The American Bully is one of those breeds that are so popular in the United States and that arise from the crossing of two other well-known ones, although the truth is that due to its character it is increasingly appreciated outside these borders.
- Weight : 25 to 40 kilos
- Hair type : straight, very short and shiny
- Character : docile and very affectionate
- Health : good
- Life expectancy : about twelve years
Origins of the American Bully
This breed emerged in the United States, in the distant 80s, from a cross between the Pit Bull Terrier and the American Staffordshire Terrier . These are the two main breeds that were involved in its creation, although there are also others such as the Bull Terrier or the English Bulldog.
David Wilson was the creator of this American breed and initially most of the specimens were concentrated in Virginia and Los Angeles, to be distributed throughout the rest of the country in the 90s.
Around that time, the breed was recognized by the United Kennel Club , not to be confused with the Kennel Club, and by some other organizations , among which the main one is the FCI, which does not recognize the American Bully because it considers it a hybrid breed. .
It seems that the idea of creating this type of dog arose from the North Americans' fondness for a certain kind of aesthetics. So, they thought of an animal that seemed very strong and intimidating.
However, from the beginning we worked to ensure that character had nothing to do with external appearance, since they did not want to have a fighting dog at home but rather a companion dog.
Main features
We are looking at a medium-sized dog with an athletic appearance . His muscles are very marked and his head is very imposing, almost as if it were not proportional to the body and with a jaw that is seen to be very powerful.
It can be said that its appearance is intimidating and that is what its creators pursued, who worked to make it look like a “fortified” animal, a definition that fits like a glove.
Being a hybrid breed, there are several sizes that are recognized by canine organizations that consider the American Bully as a breed. They are the following:
- Pocket: the smallest of the four and reaches up to 43 cm.
- Standard: up to 51 cm, it has a more proportional appearance.
- XL: exceeds 51 cm and that makes it the largest of all. Being taller, he has a more stylized appearance that does not highlight his muscles as much.
- Extreme: its size is standard, but it differs in the amount of muscles, since it is much stronger than the rest of the American Bully and has a huge, very wide body.
In sizes we talk about proportions and this breed has a very particular appearance, with a wide, massive body, a very large head and legs that seem not to match it due to its size, since they are usually short.
Leaving aside height and muscles, it has almond-shaped eyes similar to those of the races from which it comes and whose tone depends on that of the coat.
Their hair is very short and close to the skin, accepting all colors and patterns they present. Thus, we can see fawn, striped, tricolored specimens or with tones that combine with white, although albinos are not allowed.
Of course, although the different federations do not want albino American Bullies, as they are considered a genetic anomaly, among fans they are the most desired and are known as “White Rhinoceros”.
Character of the American Bully
The character is the opposite of what we think when we see it. It is normal that if we do not know anything about the breed, its appearance imposes on us, since it gives the sensation that we are facing an aggressive and uncontrollable animal.
When we approach one of the specimens we immediately notice that its appearance is just that, a facade. In fact, if the breed stands out for something, it is because of how friendly and docile it is .
It is rare for him to have violent behavior even with other dogs, as he is not dominant with them or with humans, with whom he only shows aggression if he believes that a member of his family is in danger.
It is not a defense dog , but it has a strong physique and a very powerful mouth that it will use without hesitation when protecting its people, especially the little ones in the house.
Despite its sweetness, we must never forget that we are dealing with a dog that can do a lot of damage, so it is best to educate it positively from a young age , going to a trainer if we do not have much experience.
Care
The American Bully is not an animal that requires too much care, starting with its hair, which you hardly have to worry about. In fact, it is enough to wipe it with a mitten once or twice a week .
Regarding the bath, if we give him that mitten, we can space it out and do it every three months or even more if he is outdoors, shortening it if he lives inside the house, although the truth is that he is not a dog for small spaces.
Perhaps the part that we should pay the most attention to is exercise and this is not a breed that can spend the day locked up at home , lying on the couch while reading a book.
His muscles already give us a clue and that is that we are looking at an athlete. That is why you will have to go out at least three times a day in order for him to exercise and run a little.
We can also look for a sport to do with it, such as running on foot, cycling, pulling heavy weights, etc., although here we will see that it performs better in strength training than in endurance training.
To have fun we can do Agility , although due to its weight and structure it will never stand out in this discipline, which we will use in order to have a good time and make the dog's mind active.
Feeding
The diet of this breed differs from that of the rest due to the muscles it has when it is an adult.
In this way, you have to start with a quality puppy food with a high protein content , moving on to an adult food with a lot of protein, which can be found in those that come with a large amount of meat or fish.
If we want him to maintain his muscles, we will have to give him one of the best feeds on the market, because without proteins it is not possible to have those muscles.
Low-quality dog foods contain more grains than meat, which will only cause the American Bully to gain a lot of weight, which will have a negative impact on its health and also on its aesthetics, which will be greatly altered.
American Bully Health
His general health is good, but it is true that he may suffer from some problems related to size and weight.
Among the most common are hip dysplasia and elbow dysplasia , which can be prevented by buying from serious breeders, asking for x-rays of the parents and not forcing the youngest specimens to do a lot of exercise.
Due to the type of body they have, there may also be heart problems, so it is advisable for the veterinarian to perform x-rays once a year in order to see the state of the heart, moving on to an ultrasound if they notice anything strange.
Likewise, the shape of its head predisposes it to respiratory problems such as dyspnea, so you have to be careful.
One way to prevent this is by not taking him for a walk in the middle of the day when it is hot , and if we go out, take a short, calm walk.
Given its musculature, it is an animal that will not benefit from prolonged efforts, being more a dog of explosive strength than resistance, which is more noticeable when the heat is on.
They tend to be gluttonous animals and due to their size they are candidates for stomach torsion , of which some cases are known in the breed.
Thus, it is best to prevent them from eating just before going for a walk or playing sports , taking away their food when they return so that they are calmer when they go to feed, with their heart beating at a lower rate and in a state of rest.
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