American Dog Breeders Association Inc. American Bully Breed Standard American Bully
History The American Bully was developed in the mid 1990’s by breeders on both
the East and West coasts of the United States. They used, as their foundation
stock, United Kennel Club (UKC) and American Dog Breeders (ADBA) registered
American Pit Bull Terriers mated with American Kennel Club (AKC) registered
American Staffordshire Terriers; different varieties of the same breed based on
bloodline history. These dogs were first known as “bully type” American Pit
Bull Terriers. For the past 25 years, these dogs have been bred, bloodlines
refined, and promoted across the U.S and overseas. The breeders of these dogs
have developed this breed for a specific build and temperament so unique that
they have been recognized as a breed separate from the American Pit Bull
Terrier. These dogs were first registered as the American Bully with their own kennel
club in 2004. Recent speculation that the breed was influenced by the blending
of other bull breeds into their gene pool prompted the UKC to recognize the
American Bully as a separate breed on July 15, 2013. Beginning in March 2015,
dogs exhibiting these physical characteristics unique to the American Bully
breed, or being bred from brood stock that consistently produce dogs with these
unique physical characteristics, are being registered with the American Dog Breeders
Association Inc. as the American Bully.
American Bully: Breed Type Because the American Bully was
developed from the blending of select strains of the American Pit Bull Terrier
along with a major influence of the American Staffordshire Terrier for size and
temperament, the attributes of these foundation breeds of overall balance,
health and soundness are essential for quality specimens within the American
Bully breed. Any excessive physical or temperament extremes within the American
Bully breed that overshadow these essential qualities should not be used in a
breeding program and will not be rewarded in the ADBA show ring. The American Bully, in overall appearance,
should reflect their American Pit Bull Terrier/American Staffordshire Terrier
foundation. The dogs should appear solid, powerful and heavily muscled with a
blocky head, short and wide muzzle with a deep stop and prominent cheeks. The
dog’s ears can be trimmed or natural. Dogs with any terrier refinement of head
or body should not be rewarded in the ADBA American Bully show ring. The body shape of the American Bully is
rectangular with wide shoulder and hips, a wide barrel chest, and heavy bone
with compact feet. The American Bully is a short coated breed with a smooth,
glossy, slightly bristled coat of any color or combination of colors, excluding
the merle color pattern. Dogs with the merle color pattern will not be accepted
for registration due to the associated detrimental health issues related to this
color pattern. This breed was developed
for a unique temperament. Dogs being accepted as an American Bully must exhibit
the temperament of confidence, vitality and alertness, along with a strong willingness
to please and bond with their owners. Dogs will be friendly with children,
strangers and other animals. Human or canine aggression of any degree or
extreme shyness is uncharacteristic and is highly undesirable within this
breed. There is no weight limit imposed
within the American Bully breed standard. Two varieties will be recognized
within the ADBA breed standard. The Classic and the Standard. Height of the Classic
variety should ideally be 17 to 22 inches at the withers, and height for the Standard
variety can range from 16 to 20 inches at the withers.
Conformation Standard
Overall Appearance - 20 pts The Breed is characterized as
solid, powerful and thick-set. The breed is heavy boned, stocky with muscles
well developed, and toned. It is a dog that possesses great power for its size.
Head is in proportion to the body set upon a thick neck that transitions into
the back with a slight arch.
Although quite muscular, the breed is active and has the
willingness and ability to compete in performance events. The American Bully
was bred as a companion dog so its temperament as being friendly, confident,
full of vitality with a willingness to please its owner is paramount. Dogs should
be socialized showing alertness and interest in its surrounding, but showing no
aggression to other canines, or humans, in the ring.
Faults: Terrier refinement in head or body. Rangy or fined
boned. Lack of muscle development.
Serious faults: Any exaggerations of any body part that
would compromise the dog’s health such as breathing, movement or the active
functioning of the dog. Canine aggression. Any color or any combination of
colors known with an associated health issue- merle color pattern or albinism.
Disqualification: Human aggressive, one sided or both sided
cryptorchid, spayed or neutered dogs.
Head, Neck and Teeth – 25 pts The head of the American Bully
is a key characteristic of the dog. As this breed is heavier boned with more
body mass, the head also will be large and broad, but always in proportion to
the rest of the dog. In an otherwise well proportioned dog, the head will
appear to be 75% the width of the shoulders. The head should have depth and the
stop is deep and well defined. Cheeks are prominent and free of wrinkles.
Ears should sit high on the corners of the skull, cropped or
natural without preference. Natural ears should be small and carried in a rose
or half prick.
The muzzle is broad and well developed which will make the
area under the eyes wider than the width of the head between the ears. This
development or ‘fill’ gives structural support to the canine teeth. The muzzle
is square with the length from the stop to the tip of the nose 65% to 75% the
length of the head from the stop to the back of the head. The top of the muzzle
is straight, the lower jaw well developed, wide and deep. Flews are loose and
may descend slightly below the lower jaw, yet clean and without wrinkles.
The American Bully should possess a complete set of evenly
spaced teeth with none missing. Canines should be wide at the base tapering to
the tip. Canines should slip tightly together the top canine behind the bottom
with incisors meeting in a scissor bite.
Eyes are medium in size, oval or slightly round. Eyes are
set wide and low on the skull. Eye color should match and compliment the color
of the dog. Haw should not be visible. Neck
is thick- heavily muscled to the base of the skull, moderate in length. The
neck transitions into the dog’s back with a slight arch. Skin around the neck
should be thick and loose, but without extensive Dewlap (longitudinal folds of
skin that hang on both sides beneath the lower jaw).
Faults: Head out of proportion to the body, muzzle too short,
excessive flews, underdeveloped jaw, undershot, overshot or wry mouth,
mismatched eye color, blue eyes, overly short or excessive length of neck, lack
of muscle development of the neck.
Front End – 15 points The American Bully should have a chest
that is as wide as it is deep with a ribcage that is well sprung and round. The
fore chest does not extend forward beyond the point of the shoulder with a flat
pro-sternum. The shoulder blades or scapulae are broad and flat with a layback
of 45-60 degree to the ground. This will provide an adequate surface area for
the muscle attachment necessary for the heavily muscled front end of the
dog. The upper arm or humorous should be
at an equal angle in the opposite direction and equal in length to the scapula
so the elbow comes to the bottom of the ribcage. The elbows should lie flat, the
hummers running almost parallel to the spine.
The forearm is heavy boned and solid. The length of the forearm will
vary between the Classic and Standard varieties of the breed. The length of the
forearm in the Classic, being equal to the length of the hummers, and the
length of the forearm in the Standard, being shorter than the length of the hummers.
Viewed from the front, the forelegs are set moderately apart and are straight
setting perpendicular to the ground. The pasterns are short, strong and set upright
at a slight angle. Dew claws are normal on the front legs. The ideal feet of an
American Bully should be a tight cat foot with thick pads. Shoulder blades are wide set on the back and
the ribcage is well sprung extending back into the loin. The loin is broad,
well muscled and relatively short to provide a strong bridge for the transmission
of the power of the rear assembly forward.
Faults: Narrow chest, chest too wide to interfere with normal
movement, bowed front legs, splayed feet or down in pasterns, out at elbows
Back End - 15 points. The pelvis of the American Bully
should be wide, moderately long and set at a slight downward angle to the base
of the tail. The femur is long, almost equal to the length of the tibia- fibula
and moderately angulated providing the bone necessary for the muscle attachment
needed for the heavy muscling desired in the backend of the dog. Hocks are
thick and short in length, with the joint well bent. When moving, the hocks are
straight and move parallel to one another. Muscling of the back end across the
pelvis and femur to the tibia-fibula is thick, well developed and prominent in
appearance. The hocks should be free of dew claws.
Faults: Back end higher than the withers, narrow hind quarters,
short flat pelvis, underdeveloped muscling, straight stifle, long hock, cow
hocks or sickle hocks, bowed legs.
Top Line - 10 points. The smooth transition of the neck into
moderate layback of shoulders, and the strong broad back flowing into the wide
short loin transitioning into a broad and moderately long sloped pelvis gives
the American Bully the appearance of a level top line with a slight downward
slope of the croup (pelvis) to the base of the tail. Any alterations of the
level top line will indicate to the judge where to focus his attention to
identify structural faults in the dog being evaluated.
Faults: Dip in the top line behind the shoulders, roach back,
rise in the pelvis above the level of the withers.
Coat and Tail - 5 points
The coat of the American Bully is thick and loose around the
neck and chest and tight fitting everywhere else. Excessive dewlap
(longitudinal folds of skin that hang on both sides of the neck beneath the
lower jaw) or wrinkles of the face are discouraged. The coat is short and
slightly bristled to the touch, the gloss showing the overall health of the
dog. Any color or any combinations of colors are acceptable for the coat and
leather of the nose and pads except for colors known to be genetically linked
to health issues (merle or albinism) The tail is thick at the base straight
without any curl or kinks and tapering to its point. It should hang down like a
pump handle when relaxed. Its length should have the tail extending to the
point of the hock. When moving, the dog’s tail can be carried level with the
top line. When excited the tail may be carried slightly higher, but never carried
over the back.
Faults: Excessive dewlap, wavy or sparse coat, kinked or cane
tail (tail carried over the back) bobbed tail.
Serious Faults: Merle color pattern or albinism (white coat,
pink leather, blue eyes).
Gait - 10 points At the trot, the gait of the American Bully
is powerful and well-coordinated with good reach in front and drive from the
rear. Because of the broad width of the American Bully we would expect the dog
to double track, legs moving straight in both front and rear. As the dog’s
speed increases, feet may tend to converge toward center line of balance
without excessive rolling or bouncing at the shoulder.
Faults: Back legs overreaching the front, legs crossing over
in front or rear, rear legs moving close, paddling, crabbing or side winding.
Classic and Standard Variety Breakdown
The Classic variety of the ADBA American Bully is taller and
more moderate in build than the Standard variety. Dogs of the Classic variety
conform to the ADBA American Bully conformation standard but tend to be less in
mass, more agile and athletic than dogs of the Standard variety with their
increased muscle mass. Height of a mature dog of the Classic variety should be
17 to 22 inches at the withers and a mature dog of the Standard variety being
16 to 20 inches at the withers. Females may be slightly smaller in height but
with adequate bone and mass.
Both varieties should have all body parts in proportion for
their individual size for the active functioning and longevity of life free of
injury. Overall balance and the correct proportion of weight to height are far
more important than the dog’s actual weight and/or height.
The American Dog Breeders Association Inc. American Bully
Breed Standard is not to be used as a breed identifier for legislation or any
general public use. It may only be used to judge the standards of quality of
the American Bully, as set forth. Its purpose is for use by ADBA breeders and
sanctioned judges in determining the quality of each ADBA registered dog being judged
at ADBA sanctioned shows or events and for awarding titles of excellence based
on placements at sanctioned events. The breed standard may also be used as a
guideline to evaluate the quality of breeding stock by breeders of ADBA registered
American Bullies, and to evaluate the quality of individual puppies from ADBA
registered American Bully litters
