The American Staffordshire Terrier head

     The head should appear to be the correct size for the dog’s body. It is not overly large, no is it small. It is of medium length- balanced with the dog’s medium sized body. The muzzle should appear to be about on half the total length of the head. The head is deep through, from the top down to the jaws. The depth in not achieved by a bulging forehead, but by deep strong jaws. The dog’s mandible should be well developed far back to the skull. His skull is broad across, with a well defined stop and distinct eyebrows. The head should not be exaggerated however.

     The description of medium length must be maintained. If the skull is too broad, the head will appear short in length, which is incorrect. The head is deep through, for strength, but the depth should extend to the lower jaw, not be achieved by an over deep stop with no lower jaw strength.

     The cheek muscles are very pronounced. The planes of the forehead and muzzle should be parallel when viewed from the side. There should be no tendency for a down face, dish face, or frog face. In males, the muscle padding on the top skull may make the plane rise slightly, ( in the bitches a lesser degree) but is still should not differ greatly from the plane of the muzzle.

      The shape of the top skull should show the underlying bone structure, not be so overly padded with flesh or muscles to totally mask it, and appear lumpy. The most prominent muscle development of the head should be the cheeks, which should be pronounced. The head should appear clean, with no loose skin. A slight quizzical wrinkling of the forehead when the ears are lifted should be the only wrinkles found anywhere on the head.

     The angle of light over the bitch's face shows off very clearly the beautiful bony structure of the American Staffordshire Terrier head- The prominent ridge below the eye, the bulging cheek muscle, the abrupt fall of muzzle below eye.  Note the tight skin over the bones of the face, with the exception of the quizzical wrinkles on the forehead.  She has nice close fitting lips and a muzzle that is only slightly light in the lower jaw.  Her eyes are quite dark, even in very direct sunlight, pigment is very dark, eyes are well shaped and set correctly in the skull