American Staffordshire Terrier vs American Bulldog

Compare the American Staffordshire Terrier to the American Bulldog. Use the tool below to compare temperament, size, personality, maintenance requirements, and everything else between American Staffordshire Terriers and American Bulldogs.

Quick Summary

Below are a few quick comparisons between the two breeds.

Owner Experience - The American Staffordshire Terrier is an okay choice for new or inexperienced owners, but the American Bulldog is not recommended for new owners.
Children - Both the American Staffordshire Terrier and American Bulldog are great with children.
Grooming - Both the American Staffordshire Terrier and American Bulldog are very low maintenance and easy to groom.
Barking - The American Staffordshire Terrier bark/howls frequently. The American Bulldog has an average level of barking.

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American Staffordshire Terrier vs American Bulldog

Breed Name	American Staffordshire Terrier	American Bulldog
General Details
Breed Type	Purebred	Purebred
Is Hypoallergenic	No	No
Lifespan	12-14 yrs.	10-16 yrs.
Height	17-80 in.	20-28 in.
Weight	45-70 lb	60-120 lb
Intelligence	Below Average	Below Average
History
Origin Country	United States	United States
Origin Year	1890 AD	1700 AD
Temperament
Overall Friendliness	Very Good	Good
Family Friendly	Very Good	Very Good
Kid Friendly	Very Good	Very Good
Pet Friendly	Below Average	Below Average
Stranger Friendly	Very Good	Below Average
Personality
	Affectionate Loving Does Not Like Being Alone Likes To Snuggle Willing To Please	Affectionate Aggressive Enjoys Attention Jealous Loving Stubborn
Living Environment
Apartment	Yes	Yes
Indoor	No	Yes
Small Yard	No	Yes
Medium Yard	Yes	Yes
Large Yard	Yes	Yes
Temperature Tolerance ¹	40°F to 80°F	55°F to 80°F
Barks/Howls	Very Often	Below Average
Exercise Needs
Energy Level	Medium	High
Exercise Required	Medium	Medium
Top Running Speed	24 mph	23 mph
Strength	High	Very High
Grooming Needs
Coat Maintenance	Low	Low-Medium
Shedding	Low	Medium
Dander	Low	Medium
Drool Amount	Medium	Medium

¹This is estimated min/max temperature range for a healthy adult dog. Dogs that live indoors, puppies, seniors, unwell dogs, and/or dogs with improperly groomed coats may overheat sooner and get cold more quickly.

Instincts & Behavior Comparison
Breed Name	American Staffordshire Terrier	American Bulldog
Breed Mentality
Dominant/Alpha	No	No
Family/Pack	Yes	Yes
Independent	No	No
Breed Focus
Distracted Easily	No	Yes
Average	No	No
Focused & Patient	Yes	No
Breed Instincts
Aggression	Average	Below Average
Burrow/Digging	Average	Below Average
Chasing	Below Average	Below Average
Follow Commands	High	Below Average
Fighting	Below Average	Below Average
Guarding	Below Average	Below Average
Herding	Below Average	Below Average
Hunting	Below Average	Average
Protection	High	Below Average
Remove Vermin	Below Average	Below Average
Sledding	Average	Average
Watch	High	Average

Health Comparison
Breed Name	American Staffordshire Terrier	American Bulldog
Lifespan
Lifespan	12-14 yrs.	10-16 yrs.
Common Health Issues
Allergies	No	Yes
Cancer	No	Yes
Cherry Eye	No	Yes
Ectropion	No	Yes
Elbow Dysplasia	No	Yes
Entropion	No	Yes
Hip Dysplasia	No	Yes

Appearance Comparison
Breed Name	American Staffordshire Terrier	American Bulldog
Coat
Fur	Yes	Yes
Coat Type
Smooth Coat	Yes	No
Single Coat	No	Yes
Coat Texture
Rough	Yes	No
Straight	No	Yes
Coat Length(s)
Short	Yes	Yes
Coat Color(s)
Black	Yes	No
Black & White	Yes	Yes
Black Brindle	Yes	No
Blue	Yes	No
Blue Brindle	Yes	No
Blue Fawn	Yes	No
Blue Fawn Brindle	Yes	No
Bronze	Yes	No
Brown Brindle	Yes	No
Fawn	Yes	No
Fawn Brindle	Yes	No
Fawn Sable	Yes	No
Liver	Yes	No
Liver Brindle	Yes	No
Red	Yes	No
Red Brindle	Yes	No
Red Sable	Yes	No
Seal Brown	Yes	No
Silver & White	Yes	No
White	Yes	Yes
White & Tan	Yes	No
Brindle	No	Yes
Red & White	No	Yes
Tan & White	No	Yes
White & Brindle	No	Yes