Bull Terrier

The Bull Terrier is valued as a loyal and loving friend. Because they are so muscular, Bull Terriers need plenty of exercise to stay fit, and love nothing more than playing catch with a bouncy rubber ball. They make the most delightful of companions -- in the city or country.

Bull Terrier breed facts

The Bull Terrier comes in two varieties, the coloured and the solid white.

Their coat is short and glossy and requires very little grooming.

The Bull Terrier loves games with a ball or other toys and all sorts of outdoor activities.

Information you should know before owning a Bull Terrier

Today's Bull Terriers are playful, fun-loving, sensitive, and affectionate dogs who make wonderful pets and companions, despite their tough appearance.

They have tiny triangular eyes, and short erect ears.

The Bull Terrier is happiest when they are with the people they love. The closer the better. They are miserable and unhappy if shut away in a basement or kept outside away from human companionship.

Bull-and-Terriers - crosses between Bulldogs and various terriers - gained popularity among the sporting fraternity during the early 1800s. These crosses combined the determination and courage of the Bulldog with the natural agility and intensity of the terrier. They ranged in size and color, some showing more Bulldog heritage, while others were more terrier-like.

During the early 1860s, James Hinks of Birmingham, England responded to the introduction of formal dog shows and the burgeoning demand for pet and prize dogs by developing the breed we know today as the Bull Terrier. Hinks' dogs were more refined and consistent in type than previous Bull-and-Terriers. They were characterized by their hallmark pure white coats, often being referred to as White Cavaliers. As the rhyme goes Hinks "Found a Bull Terrier a tattered old bum" and "Made him a dog for a gentleman's chum".

These White Cavaliers gained a strong foothold among discerning owners as both show dogs and exceptional pets and companions. Soon their popularity spread across the Atlantic, with the Bull Terrier Club of America being established in 1897.

Records indicate that Hinks' breeding program employed existing Bull-and-Terriers, his own white Bulldog Madman and the now extinct White English Terriers. These early dogs were all white, with no colored markings permitted, but over time patches of color on the head became acceptable. In the early 1900s a few breeders crossed their White Cavaliers with colored Staffordshire Bull Terriers and established the colored coat. The "Colored" was recognized as a separate variety of Bull Terrier in 1936. The standard for the Colored variety is the same as for the White except for coat color, which must be any color other than white, or any color with white just so long as the white does not predominate.

Given his muscular build and oft-times diabolical expression the Bull Terrier can appear quite unapproachable. To the contrary he is an exceedingly friendly dog, thriving on affection and always ready for a frolic. The Bull Terrier is the cavalier and clown of the canine race, robust and spirited, yet of a sweet and fun-loving disposition.

Is this a vulnerable breed? Yes, No	No
What size is this dog? Small, Medium, Large	Medium
How much excercise is required? 30 mins a day, 1 hour a day, Over 2 hours a day	1 hour a day
How long is this dog's coat? Short, Medium, Long	Short
How much grooming is required? Once a week, More than once a week, Every day	Once a week
Does this dog shed? Does shed, Does not shed	Does shed
What area is this dog best suited to? Town, Country, Either	Either
What size house is required for this breed? Flat/Apartment, Small House, Large House	Small House
What size of garden is required? Small Garden, Large Garden, No Garden	Small garden

	General Appearance Strongly built, muscular, well balanced and active with a keen, determined and intelligent expression.
	Characteristics The Bull Terrier is the gladiator of the canine race, full of fire and courageous. A unique feature is a downfaced, egg-shaped head. Irrespective of size dogs should look masculine and bitches feminine.
	Temperament Of even temperament and amenable to discipline. Although obstinate is particularly good with people.
	Eyes Appearing narrow, obliquely placed and triangular, well sunken, black or as dark brown as possible so as to appear almost black, and with a piercing glint. Distance from tip of nose to eyes perceptibly greater than that from eyes to top of skull. Blue or partly blue undesirable.
	Mouth Teeth sound, clean, strong, of good size, regular with perfect, regular and complete scissor bite, i.e. upper teeth closely overlapping lower teeth and set square to the jaws. Lips clean and tight.
	Neck Very muscular, long, arched, tapering from shoulders to head and free from loose skin.
	Forequarters Shoulders strong and muscular without loading. Shoulder blades wide, flat and held closely to chest wall and have a very pronounced backward slope of front edge from bottom to top, forming almost a right angle with upper arm. Elbows held straight and strong, pasterns upright. Forelegs have strongest type of round, quality bone, dog should stand solidly upon them and they should be perfectly parallel. In mature dogs length of foreleg should be approximately equal to depth of chest.
	Body Body well rounded with marked spring of rib and great depth from withers to brisket, so that latter nearer ground than belly. Back short, strong with backline behind withers level, arching or roaching slightly over broad, well muscled loins. Underline from brisket to belly forms a graceful upward curve. Chest broad when viewed from front.
	Hindquarters Hindlegs in parallel when viewed from behind. Thighs muscular and second thighs well developed. Stifle joint well bent and hock well angulated with bone to foot short and strong.
	Feet Round and compact with well arched toes.
	Tail Short, set on low and carried horizontally. Thick at root, it tapers to a fine point.
	Gait / Movement Strongly built, muscular, well balanced and active with a keen, determined and intelligent expression.
	Coat Short, flat, even and harsh to touch with a fine gloss. Skin fitting dog tightly. A soft textured undercoat may be present in winter.
	Colour For White, pure white coat. Skin pigmentation and markings on head not to be penalised. For Coloured, colour predominates; all other things being equal, brindle preferred. Black, brindle, red, fawn and tricolour acceptable. Tick markings in white coat undesirable. Blue and liver highly undesirable.
	Size There are neither weight nor height limits, but there should be the impression of maximum substance for size of dog consistent with quality and sex.