Testimonials

I’ve know Janet Duvall - Almaden Staffs since the early 80’s as met her at a Dog Show.

After my Bull Terrier passed away I got a handsome male puppy by the name of Turbo from Janet. He was so handsome with a magnificent temperament. He greeted all my patients at my Chiropractor Office, as I’ve been a Chiropractor for 40 years.

When my Beloved Turbo passed from old age which was heartbreaking I bought 2 sister puppies from Janet. Two wonderful gals that are absolutely a joy to live with everyday. They are 8yrs old as of today.

Then I met one of Janets gorgeous males called Uzi we fell in love immediately, and I told Janet I had to have him. He has huge beautiful brown eyes and just a Stunner of a male. We bonded immediately. He goes to work with me every day and greets all my clients.

Our Am Staff family grew as we took care of 4 puppies while Janet had Surgery. My long time girlfriend said to me I fell in love with the Black and White puppy. I have to get him. So I will tell Janet I have bonded with him, and absolutely adore him.

Our dogs mean the World to us and everyday is a new adventure for us. They are our family.

Thanks Janet for dedicating your life all these years to this wonderful amazing Breed. Your Am Staffs surpass the most Superior Temperaments we have ever seen.

Thank you

Dr Michael

After my beloved staffy mix passed away I decided I wanted a purebred staff with a great disposition because although our first dog was wonderful with us he had trouble with other people and animals. It took a lot of research and looking at almost every breeder in the US but I found Janet and Almaden Amstaffs. I was specifically looking for a breeder who valued impeccable temperament in the bloodline. From the start I told her my concerns and she reassured me she would carefully match me with my puppy.

Janet impressed me with the amount of time she spent talking with me and finding out about me and the dog's future environment. She takes great care with placing her dogs with good homes. She raises the dogs herself so you get the benefit not only of a champion bloodline but initial socialization and training from an outstanding breeder/handler.

I waited a year to get my wonderful Black Star - who is the perfect dog for me. I was so glad I took Janet's advice to get a female given I'm a small person with a small voice. Star is 2 now and is just gorgeous, playful, super athletic and strong, totally affectionate, silly, and my constant companion. She prefers to be with people at all times, and she loves everyone who comes to the house and they fall in love with her. Like all Staffs, she is stubborn and that is part of her charm, but she is quick to learn commands especially if a game is involved! Obedience training has been very important for both of us.

Star is such a beautiful breed example, and I didn't clip her ears, so people usually ask: what kind of dog is that? People who do know the breed I've had follow me across a parking lot to tell me how absolutely beautiful Star is. She literally stops traffic. Although I don't have time to train her to show, her coloring, gait and animation are something out of Westminster. The most beautiful Amstaff I've ever seen is the usual comment! She is initially intimidating with her big bark (which she only uses to warn) but once they meet her they are totally disarmed.

Thank you so much Janet for giving me this gorgeous loving companion I hope to spend at least the next decade with.
Best to you and all the Almaden doggies! Elizabeth Shriver

I couldn't imagine my life without my amstaffs in it. I purchased my amstaff Mandy, from Janet in 2009, I believe. I had never met such a special dog, she was so kind and loving. Always wanted to cuddle on the couch yet she was amazingly independent as well. She passed away from cancer in 2018. A few months after Mandy passed I got her neice, Selina from Janet. The world just ended up aligning perfectly. It had been a couple years since I had talked to Janet and out of the blue she said she had the perfect dog for me, she was absolutely right. Miss S has the same loving free spirit as Mandy, but she is so different in so many ways. She is very bossy for one, she will always make sure you know when she wants something. Also, she sings, its so amazing and hilarious to listen to. If it wasn't for the fast friendship I had with Janet, I wouldn't have been as lucky as I am with my amazing dogs. I absolutely adore them. I have always been impressed with how Janet makes sure her dogs are going to the right home. She makes sure they will be happy and well taken care of. If she doesn't feel like a home is the right fit, she isn't afraid to let the potential buyers know and move on to finding the right home. Thank you Janet for always being kind and a good friend, but also for thinking of me when it comes to giving your amazing pups a wonderful and loving home. You are amazing.
Thank you for everything,

Karly L

Janet,

Here is my testimonial and photos of little Lexie. Please select the photo you wish to post on the website and use which ever part of my written testimonial that you feel is best.

Wow! What can I say I love my American Staffordshire pup, Lexie. She’s healthy, strong, playful, and has the best temperament. She loves to play with all dogs and people. I sometimes refer to her as a ‘Social Butterfly.’ We have been to training classes and she is very smart and catches on quickly to commands. I receive numerous compliments from everyone on her color, shiny coat, and great disposition. She loves my grandchildren and sleeps at the foot of their bed when they come to visit. I am so glad that I met Janet Duvall and her puppies.

I met Janet Duvall when searching for breeders in California. I have had eight other dogs but not an American Staffordshire. Janet was very pleasant and patient with all of the questions I had. She assured me of the quality of her puppies and their parents. In our many conversations I could tell she loved her dogs, the breed, and very dedicated to maintaining a strong healthy line of terrier. I was thoroughly impressed by her history with the breed and the awards her dogs have won over the years.

When I met Janet in person and saw the puppies and the parents I knew I had made the right choice. The litter was so beautiful and lively. The puppy she paired me with was the perfect one for me, rambunctious, playful, and outspoken. Little Lexie talks to me frequently when she wants something. Janet and I have maintained contact and have bonded with one another. I enjoy our conversations and I send her photos of the different things Lexie and I do together. Janet has taught me so much about my AmStaff puppy and continues to provide guidance on the proper puppy diet, training, and maintaining a safe environment.

So where do I get started? We were primarily a Doberman Pincher family. A while ago my wife lost her girl and then later on I had lost mine. We were heart broken both times. We still had our male. My wife decided to move on and got another female. I would not budge on getting another one going against the advice from my wife and daughter. Later on my daughters dog past away and he was the love of her life when it comes to a pet. (which we don’t call pets because they are considered family) Being nineteen she rebounded a little quicker and decided to get another “family” member. She didn’t tell me for awhile that she had been in contact with Janet and was going to get an American Staffordshire (AMSTAFFS). I didn’t even know what kind of breed that was let alone could I spell it if I was asked to. I was a little bit worried and concerned because Janet (at the time I did not know the breeders name) was putting her through the works on getting a puppy. I understand that breeders (at least good ones) are concerned on where their pups go, but Janet was going above and beyond or at least I thought at that time.

Finally my daughter got her pup from Janet. She was in love. It took me about two minutes to fall in love when I first met her. After that my wife and daughter went into action and within two weeks I had Quinn and fell in love with her the moment I met her. We loved the two so much that my wife then talked to Janet and got yet another one a little while later and here came Piper.

So now we have three (two of ours and my daughters who at the time would be going to college soon). Even though we loved them each day as a puppy was different with them as they each have their own personality and they would come out more and more each day as they grew which made us love them even more as well as learning how precious and special this breed was. I then got why Janet really gets to know you to make sure you would be a good fit and loving person with this breed and her dogs.

About three months after we got the girls Janet and my wife were talking and Janet needed a home for one of her male pups that didn’t work out with his owner. He was roughly the same age as our girls. Here came Flynn. Yes we now have three not counting our daughters.

We would take them everywhere we possibly could take them when we left the house. They love water including taking showers with you. People would always say if you don’t ever want to be alone get a Doberman, but I would say that the Amstaff is the same if not more when it comes to that. They are loyal, lovable and can be protective if they needed to be. They are great with kids and we have even had a couple bottle baby lambs and goats and they took to them like their own and protected them from the day they were born until it was time to release them back into the flock. They will stay by your side at all times make us laugh everyday with their energetic play times and swims in the pool.

I get upset when I read online posts that this breed can be mean and not kid friendly. I would 100% disagree. It is how you raise them as with most breeds. We have had our babies now for almost two years and cannot imagine life without our fur babies. They are by far the best breed that we have ever had and would not trade them for the world.

Our hat goes off to Janet for her dedication, knowledge and love for this breed. Keep up the great work Janet you are awesome and your pups are awesome too!

Love

Casey, Kathy, Quinn, Piper and Flynn

Penny testimonial:

After Jada, our amstaff of 14 years, died I wasn’t ready for another dog. She was such a wonderful pupper. We rescued her when she was just over a year old and though her training was nonexistent when we got her, she turned out to be quite a wonderful dog. She was social with people and other dogs. It took me three years to decide to get another dog. I just knew I’d never find a dog like Jada so I hesitated for those three years.

I wanted another amstaff but my husband wanted a young puppy that we could train the way we wanted and not fight the previous poor training of another rescue. (Training Jada was challenging but in the end, she had learned a lot from us, but not without tons of work on our part.) We found Janet and her amstaffs. I picked out Penny and we got her at 8 or 9 weeks old. Penny crate trained easily and it wasn’t more than 6 or 7 months when we no longer crated her. She has never, ever chewed on furniture or clothing, shoes, etc. She always knew what her toys were and never substituted her toys for things she wasn’t allowed to have. I wanted an athletic dog to hike with me in the mountains and Penny has been perfect for this. She flew through rattlesnake aversion training like a champ and has come across a couple of rattlers since the training and has avoided them quite effectively.

From the time she we got her, we socialized her with people and dogs. She has several dog buddies in our area that she plays with and she’s very good when our kids come over with their dogs. She has endeared herself to everyone she meets. We have a neighbor who made it clear to us they don’t like this breed of dog. When they moved in, they met Jada and were not happy about it… at first. But Jada quickly made her way into their hearts, so when Jada passed away, they were really bummed. They fell in love with her. They told us even if we get another dog, they’ll never love it the way they loved Jada. Then, they met Penny. And just like that, they fell in love with our goofy pup. They told me they had never actually met an amstaff before Jada and that it was the rep in the news that turned them off. But now that they have met our two amstaffs, they learned how loving these dogs are. When we visit them at their house (they live next door) as we do quite often, they insist we bring Penny. They have a bed for her, food and water bowls, and treats. They absolutely adore her.

Penny is not only a very loving doggo, she is also quite a comedian. At least twice a day she does something that just cracks us up. But I think one of the cutest things about her is when she’s trying to avoid a bath. She thinks if she can’t see us, we can’t see her. She “hides” behind the toilet and stares at the wall as if we can’t see her. She also has serious – very serious – FOMO. Even though she goes almost everywhere with us, we have to leave her home from time to time. One day we were loading up the trunk of car with items to take to a friend’s house for the evening. Penny got out. We looked everywhere for her and called her name over and over. Finally I went to the car to go drive and look for her. As I approached the back of the car to close the trunk, she was IN the trunk hoping to stow away. She heard us calling for her but she kept quiet hoping to go with us, albeit in the trunk. I died laughing because we spent a good 20 or 30 minutes walking around and calling for her.

We are empty nesters and Penny is the center of our world. She has us wrapped around her paw! She’s our little princess (ok yes, she might be a little bit spoiled!). Penny is just shy of 7 years old and each day our love for her grows logarithmically. We are so grateful we found Janet and her amstaffs.

I’m a retired narcotics K-9 officer of 30 yrs. 17 years working as a dog handler. I handled both narco dogs and tracking dogs (Bloodhounds).

Shortly after retirement I was looking for a dog companion family type, and after researching lots of So. Cal breeders I found Janet Duval of almadenstaffs…

She had the perfect dog for me as I was not looking for a puppy but an older dog if she had one. To my surprise she did have a beautiful 1 1/2 year old male fawn with a black mask name Colt. I’ve had Colt now for 4 1/2 years and he’s been the perfect family companion dog I’ve ever had. My kids and grandkids love Colt so much he’s loves the grandkids and is so gentle with them letting all 3 climb up on him as he rests on his dog bed.

The first couple weeks we had a Lil rough spell with Colt as he was not used to being around people or strangers… At time’s trying to show dominance over my girls and wife but that’s the breed type and we worked that out of him in no time. One thing I’ve learned about the Amstaff is there’re very smart easy to train and stubborn at the same time. But the best thing I love about the Amstaff is there affection and of course the love and protection of the family…

So Janet Duval I just want to say thank you for bringing Coltsie into our lives especially mine. He’s been a blessing and a great companion to this old Man…

Sincerely, Rick Sanchez (Retired LAPD)

My dog, Penny, is of the Almaden bloodline that Janet Duvall breeds. We brought her home when she was eight weeks old and she’s now 5 1/2 years old. We got Penny about three years after our other staffie (Jada) passed away at age 14. To this day, Penny is our pride and joy, and the center of our world. Our children are adults and have long since flown the coup. Thus, Penny is the only child left at home, to stay.

Because she was so young when we got her, she has been trained in the manner we feel was/is appropriate. This means that we’ve been socializing her with other dogs and people from the start. She is very loving; she loves people and she’s always happy to meet new peeps. She plays with a lot of the doggos in our neighborhood. She’s athletic and loves to hike. She endears herself to everyone she meets. She goes everywhere with us but she can be left at home with no problems. She’s never chewed on anything she wasn’t allowed to chew on (but truth be told, chew toys are a must – LOL); never ruined furniture or shoes, etc. She was crate-trained and did quite well in her crate. Though, we don’t use it anymore as there is no need.

Penny is honestly a most adorable, likeable, and loving dog. Even our next-door neighbors, who had no experiences with staffies before meeting us, fell in love with our Jada and have fallen in love with Penny. She’s always invited to their house when we go over and when we leave for a few hours without Penny, they come over and get her so she can hang out with them. And, when the four of us get together – all of Penny’s peeps in one place – she’s the happiest doggo ever.

Barbara Arenz

AKA: a super happy Staffie mom

I love my little Hank so so much! I found Janet through my mom after she brought home her own dog, Ruby. After that, there was no turning back. I got into contact with Janet, and she was able to pick the absolute perfect dog for me. I had tons of different dogs growing up (mainly rescues) but wanted to make sure my first non-family dog had the right temperament. My Hank has that and more! He is snuggly, healthy, happy, and the friendliest dog in our neighborhood (I mean, what more could a girl want?!). Even my boyfriend wants to steal him—to which I say, “fat chance!” This dog has completely changed my life for the better, and I couldn’t be more grateful to Janet for that.

I got my pup Abby in March of 2021 and my life has never been the same. Late in 2020 I lost my Border Collie and thought I’d never love another dog the way I loved him. A few months later I decided that my life was empty without a furry friend. I found Janet on AKC Breeders Page and fell in love with the American Staffordshire Breed.

When I called Janet she expressed her worry about selling a puppy to me since I would be the youngest person she’d sell to, I was nineteen at the time. After talking to Janet a numerous times and getting the details about the breed she felt comfortable picking and selling me one of her puppies.

At first I thought not being able to pick out my own puppy was weird but I trusted Janet as I felt she is very experienced. I’m glad I trusted her because the moment I saw Abby I knew she would forever be my girl. Abby is the sassiest and sweetest girl I have owned. I have now owned Abby for almost two years and she is the best decision I have ever made.

Lucy Burris

Cairo is a people lover, and he loves socializing and engaging with people. When we take him to the dog park, we love how assertive he is when new dogs surround him, and he enjoys playing with other dogs! We had the best experience with the breeder Janet who is very knowledgeable and continuously checks in on Cairo and us! Janet truly cares and loves all her dogs, which is reflected in Cairo's excellent and balanced temperament.

Also, the best part was how I was able to find Almaden staffs via the AKC website and meet Ms. Janet, who was very attentive, persistent, and thorough about the process of bringing home a champion bloodline Am-Staff to your home. Ms. Janet matched my wife and me to a beautiful athletic Am staff based on real-life questions to ensure that she sent her champion Am Staff to the right home that fits the owners' lifestyle as far as hiking, swimming, and outdoor activities. Also, Ms. Janet does a personality match to ensure you are the correct owners for the dog you are about to be added to your family.

“My family and I have had dogs my entire life: From many Irish Wolfhounds to Australian Shepherds, to Golden Retrievers to St. Bernards to Cairn Terriers. My last three dogs have been rescues; a shepherd mix (who recently died at 13 1/2) and two large pit bulls, who are still with me. I love my rescues, but my dream has always been to have a healthy, happy, purebred AmStaff. I searched high and low, sifting through a litany of many self-proclaimed top notch folk, back yard breeders, puppy mills, and scams, looking for a trustworthy, experienced, reputable breeder. Luckily, I happened upon Janet Duvall at Almaden AmStaffs, and hit the jackpot! We spoke on the phone several times for many hours. You see, Janet will not give her beautiful dogs to just anyone who wants a Staffy. These dogs have been her life for 50 years. I defy you to find someone who knows more about this magnificent breed. I initially thought having other dogs, or wanting a Staffy as a pet and not as a show dog might disqualify me. Boy, was I wrong. Janet has a gift of finding the perfect dog for each person she deems worthy of owning one of her gorgeous pups. Or rather, she finds the right person for each of her special pups. I’ve had Ruby for almost a year now, and she is the perfect dog for us. We are beyond smitten. She is beautiful, healthy, and smart as a whip, with such a winning personality! Once, I was in a group training session with her when the trainer came up to me and in hushed tones told me Staffies were her favorite dogs, and that Ruby had the best disposition of any Staffy she’d ever seen! She wanted to know where on earth I got this incredible dog! I just grinned and said, “JANET DUVALL, BABY!” This little purebred came into my home and brought immense joy to all three of my other dogs. Ruby got my 13 1/2 yo shepherd, Stella, to play every single day. And my other two pit bulls, Finn and Lucy (who are not particularly dog friendly) absolutely adore her. Ruby runs the house! She is the alpha! People stop me to tell me how gorgeous she is and rave about her energy and personality. She’s changed our lives for the better. My daughter fell so in love with her, she snatched up Ruby’s brother, and now we are a true Staffy family! I cannot speak higher of Janet’s breadth of experience, knowledge, and genuine love of her AmStaffs. She has completely changed our lives with our darling Ruby. I simply cannot sing her praises loud enough. All hyperbole aside, Janet Duvall is the Oracle of American Staffordshire Terriers.”

Jennifer Foster

Hi Janet,

My husband and I can’t say enough good things about Almaden Staffs! Janet is so thorough and really cares about these dogs and the homes they go to. We live in Pennsylvania and were so appreciative of Janet’s assistance in getting our girl to the airport to her flight nanny! Our girl from Almaden Staffs and Janet is beautiful with an amazing temperament! She is excellent with kids, sweet as can be and very smart. She is the perfect addition to our family and we will look to Almaden Staffs when we are ready to add another!

Thanks for everything
Hailey

It's not often you associate fate or fairy tales with seeking out a pet, but my experience with Janet Duvall has been just that. In 1994, my father bought me my first dog: Smith and Wesson (we called him Smitty for short). He was an absolutely amazing, loving, friendly, and beautiful dog hailing from the most wonderful kennel in the nation: Almaden Staffs. He was, and always will be the best friend I ever had, and a damn good looking one at that. I mean, how could you go wrong with parents like the famous, multi champion stud-of-a-dog Spear and the gorgeous Devon? He was the light of my life for years until the end of his long, healthy life. Fast forward 23 years and I haven't had a dog since. I always felt that the only dog for me was an amstaff; but not just any amstaff: Janet's amstaffs. My fiancée and I decided we wanted to bring a little bundle of fur into the family and I immediately suggested a staffie. After digging through old photo albums and sharing my loving stories of Smitty, we both agreed that it was the perfect family dog for us; but that raised a burning question: Where will we find one!? 23 years does a number on ones memory. I hounded (pun intended) my dad for Janet's information for days with no luck. After taking matters into my own hands and doing enough digging through the internets, I was amazed to not only find Janet's info, but to discover Almaden Staffs is still going strong! What's more amazing is that, even after so much time, Janet STILL remembers me and my family! How many people can say their dog's breeder still remembers them a quarter of a century later? That speaks volumes. Needless to say I jumped on the opportunity to reserve a puppy from her next litter and now little Sig Sauer (our puppy) is on the way! Thank you Janet for breeding the greatest dogs I've ever seen and remembering me from so many years ago! Alison and I are so excited for the addition to the family!