History
The American Bully (Standard) was originally developed from various breeds including Pit Bulls, Bull Terriers, Bulldogs, American Staffordshire Terriers, Standard Bullies and a few other rarer breeds such as Boxers and Dogue de Bordeauxs in order to create a strong yet friendly family companion dog but over time has become its own distinct breed today with its own unique look and temperament traits that set it apart from other bully breeds out there. The first American Bullys were bred in the 1980s in California by crossing two different types of bulldogs together which created what we know today as the standard version of this classic bully breed!
General Impression
The American Bully should give the impression of great strength for its size. It is a compact and medium/large size dog with a muscular body and blocky head. The American Bully should have the appearance of heavy bone structure with a bulky build and look.
Characteristsics
The American Bully is a companion breed exhibiting confidence, a zest for life, along with an exuberant willingness to please and bond with their family, thus making the American Bully an excellent family companion. Despite the American Bully’s fierce and powerful appearance their demeanor is gentle. They are great with children, and extremely friendly with strangers, other dogs, and other animals. Human or dog aggression, extreme shyness, or viciousness is very uncharacteristic of the American Bully and is highly undesirable.
Possible Health Problems
- Stomach Problems – digestive disease symptoms include diarrhea, constipation, excessive drooling, abdominal pain, loss of appetite, and bleeding. Bring your dog to the vet as soon as one of these signs arise, so they can determine the underlying cause and give the proper treatment.
- Elbow Dysplasia – symptoms include lame walking, joint issues, and painful elbows. You will notice that your dog will either hold his elbow out or hold it tightly into their bodies. He may also seem lazy and would prefer to sit and lie down. If one elbow hurts more than the other, a limp will be obvious as your dog will shift all his weight down on the other elbow.
- Hip Dysplasia – this condition is mostly genetic, but weight control can manage the symptoms and prevent it from worsening. When the hip bones of your American Bully develop faster that the muscle is requiring, the joints will become loose and can cause pain and discomfort.
- Congenital Heart Disease – heart conditions, such as mitral valve disease, are also genetic in nature but are triggered by obesity and presence of parasites. Diet management and routine worm prevention may reduce their possibility or aggravation.
