Bull Terrier
Terrier

Group:	Terrier
Size:	medium
Lifespan:	11-14 years
Exercise:	moderate
Grooming:	low
Trainability:	moderate
Watchdog ability:	low
Protection ability:	low
Area of Origin:	England
Date of Origin:	1800’s
Other Names:	English Bull Terrier
Original Function:	companion
Temperament
Exuberant, comical, playful, assertive and very mischievous describes the Bull Terrier. It is an imaginative breed that often sees things its own way and is stubborn to the end. It needs daily physical and mental exercise lest it exercise its powerful jaws on your home. For all its tough bravado, this is an extremely sweet-natured, affectionate and devoted breed. It can be aggressive with other dogs and small animals. The Bull Terrier is happiest when they are with the people they love. They are miserable if shut away in a kennel or kept outside away from human companionship.
Upkeep
The Bull Terrier needs to be entertained, either with a good exercise session or mental stimulation every day - preferably both. This is an active breed that enjoys a good run, but it is best to run it only in a safe area. It should not stay outdoors except in temperate weather, but it should live primarily as a house dog with access to a yard. Coat care is minimal.
Health
Bull Terriers suffer from five hereditary diseases. These are; Luxating Patella, Polycystic Kidney Disease, Bull Terrier Hereditary Nephritis, Heart Disease and Deafness. Buyers should ensure that both sire and dam have current Veterinary certification declaring them free of such. For more information, contact your nearest Bull Terrier club.
Official Breed Standard

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

Head and Skull:
The head should be long, strong and deep, right to the end of the muzzle, but not coarse. Viewed from the front it should be egg-shaped and completely filled, its surface being free from hollows or indentations. The top of the skull should be almost flat from ear to ear. The profile should curve gently downwards from the top of the skull to the tip of the nose, which should be black and bent downwards at the tip. The nostrils should be well developed. The underjaw should be strong.

Eyes:
The eyes should appear 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. The distance from the tip of the nose to the eyes should be perceptibly greater than that from the eyes to the top of the skull.

Ears:
The ears should be small thin and placed close together. The dog should be able to hold them stiffly erect, when they should point straight upwards

Mouth:
The teeth should be sound, clean, strong, of good size and perfectly regular. The upper front teeth should fit in front of and closely against the lower front teeth. The lips should be clean and tight.

Neck:
The neck should be very muscular, long, arched, tapering from the shoulders to the head and free from loose skin.

Forequarters:
The shoulders should be strong and muscular but without loading. The shoulder blades should be wide, flat and attached closely to the chest wall and should have a very pronounced backward slope of the front edge from bottom to top. The forelegs should have the strongest type of round quality bone and the dog should stand solidly upon them; they should be moderately long and perfectly parallel. The elbows should be held straight and the strong pasterns upright.

Body:
The body should be well rounded with marked spring of rib and great depth from withers to brisket, so that the latter is nearer the ground than the belly. The back should be short and strong with the top line level behind the withers and arching or roaching slightly over the loin. The underline from brisket to belly should form a graceful upward curve. The chest should be broad viewed from in front.

Hindquarters:
The hind legs should be in parallel viewed from behind. The thighs must be muscular and the second thigh well developed. The stifle joint should be well bent and the hock well angulated, with the bone to the foot short and strong.

Feet:
The feet should be round and compact with well arched toes.

Tail:
The tail should be short, set on low, it should be carried horizontally. Thick at the root it should taper to a fine point.

Coat:
The coat should be short, flat, even and harsh to the touch, with a fine gloss. The skin should fit the dog tightly.

Colour:
For white, pure white coat. Skin pigmentation and markings on the head should not be penalised. For coloured, the colour should predominate; all other things being equal, brindle to be preferred.

Weight and Size:
There are neither weight nor height limits but there should be the impression of the maximum of substance to the size of the dog.

Faults:
Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness of the fault should be in exact proportion to its degree.

Note:
Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.

NB:
Under Kennel Club Show Regulations, deafness is a disqualification.