ABOUT THE BREED (ABKC & UKC)
CLASSES
The American Bully, a medium-sized breed, boasts a robust physique with a distinctive blocky head. Renowned for its impressive muscle mass and strength, this breed is generally more manageable than its bull breed relatives, such as the APBT, SBT, and AST, due to lower energy levels and minimal dog aggression. While some working lines may exhibit prey drive, it's usually not as intense as in terriers.
Describing American Bullies as "muscley couch potatoes," it's important to note that despite their lower maintenance, they still require ample exercise, mental stimulation, and training. This breed, evolving over about 30 years, is categorized into Pocket, Classic, Standard, and XL variations, each with unique traits. All our dogs fall under the XL class. Check the attached photo for a visual representation of these classifications.
FOREQUARTERS
- Shoulder blades display considerable length, width, and muscle, gracefully laid back. The upper arm, roughly equivalent in length to the shoulder blade, forms an apparent right angle.
- Forelegs boast strength and muscle, featuring a subtle twist in the forearm. Elbows are either close to the body or slightly apart. When viewed from the front, forelegs are moderately spaced, forming a perpendicular alignment to the ground. Short, powerful, and flexible pasterns are set at a slight angle.
- Eliminating Fault: Front legs so bowed as to interfere with normal movement.
BODY
- The body is close-coupled, with a broad, deep chest, and well-sprung ribs. The chest may be wider than it is deep, but free from exaggeration. The forechest does not extend forward much beyond the point of the shoulder. The back is wide, strong and firm. The topline is level and straight. The croup slopes slightly downward to the base of the tail. The loin is wide and short.
- The distance from the withers to the elbow is equal to the distance from the elbows to the bottom of the feet. Dogs that are slightly shorter in distance from the elbows to the bottom of the feet are acceptable but not desirable.
- Eliminating Fault: Chest so wide as to interfere with normal movement.
OUR RESPONSIBILITY AS A BREEDER
Breeders bear the responsibility of safeguarding the American Bully breed's health, welfare, essence, and soundness. It is imperative to avoid any conditions or exaggerations that may compromise these aspects and ensure that such issues do not persist. Departures from the breed's standards should be viewed as faults, and their seriousness assessed in proportion to their impact on the dog's health, welfare, and ability to perform its traditional work.
In the pursuit of quality, size and mass should never override essential breed characteristics. The American Bully is distinguished by its compact, strong, and thick-set structure, reflecting a foundation rooted in the American Pit Bull Terrier and influenced by other bull breeds. Maintaining overall balance, correct proportions, and ensuring an athlete's soundness with proper muscle tone is crucial.
Head properties should be proportionate, reasonable, and devoid of exaggeration to preserve breathing and normal vision. This smooth-coated breed, while muscular, remains active and agile. Despite its formidable strength, the American Bully presents an image of power and stamina, contrasting with its kind and loyal temperament. Upholding these standards ensures the continued well-being and character of the American Bully breed.
HEAD/NECK
- HEAD: The American Bully breed head is unique and a key characteristic. It is large and broad, but never disproportionate to the overall dog. There is a well-defined, moderately deep stop. The flews are deep, but always clean. Cheek muscles are prominent and free of wrinkles.
- MUZZLE: The muzzle is broad and blocky, or slightly square. The length of the muzzle is shorter than the length of the skull, being from 25 to 35 percent of the overall length of the head. The top of the muzzle is straight. The lower jaw is well-developed, wide and deep. The overall structure of the lower jaw, muzzle, stop and skull planes should bear little to no characteristics of the English Bulldog.
- NOSE: The nose is large, with well-opened nostrils. All colors of nose pigment are acceptable. Nose color is usually in harmony with coat color. Eliminating Faults: Excessively large, heavy, head disproportionate to the body. Muzzle so short and blunt as to interfere with normal breathing. Snipey muzzle. Weak lower jaw. Excessive flews. Muzzle slightly turned up at the nostrils.
- TEETH: The American Bully has a complete set of evenly spaced, white teeth meeting in a scissors or even bite. Serious Faults: Missing teeth. Overshot. Eliminating Faults: Undershot. Wry bite.
- EYES: Eyes are medium size, oval to slightly round, and set well apart and low on the skull. All colors are equally acceptable except blue. The haw should not be visible. Fault: Blue eyes. Serious Faults: Eyes not matched in color.
- EARS: Ears are set high, and may be natural or cropped, without preference. Prick, or flat, wide ears are not preferred. Disqualifications: Unilateral or bilateral deafness. Bat ears.
- NECK: The neck is of moderate length and muscular. There is a slight arch at the crest. The neck widens gradually from where it joins the skull to where it blends in to well laid-back shoulders. The skin on the neck is without excessive dewlap. Faults: Neck too thin or weak; ewe neck; excessive dewlap. Very Serious Faults: A short neck that would interfere with functional ability. Neck too long as to be out of proportion with body.
TAILS
- The characteristic tail is often referred to as a crank or pump handle tail. Straight tails are also acceptable. The tail is set on as a natural extension of the topline, and tapers to a point. When the dog is moving, the tail is carried level with the topline. When the dog is excited, the tail may be carried slightly higher, but never carried over the back. When the dog is standing and relaxed, the tail is carried low and extends approximately to the hock.
- Eliminating Fault: Bobbed tail.
- Disqualification: Screw tail.
HINDQUARTERS
- The hindquarters are strong, muscular and broad. The rump is well-filled-in, and deep.
- The thighs are well developed, with thick muscles. Viewed from the side, the hock joint is well bent, and rear pasterns are well let down and perpendicular to the ground. Viewed from the rear, the rear pasterns are straight and parallel to one another.
- Serious Faults: Narrow hindquarters. Lack of muscle. Straight stifle. Cow hocks. Sickle hocks. Bowed legs.
HINDQUARTERS (REAR VIEW)
FEET
- The feet are tight, round, proportionate to the size of the dog and well-arched.
- Removal of rear dewclaws is preferred, but not mandatory.
- Eliminating Fault: Splayed feet.