GENERAL APPEARANCE
The American Bully should be a strong, powerful dog. Its size ranges from compact to medium/large, with a well-defined muscular body and a square head. Movement should be powerful and effortless at the same time. The American Bully gives the impression of a heavy, bully (sturdy) bone structure. The length of the front legs (measured from the point of the elbow to the ground) should never be more than half the dog's height at the withers; the leg length should always be in proportion to the body, giving the dog a compact (thick-set) appearance. The breed combines strength, athleticism, flexibility and agility. It should never have fine, slender bones. Overall balance and harmony are critical components of the breed.
Breed characteristics:
The essential characteristics of the American Bully are strength, confidence and vigor. This breed is eager to please and to excel with enthusiasm. The American Bully is an excellent family companion and has always been known for its love of children. Aggressive behavior toward people and other dogs is not characteristic of the breed and is highly undesirable.
HEAD: The head of the American Bully is unique and one of the breed's main features. It looks huge and impressive, large and broad, giving an impression of power, but not out of proportion to the size of the body. Viewed from the front, the head is broad and square. Viewed from the side, the skull and muzzle are parallel to each other and joined by a defined stop. The brow ridges are well defined but not pronounced. The cheek muscles are well pronounced, with some wrinkles.
The head is well chiseled, combining strength, elegance and character.
MUZZLE: The muzzle is short to medium, slightly square, with a pronounced stop. The length of the muzzle is shorter than the length of the skull, in a ratio of about 1:2 or 2:3. The topline of the muzzle is straight. The jaws are well defined. The lower jaw is strong and well developed, broad and deep. The lips are tight; some loose lip is accepted but not preferred.
NOSE: The nose is large, with wide, well-opened nostrils. The nose may be any color.
EYES: Almond to oval in shape, set low in the skull and well apart (not excessively so)
Ears: The ears are set high and may be natural or cropped. If natural, half-prick or rose ears are preferred. Erect ears or wide, flat, fully drop ears are not desired.
TEETH: Full dentition with evenly spaced, white teeth and a scissor bite.
NECK: The neck is strong, thick and short. There is a slight arch at the crest. The neck widens gradually from where it joins the skull to where it blends into well-angulated shoulders. The skin of the neck is tight, with no dewlap.
Forequarters: The shoulder blades are long, broad, muscular and well laid back. The front legs are straight, short, strong and sturdy, with substantial bone and muscle mass. The elbows should be close to the body. Viewed from the front, the forequarters are defined, noticeably set apart (to accommodate a broad, deep chest) and perpendicular to the ground. The pasterns are short, powerful, straight and flexible. Viewed in profile, the pasterns should be upright, with a slight bend. Viewed from the front, the distance from the ground to the chest should equal the distance between the front feet, giving the impression of a square.
BODY: The body looks compact, powerful and substantial, with great mass and extreme muscle, which are characteristics of the American Bully breed. The chest is very broad, deep and well filled, with ample room for the heart and lungs; however, the chest should never be wider than it is deep. The ribs extend well back and are well sprung from the spine, then flatten to form a deep body reaching down to the elbows. The back is strong, firm, moderately broad and muscular when viewed from above. The overall topline is level (withers, back and hips at about the same height) or slightly sloping from the withers to the hips, with a slightly rounded croup; the topline should be muscular. The loin is short, muscular and slightly arched toward the croup, but narrower than the rib cage, with a moderate tuck-up. The croup slopes slightly downward. Females may be slightly longer.
HINDQUARTERS: The hindquarters should be very powerful, strong, muscular and broad. Powerful hindquarters are fundamental to the American Bully's vigor, providing the strength and agility needed for physical performance. The thighs and croup are visibly filled with firm, tight musculature. The thigh is very well filled on each side of the tail and deep from the pelvis to the groin. The thighs are extremely well developed, with easily defined musculature. The angulation of the bones and musculature of the hindquarters should be in harmony with the forequarters. Viewed from the side, the hocks are well angulated and the rear pasterns are well let down and perpendicular to the ground. Viewed from behind, the rear pasterns are straight and parallel to each other.
TAIL: it is an extension of the topline, tapering toward the tip. When the dog is relaxed, the tail is carried low and reaches almost to the hock. When the dog is moving, the tail is carried level with the topline. When the dog is excited, the tail may be raised to a vertical position (challenge tail), but never curled over the back (gay tail).
FEET: The feet are round, in proportion to the size of the dog, well arched and tight. The pads are hard, tough and well cushioned. A slight outward turn (“east-west”) is accepted, but it should not exceed 10 degrees. The toes should be close together and in good proportion to the leg and bone.
Coat: The coat is glossy and smooth, and moderately stiff to the touch.
COLOR: all colors except merle.
Size and weight: The American Bully should be both powerful and agile, so its weight and height are less important than the correct proportion between weight and height. The American Bully should look sturdy, stocky and compact, giving the impression of a solid, powerful dog with great strength and ability in a compact body.
Standard by height: Although the original American Bully is the “Standard type”, the varieties of the breed are also recognized by the terms “Miniature”, “Pocket” and “XL”. The variations from the original standard for the Miniature, Pocket and XL are the heights, while still keeping the proportions of the original standard.
MINIATURES
Females: up to 33 cm
Males: up to 35 cm
POCKETS
Females: 33.01 cm to 40.5 cm
Males: 35.01 cm to 43.0 cm
STANDARD
Females: 40.6 cm to 48.0 cm
Males: 43.1 cm to 51.0 cm
XL
Females: 48.1 cm to 56.0 cm
Males: 51.1 to 58.5 cm
NOTE: *** Every puppy or young dog up to 12 months is considered STANDARD for “judging” purposes. After 12 full months, it is measured and reclassified into its correct category (mini, pocket, standard or XL).
MOVEMENT: It moves with confidence, giving an impression of liveliness and enthusiasm. At the trot, its movement is light, smooth, powerful and well coordinated, showing good front reach and rear drive. When moving, the back stays level, with only a slight flex to show flexibility. Viewed from any side, the legs turn neither in nor out, and the feet do not cross or interfere with each other. As speed increases, the feet tend to converge toward the center line of balance.
FAULTS:
Insufficient bone and lack of mass
Twisted tail
Kinked tail
Long tail
Curled tail
Excessively short tail
Wall eyes, pink or albino eyes.
Severely twisted front legs
Severely twisted hind legs
Cryptorchidism, retained testicle.
SERIOUS FAULTS
Undershot jaw
Wry jaw
Missing teeth
Overshot jaw
DISQUALIFICATIONS
Long coat
Docked tail
Neutered dogs
Showing or having aggressive behavior toward people.
