American Bully Dog Breed Information

The American Bully dog breed is a relatively new breed that has been recognized as a breed since 2004 by the American Bully Kennel Club (ABKC). The breed is not recognized by the American Kennel Club although related breeds are. The American Bully is a companion dog breed that is stocky, muscular, and gives the "impression of great strength for its size,” according to its breed standard. The bully breed comes in sizes ranging from pocket size to XXL and has a fearless, courageous temperament.

Since the American Bully dog breed was relatively recently recognized as a breed, there is more variation in size and personality in the breed than older breeds. In general, the American Bully is a highly adaptable, intelligent, happy, confident companion dog that loves family. The breed may display dog aggression, making socialization and training very important.

American Bully Dog Breed Rundown

• Height: 17 to 20 inches (males), 16 to 19 inches (females) (41 to 51 cm) for standard bullies; 14 to 17 inches (males), 13 to 16 inches (females), (33 cm to 43 cm) for pocket-sized bullies; and XL bullies measuring between 21 inches and 23 inches (males), and 19 inches to 22 inches (females) (48  cm to 57  cm) at the shoulder.

• Weight: There are no weight standards listed by the American Bully Kennel Club. Each bully group is categorized by the height at the withers.

• Lifespan: 8-13 years

• Origin: United States and England

• Personality: The American Bully dog breed is people-oriented, intelligent, happy, easygoing in the house, playful, loyal, and affectionate with family. American Bullies generally enjoy lounging and cuddling in the house but have plenty of energy outside and need regular exercise. Bullies make courageous guard dogs and are eager to please and generally very trainable. Due to some of its ancestors being used in dog fighting, bullies may display dog aggression and socialization is important from an early age.

American Bully Appearance

The American Bully dog breed is an imposing, stocky, muscular breed that gives an impression of sheer power and strength. XL bullies are particularly imposing, with a tall, stocky build. Bullies have large bones and deep chests, with a barrel-chested appearance. American Bullies have stiff, short coats that come in a variety of colors, ranging from a blue-gray color to white, black, brindle, tri-color, and spotted. All colors are acceptable in the breed standard.

American Bully History

The American Bully breed was created with a combination of breeds, including the American Pitbull Terrier as the foundation breed. Bullies were bred to be a more stocky dog with less prey drive than the American Staffordshire Bull Terrier. American Bullies were developed in the 1980s and 1990s in America by breeding some of the bully breeds from the U.S. and England, including the American Pitbull Terrier, American Bulldog, English Bulldog, American Staffordshire Terriers, and Olde English Bulldogge. Bullies were bred for heavy bone structure and a wide, muscular frame.

The American Bully Kennel Club (ABKC) created a standard for the breed in 2004. Although the breed is not recognized by the American Kennel Club or The Kennel Club, the American Bully was recognized by the European Bully Kennel Club (EBKC) in 2008. The United Kennel Club(UKC) recognized the bully dog breed in 2013.

American Bully Personality

American Bully dogs are confident, loyal, and affectionate with family.

The American Bully is a companion and guard dog that was developed using American and English bulldog and pitbull breeds. They have a friendly, confident, outgoing personality and are very affectionate toward their human families. American Bullies are often low-maintenance indoors and enjoy lounging with their humans. They have a medium energy level and enjoy regular exercise and playing outdoors. If you are looking for a guard dog, American Bullies are a fearless, courageous, and loyal protector. Early socialization and consistent training is especially important for this powerful breed.

Training American Bullies

American Bullies are intelligent dogs and are generally very trainable and eager to please. They need a strong leader who is firm and consistent with training. Bullies do well in dog sports such as weight pulling, personal protection, and therapy work. They are very affectionate towards people and also very protective of their families, so socialization is important to help them learn who is a friend and who may warrant guarding.

Famous Bullies

American Bullies have become popular in hip hop culture. Rapper Wiz Khalifa is a well-known bully lover and has had different types of bully dogs over the years.

American Bully Health

Since the American Bully dog breed is relatively new, their health issues can vary. Many bullies are healthy but here are some health problems that can arise in American Bullies:

• Hip dysplasia

• Heart disease

• Cherry eye, ectropion, and entropion may affect the eyes

• Brachycephalic Respiratory Syndrome includes respiratory problems that can be seen in shorter muzzled bullies

• Obesity

Where to Get an American Bully

There are many American Bully dogs in rescues, and people are often surprised at how many pure breeds are in rescues. There are also a lot of bully mixes available with unique personalities and lots of love to give. There are also rescues that serve a variety of bully breeds, including the American Bully, American Pitbull Terriers, and more. Here are some resources if you’d like to adopt a bully:

American Bully Kennel Club (ABKC) is the official breed club and standard for the American Bully dog breed. The club offers a lot of resources and educational materials for bully owners.

Petfinder is a great resource for finding rescued American Bullies near your location. The database has bullies at shelters, rescues, and foster homes around the country.

Koa Bully Rescue and Sanctuary in Oregon is a bully rescue that has adoptable bullies.

Peaches Bully Rescue is a dedicated bully rescue in Ohio that has American bullies for adoption.

Lucci’s House Bully Rescue is a rescue in Indiana dedicated to all bully breeds.

Amazing Grace Bully Rescue in Florida has rescued bullies for adoption.