AMERICAN BULLY BREED STANDARD

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GENERAL APPEARANCE: 

SHOULD GIVE THE IMPRESSION OF GREAT STRENGTH FOR IT'S SIZE. THE AMERICAN BULLY IS A COMPACT DOG WITH A MUSCULAR BODY AND BLOCKY HEAD,  SHOULD HAVE THE APPEARANCE OF HEAVY BONE STRUCTURE, WITH A BULKY APPEARANCE. 

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CHARACTERISTICS:

A COMPANION BREED EXHIBITING CONFIDENCE, A ZEST FOR LIFE, AN EXUBERANT WILLINGNESS TO PLEASE AND BOND WITH THEIR FAMILY. AN EXCELLENT FAMILY COMPANION WITH A GENTLE DEMEANOR. THEY ARE GREAT WITH KIDS AND FRIENDLY WITH STRANGERS.

DISQUALIFICATIONS: VICIOUSNESS OR EXTREME SHYNESS

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HEAD: 

DISTINCT, HEAVY, LARGE, AND BROAD, EXEMPLIFIES THE BREED TYPE AND IS A KEY CHARACTERISTIC. THERE IS A WELL DEFINED MODERATELY DEEP STOP. MEDIUM IN LENGTH, DEEP THROUGHOUT, BROAD SKULL. CHEEK MUSCLES ARE CHISELED AND WELL PRONOUNCED CHEEK MUSCLES. THE FLEWS ARE DEEP BUT ALWAYS CLEAN.

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EARS: 

SET HIGH CAN BE EITHER NATURAL OR CROPPED

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DISQUALIFICATION: UNILATERAL OR BILATERAL DEAFNESS

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EYES:

ALL COLORS EQUALLY ACCEPTABLE. EYES SHOULD BE OVAL TO ALMOND SHAPE, LOW DOWN IN THE SKULL AND SET FAR APART. 

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FAULTS: ROUND OR BULGING EYES/PRUTRUDING EYES, OVERLY VISIBLE HAW.

DISQUALIFICATIONS: ALBINISM OR PINK EYES.

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MUZZLE-

SHORT TO MEDIUM LENGTH AND BROAD WIDTH. LENGTH TO BE SHORTER THAN THE LENGTH OF THE SKULL. LENGTH OF MUZZLE IS 25 TO 35% OF THE OVERALL LENGTH OF THE HEAD BUT NOT SO SHORT AS TO INTERFERE WITH BREATHING. THE TOP OF THE MUZZLE IS STRAIGHT. LOWER JAW IS WELL DEVELOPED, WIDE, AND DEEP. TOPLINE OF THE MUZZLE IS TO BE STRAIGHT WITH NOSE AND NOT POINTED OR TURNED UP IN PROFILE.

LIPS SEMI CLOSE AND EVEN, MINIMAL LOOSENESS ACCEPTED BUT NOT PREFERRED.  UPPER TEETH TO MEET TIGHTLY OVER LOWER TEETH TO FORM A SCISSOR BITE.

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FAULTS: MUZZLE TOO LONG OR SNIPEY; MUZZLE SO SORT AS TO INTERFERE WITH NORMAL BREATHING. LACK OF PRONOUNCED CHEEK OR DEEP STOP, WEAK UNDER JAW, UNDER JAW OR NOSE TURNING UP. NOSE PUSHED BACK. EXCESSIVE FLEWS. LEVEL BITE, OVER SHOT BITE, UNDER SHOT BITE.

SERIOUS FAULTS: UNDER OR OVER SHOT BITES MEASURING OVER 1/4" OR MORE.

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NOSE:

LARGE WITH WIDE OPEN NOSTRILS. ALL COLORS ACCEPTABLE EXCEPT ABLINISM.

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DISQUALIFICATION: ALBINISM

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NECK:

HEAVY, MUSCULAR, SLIGHTLY ARCHED, TAPERING FROM SHOULDER TO BACK OF SKULL

COMPACT TO MEDIUM SIZE SHOULD MINIMAL OR NO LOOSE SKIN.

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FAULTS: NECK TO THIN OR WEAK. NECK TO SHORT OR TO LONG

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FOREQUARTERS:

SHOULDERS SHOULD BE STRONG AND MUSCULAR WITH WIDE SET SIDE WIDE BLADES THAT ARE WELL LAID BACK. UPPER ARM IS ROUGHLY EQUAL TO THE LENGTH OF SHOULDER BLADE, AND JOINS AT AN APPARENT RIGHT ANGLE. THE FORELEGS ARE STRONG AND MUSCULAR WITH LARGE BONES. PASTERNS ARE STRONG SHORT AND NEARLY ERECT. FEET STRAIGHT FOREWARD.  DISTANCE FROM WITHERS TO ELBOW IS EQUAL TO THE DISTANCE FROM ELBOWS TO FEET. DOGS THAT ARE SLIGHTLY SHORTER IN DISTANCE FROM ELBOWS TO BOTTOM OF FEET ARE ACCEPTABLE BUT NOT DESIRABLE.

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FAULTS: UPRIGHT SHOULDERS, STEEP AND FORWARD SCAPULA. UPPER ARM TO SHORT. FEET TOEING EITHER IN OR OUT. FRONT LEGS BOWED. DOWN AT THE PASTERNS. SPLAYED OR FLAT FEET, LONG TOES

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BODY:

HEAVILY MUSCLED, MASSIVE BULKY BODY TYPE OF COMPACT TO MEDIUM LENGTH GIVING THE IMPRESSION OF GREAT POWER FOR IT'S SIZE. RIBS WELL ROUNDED AND CLOSE TOGETHER CREATING A BARREL CHEST, EXTENDING TO THE ELBOW OR SLIGHTLY BELOW. FORELEGS SET WIDE APART TO ALLOW CHEST DEVELOPMENT. CHEST SHOULD BE BROAD, WELL FILLED IN, AND DEEP BUT NOT EXAGGERATED AS TO INTERFERE WITH NORMAL MOVEMENT.

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BACK:

RELATIVELY SHORT TO MEDIUM BACK, SLIGHT SLOPING FROM WITHERS TO RUMP OR STRAIGHT WITH GENTLE SHORT SLOPE AT RUMP TO BASE OF TAIL ACCEPTED. TEH AMERICAN BULLY SHOULD GIVE THE APPEARANCE OF A SQUARE BODY EQUAL IN LENGTH TO HEIGHT FROM WITHERS TO GROUND. 

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FAULTS: BACK TOO LONG. REAR HIGHER THAN WITHERS. WEAK OR SWAYED TOPLINE. ROACHED OR WHEEL BACK.

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HINDQUARTERS:

Well muscled, let down at hocks, not turning in or out.

Muscle development, angulation and width of the hindquarters should be in balance with that of the forequarters.

When viewed from the rear legs are to be straight and parallel. Croup should have a slight downward angle.

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Faults: Hocks turning in or out; cow hocks; sickle hocks; narrow hindquarters; straight or over-angulated stifle joints; bowed legs.

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TAIL:

Medium in comparison to size, low set, tapering to a fine point and extending approximately to the hock. When relaxed tail is to be carried low. When moving tail is carried level with the topline or in a raised position when excited (challenge tail), but should never be carried curled over, breaking the plane of the back (gay tail).

Tail to be clear of any kinks or knots.

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Faults: Tail to long or too short approximately up to an inch above or below point of the hock. Gay tail.

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Serious Faults: Kinked, knotted, or fused tail. Extremely short tail.

Disqualification: Screwed, bobbed, or docked tail.

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FEET:

Should be rounded and of moderate size in proportion to the dog, compact, well arched and tight.

Faults: Splayed or flat feet, long toes.

GAIT:

The American Bully moves with a confident and proud attitude, while keenly alive and alert to its surroundings. Gait should be effortless and powerful. The action must, be unrestrained, free and vigorous with powerful drive off the rear. Front reach should be moderate and in balance with the rear.

Legs don't turn in or out, or ever cross or interfere with each other.

Dog moving on the same plane – Each leg moving in the same plane shared with the other leg on the same side with minimal convergence.

Backline should remain level, with flexing to be very slight.

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Faults: Rolling, pacing, sidewinding, hackney action, paddling or pounding. Not moving on the same plane; legs over reaching; legs crossing over in front or rear; rear legs moving too close or touching

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COAT:

Short, glossy, close, stiff to smooth to the touch.

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Faults: Curly or wavy coat.

Serious Faults: Long coat.

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COLOR AND PATTERN:

All colors and patterns are permissible except albinism.

Disqualifying Faults: Albinism

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SIZE:

Dogs should be healthy and should not reach the point where it is considered obese.

Weight- There is no particular weight for the breed.

Height and weight should be in proportion of the body frame.

All varieties to exhibit “Bully” characteristics and breed type traits as described in the American Bully Breed Standard, which are key elements of breed.

American Bullys come in several varieties:

Standard:

Height; Males 17"-20" Females 16"-19"

Pocket:

Height; Males 14" to under 17" Females 13" to under 16"

XL:

Height; Males over 20"-23" Females: over 19"-22"

Classic:

The Classic Bully is to give the appearance of a bullier, old style American Pit Bull Terriers and/or American Staffordshire Terrier

Classic Bully variety is simply an American Bully on a lighter body frames and with less overall body mass than the Standard American Bully. Aside from this difference, the Classic Bully variety follows the same standard as the Standard American Bully.

Height; Males 17 inches – 20 inches Females 16 inches – 19 inches

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