The breeds · companion
UKC Companion
American Bully.
UKC history: the American Bully developed as a natural extension of the American Pit Bull Terrier; one type took on so unique a build that it was recognized as a different breed. The breed was subtly influenced by the American Bulldog, English Bulldog and Olde English Bulldogge and 'should not specifically resemble any one in particular'. UKC recognized it July 15, 2013. UKC characteristics: 'first and foremost, a companion'; gentle and friendly demeanor; an excellent family dog; athletic enough for performance events; aggression toward humans uncharacteristic. The UKC standard states that breeders and judges must avoid exaggerations detrimental to health, that quality is never to be sacrificed to size and mass, and that the UKC 'is unwilling to condone the validity of using exaggerated specimens' in breeding. Wikipedia: first standardized and recognized in 2004 by the American Bully Kennel Club (ABKC), developed from the 1980s and mostly settled in the 1990s from an APBT strain bred to a stockier build; the ABKC's stated aim was a dog with lower prey drive and more 'bully' traits than the American Staffordshire Terrier; the American Bully Registry states the breed was bred as a companion and that breeders have worked to reduce 'gameness' (the instinct to fight other dogs); weight pull and flirt pole are common sports. Wikipedia lists the ABKC varieties as Standard, Pocket, XL and Classic. Wikipedia on legal status: Germany restricts the import and transfer of the American Staffordshire Terrier, Bull Terrier, Pit Bull Terrier and Staffordshire Bull Terrier and their crosses, and a 2023 court ruling there allowed a dog with an American Bully father to be classed as dangerous; Ireland restricts the breed as a 'Bandog' (muzzle and a lead of 2 m or less in public) and announced a two-stage ban from Oct 1 2024; Turkey makes owning or breeding the breed illegal; the United Arab Emirates prohibits possession and circulation; in England, Wales and Scotland the XL Bully was added to the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 in January 2024, making it illegal to sell, breed or abandon one or to have one in public without a lead and muzzle, and illegal to possess one without a certificate of exemption, insurance, microchip and neutering..
Breed sets the odds. The parents set the dog. Every number here shows its source, its spread and how sure we are. Nothing on this page is a prediction about one dog.
The lines
Within one breed the line can matter more than the breed. Where the lines differ, the page says which one a value belongs to.
UKC Pocket size: mature males under 17 in and no less than 14 in; females under 16 in and no less than 13 in at the withers.
UKC Standard/Classic size: males 17 to 20 in, females 16 to 19 in at the withers; the Classic is the lighter-framed type measuring the same at the withers.
UKC XL size: males over 20 to 23 in, females over 19 to 22 in at the withers.
The body
What the breed is built like. Registry standards give an ideal, not a range.
Height at the shoulder
UKC prints 'under 16'; center blank.
Range as the UKC prints it (Wikipedia repeats it); no single ideal, so center is blank.
Range as the UKC prints it (Wikipedia repeats it); no single ideal, so center is blank.
Weight
Wikipedia only (editorial): the range spans all sizes, and the UKC prints no weight. Wikipedia's page is flagged as needing additional citations. Counts for both sexes.
Coat
Heat tolerance
Derived from a short dense coat (4); heavy muscle and a short blocky muzzle are noted by the standard, and no source states a heat finding.
The work
What it was built to do in the field, and what a test or trial asks of it.
Role
The UKC and Wikipedia agree on the APBT foundation and the 2013 UKC date. The legal list is Wikipedia's alone; the cited laws were not opened, so check current law (the UK XL Bully rules in particular have changed over time). Wikipedia's reasons for the legislation (fatality counts) are left out under the library's no-bite-statistics rule. No source describes any hunting use; this is a companion breed.
How common the problems are
Evaluated dogs skew toward breeding stock; the numbers are still the best there are.
Hip dysplasia
OFA breed statistics. OFA-evaluated dogs skew toward breeding stock, with normal results over-represented, so this likely understates the breed as a whole. Hips rank 12 in the OFA table. The OFA row read does not split Pocket, Standard, Classic and XL dogs, so the figure is for the breed as listed. American Bully rows only.
Elbow dysplasia
OFA breed statistics. OFA-evaluated dogs skew toward breeding stock, with normal results over-represented, so this likely understates the breed as a whole. Elbows rank 4 in the OFA table. Not split by size class.
Most common disorders
Wikipedia's BVA line was not checked against the BVA source; treat it as unverified. No VetCompass or breed-club health survey was read.
What to ask a breeder for
The health clearances the breed’s own club and registry name. Reference only: what to ask for, never a statement about any dog’s health.
- USElbow evaluationOFA · Orthopedic Foundation for Animals, breed statistics data service (the data behind ofa.org/diseases/disease-statistics/): hips and elbows, all evaluations on file, read Oct 5 2026
- USHip evaluationOFA · Orthopedic Foundation for Animals, breed statistics data service (the data behind ofa.org/diseases/disease-statistics/): hips and elbows, all evaluations on file, read Oct 5 2026
How to read this page
Every value carries a label. Measured means peer-reviewed data on many dogs. Studied means peer-reviewed, smaller or indirect. Breed club means a club or registry states it. Editorial means expert opinion with no measurement behind it. Where two good sources disagree, both are shown and neither is averaged.
Published when the entry rests on the best information available from no fewer than three independent sources, checked by a second pass that did not write it. 3 sources on this page. Found something wrong? Tell us and the correction is logged with its date.
- Also called
- Am. Bully, Bully
Every breed, read the same way.
The breed index grows as entries clear the standard. Gun dogs first.
All published breedsYour american bully, on the record.
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