Hats the differences between a pit bull and a stafforshire terrier?

are these dogs related?
Answers:
As you can tell from the answers you've gotten there is some controversy about whether pits and amstaffs are really the same breed or not. Dogs that meet the breed standards for both can be dual registered--Amstaff with the AKC and APBT with the UKC. Here's an article about this: http://www.the-proper-pitbull.com/pitbul...

Also, one definite difference is that the breed standard for an Amstaff says the nose has to be black. Pit bulls can have any color nose.

---

They are essentially two names for the same dog. American Pit Bull Terriers and American Staffordshire Terriers are both considered "pit bulls." I believe it is just different blood lines and they are registered with different kennel clubs. I'm sure there are some other differences that some one else may be able to tell you, but for the most part they are the same thing.

---

The difference is in the papers they hold and who they are registered with. Some people have the same dog registered with one registration as an American Pit Bull Dog, and with another the same dog is registered as an American Staffordshire Terrier. (One is UKC, other is AKC).

---

I once owned a pit bull. On his AKC papers, it said that he was a "Staffordshire Terrier". It is my understanding that the name "pit bull" is something that people started calling these dogs because they were renowned to be bred for fighting in the "pit". Funny--mine was sooooo sweet, even though we had named him "Demon". That name was a laugh for that dog--he was my baby. He lived to be 9 years old. (sniff)

---

From my understanding they are kinda like cousins. They are like the same dog but with a little different bloodlines. Very good dogs with a very bad rep.

---

Not as far as I know..well a pitbull is commonly a terrior mix. So the terrior half of the pit could be a stafforshire terrior. But the statement that they are related is just a common misconception. They are two SEPERATE breeds that are commonly breed together to make a pit terrior.