American Bully: a muscly softie with a few things to watch
Pocket, standard, XL… The bully comes in many sizes and almost always with a calm, family-loving character. Weight, heat and what the law says.
The American Bully is a young breed, developed in the United States from the American Staffordshire Terrier and other breeds. It has plenty of muscle, a large head and, generally, a calm character that’s very devoted to its family.
Very different sizes
There are pocket, standard, classic and XL bullies, so weight can range from about 15 to over 35 kg. For harnesses and collars, measure your dog (neck and chest) rather than going by the breed.
Watch the kilos
With so much muscle it’s hard to tell if it’s overweight. Put your hand on its side: you should feel the ribs without pressing. Extra kilos take a toll on its joints. Measure its food and count the treats.
The heat
Some bullies, especially those with shorter muzzles, cope badly with heat and struggle sooner. In summer, walks first thing and last thing in the day, water always to hand and no hard exercise in full sun. If it pants very heavily or staggers, get it into the shade and to the vet.
Play and chews
It loves to play and has powerful jaws: tough toys are better than plush ones. It loves tug of war, always with rules: it lets go when you ask.
Is it a PPP?
The American Bully isn’t on the breed list in Real Decreto 287/2002. But a dog can be considered potentially dangerous if it has most of the features in Annex II, and many bullies do. Ask your town council how they treat it, and if they ask you for a licence, follow everything we explain in “Potentially dangerous dogs: what the law says, plain and simple”.