What is the difference between a "Pit Bull" and American Bully?

 

The only true "pit bull" is the American Pit Bull Terrier, registered with a pedigree through ADBA. American Pit Bull Terriers were bred and designed for combat - they have intense focus, perseverance and drive. They were designed to be hardcore athletes with a "no quit" attitude, and they are extremely impressive dogs to watch in sports (weight pull, wall climb, etc.) because of this! Due to their heritage, it is very common to see dog aggression in this breed as well as prey drive, which makes proper containment and management of them imperative. Physically, the American Pit Bull Terrier is quite slender built and very athletic looking. It is typical for them to stick around 30-55lbs.

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American Bullies on the other hand, were created with more of a focus on being "cool looking" without as much of the hard-to-manage stuff, so they have bulk muscle rather than lean, they are thick boned instead of thin, etc, while pulling most of the intense dog aggression, energy & drive out of them. Bullies tend to be pretty easy going in day to day life and are much less motivated to stay focused on a task than their APBT cousins. (That being said though, they are still very physically capable dogs and some degree of dog aggression, selectivity and prey drive is still somewhat common in certain lines of the American Bully)

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To sum it up as simply as possible - American Bullies were designed to be the cool looking body builder cousin of the bad*ss athlete that is the American Pit Bull Terrier. They each have a purpose, they are each valuable, and it really just depends on the owner what would fit better with their lifestyle, wants and needs...but the fact remains that they are very different dogs and that prospective owners need to do thorough research to determine which breed best fits their lifestyle before committing to one or the other

 

The American Bully is anything but a “bully” – and in fact, this breed is considered one of the friendliest, sweetest breeds around when it comes to how much they adore their loved ones. Boasting big muscles (and bigger hearts), these pups make excellent additions to families, and are especially gentle with children.

Though not yet recognized by the American Kennel club, this breed is recognized by the American Bully Kennel Club (ABKC), and the United Kennel Club (UKC), and they are gaining more popularity around the world.

Is an American Bully the right kind of dog for you? There are a lot of things to consider when adding a dog to your life, so we’ve covered just about everything you’ll need to know in this in-depth breed profile.

American Bully Appearance

The muscular, thick-set body and blocky head of the American Bully is hard to ignore – which is why so many are surprised to discover how gentle and sweet these dogs actually are. And though similar to pit bulls, they’re actually a different breed. American Bullies also can come in four sizes, Standard, Pocket, Classic, and XL dogs.

Their coat is smooth, glossy, and can come in a variety of colors, color patterns, and combinations. Their hair is easy to care for since it’s short and low maintenance – though you may want to jazz up your pup’s ensemble with a fancy sweater in winter months when their fur won’t keep them cozy in chilly weather.

American Bully Personality

Always eager to please, American Bullies are a gentle breed who love nothing more than making their family happy. Despite their muscular (and sometimes even intimidating appearance) these dogs are friendly, sweet, and goofy – and are especially affectionate with children.

Though they are considered the friendliest towards other dogs of all the “bully breeds”, you’ll still want to be careful with them around other pups. They’re generally great with dogs that they are raised with, but may not get along with unknown dogs unless they’re socialized and trained well.

Since these are such outgoing, social creatures, American Bullies adore spending time with their loved ones. Loyal and intelligent, they love doing activities with you – from hiking, to backyard games, to socializing – they’re happiest when they’re hanging out with their pack. Plus, keeping them exercised and entertained means that they won’t revert to destructive behaviors when they get bored.

Ideal Environment for an American Bully

American Bullies can thrive anywhere, just as long as they have access to exercise, mental stimulation, and most of all, their loved ones. They can happily live in apartments or small houses, just be sure to take them out daily for walks, romps in the park, or other activities that get their energy out.

 

 

Ideal Human for an American Bully

When it comes to this breed, a confident and devoted human is always going to be the best match. American Bullies need someone who is willing to invest in their training and socialization, as this will only make them healthier and happier.

They also need a human who is dedicated to exercising them, since they require enough daily activity to prevent boredom, restlessness, and destructive behaviors. Their ideal human should also have plenty of toys and games that challenge the American Bully, since they’re bright and clever, and enjoy activities that stimulate their minds.

American Bully Training

The American Bully is a dream to train since they LOVE pleasing their people, and they have the intelligence and drive to succeed. They’re very capable of learning tricks and commands, and since they adore treats so much, rewards-based training methods are super effective for these pups.

Though American Bullies are generally a kind and tolerant breed, it’s still important to counter any possible aggression in these pups by socializing them early on and introducing them to a variety of situations, people, animals, and locations. By showing them the world around them, and making them feel comfortable and safe with you as they explore it, they’ll gain the confidence to be the well-adjusted, well-behaved pup you know that they can be. Above all this breed really just wants to please their loved ones, and their smarts and charm mean that any effort you put into training them will be well worth it.

 

American Bully Grooming

American Bullies are a breeze to groom, and don’t require much more than a weekly brush to help remove dead hair and cut down on the shedding (though they don’t shed excessively). You’ll also want to keep an eye on their nails and teeth, like with most breeds, but overall this breed is fairly low-maintenance when it comes to their grooming needs.

American Bully Health

Though this breed is generally healthy, there are a few health issues that can come up. The biggest concerns are hip and elbow dysplasia, “cherry eye”, and various breathing issues that are related to their shorter muzzle.

American Bullies generally live from 8 to 13 years, and with the proper exercise, food, and regular trips to the vet, your pup will have a good chance at a long and happy life.

American Bully Breed and History

This breed hasn’t actually been around for very long, originating in the United States sometime between the 1980s and 1990s. They were originally created as a “family companion” and are a combination of American Staffordshire Terrier, American Pit Bull Terrier, American Bulldog, Olde English Bulldog, and Bulldog.

 

CHARACTERISTICS

The American Bully breed is, first and foremost, a companion, exhibiting confidence with a zest and exuberance for life. Despite its powerful appearance, their demeanor is gentle and friendly. This breed makes an excellent family dog. The ideal American Bully possesses the athleticism to do well in performance events.

Aggressive behavior towards humans is uncharacteristic of the breed, and highly undesirable.

Disqualifications: Viciousness or extreme shyness.

 

 

HEAD

  • The American Bully breed head is unique and a key characteristic. It is large and broad, but never disproportionate to the overall dog. There is a well-defined, moderately deep stop. The flews are deep, but always clean. Cheek muscles are prominent and free of wrinkles.

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MUZZLE

  • The muzzle is broad and blocky, or slightly square. The length of the muzzle is shorter than the length of the skull, being from 25 to 35 percent of the overall length of the head. The top of the muzzle is straight. The lower jaw is well-developed, wide and deep.

  • The overall structure of the lower jaw, muzzle, stop and skull planes should bear little to no characteristics of the English Bulldog.

 

NOSE

  • The nose is large, with well-opened nostrils. All colors of nose pigment are acceptable. Nose color is usually in harmony with coat color.

  • Eliminating Faults: Excessively large, heavy, head disproportionate to the body. Muzzle so short and blunt as to interfere with normal breathing. Snipey muzzle. Weak lower jaw. Excessive flews. Muzzle slightly turned up at the nostrils.

 

TEETH

  • The American Bully has a complete set of evenly spaced, white teeth meeting in a scissors or even bite.

  • Serious Faults: Missing teeth. Overshot.

  • Eliminating Faults: Undershot. Wry bite.

 

EYES

  • Eyes are medium size, oval to slightly round, and set well apart and low on the skull. All colors are equally acceptable except blue. The haw should not be visible.

  • Fault: Blue eyes.

  • Serious Faults: Eyes not matched in color.

 

EARS

  • Ears are set high, and may be natural or cropped, without preference. Prick, or flat, wide ears are not preferred.

  • Disqualifications: Unilateral or uhbilateral deafness. Bat ears.

 

Having finally been recognized as their own breed by the UKC (United Kennel Club) in 2013, breeders are now starting to dive into creating the ideal American Bully. Unfortunately, certain breeders are taking their "vision" too far and the animal's health and mobility are being compromised. Ideally, every class of bully should be perfectly functional and healthy, but that is not the case currently. As breeders and breed enthusiasts, everyone should be health testing their dogs and breeding for functionality before looks. This is the major downfall to the American Bully - with it being a newer breed and each breeder having their own "vision" instead of having a uniform vision with very slight differences, there is a lot of inconsistency in addition to very few dogs are being properly health tested prior to being bred. But all of that being said, there are also many amazing breeders that really care about the future of the breed, their dogs, and they take mental and physical health into consideration before considering the dog for breeding. 

Another interesting piece of information is that the American Bully, when registered as such, is actually not included in BSL (Breed Specific Legislation) bans, or at least not any that I have seen. If you have papers stating that your dog is registered as an American Bully, your dog can not be classified as a "pit bull looking dog", because the papers prove that the dog is a different breed entirely. The banned breeds are often from the Terrier group, whereas American Bullies are in the Companion group. However, just because American Bullies can slide under the BSL Radar does NOT mean that our dogs are free and clear to do whatever they want. Considering that the general public doesn't know how to tell an APBT and a SBT apart, it's not surprising that Bullies often fall into the assumed "pit bull category" as well (but please be aware that the ONLY pit bull is the American Pit Bull Terrier, which is a registered breed). With this, comes great responsibility. Not only does the future of our breed rely on us making sure our dogs good public representatives, but there are many breeds like the APBT, AST, and SBT that will surely take the fall for our breed should our dogs be irresponsibly owned and/or managed.

INFO ON FINDING THE BEST HOMES


At RK Bullies, selecting an owner for our dogs is a meticulous process aimed at ensuring the best possible homes for our beloved animals. We prioritize asking potential owners a series of questions to gauge their suitability. Queries include whether they have a backyard, prior experience with the breed, familiarity with large breeds if they're new to bullies, and if they own their home or have the necessary permissions for pet ownership in rental properties. These questions help us ascertain the environment and level of commitment potential owners can provide, ensuring our dogs find loving and appropriate forever homes.