Health Condition:

Handsome Keefe tested positive for heartworm disease when he first came to us but completed his treatment in February 2022. Keefe has some skin sensitivity often associated with blue AmStaffs. He does better on an appropriate diet.

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Keefe has a mild age-related vision impairment, barely noticeable. He also has minor lameness in the rear, but it really doesn't slow him down much. 

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Please keep him mind that Keefe is likely over 7-years-old. While he's no spring chicken anymore, Keefe does surprisingly well for his age. He is still very strong and full of mischief.  

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Physical Description:  

Well, hello gorgeous! While Keefe seems to have had a hard life that left him with a dull coat and a little out of shape when he first came in, we suspect an ancestry of a well bred Am Staff line. We can't tell for sure without a pedigree in hand, but he certainly has many of the attributes described in the AKC's breed standard: “The American Staffordshire Terrier should give the impression of great strength for his size, a well put-together dog, muscular, but agile and graceful, keenly alive to his surroundings. He should be stocky, not long-legged or racy in outline. His courage is proverbial”. 

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Keefe has gained the weight he needed (and some) since his arrival with us. His "bad-life coat" has been replaced by shiny and healthy, deep blue fur. His evenly-cropped ears and a little grey on his face give him the dapper distinction of a gentleman. 

 

Current Living Situation:  

Keefe is doing his very best to accept his current situation as a shelter dog. We suspect that this dog might have had several homes in his life. Some good and some obviously pretty bad. He seems to know a good thing though, and while he appreciates the safety of our shelter, we can tell he longs for a loving home of his own. 

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Keefe loves attention and finds it hard to wait patiently for his turn when our volunteers visit the dogs. In order to help him cope with shelter life, we are currently giving him a mild dosage of anxiety medicine. We are seeing a huge improvement but we think Keefe is the type of dog who needs a little bit of time to decompress and adapt to a new situation.

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Keefe would do best with someone who is retired, works from home, or isn't gone for long hours. 

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Personality:   

Very outgoing, super confident, and strong-willed. Keefe has many of the best characteristics of the AST breed. While those attributes are coveted by breed fanciers, dogs like him require confident leadership and structured management. Keefe is drop dead gorgeous, smart, friendly, and self-assured, but he is not a dog for everyone. We prefer an experienced home for this mighty dog - someone comfortable with large powerful dogs, who is prepared to provide him with positive coaching and responsible ownership. 

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Behavior with people: 

Keefe is friendly but can be intimidating when you don't know him well. He grunts when interacting with people and might even try to "talk back." He is pretty good at recognizing authority, or lack thereof. He thrives on leadership and becomes more affectionate when he knows someone is not a push-over. At the same time, this dog requires and deserves respect. 

 

Behavior with children:  

Unknown. As of now, we believe Keefe will do better with adult leadership and mature management. This dog requires responsible owners. 

 

Behavior with other dogs:  

Must be an only pet! No ifs, ands, or buts. 

 

Behavior with other animals:  

Must be an only pet!

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Training: 

We are still in the process of determining what commands Keefe knows. He seems housebroken but he might have separation anxiety. We're not sure if he is crate-trained. He does need to be supervised in a room, as he can be destructive. He does well when he has plenty of hard toys to chew on such as Nylabones. Chewing on a toy seems to help him decompress. 

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Best Attribute:

This striking dog has a lot going on for him but he's not perfect. No one is. Dogs of his caliber require experience and responsible ownership. In the right hands, he will be a king!

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Even if you can’t adopt this sweetheart, you can still help by donating for their care.

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Information updated on 04/30/2023