Registration: All purebred American Bulldogs are registrable with the United Canine Association and eligible to participate in all UCA sanctioned dog shows and events.
Click here to learn more about American Bulldog registration; how to register your American Bulldogs or to dual register your American Bulldog with the United Canine Association.
The United Canine Association recognized and began recording registration for the American Bulldog in 2002.
Breed Characteristics: The American Bulldog is bred from working dogs and was originally created to catch livestock and protecting property on the farm in the Southern parts of the United States.
American Bulldogs are larger then their close relatives, the Olde English Bulldogge.
American Bulldogs are a powerful, athletic short-coated dog, strongly muscled and well boned.
The head of an American Bulldog is large and broad with a wide muzzle, and with very powerful jaws.
American Bulldogs generate the impression of great strength, endurance and exhibit a well-knit, sturdy compact frame.
The American Bulldog is a gentle and loving dog, affectionate with their owners. They are fearless when it comes to defending their owners and family and they excel at do so.
Country of Origin: The American Bulldog originated in the United States and was developed by John D. Johnson.
Original Purpose: The American Bulldog was originally bred as a working dog that was a farm dog that as often used for catching livestock and wild boars as well as protecting property.
Today's Uses: Today's American Bulldog excels as a family companion. The American Bulldog is more than capable as a catch / hunting dog, weight pulling and personal protection.
Weight: American Bulldogs typically weigh between 80 to 120 pounds when fully grown.
Height: American Bulldogs are between 22 to 28 inches tall, females American Bulldogs are slightly smaller than males.
Coat: The American Bulldog has a coat that is short, close and stiff to the touch.
Color: American Bulldogs can be white, brindle, brown, red, or tan or combinations and variations of these. Solid black, solid blue, and tricolor (white with patches of black and tan) are not acceptable colors for American Bulldogs.
Temperament: The American Bulldog was bred as a working dog and is still used as a hog and cattle catching dog, and a protector of personal property. The American Bulldog is fearless enough to face an angry bull or a human intruder.
With Children:
The American Bulldog is a gentle, loving family companion who, if raised properly can be a child's best friend.
With Pets: The American Bulldog if properly socialized can be excellent with other pets, especially when raised together.
Other Pet Compatibility: American Bulldogs should generally only be housed with a dog of the opposite sex. American Bulldogs can be dog aggressive with members of the same sex.
Trainability: The American Bulldog is very intelligent breed and does well with training and excels in many different types of dog activities and canine sports. American Bulldogs should socialized and trained at a young age.
Activity Level: The American Bulldog is energetic and needs lots of exercise. The American Bulldog loves long walks, jogging, playing catch, and agility or skills trials.
Life Expectancy: American Bulldogs can live to be 9 to 14 years.
Breed Standard: American Bulldog
General Description: The ideal
American Bulldogs is a medium to large
size dog that is a loyal and courageous athlete.
The American Bulldog should
possess a sound temperament and has great strength, agility and
confidence.
The American Bulldog's expression should reflect
intelligence and alertness.
Its sturdy, powerful, yet compact frame
is characteristically stockier and heavier boned in the males and
more refined in the females.
Some aloofness with strangers and
assertiveness with other dogs is accepted.
Head:
The head is large and broad giving the
impression of great power.
When viewed from the side, the skull and
muzzle are parallel to one another and joined by a well-defined
stop.
The stop is very deep and abrupt, almost at a right angle with
the muzzle. Despite the depth of the stop, the forehead is wider
than it is high.
Ears:
The ears should be medium in size, high
set, and may be drop, semi-prick, or rose, with no preference.
Cropped ears are a cosmetic fault, due to the fact that they have
been cosmetically altered and can not be judged in their natural
state.
Ears may be cropped but natural ears are preferred.
Drop ears
- The ears are set high, level with the
upper line of the skull, accentuating the skull's width. At the
base, the ear is just slightly raised in front and then hangs along
the cheek. The tip is slightly rounded. When pulled toward the eye,
the ear should not extend past the outside corner of the eye.
Semi-prick ears - Same as drop ears except that
only the tips of the ears drop forward.
Rose ears
- Rose ears are small and set high on
the skull.
Fault: Hound
ears.
Muzzle: The
muzzle is broad and thick with a very slight taper from the stop to
the nose. The length of the muzzle is equal to approximately one
third of the length of the head. Lips are moderately thick.
Bite: The American
Bulldog has a complete set of large, evenly spaced, white teeth. The
preferred bite is undershot with the inside of the lower incisors
extending in front of the upper incisors up to ¼ inch. A scissors
bite is acceptable.
The teeth should not be visible when the
mouth is closed. Faults: Level bite or
extreme undershot. An overshot bite is a disqualifying fault.
Eyes:
The eyes should be round or almond in
shape, medium size, and wide set. Dark brown is preferred, other
colors are accepted, but are a cosmetic fault.
Black eye rim
pigment is preferred, other colors are accepted, but are a cosmetic
fault.
Fault : Visible haw. Disqualifying Fault : Crossed and/or nonsymmetrical eyes.
Nose:
Broad with open nostrils
(nares) with no sign of air restriction. The
nose should be a solid color. Lacking pigment is a serious fault. A
nose lacking all pigment is a disqualifying fault.
Neck:
The neck must be long enough to exert
leverage, but short enough to exert power. The neck is muscular and,
at its widest point, is nearly as broad as the head, with a slight
arch at the crest, and tapering slightly from shoulders to the head.
A slight dewlap is acceptable.
Faults: Neck too
short and thick; thin or weak neck.
Chest: The American Bulldog's chest is deep and moderately wide.
The ribs are well sprung from the spine and then flatten to form a
deep body extending at least to the elbows, or lower in adult dogs.
Back:
The
topline of the American Bulldog inclines very slightly downward from well-developed withers
to a broad, muscular back.
The loin is short, broad, and slightly
arched, blending into a moderately sloping croup.
The flank is
moderately tucked up and firm. Faults:
Swayback; sloping topline.
Shoulders:
Shoulders should be well laid back with significant angulations to
allow for good movement. Straight shoulders are a fault.
Legs: The front
legs of the American Bulldog should be straight with moderate to heavy bone. Pasterns should
be strong and upright. Weak pasterns are a major fault.
Elbows that are bowed or twisted are a fault from minor to a
disqualification, based on severity.
The rear legs should be well
muscled, moderately angulated and parallel.
Pasterns should be strong and upright. Weak pasterns are a
major fault.
Cow hocked is a fault from minor to a disqualification, based on the
severity.
Movement: American Bulldogs should have a balanced
gait that drives off the rear and is complimented by reach allowing
the dog to cover ground with a sense of power. American Bulldogs should single
track. Pacing or crabbing is a serious fault.
Feet:
The feet of the American Bulldog a round, tight both front and rear, and
the pasterns should be strong. Weak pasterns and/or splayed feet are disqualifying faults.
Height:
Desirable height in a mature male ranges from 22 to 27 inches; in a
mature female, from 20 to 25 inches.
Weight:
Male American Bulldogs are typically larger with heavier
bone and more
muscle than female American Bulldogs. Both sexes, however, should have
a well-balanced overall appearance.
Preferred weight in a mature
male ranges from 75 to 125 pounds; in a mature female, from 60 to
100 pounds.
Color:
Any color,
color pattern, or combination of colors is acceptable for the American Bulldog, except for
merle, solid black, solid blue, and tricolor (white with patches of
black and tan).
Some dark brindle coats may appear black unless
examined in very bright light.
Disqualifying Fault:
Solid black or
blue with no white markings; tricolor (white with patches of black
and tan).
Coat: The coat is
short. A wavy coat or a long coat is a disqualifying fault. There
should be no signs of feathering on the legs or neck area, also a
disqualifying fault.
Tail:
The American Bulldog may have a natural or a docked
tail, but the natural tail is preferred. The natural tail is very
thick at the base, and tapers to a point. A "pump handle" tail
is preferred but any tail carriage from upright, when the dog is
excited, to relaxed between the hocks is acceptable.
The pump handle tail should be carried low and
not over the back of the dog. Serious fault: Tail curled over the back; corkscrew tail; upright tail when the dog
is relaxed.
Temperament: The disposition of the American Bulldog should be outgoing and happy. While a
watchful nature may be expected at home, human aggression without
provocation is a disqualifying fault.
Revised
July 4, 2006
American Bulldog 
By United Canine Association 