American Bully puppies

About the American Bully

The American Bully was developed from the American Pit Bull Terrier with influence from the American Bulldog, English Bulldog and Olde English Bulldogge, and the United Kennel Club recognised them as a separate breed on 15 July 2013. The UKC standard sets out sizes by height at the withers: Pocket males under 43 cm (17 in); Standard and Classic males 43 to 51 cm (17 to 20 in) and females 41 to 48 cm (16 to 19 in); and XL males over 51 cm up to 58 cm (23 in) and females over 48 cm up to 56 cm (22 in). The figures on this page are the Standard and Classic range. The coat is short, glossy and smooth.

No registry or vet body publishes a weight, a life expectancy or a health list for the breed that could be checked for this page, so those fields say Not published. The standard itself faults a muzzle so short and blunt that it interferes with normal breathing, and disqualifies overly massive dogs, so ask a breeder about breathing and see both parents move. In the United Kingdom the law matters more than the paperwork: a dog is treated as an XL Bully if they match the government's conformation standard, which starts at 51 cm (20 in) for adult males and 48 cm (19 in) for adult females, whatever they are registered as.

The law in your country

This breed or type is restricted in some places. Check the current rules where you live before you commit to a puppy.

United Kingdom

In England and Wales it is a criminal offence to own or possess an XL Bully without a valid Certificate of Exemption, and to sell, give away, abandon or breed from one or have it in public without a lead and muzzle. Applications for exemption have closed, so a new exemption needs a court order, and exempt dogs must be neutered, kept at the certificate holder's address and kept securely. Scotland has the same offences, with a fine of up to £5,000, up to six months in prison, or both. In Northern Ireland it has been an offence to own an XL Bully without an exemption certificate since 1 January 2025. From 1 November 2026, in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, a child under 12 must not be left in close contact with an XL Bully in a private place without adult supervision. Whether a dog is an XL Bully is judged against the government's conformation standard, which starts at 51 cm (20 in) at the withers for adult males and 48 cm (19 in) for adult females. Source.

What to expect at eight weeks

At eight weeks a American Bully puppy is sleeping around 18 to 20 hours a day, is not house trained, and cannot hold on for more than an hour or two at a stretch. The socialisation window is open and closing: everything they meet calmly now, from vacuum cleaners to men in hats, is easier for the rest of their life.

Health worth knowing about

No club or veterinary reference we could reach publishes a breed specific health list for the American Bully. Ask the breeder which conditions they screen for and for the results on both parents in writing, and ask your own vet what to watch for.

Your American Bully puppy's first six months

• Vaccination schedule, dated for your country.
• Worming and parasite schedule.
• Feeding calculator.
• Adult size predictor, to check growth against the Not published adult range.
• Puppy names and the first week checklist.

Buying guides for this

• Best crate for a puppy: wire, plastic or soft, and how to size one with a divider

More on the American Bully

Previous: American Bulldog · Next: American Cocker Spaniel

Sources

• ukcdogs.com for adult weight and height, life expectancy, energy, grooming and the temperament ratings and health notes
• ukcdogs.com for coat type
• gov.uk for the legal status notes

No published figure for adult weight, life expectancy, energy level, grooming, the good with children rating, the good with other dogs rating and country of origin, so nothing is shown rather than a guess.

Photo: BullyB6, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped. All photographers are listed on the photo credits page.