*** The IOEBA recognizes the American Bully breed, which is divided into four varieties. We encourage owners to review the “Height” section of the standard to understand the differences in varieties.***

General Description : The American Bully is a medium to large-sized companion breed with an imposing look that highlights its impressive strength for its size. Compact and heavily muscled, this breed features a dense, solid frame, broad chest, and a noticeably bulky head — all reflecting its powerful structure and heavy bone composition.

Head : The head should present a bold, broad, and powerful appearance — a hallmark of breed type. It is moderately short in length, deep throughout, and features a broad, well-chiseled skull with highly developed cheek muscles and a clearly defined, deep stop.

Ears : Positioned high on the head and may be left natural or cropped.

Eyes : All eye colors are accepted except albinism (pink to red), which is disqualifying. Blue eyes and unpigmented eye rims are considered undesirable except in merle-patterned dogs. Eyes should be set low on the skull, wide apart, and shaped from oval to almond. Round, bulging, or protruding eyes are faults. The haw (third eyelid) should have minimal visibility. Faults : Noticeable haw, eyes not matching in color, bulging or protruding eyes. Disqualifying Faults : Albinism in the eyes.

Muzzle : Broad and moderately short, shorter than the skull. The length from the nose to the stop should be about one-third the total length from nose tip to occiput. It should not be so short that it obstructs normal breathing. The muzzle appears squared or blocky and drops off abruptly below the eyes. The top line of the muzzle should be straight with a nose that is not turned up or pointed.

Jaws : Strong and well defined.

Underjaw : Pronounced and parallel to the muzzle, never curving upward.

Lips : Fairly tight and even. Slight looseness is acceptable but not desired. Faults : Muzzle too long or weak (snipey), extremely short muzzle affecting breathing, lack of cheek and stop definition, weak or upturned underjaw, nose pushed back or turned up, excessive flews.

Teeth/Bite : Upper teeth should close just outside the lower in a tight scissors bite. Faults : Level, overshot, undershot, or wry bite. Serious Faults : Bite deviations greater than ¼ inch (0.6 cm).

Nose : Large, with well-opened nostrils. All colors are acceptable, excluding light pink (albinism).

Neck : The neck should be muscular, thick, and slightly arched, blending smoothly from the shoulders into the base of the skull. Loose skin should be minimal to none. Faults: Neck too long, short, thin, or weak.

Forequarters –

Shoulders : Strong and well-muscled, with shoulder blades set wide apart and laid back at an ideal angle of 35 to 45 degrees.

Forelegs : Straight, strong-boned, and sturdy with substantial size and structure. Pasterns should be short, firm, and nearly vertical.

Feet : Should point forward naturally. The distance from the withers to the elbow should equal the distance from the elbow to the ground. A slightly shorter lower limb is acceptable but not preferred. Faults : Upright or overly steep shoulders, short upper arms, bowed front legs, weak pasterns, splayed or flat feet, toeing in or out.

Body : The body reflects a powerful, muscular physique of medium to compact length, representing breed type and strength.

Ribcage : Well-sprung ribs forming a broad, barrel-like chest, extending to or slightly below the elbows.

Chest : Deep, wide, and well-filled, but should not be so exaggerated as to restrict movement.

Front Legs : Positioned wide to allow for proper chest development.

Back : The back should be medium to short in length, either level or gently sloping from the withers to the rump. The body should appear square — the length from shoulder point to buttocks roughly equal to the height at the withers. Faults : Roached or swayed topline, back too long, rear end higher than the withers.

Hindquarters : Strong, muscular, and balanced with the forequarters.

Hocks : Set low and aligned, turning neither inward nor outward.

Rear Legs : Straight and parallel when viewed from the back.

Croup : Slight downward angle. Faults : Cow hocks, sickle hocks, straight or overly angulated stifles, narrow or bowed hindquarters.

Tail : Medium in length, set low, tapering to a point, and reaching roughly to the hock.

Carriage : Relaxed when standing, level or slightly raised when moving. Never curled over the back.

Structure : Free of kinks, knots, or severe curvature. Faults : Tail too long or short (within 1 inch above/below hock), curled (gay tail). Serious Faults : Kinked, twisted, fused, or overly short tail. Disqualifying Faults : Docked, bobbed, or screwed tail.

Feet : Feet should be compact, moderately sized, and well-arched with tight toes. Faults : Splayed or flat feet, long toes.

Coat : Short, dense, glossy, and smooth to the touch. No longer than ½ inch (1.27 cm). Faults : Curly or wavy coat. Serious Fault : Long coat.

Color and Pattern : All coat colors and patterns are permitted without preference.

Size : There is no ideal weight for the breed; dogs should be proportionate to their frame without appearing obese. Height and structure should reflect balance, health, and the correct breed type.

*** The IOEBA recognizes the American Bully breed, which is divided into four varieties. We encourage owners to review the “Height” section of the standard to understand the differences in varieties.***

Height –
Standard American Bully
Males : 17–20 inches (43–51 cm) at the withers
Females : 16–19 inches (40–48 cm) at the withers
It is important to note that the Standard American Bully are not to be penalized for exhibiting heavily muscled, massive, bulky body type.

Pocket American Bully
Males : Under 17 inches (43 cm) at the withers and no less than 14 inches (36 cm)
Females : Under 16 inches (40 cm) at the withers and no less than 13 inches (33 cm)
This is an amendment to the Standard American Bully variety and is determined by its adult height. It is important to note that Pocket American Bully variety is simply shorter than the Standard American Bully. Pocket American Bullies share the same build, body type, and breed type as the Standard American Bully, and are not to be penalized for exhibiting heavily muscled, massive, bulky body type.

XL American Bully
Males : Over 20-23 inches (51-57 cm) at the withers
Females : Over 19-22 inches (48-54 cm) at the withers
This is an amendment to the Standard American Bully variety and is determined by its adult height. It is important to note that the XL American Bully variety is simply taller than the Standard American Bully. XL American Bullies share the same build, body type, and breed type as the Standard American Bully, and are expected to carry a heavily muscled, massive, bulky body type.

Classic American Bully
Males : 17–20 inches (43–51 cm) at the withers
Females : 16–19 inches (40–48 cm) at the withers
This is an amendment to the Standard American Bully variety and is determined by its body structure and build. Both sex dogs with lighter body frames and less overall body mass, but still exhibiting “bully” traits. The Classic American Bully variety is simply an American Bully with a lighter body frames (lighter bone) and less overall body mass (less substance) than the Standard American Bully. Aside from this difference, the Classic American Bully variety follows the same standard as the Standard American Bully.

Gait & Movement : Movement should be confident, effortless, and powerful, with good drive from the rear and a level topline. Front and rear legs should move cleanly on the same plane.

Front Reach : Moderate and in balance with rear drive.

Rear Movement : Powerful, with legs remaining parallel and not too close or crossing. Faults : Rolling, pacing, sidewinding, paddling, pounding, crisscrossing or interference, overreaching, or excessive flex in the backline.

Faults : To be penalized but not disqualifying:
Eyes unmatched in color
Visible haw
Bulging eyes
Weak or narrow muzzle
Insufficient cheek or stop
Weak or upturned jaw
Light pink nose
Excessively long or short tail (within 1 inch)
Curled/gay tail
Bite faults (level, over/undershot, wry)
Poor neck proportions
Steep shoulders
Weak pasterns
Poor front or rear angulation
Long toes, splayed feet
Curly or wavy coat
Poor movement (rolling, pacing, interference, etc.)

Serious Faults : To be heavily penalized:
Severe bite faults (more than ¼ inch off)
Twisted, kinked, fused, or extremely short tail
Long coat

Disqualifications –
Human aggression or excessively shy temperament
Albinism (eyes or nose)
Deafness (unilateral or bilateral)
Cryptorchidism (missing one or both testicles)
Screwed, bobbed, or docked tail