American Bully

Described as confident, outgoing and gentle with family.
An American Bully
Photo: Juan. botti
Adult weight
20–60 kg
44–132 lb
Lifespan
10–12 yrs
Class · Companion
also Family

What it's like

Breed standards describe a confident, outgoing and gentle dog, affectionate with its household, and treat aggression towards people as highly undesirable. Public concern in Britain over attacks involving XL-type dogs led to the restrictions on that type now in force there.

Day to day
Activity
Happy with modest walks
Intelligence
Easy-going, simple routines
Handler demand
Needs steady training
With people
Affection
A lap or leaning dog
Loyalty
Bonded to its family
Independence
Cooperative, with its own ideas
Around the home
Sensitivity
Hardy, takes a busy home in its stride
Voice
Quiet
Prey drive
Chases; needs managing
Breed explains only about 9% of how individual dogs differ in behaviour1. Meet the dog. A good breeder breeds for temperament as well as health, and matches each puppy's personality to the right home2,3.
Is an American Bully right for you?
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Size and growth

An American Bully is a large dog, about the weight of a grown German Shepherd.

It is compact and powerfully built, with a broad, blocky head, a medium-length muzzle, a deep, wide chest and heavy bone, though build varies between the size classes. The short coat is close, glossy and stiff to the touch; all colours and patterns are accepted except merle.

Varieties

ABKC divides this breed by height at the withers. Pick the variety your dog is for a band that fits.
Variety
Weight
Height
Pocket
M 35.6–43.2 cm · F 33–40.6 cm (registry figure)5
Standard
M 43.2–50.8 cm · F 40.6–48.3 cm (registry figure)6
Classic
M 43.2–50.8 cm · F 40.6–48.3 cm (registry figure)7
XL
M 50.8–58.4 cm · F 48.3–55.9 cm (registry figure)8

Puppy growth

Reference curve · community data appears as owners log
By about 5 months, a male American Bully puppy is already as heavy as a grown Border Collie. They grow fastest between 4 and 5 months old. They keep growing past their first birthday, longer than a Beagle does. Most males grow into the size large-breed puppy foods are made for.
Fully grown
13 mo
Both sexes, at 99% of adult weight9
Male
Female
Shaded: expected range
02040602m4m6m9m12m18m
02040602m3m4m6m9m12m18m
Age
Male
Female
2 months
3.5–10.5 kg 7.7–23.1 lb
3.5–10.5 kg 7.7–23.1 lb
3 months
5.6–16.8 kg 12.3–37.0 lb
5.6–16.8 kg 12.3–37.0 lb
4 months
8.3–24.9 kg 18.3–54.9 lb
8.3–24.9 kg 18.3–54.9 lb
5 months
11.3–33.8 kg 24.9–74.5 lb
11.3–33.8 kg 24.9–74.5 lb
6 months
14.0–41.9 kg 30.9–92.4 lb
14.0–41.9 kg 30.9–92.4 lb
7 months
16.1–48.2 kg 35.5–106.3 lb
16.1–48.2 kg 35.5–106.3 lb
8 months
17.6–52.7 kg 38.8–116.2 lb
17.6–52.7 kg 38.8–116.2 lb
9 months
18.5–55.6 kg 40.8–122.6 lb
18.5–55.6 kg 40.8–122.6 lb
10 months
19.1–57.4 kg 42.1–126.5 lb
19.1–57.4 kg 42.1–126.5 lb
11 months
19.5–58.4 kg 43.0–128.7 lb
19.5–58.4 kg 43.0–128.7 lb
12 months
19.7–59.1 kg 43.4–130.3 lb
19.7–59.1 kg 43.4–130.3 lb
15 months
19.9–59.8 kg 43.9–131.8 lb
19.9–59.8 kg 43.9–131.8 lb
18 months
20.0–59.9 kg 44.1–132.1 lb
20.0–59.9 kg 44.1–132.1 lb

Lifespan

No vet study has measured how long American Bullies live yet. The 10–12 years shown is a reference range, not a measured one.

Where it comes from

The UKC says the American Bully grew out of the American Pit Bull Terrier, with some bulldog breeds mixed in, as a distinct type: a heavy-boned companion dog in Standard, Pocket, XL and Classic varieties. Defra calls the XL Bully a typically larger variant of the American Bully type, and since 1 February 2024 it has been a criminal offence to own or possess one in England and Wales without a valid Certificate of Exemption12,13,14,15.

The American Bully took shape in the United States during the late twentieth century, when breeders began selecting American Pit Bull Terrier and American Staffordshire Terrier lines, reportedly with some bulldog-type crosses, for bulk and a calmer, more sociable nature rather than for working ability. Bloodlines such as Razor's Edge and Gotti became closely associated with the type. The American Bully Kennel Club was set up in the early two-thousands to register it, and the UKC later recognised it as a separate breed. Unlike the pit bull lines behind it, the breed was developed from the outset as a companion rather than a working or sporting dog.

Breed standard

One registry divides it into four varieties by height, each with its own weight range.

Questions people ask

General guidance for dogs rather than a measured American Bully figure: most females have a first season somewhere between six and fifteen months, and cycles then settle to roughly every 180 days. Smaller breeds tend to start earlier and larger ones later, so a large breed is most likely at the later end.

Compare with related

American Pit Bull Terrier
Terrier · Medium
Staffordshire Bull Terrier
Terriers · Medium
American Staffordshire Terrier
Terriers · Medium
American Bulldog
Working · Large
Or compare the American Bully with any breed you choose
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Sources

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Parts of this page were written by AI ·