If you’re searching for a dog breed to raise with a playful and sweet personality, you can get yourself an American Staffordshire Terrier—also known as AmStaff. These terriers may look tough due to their thick muscles, but they can easily become attached to their dog owners and won’t hesitate to sit on their laps for cuddles. Also, these dogs are naturally friendly and can easily get along with the new people they meet.
Raising An American Staffordshire Terrier
When raising your own American Staffordshire Terrier, one of the primary things you’ll need to consider is having a spacious lawn for them to move around. Even if they are average in terms of size, they’re not fond of small living spaces. After all, they need to move around, exercise frequently, and play as much as they want to. If those needs aren’t satisfied, an AmStaff may start to show stubbornness and rambunctiousness.
And that’s just the beginning. There’s more to know about raising a happy and healthy American Staffordshire Terrier, and the following tips can help you out.
Food And Nutrition
To ensure your AmStaff stays healthy and happy, you’ll need to pay close attention to its diet and nutrition. Like all dogs, your pup requires a well-balanced diet to stay in shape and preserve its naturally high energy level. Don’t hesitate to consult a veterinarian to have an inkling regarding your pet’s meal plans and diet options.
Some AmStaff owners may choose to feed their dogs with commercial dog food, while others would prefer giving their pets raw or homemade meals. Plenty of meat is good for your AmStaff but ensure that they’re getting fresh and high-quality meats.
Avoid feeding your dog with cheap dog foods packed with additives, artificial ingredients, and fillers. When feeding your pet, make sure their food serving is suitable for their size, activity level, and age. You can always contact your vet for more guidance about your dog’s portion size.
Daily Exercise
As mentioned before, your dog requires daily physical activity and exercise. Having your dog exert physical effort through play and exercise allows it to keep its body and mind healthy.
Aside from those benefits, letting your AmStaff have its outdoor activities will prevent it from getting bored. Always remembered that boredom in pets can easily result in unfavorable behavior. Unlike most dogs, remember that AmStaffs requires tons of exercise and physical activities. A simple ten-minute walk down the street will not be enough for your dog.
To give you some ideas on what can fulfill your AmStaff’s physical activity needs, below are two popular choices.
Playtime at the Beach or Park
If you think your living room or your backyard is not spacious enough for your Amstaff, you can always bring it for playtime at the beach or a park. Both are excellent places for your AmStaff to freely run around and socialize with other dogs if they want to. Not only that both are spacious, but sand, grass, and soil will work as excellent cushions for your dog’s joints, so you can save yourself some worry for any injury despite them running around wildly.
Water Games
Water games are also perfect for keeping your AmStaff happy and active. They automatically feel excited whenever they interact or play with water, be it from your garden hose, the ocean, or from a pool. It’s also best to teach your American Staffordshire Terrier how to swim once they’re six months old so you can take them swimming when the weather’s fine.
Grooming
Another way to keep your dog healthy and in good shape is by looking after its cleanliness and grooming. Frequent brushing of their coat can help keep them clean and reduce shedding. As you brush their hair, take this time to check for any fleas or ticks, especially during the summer season.
Thankfully, American Staffordshire Terriers are not high-maintenance. And because of that, you don’t need to bathe your dog a lot of times in a year. But since fleas and ticks are common for AmStaffs, especially during hot months, you may want to consult your vet for any recommendations to keep your pet free from fleas and ticks during the summer season.
Housing And Beddings
Of course, your AmStaff will need its comfortable spot to rest and sleep in. You can make it its dog bed or shelter out of a wooden box. Once built, place a clean cushion or pillow in their bed to keep their muscles relaxed and well-rested after a long day of playing.
Since AmStaffs are often outdoors under the sun, make sure you also provide your dog a place with enough shade to rest during the summer. At the same time, provide it with a covered shelter for the winter season. Most importantly, ensure that its resting place or dog bed is spacious enough for its size.
Health Issues
The American Staffordshire Terriers are often at risk for eye problems like progressive retinal atrophy (PRA). With that, it’s essential to have your AmStaff screened by your vet for any health conditions such as this eye disorder. Moreover, remember that this breed is also prone to allergies. If you see any flaky and reddish skin in your dog, be sure to consult your dog’s vet.
To ensure your AmStaff is happy and in optimal health, it’s best to make it a standard routine to visit the vet and have your pet scanned for any eye problems and potential skin allergies. You can discuss with your vet about topical ointments to ease irritation in case allergies may occur.
Takeaway
The American Staffordshire Terrier is a highly energetic, affectionate, and intelligent pet. They’re not as demanding as the other breeds in terms of grooming and maintenance. However, they’ll need regular exercise and frequent outdoor playtimes to keep them happy and healthy. So, use this trait as your opportunity to spend more time with your AmStaff outdoors to boost its health while getting yourself some exercise. Most importantly, this will also strengthen and nurture your bond with each other.
Love our content? Share it with a friend or link it to social media. Like short clips of cute household pets? Training tips? Follow us on instagram @nydognanny or on YouTube at nydognanny. Have some news you needs to get to dog and cat parents stat? Email info@newyorkdognanny.com with your article pitch.
