If you’ve decided to bring a dog into your home, your chosen breed or rescue will be your faithful, loving companion. But, finding the perfect canine companion can be confusing and an overload of information! With purebred dogs having varieties and designer dogs on the rise, which one is right for you? If you’ve decided you love the Amstaff (American Staffordshire Terrier) but are looking for other qualities, or are stuck between two breeds, an American Staffordshire Terrier mix may be the solution!
Before we jump into the most popular American Staffordshire Terrier Mixes, let’s clarify what an Amstaff is. The most common question is, is an Amstaff a Pitbull? While the two breeds are extremely similar in appearance and descend from the same ancestors, they are two different breeds.
American Staffordshire Terriers are affectionate, protective and gentle. They excel at agility and other dog sports along with being high energy and intelligent. Amstaffs make great family pets as long as they’re socialized early. This is why they’ve become a popular choice to mix with other breeds!
You can be assured though that your Amstaff mix will be affectionate and loyal. This is a family dog that enjoys its human’s company and will guard you against danger, no matter the mix.
With a great selection of high-energy to mid-energy, you’ll find that many Amstaff mixes are available, we’ll give you an overview of the best mixes to help you choose the right one for you.
Top 9 American Staffordshire Terrier Mixes
1. American Bulldog x American Staffordshire Terrier Mix
Not to be confused with the popular English Bulldog, American Bulldogs are their distant cousins and a much larger breed. This mix was developed in the early 2000s and has begun to win traction among those looking for a protective guard dog.
Both parent breeds are excellent guard dogs with the American Bulldog being the more friendly of the two.
An Amstaff Bully will need lots of exercise and enjoy playing tug of war, fetching, and going on long runs with their owners.
They’ll retain their sweet natures and enjoy being around their families while gaining a more leery approach to strangers from their Amstaff parent.
Both breeds need early socialization and may not get along well with other pets, so this would be a good choice for a single pet family.
2. French Bulldog x American Staffordshire Terrier Mix
Often referred to as a “Frenchie Staff” this is another bulldog mix that has risen in popularity. French Bulldogs are a small, compact breed known for their playful personalities. When mixed with an Amstaff, you’ll get the best qualities of both breeds.
Your Frenchie Staff will have the playful, silly nature of their French Bulldog parent and the protective traits of the Amstaff parent.
These guys will be medium-sized dogs with muscular bodies and the absolutely adorable ears of the French Bulldog.
They won’t require as much exercise as other mixes but will still require daily walks. Much like the Amstaff Bully, they will need to be socialized early to learn good social behaviors.
3. Labrador Retriever x American Staffordshire Terrier Mix
For those looking for a truly athletic partner with an extremely loyal side, the Labrastaff is a wonderful choice! Inheriting the physical prowess of both the Amstaff and Labrador parents, this mix will be active and a great running, hiking, or swimming partner.
The Labrastaff is very gentle with children and will quickly bond with them. They’ll retain their guard dog traits from the Amstaff and will be loyal guardians for your family.
These guys are intelligent and will require plenty of physical and mental stimulation to avoid undesirable habits. They’ll gladly play ball with the children or go on long runs with you, a perfect way to keep them healthy!
4. Mastiff x American Staffordshire Terrier Mix
An instantly recognizable breed, the Mastiff is a large breed dog that can easily weigh over 100 pounds. They’re known to be droolers and require daily maintenance of their wrinkles to prevent bacterial infections, genes that can be passed down to this mix.
When crossed with an Amstaff, the resulting mix is called an Amstiff and will retain the larger genetics of the Mastiff. So be prepared for a large puppy that will turn into a very large adult!
Both parent breeds in this mix are guardian dogs and will step between their owners and perceived threats.
However, both are extremely loyal and affectionate with their families and make great companions. They’ll require much less exercise than other Amstaff mixes as the Mastiff is perfectly happy with a walk around the neighborhood and back home for a nap. Amstiffs get along great with children but can be a bit stubborn to train, so plenty of patience will be needed with this mix.
5. Rottweiler x American Staffordshire Terrier Mix
This mix, much like an Amstiff, will be a large dog who is very protective of its family. Bred for the intelligence of both breeds and the stamina of the Rottweiler, the Staffweiler is perfect for an athletic family.
A Staffweiler will inherit the Rottweiler’s large body with the recognizable Rottweiler brown coloring on the face and chest.
This mix is not for everyone as they are a large breed and will require intense physical exercise daily. They’re also known to be a bit stubborn from their Rottweiler parent side and will require obedience classes to learn proper manners.
A Staffweiler mix can be a bit more dog aggressive and will need early and often socialization to not see other pets as threats.
They’ll love long walks, hiking, and making friends at the dog park as they love to be involved with whatever is going on. They’ll be guardians of the family along with having loving, loyal natures.
6. Vizsla x American Staffordshire Terrier Mix
Often referred to as a “velcro dog”, Vizslas are known for their clingy natures! While the Amstaff parent may calm the clingy gene, this will still be a mix that is in love with being with their human at all times.
Vizsla Staffs are a great choice for service dogs as they’re highly intelligent, extremely loyal to their person, and eager to please.
While they’ll be hopping with energy and wanting to play, they’ll also happily curl up for snuggles. This mix breed weighs around 50 pounds and that definitely doesn’t stop them from climbing into your lap, as they want to be as close as possible!
While they’ll be a velcro dog, this mix is also highly energetic and will want to be on the move. They don’t do so well with colder temperatures due to their thin coats, but a cute coat and booties can make them the coolest (and warmest!) dog when outside.
7. West Highland White Terrier x American Staffordshire Terrier Mix
The Westie Staff is a short, proud mix breed that will require an owner with a large amount of patience! West Highland White Terriers are independent and smart little guys that will find their way out of a locked room, given the chance.
When mixed with an Amstaff, your Westie Staff is going to have a healthy dose of stubborn and loyal natures. They’ll gladly be your cuddle buddy, but only after they’ve accomplished their plans for the day!
Weighing in around 40 pounds and a height of 10-12 inches at the shoulder, this mix will be smaller but no less fierce. They’ll be excellent guard dogs and enjoy their family’s company.
Westie Staffs are great with older children, but not so much with younger ones, and have little patience for grabby hands. Many owners have said that their female dogs are more antisocial than their male counterparts, so be sure to take this into consideration.
8. American Staffordshire Terrier x Boxer Mix
Much like the French Bulldog, Boxers are a playful, fun-loving breed. When mixed with an Amstaff, the Bullboxer Staff will be an intelligent and energetic companion.
They’re extremely devoted to their owners and will bring both protective streaks from each parent breed. The Bullboxer Staff is fun to watch play as they are often goofy with lots of zoomies!
While they have sweet natures with their families, including children, the Bullboxer Staff is more dominant with other dogs and pets. This can be curbed by early socialization but all first encounters with new furry companions should be monitored closely.
This breed will require plenty of exercise to calm down their hyper natures and will help to keep them healthy. They’ll also retain their Amstaff’s inclination to hunt and wander, so leashing or having them in a fenced area is best.
9. American Staffordshire Terrier x Great Dane Mix
If you want a dog that’s strong, obedient, smart, and big, the Great Dane x American Staffordshire mix might be right up your alley.
These dogs are bred for power and obedience and they excel in both. They are very intelligent and are highly receptive to a good trainer. They will flourish in a household where they get plenty of mental and physical stimulation to keep them occupied.
The Great Dane is known for being very easy to get along with and for being a great watchdog. On top of that, they’re incredibly big and strong. These features combined with the Amstaff’s personality make them a popular mix.
Final thoughts: Which American Staffordshire Terrier mix is right for you?
Finding the perfect breed for your lifestyle and family can be difficult. When you’re stuck between two perfect breeds, it’s quite possible that they’ve been mixed already! Be cautious though, mixed breeds may not have all the traits you desire, as no dog is 50/50 until their breed has been established as its own purebred.
American Staffordshire Terriers are well-loved around the world for their gentle natures and affection for their families. If you love the look of the Amstaff or their personality but want other qualities as well, an Amstaff mix can be the perfect solution.
Be sure to have patience and understanding, as Amstaffs are stubborn, and when mixed with another breed, the resulting dog can be as stubborn or more so, much like the Westie Staff.
There is a mix for every family though, especially if you’re looking for an affectionate guard dog. Odd, putting those two words together, isn’t it? But dogs were bred to be both companions and protectors and have excelled at those jobs for centuries.
Your Amstaff mix will be loving and loyal, no matter what breed you end up choosing. Whether you bring a puppy or adult mix into your home, you’ll be awarded a dog that will provide you with life-long loyalty.
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