Is a Staffordshire Terrier considered a pit bull, or a separate breed?

No, it is not classed as a pit bull but if there is some pit bull blood in the dog, and it gets recognised, you are at risk of having the same problem again. In general, American Bulldogs cross Staffies are ok.

Pit Bull-type dogs - the American Kennel Club does not recognize a specific purebred dog as a Pit Bull - have been implicated in a higher-than-average number of bite and fighting incidents. However, these dogs have also been trained to fight by nefarious individuals, and that has contributed to their aggressive reputation. As a group of dogs, Pit Bulls are smart and loyal, but like any dogs, when trained to be vicious, they will be vicious.

Every dog has the capacity to be aggressive, even breeds considered more gentle such as a Golden Retriever. I personally think it's more the owners that lead the dog to have terrible behavior, typically from a lack of training and obedience. Staffordshire Bull Terriers are not for novice dog owners, they required experienced dog owners who are firm and consistent. They can be great family dogs, as they are very loving, but they need early socialization. I strongly recommend that if you get one, you enroll it in puppy preschool and training so it can learn socialization and start on training it. Best of luck, I hope this helps!

Pit Bulls are very smart, and very anxious to please, and these qualities together makes then very trainable. However, they do seem to have something of a strong will, so they do best with strong leadership and focused training.

It is possible and did cross my mind. Some lines of labrador retrievers however also have very boxy heads (check out the English style labs) and other breeds such as boxers can also contribute the same genes for boxy heads as a pitbull.

Yes I think he looks like a pit, at least 60-70% of him has the external features of a American pitbull. Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

The breed doesn’t determine if dogs will get along, it solely determines on their individual personalities. Exact same as humans from different nationalities or backgrounds. Sometimes you are great roommates and sometimes it doesn’t work out. I would recommend giving them a trial period together for a couple weeks to see how it might work out.