American Bully

General Appearance

The American Bully should display great strength, compact in comparison to its size, a muscular body with heavy bone, and a thick bulky head.

Characteristics

The American Bully is a companion breed, it should be friendly with strangers, family members, and children. They should be confident and also gentle. Human and dog aggression are undesirable traits. American Bully’s can thrive in city and country living. Although they are powerful and muscular they are the ideal family pet.

HEAD

The ideal American Bully head should appear to be large and broad. Medium in length, deep throughout, broad skull, very defined and pronounced cheek muscles. The stop should be well defined. The lips will be semi-close and even. Some looseness is accepted, but not preferred.

EARS

The ear should be set high and can be natural or cropped.

EYES

The eyes may be any color except albinism. Eye shape is oval, low down on the skull and set well apart. Any shape aside from oval is undesirable. Blue eyes and lack of pigmentation is undesired.

MUZZLE

The muzzle, should be short to medium with a blocky upper side or slightly squared to fall away abruptly below the eyes. The approximate length of the muzzle should be 1/3 of the skull length. The muzzle topline should be leveled with nose neither turned up or pointed. All nose colors are acceptable.

JAW

Jaw well defined. The underjaw should be strong and well developed, not narrow.

BITE

Scissor bite. Undershot and overshot are considered faults and should be penalized.

NECK

The neck should be heavy, slightly arched, tapering from shoulder to base of the skull, with minimal or no loose skin.

SHOULDERS

The preferred set of shoulders will be strong and muscular with a wide set scapula, good angulation, and well laid back.

BODY

The body should have well-sprung ribs, deep in the rear with all ribs close together. The forelegs set rather wide apart to permit chest development. The chest should be deep and broad. The back is short to medium, topline should have a slight slope or level. A gentle short slope from the rump to the base of the tail. The American Bully should display a square body, equal in length when measured from point of shoulder to point of buttocks and from the withers to the ground.

TAIL

Medium in comparison to size, low set, tapering to a fine point. Generally, when gently pulled down, the tip of the tail will meet at the point of the hock. A slight variance of length no more than one inch above or one inch below the hock is acceptable but not preferred. The preferred tail will be straight and clean. When relaxed, the tail should be carried low.

FOREQUARTERS

The front legs should be straight with large round bones. Pasterns are strong, short, and nearly erect. Shoulders are strong and muscular, blades are set wide. Upper arms are about the same length of the shoulder blades and joined at a 35-45-degree angle. The withers and elbows should be in similar proportion to the elbows and the bottom of the feet.

FEET

Feet should be moderate size, well arched, compact, straightforward and tight.

HINDQUARTERS

Well-muscled, let down at hocks, turning neither in nor out. Hindquarters and forequarters should be equal in width, muscular development, and angulations. The rear profile should be straight and parallel.

COAT

The coat should be short, close, stiff to the touch and glossy no more than a ½ inch.

COLOR

All colors and patterns are permissible except merle. Pigmentation shall be consistent with the coat.

SIZE

There is no particular weight for this breed, but the weight should be in proportion to the body frame and should NOT reach the point where it is considered obese. Height for females should range between 16″ – 19” at withers and males should range between 17″ – 20″ at withers.

GAIT

The gait should be effortless and powerful. Legs should not turn in or out, nor should they cross or interfere with one another. Backline should remain level. Front and rear legs on each individual side should move on the same plane.

FAULTS

Faults to be penalized but not disqualifications for showing are:

DISQUALIFICATIONS

Spayed or Neutered

Wry Bite

Docked Tail

Cork Screw Tail

Merle

Pink or Albino eyes

Displaying or possessing aggressive behavior towards humans

Unilateral or bilateral cryptorchidism (missing one or both testicles)

Unilateral or bilateral deafness (deafness in one or both ears)

**  Bloodline restrictions for registering as an American Bully **

Miagi, Bolow, Bullseye

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