'll elaborate, When they jumped the 5 foot fence into the neighbours yard, ran up to us, as this happened a guy from the house yelled "Get out of my f***** yard" and the bolted back to their yard, two seconds later they jumped back over and ran up to us again. The guy in the house then saw us and said how he hated them - so I don't think they were there to be fed.

I have a cousin with an amstaff and he's a good dog, so take this thread at face value - I just want to know if there are any physical differences? (eg: husky and malamute, similar but different)

Edited May 30, 2010 by GABBA

[Aussienot]

If you sincerely care about the differences between the two breeds, here's a link that explains the difference in type and function. Differences in Bull Breeds

At the end of the article there are a few points about the physical differences, but I doubt that the average unexperienced person could accurately pick whether a particular dog was one or the other. I've looked at the breed standards for each breed, and don't see a magic Ah Ha! feature that splits them.

Since the dogs live two doors away, is asking the owner which breed they are out of the question? And is it the behaviour of the dogs that concern you, or the breed?

[Greytmate]

To answer your question.

An Amstaff is supposed to meet this standard, and a well-bred one won't be too far off this.

Amstaff Standard

A pitbull isn't bred to that standard, so is less likely to look like that. It might have a red or liver skin pigment instead of a dark one, but not all are like that.

Different lines of pitbulls have different looks, and there are some that are so badly bred that the 'line' produces a range of types. But they are not a recognised breed in Australia, and you cannot always identify a pitbull beyond doubt.

[aussielover]

I can't answer you question as I don't know if I could pick an amstaff from a pitty with accuracy and in a way it is irrelevant. Just because a dog can jump a 5 foot fence or because it may be a pitbull doen't mean it will jump a 4 foot fence to attack or harrass you or your dogs. The dogs may be in the habit of visiting next door to play or be fed etc but have no desire to escape.

Well even if their intention is to only to play, it is still not really acceptable the dogs are jumping the fence- I mean isn't the purpose of the fence to contain the dogs? What if soemthing DID excite them one day?

HOWEVER, the breed really has nothing to do with the fact that the dogs are jumping the fence.

You should speak to the owner about them containing their dogs.

To answer the OP's question - I personally couldn't tell a pitty from an amstaff, other people have suggested some good links though. Personally I have always thought of amstaffs being larger though... I am probably soooo wrong though.

Edited May 31, 2010 by aussielover

[GeckoTree]

Since seeing all the time people saying on here if you want a "legal pitbull' then go the get an amstaff because there is no difference, and seeing a video of an ACO who classified a pure breed pedigreed Amstaff as a pit bull by physical dimensions alone I would say no not really any physical differences.

[Zhou Xuanyao]

Mate, this was answered in detail a few weeks ago there is a long thread in general about it.

[GABBA]

Finally getting somewhere. I was always under the impression that the amstaff was a bigger/more solid dog. They are a different breed so surley there are some differences.

As for the dogs, I don't live anywhere near them, the house abutts a park, so while I was there I saw them.

It's funny how quickly people get defensive when anyone even mentions pit bill and amstaff together. They are dog breeds and this is a dog forum.

[Roguedog]

Gabba, everyone is still probably defensive due to the APBT thread that recently disappeared. To answer your question without any defensiveness, I tend to find amstaffs are more stockier and APBTs are finer boned, a proper purebred amstaff will usually weigh between 23-30kgs, a proper pure bred APBT will usually only weigh between 15-25kgs. amstaffs also dont come with the liver or red nose colouration (it does pop up occasionally but not often)

also if you are worried about these dogs possibly jumping the fence next time to get to you, I would just avoid the area. prevention is better than a cure (i.e. better to avoid the area than to risk your dog possibly getting scared or hurt if the dogs jump the 4ft fence).

I hope this helps!

[Rysup]

Amstaffs should NOT be bigger, but often they are. Seems most breeders think bigger is better. Does not say that in the standard though!

[Tatelina]

I want to read this thread that has disappeared... was it full of the usual ignorance and arm-chair experts? Or was it worth reading?

[GABBA]

Ah ok, yeh I'm not aware of this other thread either. To be honest I don't know much regard the apbt or the amstaff. I always though amstaffs were alot heavier though, in the 40kg range...As for the area, something should be done with the fence, regardless of the breed, be it pit bull, amstaff, gsd, Rottweiler, etc