(AKC Terrier Group)
Playful
and clownish, the Bull Terrier is best described as a three year-old
child in a dog suit. Given his muscular build, the Bull Terrier can
appear unapproachable, but he is an exceedingly friendly dog, with a
sweet and fun-loving disposition and popular in the obedience, agility
and show rings. The Bull Terrier can be all white (markings on the head
are permissible) or colored.
Bull Terriers become very attached to their owners and families and do not thrive when left alone. The breed loves children, but obedience training is necessary and care must be taken that they don’t get over stimulated around younger children. Their short coats are easy to care for, but the breed requires daily exercise.
General Appearance
White
The Bull Terrier must be strongly built, muscular, symmetrical and active, with a keen determined and intelligent expression, full of fire but of sweet disposition and amenable to discipline.
Head
Should be long, strong and deep right to the end of the muzzle, but not coarse. Full face it should be oval in outline and be filled completely up giving the impression of fullness with a surface devoid of hollows or indentations, i.e., egg shaped. In profile it should curve gently downwards from the top of the skull to the tip of the nose. The forehead should be flat across from ear to ear. The distance from the tip of the nose to the eyes should be perceptibly greater than that from the eyes to the top of the skull. The underjaw should be deep and well defined.
Lips
Should be clean and tight.
Teeth
Should meet in either a level or in a scissors bite. In the scissors bite the upper teeth should fit in front of and closely against the lower teeth, and they should be sound, strong and perfectly regular.
Ears
Should be small, thin and placed close together. They should be capable of being held stiffly erect, when they should point upwards.
Eyes
Should be well sunken and as dark as possible, with a piercing glint and they should be small, triangular and obliquely placed; set near together and high up on the dog's head. Blue eyes are a disqualification.
Nose
Should be black, with well-developed nostrils bent downward at the tip.
Neck
Should be very muscular, long, arched and clean, tapering from the shoulders to the head and it should be free from loose skin.
Chest
Should be broad when viewed from in front, and there should be great depth from withers to brisket, so that the latter is nearer the ground than the belly.
Body
Should be well rounded with marked spring of rib, the back should be short and strong. The back ribs deep. Slightly arched over the loin. The shoulders should be strong and muscular but without heaviness. The shoulder blades should be wide and flat and there should be a very pronounced backward slope from the bottom edge of the blade to the top edge. Behind the shoulders there should be no slackness or dip at the withers. The underline from the brisket to the belly should form a graceful upward curve.
Legs
Should be big boned but not to the point of coarseness; the forelegs should be of moderate length, perfectly straight, and the dog must stand firmly upon them. The elbows must turn neither in nor out, and the pasterns should be strong and upright. The hind legs should be parallel viewed from behind. The thighs very muscular with hocks well let down. Hind pasterns short and upright. The stifle joint should be well bent with a well-developed second thigh.
Feet
Round and compact with well-arched toes like a cat.
Tail
Should be short, set on low, fine, and ideally should be carried horizontally. It should be thick where it joins the body, and should taper to a fine point.
Coat
Should be short, flat, harsh to the touch and with a fine gloss. The dog's skin should fit tightly.
Color
Is white though markings on the head are permissible. Any markings elsewhere on the coat are to be severely faulted. Skin pigmentation is not to be penalized.
Movement
The dog shall move smoothly, covering the ground with free, easy strides, fore and hind legs should move parallel each to each when viewed from in front or behind. The forelegs reaching out well and the hind legs moving smoothly at the hip and flexing well at the stifle and hock. The dog should move compactly and in one piece but with a typical jaunty air that suggests agility and power.
Faults
Any departure from the foregoing points shall be considered a fault and the seriousness of the fault shall be in exact proportion to its degree, i.e. a very crooked front is a very bad fault; a rather crooked front is a rather bad fault; and a slightly crooked front is a slight fault.
Disqualification
Blue eyes.
Colored
The Standard for the Colored Variety is the same as for the White except for the sub head "Color" which reads: Color. Any color other than white, or any color with white markings. Other things being equal, the preferred color is brindle. A dog which is predominantly white shall be disqualified.
Disqualifications
Blue eyes.
Any dog which is predominantly white.
Approved July 9, 1974
Bull Terriers are generally quite healthy, but there are hearing, eye, skin, kidney, heart and knee problems in some dogs:
Deafness occurs in both coloured and white Bull Terriers. Puppies can be born unilaterally deaf (deaf in one ear) or bilaterally (deaf in both ears.) Deaf dogs should not be bred due to deafness being hereditary. BEAP (or BAER) testing is done on puppies prior to sale to discover which puppies have hearing problems.
Bull Terrier are also susceptible to having luxating patellas. This is a knee problem common in small dogs. It can be treated by surgery.
Polycystic kidney disease (PKD) and Bull Terrier hereditary nephritis (BTHN) are autosomal dominant diseases. PKD is diagnosed by Ultrasonic scan by a specialist veterinarian. BTHN is diagnosed by a UPC test. Dogs with a score of .3 or below are considered clear of the disease. Clearing breeding stock prior to use ensures that progeny are not affected with the disease.
Bull Terriers are also susceptible to eye problems such as primary lens luxation. PLL is a late onset disease which typically affects dogs between the ages of 3 and 7. Younger and older cases are known. During September 2009 a definitive DNA test was released by the Animal Health Trust. This test gives three results: Clear, Carrier, Affected.
Aortic valve stenosis and mitral valve dysplasia are heart diseases. Diagnosis is made by colour doppler echocardiography scanning by a specialist veterinarian.
The skin of a Bull Terrier can be a problem. Pyotraumatic dermatitis (hot spots), allergic reactions, and hives can be problematic. This is typically due to feeding a processed diet high in grains. Breeders with experience find that changing the dogs diet to unprocessed raw foods eliminates skin problems in the breed.
The Bull Terrier is a fun, comical, people-loving dog. They are known to be courageous, scrappy, fun-loving, active, clownish and fearless. They enjoy being around people, sometimes a little too much, and can prove positively dangerous to people of a delicate nature, not through malicious intent, but rather through their exuberance; as such the Bull Terrier is not recommended for households with small children if the owner is a first time Bull Terrier owner. But then again no animals should be left a lone with a child, or the elderly and infirm Bull Terriers can be both independent and stubborn and for this reason is not considered suitable for an inexperienced dog owner. A firm hand and an assertive demeanour are essential if the Bull Terrier is not to run riot. They are also fiercely protective although comprehensive socialisation at an early age will prevent them becoming over-protective and neurotic.
When it comes to other animals, caution should be the byword. Bull Terriers have a strong prey instinct and can cause injury or death to other animals, especially cats. That said, puppies brought up or socialised with cats and other animals can get on well with the animals they know; they can never be completely trusted with other animals. With other dogs, unaltered
males may not get along with other male dogs. Males and females can
live together happily, and two females can also be a good combination
with care and supervision. Introducing a Bull Terrier of the same gender
as the dog in residence is considered unwise, and some Bull Terriers won't countenance any other dogs, of either gender.
Bull-and-Terriers - crosses between Bulldogs and various terriers - gained popularity among the sporting fraternity during the early 1800s. These crosses combined the determination and courage of the Bulldog with the natural agility and intensity of the terrier. They ranged in size and color, some showing more Bulldog heritage, while others were more terrier-like.
During the early 1860s, James Hinks of Birmingham, England responded
to the introduction of formal dog shows and the burgeoning demand for
pet and prize dogs by developing the breed we know today as the Bull
Terrier. Hinks' dogs were more refined and consistent in type than
previous Bull-and-Terriers. They were characterized by their hallmark
pure white coats, often being referred to as White Cavaliers. As the
rhyme goes Hinks "Found a Bull Terrier a tattered old bum" and "Made him
a dog for a gentleman's chum".
These White Cavaliers gained a strong foothold among discerning owners as both show dogs and exceptional pets and companions. Soon their popularity spread across the Atlantic, with the Bull Terrier Club of America being established in 1897.
Records indicate that Hinks' breeding program employed existing Bull-and-Terriers, his own white Bulldog Madman and the now extinct White English Terriers. These early dogs were all white, with no colored markings permitted, but over time patches of color on the head became acceptable. In the early 1900s a few breeders crossed their White Cavaliers with colored Staffordshire Bull Terriers and established the colored coat. The "Colored" was recognized as a separate variety of Bull Terrier in 1936. The standard for the Colored variety is the same as for the White except for coat color, which must be any color other than white, or any color with white just so long as the white does not predominate.
Given his muscular build and oft-times diabolical expression the Bull Terrier can appear quite unapproachable. To the contrary he is an exceedingly friendly dog, thriving on affection and always ready for a frolic. The Bull Terrier is the cavalier and clown of the canine race, robust and spirited, yet of a sweet and fun-loving disposition.
Eukanuba Bree Specife Formulas: The Eukanuba Vital Health System Plus™ contains clinically proven ingredients, and adds a unique blend of nutrition specially formulated for each breed. Each combination helps make your breed be as extraordinary as he can be.
Bull Terrier Pics
Bull Terriers become very attached to their owners and families and do not thrive when left alone. The breed loves children, but obedience training is necessary and care must be taken that they don’t get over stimulated around younger children. Their short coats are easy to care for, but the breed requires daily exercise.
Bull Terrier AKC Breed Standards
General Appearance
The Bull Terrier is strongly built and
muscular, presenting a symmetrical appearance, with a determined and
intelligent expression. The breed is active, with a sweet disposition
and is responsive to discipline. Dogs should look masculine; females
should look feminine.
WhiteThe Bull Terrier must be strongly built, muscular, symmetrical and active, with a keen determined and intelligent expression, full of fire but of sweet disposition and amenable to discipline.
Head
Should be long, strong and deep right to the end of the muzzle, but not coarse. Full face it should be oval in outline and be filled completely up giving the impression of fullness with a surface devoid of hollows or indentations, i.e., egg shaped. In profile it should curve gently downwards from the top of the skull to the tip of the nose. The forehead should be flat across from ear to ear. The distance from the tip of the nose to the eyes should be perceptibly greater than that from the eyes to the top of the skull. The underjaw should be deep and well defined.
Lips
Should be clean and tight.
Teeth
Should meet in either a level or in a scissors bite. In the scissors bite the upper teeth should fit in front of and closely against the lower teeth, and they should be sound, strong and perfectly regular.
Ears
Should be small, thin and placed close together. They should be capable of being held stiffly erect, when they should point upwards.
Eyes
Should be well sunken and as dark as possible, with a piercing glint and they should be small, triangular and obliquely placed; set near together and high up on the dog's head. Blue eyes are a disqualification.
Nose
Should be black, with well-developed nostrils bent downward at the tip.
Neck
Should be very muscular, long, arched and clean, tapering from the shoulders to the head and it should be free from loose skin.
Chest
Should be broad when viewed from in front, and there should be great depth from withers to brisket, so that the latter is nearer the ground than the belly.
Body
Should be well rounded with marked spring of rib, the back should be short and strong. The back ribs deep. Slightly arched over the loin. The shoulders should be strong and muscular but without heaviness. The shoulder blades should be wide and flat and there should be a very pronounced backward slope from the bottom edge of the blade to the top edge. Behind the shoulders there should be no slackness or dip at the withers. The underline from the brisket to the belly should form a graceful upward curve.
Legs
Should be big boned but not to the point of coarseness; the forelegs should be of moderate length, perfectly straight, and the dog must stand firmly upon them. The elbows must turn neither in nor out, and the pasterns should be strong and upright. The hind legs should be parallel viewed from behind. The thighs very muscular with hocks well let down. Hind pasterns short and upright. The stifle joint should be well bent with a well-developed second thigh.
Feet
Round and compact with well-arched toes like a cat.
Tail
Should be short, set on low, fine, and ideally should be carried horizontally. It should be thick where it joins the body, and should taper to a fine point.
Coat
Should be short, flat, harsh to the touch and with a fine gloss. The dog's skin should fit tightly.
Color Is white though markings on the head are permissible. Any markings elsewhere on the coat are to be severely faulted. Skin pigmentation is not to be penalized.
Movement
The dog shall move smoothly, covering the ground with free, easy strides, fore and hind legs should move parallel each to each when viewed from in front or behind. The forelegs reaching out well and the hind legs moving smoothly at the hip and flexing well at the stifle and hock. The dog should move compactly and in one piece but with a typical jaunty air that suggests agility and power.
Faults
Any departure from the foregoing points shall be considered a fault and the seriousness of the fault shall be in exact proportion to its degree, i.e. a very crooked front is a very bad fault; a rather crooked front is a rather bad fault; and a slightly crooked front is a slight fault.
Disqualification
Blue eyes.
Colored
The Standard for the Colored Variety is the same as for the White except for the sub head "Color" which reads: Color. Any color other than white, or any color with white markings. Other things being equal, the preferred color is brindle. A dog which is predominantly white shall be disqualified.
Disqualifications
Blue eyes.
Any dog which is predominantly white.
Approved July 9, 1974
Bull Terrier Health Issues
Bull Terriers are generally quite healthy, but there are hearing, eye, skin, kidney, heart and knee problems in some dogs:
Deafness occurs in both coloured and white Bull Terriers. Puppies can be born unilaterally deaf (deaf in one ear) or bilaterally (deaf in both ears.) Deaf dogs should not be bred due to deafness being hereditary. BEAP (or BAER) testing is done on puppies prior to sale to discover which puppies have hearing problems.
Bull Terrier are also susceptible to having luxating patellas. This is a knee problem common in small dogs. It can be treated by surgery.
Polycystic kidney disease (PKD) and Bull Terrier hereditary nephritis (BTHN) are autosomal dominant diseases. PKD is diagnosed by Ultrasonic scan by a specialist veterinarian. BTHN is diagnosed by a UPC test. Dogs with a score of .3 or below are considered clear of the disease. Clearing breeding stock prior to use ensures that progeny are not affected with the disease.
Bull Terriers are also susceptible to eye problems such as primary lens luxation. PLL is a late onset disease which typically affects dogs between the ages of 3 and 7. Younger and older cases are known. During September 2009 a definitive DNA test was released by the Animal Health Trust. This test gives three results: Clear, Carrier, Affected.
Aortic valve stenosis and mitral valve dysplasia are heart diseases. Diagnosis is made by colour doppler echocardiography scanning by a specialist veterinarian.
The skin of a Bull Terrier can be a problem. Pyotraumatic dermatitis (hot spots), allergic reactions, and hives can be problematic. This is typically due to feeding a processed diet high in grains. Breeders with experience find that changing the dogs diet to unprocessed raw foods eliminates skin problems in the breed.
Bull Terrier Temperament
The Bull Terrier is a fun, comical, people-loving dog. They are known to be courageous, scrappy, fun-loving, active, clownish and fearless. They enjoy being around people, sometimes a little too much, and can prove positively dangerous to people of a delicate nature, not through malicious intent, but rather through their exuberance; as such the Bull Terrier is not recommended for households with small children if the owner is a first time Bull Terrier owner. But then again no animals should be left a lone with a child, or the elderly and infirm Bull Terriers can be both independent and stubborn and for this reason is not considered suitable for an inexperienced dog owner. A firm hand and an assertive demeanour are essential if the Bull Terrier is not to run riot. They are also fiercely protective although comprehensive socialisation at an early age will prevent them becoming over-protective and neurotic.
When it comes to other animals, caution should be the byword. Bull Terriers have a strong prey instinct and can cause injury or death to other animals, especially cats. That said, puppies brought up or socialised with cats and other animals can get on well with the animals they know; they can never be completely trusted with other animals. With other dogs, unaltered
males may not get along with other male dogs. Males and females can
live together happily, and two females can also be a good combination
with care and supervision. Introducing a Bull Terrier of the same gender
as the dog in residence is considered unwise, and some Bull Terriers won't countenance any other dogs, of either gender.Did You Know?
- Bulldog-terrier crosses, of various sizes and colors, became popular as sporting dogs in the early 1800s. Around 1860, in response to the growing interest in dog shows and the demand for pet and prize dogs, James Hinks - a Birmingham dog dealer - developed a more refined version of these crosses, distinguished by its all white coat. These dogs soon established themselves as a new breed - the Bull Terrier. In Hinks' day they were often referred to as White Cavaliers.
- In developing the Bull Terrier early records indicate that Hinks employed existing Bulldog-terrier crosses, his own white Bulldog Madman and the now extinct White English Terrier. Also it is believed he added Dalmatian and possibly Greyhound to the mix.
- In the early 1900s Bull Terriers were back crossed with brindle Staffordshires to produce a colored variety. So today they come in two varieties, the White and the Colored. The modern white Bull Terrier often sports a colored patch on its head.
- Their coat is short and glossy and requires very little grooming.
- The Bull Terrier loves games with a ball or other toys and all sorts of outdoor activities.
- Bull Terriers do not bark unless there is a good reason. When a Bull Terrier is barking, pay attention.
Bull Terrier History
Bull-and-Terriers - crosses between Bulldogs and various terriers - gained popularity among the sporting fraternity during the early 1800s. These crosses combined the determination and courage of the Bulldog with the natural agility and intensity of the terrier. They ranged in size and color, some showing more Bulldog heritage, while others were more terrier-like.
These White Cavaliers gained a strong foothold among discerning owners as both show dogs and exceptional pets and companions. Soon their popularity spread across the Atlantic, with the Bull Terrier Club of America being established in 1897.
Records indicate that Hinks' breeding program employed existing Bull-and-Terriers, his own white Bulldog Madman and the now extinct White English Terriers. These early dogs were all white, with no colored markings permitted, but over time patches of color on the head became acceptable. In the early 1900s a few breeders crossed their White Cavaliers with colored Staffordshire Bull Terriers and established the colored coat. The "Colored" was recognized as a separate variety of Bull Terrier in 1936. The standard for the Colored variety is the same as for the White except for coat color, which must be any color other than white, or any color with white just so long as the white does not predominate.
Given his muscular build and oft-times diabolical expression the Bull Terrier can appear quite unapproachable. To the contrary he is an exceedingly friendly dog, thriving on affection and always ready for a frolic. The Bull Terrier is the cavalier and clown of the canine race, robust and spirited, yet of a sweet and fun-loving disposition.
Bull Terrier Suggested Food Choices
Eukanuba Bree Specife Formulas: The Eukanuba Vital Health System Plus™ contains clinically proven ingredients, and adds a unique blend of nutrition specially formulated for each breed. Each combination helps make your breed be as extraordinary as he can be.
Bull Terrier Pics
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