About American Bull Terriers

An American bull terrier is another name for what is commonly known as a pit bull. A strong, powerful dog, the American bull terrier is a popular pet. Sometimes, the American Bull Terrier is trained as a police dog or for search and rescue work.

American bull terriers live to be, on average, 12 years. They vary greatly in size. The smallest American bull terriers weighs 22 pounds while the largest ones can weigh 110. The most common size for these dogs is anywhere from 35 to 55 pounds. The breed standard for height is 18 to 20 inches.

The American bull terrier is known for its stocky, muscular appearance. While these aren't tall dogs, they have large leg, neck and shoulder muscles. Their faces are broad. The cheeks are set widely apart because of the dog's powerful jaw muscles. They have a short tail and small ears. Their coats are short and smooth. American bull terriers come in a wide variety of colors, having brown, white, gray and bi-color coats.

Like many purebreed dogs, American bull terriers have several health problems associated with the breed. Heart disease and hip dysplasia are both health problems for this breed. They are also prone to cataracts, heart murmurs and an allergy to grass. Not all American bull terriers have these ailments, but a puppy should be checked for congenital heart problems before adoption. Other health problems associated with the breed will likely not be evident until the puppy is 6 months old or older.

American bull terriers were brought to the United States as a fighting dog, and fighting remains the first instinct in these dogs when they don't have the proper training. To keep them from overreacting when meeting new people and animals, these dogs must be socialized while still young. American bull terriers need to have a master who acts as a pack leader and who trains them to follow basic commands.

Many communities, including a high percentage of apartment buildings, have banned American bull terriers because of the possibility of attacks by these dogs. A properly trained dog kept on a leash may pose no threat, but city ordinances and community bylaws make it necessary to check local regulations before moving to a new area with one of these dogs. Cincinnati, Miami, Denver and other U.S. cities have banned the dogs completely. Other areas have enclosure regulations, such as Ohio's locked pen requirement for all American bull terriers. Some homeowner's insurance policies don't allow the breed to be owned by the homeowner, and others charge a higher rate to anyone who owns one.