The American Bully is a dog originating in the United States, bred from breeds such as the American Pit Bull Terrier, the American Staffordshire Terrier, and some bulldog-type breeds. It is often described as a medium-sized, rugged, muscular dog with a friendly, family temperament. But did you know that there is more than one type of American bully?
Keep reading on SweetDoggo to find out what the types are within this breed and how you can differentiate them.
Table of Contents
How many types of American bullies are there?
In total, there are 5 different types of American Bullies recognized by the American Bully Kennel Club or ABKC. They are:
- Standard bullies
- Classic bully
- Bully XL
- Extreme bully
- Pocket bully
As their names suggest, the main difference between them is size. In general, all variations have the same physical appearance and exhibit a very similar personality.
Let’s see what are the main characteristics that identify each American bully …
1. Standard American Bully
The standard bully was created in the 1990s as a companion dog and as a show version for the American Pit Bull Terrier. He is distinguished by being very affectionate and loyal to his family. Despite their aggressive and rough appearance, he is sociable and tolerant of strangers.
- It usually measures 40-51 cm at the withers.
- His body is thick, muscular, and compact, with a broad chest. He gives the impression of great strength, but without exaggerated features.
- The broad, heavy head should be in proportion to the body, although the cheek muscles are prominent and the skull large. Their jaws are well defined.
- He has a muscular neck and strong, slightly arched shoulders.
- The eyes of the standard American bully are oval or almond-shaped; they are located in the lower part of the skull and look very far apart.
- The length of the snout is short to medium.
Note. When it comes to the different American Bullies, there is no set standard weight for each type; however, in either case, the weight must be proportional to the body structure of the dog.
2. Classic American Bully
This type of American bully is considered a correction of the Standard, differing basically in body structure. Classic specimens have less body mass, hence their composition is lighter. They exhibit strong bully dog traits as they were bred to more closely resemble the traditional American Staffordshire Terrier or Pit Bull.
- American bullies of the classic type are also between 40 and 51 cm tall.
- Although less thick, they have a muscular and compact body.
- The head is still large and the jaws well defined.
- The shoulders are strong and the thick neck looks slightly arched.
- His temperament is outgoing and confident. They are usually very loyal, complacent with their owner, and patient with children.
3. American Bully XL
The XL bully is much like the standard type bully, but taller and bulkier. It has a greater body mass, hence it is a heavier dog. In fact, he is the biggest type of American bully there is. Even so, this variation follows the same breed standards and its characteristics should not be exaggerated.
- Its height at the withers ranges from 48 to 58 cm.
- The body is thick, bulky, and compact, with a remarkably large and deep chest.
- The head is large and heavy, with protruding cheeks and well-defined jaws.
- The shoulders and thick neck denote great strength.
- The eyes are still almond-shaped or oval.
4. American Bully Extreme
The extreme bully, sometimes called the exotic American bully, is nothing more than an “exaggerated” version of the standard bully. This type has more body mass, their bones are thicker and heavier, and their appearance is noticeably wider.
- While it maintains the same standards as the original American bully, no official height range has been established.
- He has an impressive body, very compact and muscular.
- The chest is significantly broad and the large head is kept in proportion to the size of the body.
- Its almond-shaped eyes are located high on the head and the jaws are very protruding.
- Without a doubt, he is a type of imposing American bully, but without looking proportionally exaggerated.
Other key traits to tell if an American Bully is extreme (exotic) or not: semi-closed lips, slightly outward-facing hindquarters, and a higher rear than other American Bully dogs.
5. Pocket American Bully
The Pocket bully or Pocket American bully differs from the others only by its height. This is the smallest among all types of American bullies. Despite being shorter, he maintains the muscular and heavy build of his brothers.
Pocket American Bullies are often bred for fans of the breed who don’t want a dog as large as the standard. It is generally considered the best variant for people with an average lifestyle in terms of time to socialize, train, exercise, and groom.
- They usually measure between 33 and 43 cm at the withers.
- His body structure is massive, compact, and muscular, always without exaggeration.
- The wide and proportional head to the body exhibits prominent jaws and cheeks.
Regardless of the type, all American Bully breed dogs have an average life expectancy of 10-12 years.
What identifies American bully dogs?
Undoubtedly, the trait that best defines the American Bully breed is the visibly muscular, voluminous, and compact body, with a blocky head, and broad shoulders and chest. Medium to large in size, these bully-type dogs always give an impression of great physical strength.
Despite his intimidating appearance, the American bully is friendly, confident, and enthusiastic. He is a willing, friendly, and devoted companion to his family.
5 Color types of American bullies
Within the American bully breed, different types or groups of colors are recognized, which group several similar shades and shades. Taking into account the tone or pattern of his coat, an American bully can be:
- Fawn (fawn)
- Red nose
- Tabby
- Solid or bicolor
- Tricolor
1. American bully fawn
The tawny family includes all those specimens in caramel, chestnut, and light brown tones. Typically, they have a black nose, as well as highly pigmented eyes and eyelids. Some may have a kind of dark facial mask. It is very common for all shades of fawn to be combined with white.
A striking fawn type of American bully is the blue fawn, whose light brown coat shows flashes of blue on its face. His eyes are always clear.
2. American red-nosed bully
The red nose in these dogs is a trait inherited from the American Pit Bull Terrier. All American bullies that have such pigmentation are usually included in the same family. The nose and eyelids are always the same color as the coat. They usually have champagne-colored coats, although some can be a soft chocolate color.
It is common for blue tones to appear in those specimens that are lighter within the champagne family.
The color of the bully red’s eyes can vary from amber to yellow.
3. American bully brindle
This type of American bully has a solid coat, ranging from very light brown (fawn) to dark brown, with a pattern of darker, almost black, fine stripes. Often the brindle is combined with an area of white color.
A sub-type within the tabby group is the peculiar reverse tabby. In that case, the stripes look more like a tint on top of the coat’s own base color.
In addition, there is the reverse blue brindle American bully. The coat is cream or light beige, the pigmentation of the face is blue, and the stripe pattern is a bluish-greyish hue.
4. American bully solid or bicolor
As the name suggests, this group includes all American bullies with a solid color coat or a solid coat combined with white.
Some of the most common colors are:
- American bully blue
- American bully champagne
- American bully chocolate or liver
- American black bully
- American bully white
- American bully seal
5. American bully tricolor
The tricolor pattern can occur in any color of the American bully breed. The most common tricolors are the blue tricolor, the champagne tricolor, the chocolate tricolor, and the black tricolor. In either case, a tricolor American bully will have a solid coat color, with white spots and tan points.
Other patterns
In addition to the colors and variations above, there is also the American bully piebald, the American bully spotted (ticking), the American bully saddle, and the American bully smut or sable.
Quick Answers to Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if my dog is an American Bully?
The American bully is a dog very similar in appearance to its ancestors, the American pit bull terrier, and the American Stafford Shire Terrier. The most distinctive feature of the breed is its thick, muscular, and compact body, whose structure must give the impression of power and strength while remaining proportionate. The large, square head should also look proportional to the body.
The face and head of the American Bully are said to represent a middle ground between that of the Pit Bull Terrier and that of the American Bulldog.
These dogs are generally longer than they are tall, and their legs appear relatively short.
The coat is always short, tight, and hard to the touch.
Another characteristic that helps to recognize if your dog is an American bully is temperament. This must be self-confident, outgoing, and exceptionally friendly.
