American Staffordshire Terrier vs Basenji

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

Quick Summary

Below are a few quick comparisons between the two breeds.

Owner Experience - The Basenji is an excellent choice for new/inexperienced owners. The American Staffordshire Terrier is okay for new owners, but may not be as easy as the Basenji.
Children - Both the American Staffordshire Terrier and Basenji are great with children.
Grooming - Both the American Staffordshire Terrier and Basenji are very low maintenance and easy to groom.
Barking - The American Staffordshire Terrier bark/howls frequently. The Basenji has a low tendency to bark.

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American Staffordshire Terrier vs Basenji

Breed Name	American Staffordshire Terrier	Basenji
General Details
Breed Type	Purebred	Purebred
Is Hypoallergenic	No	Yes
Lifespan	12-14 yrs.	10-12 yrs.
Height	17-80 in.	16-18 in.
Weight	45-70 lb	20-24 lb
Intelligence	Below Average	Average
History
Origin Country	United States	Congo
Origin Year	1890 AD	2 BC
Temperament
Overall Friendliness	Very Good	Very Good
Family Friendly	Very Good	Very Good
Kid Friendly	Very Good	Very Good
Pet Friendly	Below Average	Very Good
Stranger Friendly	Very Good	Very Good
Personality
	Affectionate Loving Does Not Like Being Alone Likes To Snuggle Willing To Please	Affectionate Stubborn
Living Environment
Apartment	Yes	Yes
Indoor	No	Yes
Small Yard	No	Yes
Medium Yard	Yes	No
Large Yard	Yes	No
Temperature Tolerance ¹	40°F to 80°F	60°F to 85°F
Barks/Howls	Very Often	Rarely
Exercise Needs
Energy Level	Medium	High
Exercise Required	Medium	High
Top Running Speed	24 mph	26 mph
Strength	High	Medium
Grooming Needs
Coat Maintenance	Low	Low
Shedding	Low	Low
Dander	Low	Low
Drool Amount	Medium	Low

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

Health Comparison
Breed Name	American Staffordshire Terrier	Basenji
Lifespan
Lifespan	12-14 yrs.	10-12 yrs.

Appearance Comparison
Breed Name	American Staffordshire Terrier	Basenji
Coat
Fur	Yes	No
Hair	No	Yes
Coat Type
Smooth Coat	Yes	Yes
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	No
White & Tan	Yes	No
Black Brindle & White	No	Yes
Black, Tan, & White	No	Yes
Blue, Cream & White	No	Yes
Brindle & White	No	Yes
Cream & White	No	Yes
Mahogany & White	No	Yes
Red & White	No	Yes
Sable & White	No	Yes