The American Bully Standards

The American Bully breed developed as a natural extension of the American Pit Bull Terrier. The APBT has maintained a characteristic appearance and temperament for over 100 years. As with any long-standing breed, several types evolved from the parent breed, with one in particular taking on a specific build and structure that is o unique it was wise to recognize it as a different breed altogether. That being the American Bully breed.

The American Bully breed was subtly influenced by the infusion of several other breeds, which include the American Bulldog, English Bulldog, and Olde English Bulldogge.

GENERAL IMPRESSION: The American Bully is a compact but medium to large size dog with a substantially dense muscular body with the impression of heavy bone structure with a bulky build and a noticeably blocky head.

CHARACTERISTICS: The American Bully is intense and powerful in appearance but their demeanor is gentler with an amiable inclination to please and bond with their family, thus making the American Bully an excellent family companion. They exhibit drive but less of a working breed and favouring more of a docile companion breed. They are wilful but friendly and great with kids and other animals. Human or dog aggression, extreme shyness, or viciousness is very uncharacteristic of the American Bully and is highly undesirable.

HEAD: Distinguishably large and broad head with a circumference of
    - 20” or more for males
    - 18" or more for females, measured at the very end of its jaw where the molars are and up over and around the top of its head exemplifies breed type of the American Bully.
    - Wide skull, medium in length with distinct and very pronounced cheek muscles and a distinct and deep stop.
    - Ears are set high and can be either natural or cropped.
    - Eyes are all colours equally accepted except albinism (pinkish to red) which is a disqualification. Blue eyes, lack of pigment around the eyes are undesirable.
    - Eye shape is oval to almond shape, low down in skull and set far apart. Round eyes are undesirable, and bulging or protruding eyes are a fault.
    - Visibility of the haw should be minimal.
    - Muzzle- Blocky or slightly squared to fall away abruptly below eyes and broad in width. Length to be shorter than the length of the skull. The distance from the tip of the nose to the stop should be roughly one- third of the distance from the tip of the nose to the back of the head The topline of the muzzle is to be straight with nose neither pointed nor turned up in profile.
    - Jaws- well defined.
    - Under jaw- to be board strong and parallel to muzzle, never turning upward.
    - Lips- semi close and even, minimal looseness accepted but not preferred.
    - Upper Teeth- to meet tightly outside lower teeth in form or scissor bite.
    - Nose- Large with wide open nostrils. All colors/pigment acceptable except albinism (light pink in color).

NECK : Heavy, muscular, slightly arched, tapering from shoulder to back of skull.

FOREQUARTERS: Shoulders to be muscular with wide blades set wide sloping and deep.
    - Forelegs must be straight but set wide apart, strong, muscular and stout with large bones, pasterns are strong, short and nearly erect. Feet- straight forward. 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.

BODY: Immensely bulky and recognizably muscular body type of compact/medium length giving the impression of substantial power for its size.
    - Ribs well-rounded creating a barrel chest with all ribs close together rib cage to extend to the elbow or slightly below.
    - Chest- should be broad, deep, and well filled in The brisket should be capacious, muscular and very deep from the top of the shoulder to the lowest part where it joins the chest.

BACK: Fairly short to medium back, slight sloping from withers to rump or straight accepted with gentle short slope at rump to base of tail. The American Bully should give the appearance of a square body, equal in length when measured from point of shoulder to point of buttocks and from the withers to the ground.

HINDQUARTERS: Well-muscled, let down at hocks, turning neither in nor out.
    - Muscular development, angulation and width of the hindquarters should be in balance with that of the forequarters.
    - When viewed from the rear legs are to be straight and parallel.
    - Croup should have a slight downward angle.
    - Faults: Hocks turning in or out cow hocks sickle hocks narrow hindquarters straight or over-angulated stifle joints bowed legs.

TAIL: Medium in comparison to size, low set, tapering to a fine point and extending approximately to the hock.
    - When relaxed tail is to be carried low. When moving tail is carried level with the topline or in a raised position when excited (challenge tail), but should never be carried curled over, breaking the plane of the back (gay tail).
    - Tail to be clear of any kinks, knots or any curvature.

FEET: Should be rounded and of moderate size in proportion to the dog. Compact, well arched,and tight.

COAT: Short, glossy, close, stiff to smooth to the touch. • Coat no longer than ½ inch (1 cm) in length.

COLOR AND PATTERN: All colors and patterns are permissible.

SIZE: Dogs should be healthy and should NOT reach the point where it is considered obese.
    - Weight: There is no particular weight for the breed.
    - Height: Please see Variety Amendments.

GAIT: The American Bully moves with a confident and proud attitude and alert to its surroundings.
    - Movement should be free and effortless with powerful drive off the rear without hindrance. Front reach should be moderate and in balance with the rear.
    - Legs turn neither in nor out, nor ever cross or interfere with each other.
    - Dog moving on the same plane – Each leg moving in the same plane shared with the other leg on the same side with minimal convergence.
    - Backline should remain level, with flexing to be very slight.