MyAmStaff.dog - Shauna Lindelof & Ellie | Champion American Staffordshire Terrier Training

My Mission

Transforming perceptions of the American Staffordshire Terrier breed through excellence, dedication, and unwavering commitment

The American Staffordshire Terrier is a remarkable breed – intelligent, loyal, and incredibly capable. Through my work with AmStaffs since 2001, including my first three dogs as rescues and now with my first AKC breed standard AmStaff, Ellie, I'm committed to showcasing the true potential of these amazing dogs.

Excellence in Training

Foundation through advanced methods in agility, Rally obedience, FCAT, Scent Work, and performance sports developed over 23+ years

AKC Champion Success

Multiple titles and certifications demonstrating breed capability and performance excellence

Community Leadership

Volunteer Director of Agility at Car-Dun-Al Obedience Dog Training Club, Huntley IL

Meet Ellie

Our year old American Staffordshire Terrier champion

8th fastest AmStaff in the United States | Agility Nationals Invitational Qualifier

Ellie - American Staffordshire Terrier Champion

Ellie - AKC AmStaff Champion

Competitive Achievements

🏆

Multiple AKC Championship Titles

Elite performance across multiple disciplines
⚡

8th Fastest AmStaff in the United States

Fast CAT suffix title achiever - 100-yard sprint racing national ranking
🎯

AKC Agility Nationals Invitational Qualifier

Technical handling skills in jumps, weave poles, tunnels, and contact obstacles
🌊

Dock Diving Competitor

Demonstrating athleticism and drive
🔍

AKC Scent Work Competitor

Detection training in container, interior, and exterior search elements

Certifications

Canine Good Citizen (CGC)

AKC Certified

Certified

Farm Dog Certified (FDC)

AKC Certified

Certified

Bloodline & Heritage

Ellie comes from a prestigious breeder outside of Boston, Massachusetts, with a bloodline of AKC performance and conformation champions. Her pedigree combines the best of both worlds – the athleticism required for top-level performance sports and the structural excellence recognized in conformation shows.

Boston, MA Breeder Champion Bloodline

Meet Bo

Retired Champion | Enjoying His Golden Years at the Cabin

Bo - Retired American Staffordshire Terrier champion enjoying retirement

Bo - Retired AmStaff Champion

Bo enjoying retirement at the golf course

A Well-Earned Retirement

Bo is a retired champion who gave his all in agility, scent work, and obedience competitions. After years of dedication and competitive excellence, he's now enjoying a peaceful retirement doing what he loves most – taking long walks on the wooded trails at our cabin.

His athletic spirit and joyful energy showed me the performance potential of the breed, inspiring my journey into competitive dog sports. Now, in his golden years, Bo has traded obstacle courses for forest paths, and competition rings for quiet moments in nature.

Competitive Legacy

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Agility Competitor

Years of competitive performance in AKC agility trials
🔍

Scent Work Champion

Skilled detection work in multiple environments
🎓

Obedience Excellence

Demonstrated precision and teamwork throughout his career
🌲

Trail Enthusiast

Now enjoys peaceful walks through wooded cabin trails

In Loving Memory

Honoring the three rescue AmStaffs who started the journey and forever changed my life

Before Ellie, my journey with American Staffordshire Terriers began with three remarkable rescue dogs. Each one taught me invaluable lessons about resilience, loyalty, and the true character of this misunderstood breed. They were my teachers, my companions, and the foundation of everything I do today.

Dazy

First Rescue • Teacher of Patience

My first AmStaff rescue who opened my eyes to the incredible potential of this breed. Dazy taught me patience, understanding, and the profound impact of proper training and love.

Duke

Gentle Soul • Loyal Heart

Duke embodied the gentle nature and unwavering loyalty that makes AmStaffs such remarkable companions. His calm demeanor and devoted spirit touched everyone he met.

❤️

Their Legacy Lives On

Everything I learned from Dazy, Duke, and Bo paved the way for my work with Ellie. Their resilience in overcoming difficult pasts, their capacity for love and forgiveness, and their natural abilities inspired me to dedicate my life to changing perceptions of this remarkable breed. They are forever in my heart.

About Shauna Lindelof

Professional Dog Trainer | Agility Specialist | AmStaff Advocate Since 2001

23+ Years of AmStaff Dedication

My journey with American Staffordshire Terriers began in 2001, driven by a passion to showcase the true character of this misunderstood breed. My first three AmStaffs were rescues, each teaching me invaluable lessons about the breed's resilience, intelligence, and unwavering loyalty. These experiences shaped my training philosophy and deepened my commitment to breed advocacy.

Ellie represents a new chapter in my AmStaff journey – my first AKC breed standard American Staffordshire Terrier. With her champion bloodline from a respected Boston-area breeder, Ellie embodies the perfect combination of breed standard excellence and exceptional performance capability. Together, we're proving what AmStaffs can achieve at the highest levels of canine competition.

Why AmStaffs?

American Staffordshire Terriers are intelligent, athletic, and deeply devoted companions. Through training and competitive success, I demonstrate that breed stereotypes don't define individual character. Each championship, each title, and each positive interaction helps change public perception and showcases the remarkable potential of these dogs.

Community Leadership & Involvement

Currently serving as volunteer Director of Agility on the board of directors for Car-Dun-Al Obedience Dog Training Club in Huntley, IL (3 years). Through volunteer service, I promote the club by attending events throughout the Chicagoland area, showcasing Ellie's talents, obedience, and the exceptional results achieved through proper training and skilled handler techniques.

Develop and maintain foundation agility through advanced competition training programs
Coordinate AKC agility trials, Rally obedience events, and training clinics
Mentor beginner handlers in technical handling skills and course navigation
Support multiple performance sports including FCAT, Scent Work, and Conformation
Promote positive breed representation and welcome all breeds to competitive dog sports
Foster an inclusive community supporting 4H youth programs and family participation
Attend community events to promote the club and demonstrate elite-level training and handler skills with Ellie

Volunteer Commitment

All board service and club promotion activities are performed on a volunteer basis. I donate my time attending demonstrations, trials, and community events to showcase the club's training programs and the remarkable capabilities of properly trained dogs, regardless of breed.

Training Disciplines & Expertise

Agility

Foundation through advanced training in obstacle courses including jumps, weave poles, tunnels, and contact equipment. Compete at AKC trials and clinics with technical handling skills.

Rally Obedience

Precision heelwork, figure-eight patterns, and course navigation through Rally signs. Building teamwork from Novice through Advanced levels.

Fast Cat (FCAT)

Competitive 100-yard sprint racing measuring speed and drive. Training for top national rankings and suffix title achievements.

Scent Work

AKC Scent Work detection training utilizing natural canine abilities. Building confidence through container, interior, and exterior searches.

Dock Diving

Distance jumping competition into water for athletic excellence, building drive and confidence in water-based sports.

Obedience & Conformation

Traditional obedience training including heelwork, recalls, and stays. Breed standard presentation and conformation handling for AKC shows.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about AmStaffs, training, and our journey

Q: Are American Staffordshire Terriers aggressive?

No. American Staffordshire Terriers are not inherently aggressive. Like any breed, their temperament is largely determined by genetics, socialization, and training. AmStaffs are known for their loyalty, intelligence, and eagerness to please. With proper training and socialization from an early age, they make excellent family companions.

Throughout my 23+ years working exclusively with AmStaffs, I've found them to be incredibly trainable, affectionate, and stable. Ellie's success in earning her Canine Good Citizen certification and competing in various sports demonstrates the breed's true character.

Q: What makes American Staffordshire Terriers good at agility and performance sports?

AmStaffs possess a unique combination of traits that make them exceptional performance dogs across multiple AKC sports:

Athletic Build: Muscular yet agile, with excellent power-to-weight ratio perfect for agility course navigation and Fast CAT racing
Intelligence: Quick learners who excel at technical handling skills, Rally sign interpretation, and scent detection work
Drive & Motivation: Natural enthusiasm and desire to work with their handler in both trials and training environments
Trainability: Eager to please and highly responsive to positive reinforcement methods used in obedience and Rally
Stamina: Impressive endurance for sustained performance across multiple runs at trials and clinics
Versatility: Excel in diverse sports from precision obedience to high-speed coursing and detection work

Ellie's qualification for AKC Agility Nationals Invitational, ranking as the 8th fastest AmStaff in the US, and multiple title achievements demonstrate the breed's exceptional athletic and competitive potential.

Q: How did you get started training American Staffordshire Terriers?

My journey began in 2001 when I rescued my first AmStaff. I quickly fell in love with the breed's character, intelligence, and potential. My first three AmStaffs were all rescues, and each taught me valuable lessons about the breed's capabilities and the importance of proper training and socialization.

Working with rescue dogs gave me deep insight into how environment, training, and patience can transform a dog's behavior and capabilities. This experience shaped my training philosophy and fueled my passion for breed advocacy.

Ellie is my first AKC breed standard AmStaff from a champion bloodline. Her success represents the culmination of over two decades of dedication to understanding and showcasing this remarkable breed.

Q: What awards and titles has Ellie achieved?

Ellie has achieved remarkable success across multiple AKC performance disciplines:

Agility: Qualified for AKC Agility Nationals Invitational with technical mastery of jumps, weave poles, tunnels, and contact obstacles
Fast CAT: Suffix title holder, currently ranked 8th fastest AmStaff in the United States in 100-yard sprint racing
Foundation Certifications: AKC Canine Good Citizen (CGC) and Farm Dog Certified (FDC) demonstrating temperament and versatility
Championships: Multiple AKC championship titles earned through competitive trials
Scent Work: AKC Scent Work competitor trained in container, interior, and exterior search elements
Dock Diving: Distance jumping competitor showcasing drive and athleticism

These achievements represent thousands of hours of foundation training, trial experience, clinic participation, and the strong bond between handler and dog in competitive performance sports.

Q: What is Ellie's bloodline and breeding?

Ellie comes from a prestigious breeder outside of Boston, Massachusetts, specializing in AKC American Staffordshire Terriers. Her bloodline combines both performance and conformation champions, representing the best qualities of the breed.

This dual focus on performance (agility, speed, working ability) and conformation (breed standard structure and appearance) means Ellie has the athletic capability for elite competition while maintaining excellent breed type.

Her pedigree includes dogs proven in both the show ring and performance venues, demonstrating that AmStaffs can excel in all aspects of AKC competition.

Q: Do you offer training services?

While my primary focus is on training and competing with my own dogs and serving as Director of Agility for Car-Dun-Al Obedience Dog Training Club in Huntley, IL, I'm always happy to discuss training, share insights about AmStaffs, and provide guidance to those interested in the breed or competitive dog sports.

Feel free to reach out via email at [email protected] with questions about the breed, training approaches, or getting started in agility and other performance sports.

What People Say

Testimonials from the Chicagoland agility community

5/5

"Shauna is an incredible instructor for beginner agility! She has a gift for breaking down complex skills into easy-to-understand steps. My dog and I were complete novices, and within weeks we were running courses with confidence. Her enthusiasm is contagious - she doesn't just teach agility, she gets you genuinely excited about performance work. I can't recommend her enough for anyone starting their agility journey in the Chicagoland area!"

JM

Jennifer M.

Chicagoland Area

5/5

"As a handler new to performance dog sports, I was intimidated by the idea of agility training. Shauna completely changed that for me! Her positive teaching style and clear communication made learning fun for both me and my dog. She has a real talent for reading dogs and handlers, meeting you where you are, and building your skills progressively. Thanks to her guidance, we've discovered a passion for agility we never knew we had. She's doing amazing work at Car-Dun-Al!"

RC

Robert C.