Visual comparison between AmStaffs and APBTs

[Bahamutt99]

I was asked to post this over here. Someone thought it might be of interest even to a non-Pit Bull board. *grin*

This was something that I've always kinda wanted to see done. There are people who insist that the APBT and the AmStaff are the same dog, and that if you slim down an AmStaff, you'll get an ADBA-ready APBT. And there are others who feel like although both breeds come from common heritage, the last 70+ years have caused them to diverge sufficiently so that they're not the same breed anymore. And then there is the sticky situation that is the UKC ring, where AmStaffs are registered as APBTs and are more prevalent than dogs resembling the old gladiators.

Anyway. I went through and located as many pictures as I could of the current top-winning dogs from each of the big 3 registries. (Disclaimer: The comparisons are not exact -- ie, while the first set are all #1 dogs, the 2nd set might not all be #2s, and so on. The UKC only gives a top 10, and when I couldn't find one of them, I had to use a winning dog from 2007.) I think the side-by-side comparison is rather eye-opening. Conditioning and ring training versus type? Also note the color bias. The ADBA dogs are varied in color (and the only registry with rednose represented in the top numbers), whereas blue fawn seems to be the big thing in UKC, and fawn or brindle in the AKC. Also interesting to note that all the UKC/AKC dogs are cropped, while the ADBA dogs are largely natural.

(Bear with the load times. I wanted to keep the pics as clear as possible, so I used PNG format, which is larger.)

 

[Bahamutt99]

 

[Bahamutt99]

Hope you all find this as interesting as I did.

 

[Sweet72947]

Thank you for posting this, Bahamutt. You can definitely tell the difference between the apbt and the amstaffs. Very interesting!

 

[Squishy22]

Very interesting.

I will say that I do like breeds that have some substance and bone to them. I like the look of CH castle rock... especially his head. Most of them look a few pounds overweight, which I hate. One of the first am staffs look like he has toothpicks for legs with a massive body. I dont like the look of a jiggly jello chest either. lol.

I dont think they are the same. Haven't met too many am staffs, but I bet they are quite different temperamentally as well.

 

[vanillasugar]

Okay... which ones are which? (I thought I was GOOD at this! LOL)

 

[colliewog]

Okay... which ones are which? (I thought I was GOOD at this! LOL)

It was at the top and continued in the same order -

ADBA APBT - UKC APBT - AKC Am Staff

 

[Dekka]

Thank you...

I much prefer the look of the APBT. More athletic looking! (not to say I don't think the other dogs are cute.. )

 

[colliewog]

Not much first hand experience with ADBA dogs, but between UKC and AKC, I've found more UKC dogs that I liked. Maybe because they don't penalize the amount of white a dog has like AKC - and I love a dog with a lot of white!

 

[Zoom]

AKC seems to trend towards boxer-like markings, it seems. I do prefer the APBT as far as style goes but the AmStaff seems to be a bit more varied in color, which I also like. I know there's very little "set" as far as ABPT coloring goes, but the preponderance seems to lie with solid red/fawn or black with little white.

 

[Renee750il]

Overall, I've got to go with the ADBA APBT. That's a pure example of form following function, and to me, it's beautiful.

And thanks, Baha, for a thread that took a good bit of thought and work and answers questions graphically.

 

[Miakoda]

I was asked to post this over here. Someone thought it might be of interest even to a non-Pit Bull board. *grin*

**coughcough** Dunno who that coulda been.

 

[Tahla9999]

Can we make a thread comparing different breeds show and working form?

Great idea, Baha!

 

[Tazwell]

That's a nice chart. I still think it's impossible to know for sure, the difference between an AmStaff and AKC APBT without being told.

The UKC allows red noses, or colors other than black, correct? I know the AmStaff can only have a black nose (or at least not a red one.. right?)

 

[Renee750il]

Tazwell, the AKC doesn't recognize the APBT, only the AmStaff.

My understanding, from what I've learned at Game-dogs, is that the accepted disparities in APBT world are because the breed is truly bred to purpose. Hog dogs are going to be somewhat different from weight pulling dogs, etc., and different lines are known for different characteristics.

 

[Miakoda]

That's a nice chart. I still think it's impossible to know for sure, the difference between an AmStaff and AKC APBT without being told.

The UKC allows red noses, or colors other than black, correct? I know the AmStaff can only have a black nose (or at least not a red one.. right?)

It's not impossible, but it does take a lot of education and research and understanding bloodlines to get a definitive answer. But many can take a pretty good guess just based on the dog's structure.

 

[jess2416]

very interesting thread thanks baha

 

[pacopoe]

I also like the fact that none of the APBTs (you know, the "fighting ones") have cropped ears (I'm lumping the UKC APBTs with the Am Staffs because, in my head, they're pretty much the same).

I actually think there is way more color variation in APBTs than Am Staffs. Personally, I'm not a fan of too much flashiness, I even prefer solid boxers.

Great job!

 

[Bahamutt99]

I do prefer the APBT as far as style goes but the AmStaff seems to be a bit more varied in color, which I also like. I know there's very little "set" as far as ABPT coloring goes, but the preponderance seems to lie with solid red/fawn or black with little white.

I think you've got it backwards. The ADBA APBTs (the dogs on the left) are showing much more varied colors than the other two. The UKC APBTs (with the heavy AmStaff influence usually) are largely blue fawn, and the AKC AmStaffs are largely fawn or brindle. If you look at the left column -- the APBTs -- that's the only side where rednose is represented.

Tazwell, the UKC allows any color other than merle. Any nose color. They discourage blue or mismatched eyes. The AKC (AmStaff) is the one with the strong language about color. ADBA more or less allows any color, but they discourage merle.

 

[Gypsydals]

Interesting thread. I like the style of the APBTs. I like that they come in a wide variety of colors but I do like the flashyness of the AmStaffs (no suprise there hehe).