The American Bully

The American Bully has a short, close, stiff to the touch and glossy coat. All colors and patterns are acceptable. The head of the American Bully is a medium length, deep through, broad skull, very pronounced cheek muscles, distinct stop, and high set ears. The ears can be cropped or uncropped. Eyes: all colors except albinism; Round to oval, low down in skull and set far apart. Muzzle: medium length, rounded on upper side or slightly squared to fall away abruptly below eyes. Jaws well defined. Under jaw to be strong and display biting power. Lips close and even, some looseness accepted, but not preferred. Upper teeth to meet tightly outside lower teeth in front or scissor bite accepted. Nose: all colors acceptable. The neck is heavy, slightly arched, tapering from shoulders to back of skull. No looseness of skin. Medium length. Shoulders are strong and muscular with blades wide and sloping. The back is fairly short. Slight sloping from withers to rump or straight accepted with gentle short slope at rump to base of tail. Slightly higher rears accepted, but not encouraged. The body has well-sprung ribs, deep in rear. All ribs close together. Forelegs set rather wide apart to permit chest development. Chest deep and broad. The tail is short in comparison to size, low set, tapering to a fine point; not curled. Not docked. Front legs should be straight. A slight turning outwards of the feet is accepted but not desired, large or round bones, pastern upright. No resemblance of bend in front. Hindquarters: well-muscled, let down at hocks, turning neither in nor out. Feet: of moderate size, well-arched and compact. Gait: should be springy with drive off the rear.

History

The American Bully breed was established in the mid-1990s with the purpose of creating the ultimate family companion. The American Bully was created through years of selective breeding by combining the desired traits of the UKC American Pit Bull Terrier and the AKC American Staffordshire Terrier. Some lines have added other bully breeds into the mix and sometimes non bully breeds. The American Bully's origins can be seen both on the East and West Coast of the United States, primarily in Virginia and Los Angeles, California and is spreading to all parts of the U.S. Today the American Bully can also be seen in Europe and Asia. The American Bully, also called the Bully Pit, Bullypit and the Bully Pitbull, is often confused with the American Pitbull Terrier but is clearly a different breed.

Temperament

The American Bully is a happy, outgoing, stable and confident dog. Gentle and loving toward people. Good-natured, amusing, extremely loyal and an affectionate family pet. Almost always obedient, this dog wants nothing more than to please its master. It is an extremely courageous and intelligent guard dog that is very full of life. This breed possesses the loyalty and stability of the American Pit Bull Terrier while retaining the sociable, amiable, and outgoing temperament of the American Staffordshire Terrier. This unique breed is noted for displaying extreme tolerance with children and an overwhelming eagerness to please its family. Confident, yet not aggressive, this breed possesses a very pleasant temperament. Physically, the American Bully has an impressive, athletic build, which is both muscular and defined, and displays strength and agility. The breed is versatile and capable of accomplishing a wide variety of tasks. All around, the American Bully is a well-rounded, reliable, trustworthy and ideal family companion. The breed is very outgoing with an eagerness to please. They are known for their courage. A persistent fighter if provoked. Highly protective of his owners and the owner's property, it will fight an enemy to the death if the enemy traps the dog in a corner and threatens its loved ones. This breed has a very high tolerance for pain. Socialize very thoroughly when young to curb any dog aggressive tendencies. It has given outstanding results as a guardian of property, but is at the same time esteemed as a companion dog. This breed is not for the passive owner who does not understand that all dogs have an instinct to have a pack order. The American Bully needs an owner who is firm, but calm, confident and consistent. They need to know what is expected of them; rules to follow and limits to what they are and are not allowed to do. The objective in training and successfully keeping this dog is to achieve pack leader status. It is a natural instinct for a dog to have an order in their pack. When we humans live with dogs, we become their pack. The entire pack cooperates under a single leader; lines are clearly defined. You and all other humans MUST be higher up in the order than the dog. That is the only way your relationship can be a success.

Size

Height: 13 - 21 inches (33 - 53 cm)

Weight: 70 - 120 pounds (31 - 54 kg)

There are 5 categories of the American Bully—pocket, standard, extra-large (XL), extreme and classic.

Grooming

The smooth, short-haired coat is easy to groom. Brush on a regular basis with a firm bristle brush, and bathe or dry shampoo as necessary. A rub with a piece of toweling or chamois will make the coat gleam. This breed is an average shedder.