American Bully Characteristics — Complete Breed Profile

American Bully Breed Profile

Physical Characteristics

Head

Broad, blocky, with a pronounced stop and well-defined cheek muscles. The head should be large in proportion to the body but not so exaggerated that it compromises the airway or makes natural whelping impossible. A real consideration in the more extreme lines.

Body

Compact and square. Deep, wide chest, heavy bone, short back, and a level topline. The dog should look substantial from every angle rather than merely wide from the front. Length of back should be roughly equal to height at the withers.

Movement

This is the characteristic most often ignored and the one that matters most. A correct bully moves cleanly. Legs tracking straight, no rolling, no paddling, no elbows swinging wide. Extreme width at the front forces the elbows out and produces exactly the laboured gait you see in poorly bred dogs. Always watch a dog walk directly away from you.

Coat and color

Short, close, single-layered and glossy. Every color and pattern is acceptable, which is unusual, see our colors guide. The single coat means almost no insulation: bullies feel cold genuinely, and a coat below freezing is necessary rather than decorative.

The Extreme Bully Question

"Extreme" describes dogs bred well past the standard. Very short muzzles, very wide fronts, very heavy bone, pronounced skin. It attracts high prices and it is where the breed's most serious welfare arguments sit.

Every one of these is a spectrum, not a switch. A moderately exotic dog from a careful breeder is sound; the far end of the style is not. Judge by whether the dog breathes quietly at rest and moves straight, not by how dramatic it looks in a photograph. See exotic American Bully.

Temperament Characteristics

Confident, affectionate, people-focused, low-barking, moderate energy, poor at being left alone. Aggression toward humans is a disqualifying fault in the standard. Full detail in the temperament guide.

Care Characteristics

• Grooming: low. Weekly brushing, occasional bath. Folds need daily attention where present.
• Shedding: moderate and year-round, see do American Bullies shed?
• Heat tolerance: poor. Broad chest plus short muzzle equals inefficient cooling.
• Cold tolerance: poor. Single coat, no undercoat.
• Feeding: large-breed formula, kept lean during growth, see the feeding guide.