1. They are NOT pit bulls.

One of the most common misconceptions about the American Bully is that it is simply a type of pit bull, but the truth is these are two distinct breeds.

American Bully vs Pit bull

As this picture shows, it’s easy to tell these two breeds apart when you put them next to each other:

Here are a few of the key differences between the American Bully and the Pit Bull:

Head size: The American Bully has a larger head compared to the pit bull, especially in proportion to their body size.

Leg length: Most American bullies feature short legs, especially when compared to those of the pit bull. Only the classic type of the American Bully has average legs when it comes to length.

Muscles: While pit bulls are certainly a muscular breed, muscles are something that the American Bully is bred for, so they typically have a number of well-defined, large muscles covering their bodies.

Overall build: The overall build of an American bully is much wider than a pit bull. Their chests are broad and their legs are further apart.

As you can see, there are some definite differences between the American Bully and the Pit Bull, despite their shared heritage. Once you understand how these two breeds are different, then you shouldn’t have any problem telling them apart.

2. The American Bully comes in 4 recognized sizes

There are four different sizes of American bullies that are recognized by the ABKC: 

• Pocket 
• Standard 
• Classic 
• XL

Pocket

To be considered a pocket American bully, a male must be between 14 and 17 inches (35-43 cm) at the shoulder, and a female must be between 13 and 16 inches (33-40 cm) at the shoulder. Otherwise, this size has the same proportions and characteristics as the standard American bully.

Standard

A standard male American bully stands between 17 and 20 inches (43-51 cm) while a standard female stands between 16 and 19 inches (40-48 cm).

Classic

Although the classic type of the American Bully is the same height as the standard, this type is recognized by a difference in build. These dogs are less muscular and have narrower frames than the standard, pocket, and XL varieties.

XL

XL (Extra Large) American bullies are bigger than the standard size but should have the same build and overall proportions. Males are between 20 and 23 inches (50-58 cm) and females range between 19 and 22 inches (48-56 cm). At this time, this is the largest accepted size for this breed.

What is a Micro American Bully?

You may have heard of a Mini American Bully, Micro American Bully, or even a Micro Mini American Bully, but the truth is that these are not technically varieties recognized by the ABKC. Instead, these are simply alternate names for pocket American bullies.

3. The American Bully is a new breed

While some dog breeds have been around for hundreds of years, the American Bully is a new breed, having just been developed during the 1980’s and 1990’s. It was first recognized as a breed by the ABKC in 2004, and by the United Kennel Club (UKC) in 2013.

The full history of the American Bully goes back several hundreds of years when bulldogs and terriers were used for sport. When these cruel animal-fighting sports died out, the remaining dogs were bred together and the first bull terriers were created.

Over time, these dogs became a more diverse group and included many of the types of bully breeds listed above. When breeders wanted to create the ultimate companion dog from these bully breeds, they began combining pit bulls with Staffordshire bull terriers and mixing in other breeds.

They ended up creating the American Bully, a dog that has all of the characteristics that make these breeds great companions with the aggressive tendencies bred out of them.

4. They can live 10 – 13 years

As long as you take excellent care of them, your American bully could live between 10 and 13 years.

One of the things you need to do to ensure a long life for your American bully is to keep an eye out for these common health problems and talk to your vet if you have any concerns about them.

Here are some of the common health problems that this breed may face:

Elbow dysplasia – This occurs when the bones that form the elbow joint in the dog’s front legs do not stay where they should.

Hip dysplasia – Most often showing up as a dog ages, hip dysplasia occurs in a dog’s hind legs when their hips come out of place,

Demodectic mange – Animals with compromised immune systems are particularly susceptible to this parasite that causes scabs and hair loss.

Luxating patella – When a dog’s knee cap becomes dislocated, it will require surgery to resolve.

Congenital heart failure – This serious condition causes the heart to become enlarged and fill the body with fluids.

5. American bullies are easy to train

Like many other dog breeds, bullies love pleasing their owner which makes them easy to train. Of course, you’ll need to put in some work and make sure you stay consistent with training them, but you’ll soon find that this intelligent breed is a breeze to work with.

6. This breed requires exercise 

Since the American Bully comes from working dogs, this breed has retained its abundance of energy. That means you need to be prepared to give them enough exercise that they don’t start to get bored.

7. American bullies make great family dogs

American bullies are one of the best examples of a perfect family dog. Loyal and loving, they’ve had aggressive behaviors intentionally bred out of them.

This makes them great family dogs, so you can rest assured that you’re not putting your children at risk by bringing one into your home.

This makes them great family dogs, so you can rest assured that you’re not putting your children at risk by bringing one into your home.

One thing to keep in mind is that although one of the goals of forming this breed was to remove aggression, some bullies will still have problems with other dogs.

For this reason, you should use caution when bringing an adult bully into your home if you have other pets.

8. American bullies require little grooming

For a breed that requires little grooming, look no further than the American Bully. They have a short, smooth coat that only needs to be quickly brushed once a week or so.