Description

The American Bully is a compact, muscular dog that exudes power and strength. These sturdy dogs are thickly set, with a broad deep chest, muscular hindquarters, and wide-set forelegs (but not overly bowed). The American Bully’s head is large and broad, but still proportionate to the body. The broad muzzle is blocky or squared, with teeth that meet in an even scissor-bite. Their oval eyes can be any colour, though blue or differently coloured eyes are considered faults. Their high-set ears are naturally floppy, though some dogs are also born with pricked ears (ear cropping is often seen in this breed, but this cosmetic procedure is banned in many countries).

The American Bully size is variable. The officially recognised size varieties are as follows:

• Standard: medium sized and bulky
• Pocket: smaller
• XL: the largest officially recognised size
• Classic: a similar size to the Standard, but with a lighter build

There are a few unofficial sizes, such as the Micro and the XXL.

Origin: USA

Look

The American Bully has a sleek, glossy coat with short, stiff hair. They need very little grooming, and shed moderatley. That short coat does mean that the American Bully is sensitive to the cold, so consider getting a coat or sweater for the cold winter months. American Bullies can be any colour or pattern, though Merle and Albinism are not accepted according to the breed standard. 

Health

While generally a healthy and long-lived breed, the American Bully can suffer from one or more of the following health issues:

• Hip dysplasia
• Elbow dysplasia
• Cherry eye
• Ectropion
• Entropion
• Flatulence
• Hyothyroidism
• Mange
• Cataracts
• Brachycephalic Respiratory Syndrome (in dogs with shorter muzzles)

Warning: Some unscrupulous breeders and owners have been known to inject their American Bullies with steroids to make them appear more muscular: this is not only unethical (and depending on the area, illegal), but it can also cause massive health issues. It is also possible for these health issues to be passed from a mother dog to her puppies. Be sure to seek a reputable American Bully breeder.

At Newdoggy.com, we recommend that you buy your dog from reputable breeders, who use genetic testing and good breeding practices to remove genetic conditions from their breeding lines.

Learning

The American Bully is intelligent, and loves to please his/her human, which makes training a pleasure. They tend to be very obedient, confident, and out-going. It is important to be firm but patient when training your dog: consistency is essential. If you are inconsistent or uncertain, your dog may not understand what you want. 

Temperament

The American Bully may look fierce or intimidating, but they were specifically bred to be companion animals and family pets; as such, they should be confident and energetic, but loving and sweet. Keep in mind that the American Bully is brave and will try to defend his/her family and territory. They can also be dog aggressive. Proper socialisation at a young age is essential to prevent accidents. 

Living with

The American Bully is becoming more popular, and with good reason. They are very sweet and eager to please, and are excellent companions. These dogs are incredibly patient with children, and are exceptionally loyal. 

Although the American Bully makes a wonderful (if large) lap dog, they are natural athletes that excel at sports such as flirt pole and weight pull. They are an active breed, so proper exercise is incredibly important for their health and well-being. Although an American Bully can live in an apartment if properly exercised, ideally they should live somewhere with access to a yard for more frequent exercise.