| Anavaralo |
06-25-2010 12:44 AM |
GENERAL APPEARANCE - The American Bully (AB) is compact, powerful, muscular, massive with an emphasis on muscle mass, substance and heavy bone. Equally important are athletic ability and a stable, balanced temperament with balance, symmetry and proportions. The AB is a powerful, athletic, intelligent, solidly built, short-coated dog with extraordinary bone, muscle mass and muscle definition. The body is just slightly longer than tall, but bitches may be somewhat longer in body than dogs. The length of the front leg (measured from point of elbow to the ground) is never to be more than to one-half of the dog’s height at the withers but the dogs leg length must always be proportionate to the body and give the dog a compact (stocky) appearance. This breed combines strength and athleticism and flexibility and agility and should never appear fine-boned and rangy. Above all else, the AB must have the functional capability to be a catch dog that can hold, wrestle (push and pull) and breathe easily while doing its job making it ideal to perform K-9 law enforcement roles. Balance and harmony of all parts are critical components of breed type. The American Bully comes in all colors and color patterns except merle. (XXL American Bully may not appear compact, a lankier or slimmer appearance acceptable)CHARTACTERISTICS - The essential characteristics of the American Bully are intelligence, stable disposition, confidence, and zest for life. This breed is among the most eager to please of breeds and brimming over with enthusiasm. ABs make excellent family companions and have always been noted for their love of children. Very few ABs exhibit dog aggression as it has systematically been bred out. Because of its powerful physique, the AB requires an owner who will carefully socialize and obedience train the dog just like owners of other similarly built breeds (Rottweiler, Mastiffs etc.). The breed’s natural agility makes it one of the most capable canine climbers so good fencing is a must for this breed. The AB is not the best choice for a guard dog since they are extremely friendly, even with strangers. Aggressive behavior toward humans is uncharacteristic of the breed and highly undesirable which makes them among the most desirable companion dogs. Ill nature is not a breed characteristic. This breed does very well in performance events because of its high level of intelligence, athleticism and its willingness to work.HEAD - The AB head is unique and a key feature of the breed. It is massive in appearance, substantial and impressive, large and broad, giving the impression of great power, but not disproportionate to the size of the body. Viewed from the front, the head is shaped like a broad, blunt wedge. When viewed from the side, the skull and muzzle are parallel to one another and joined by a well defined, moderately deep stop. Supraorbital arches over the eyes are well defined but not pronounced. The head is well chiseled, blending strength, elegance, and character. MUZZLE - The muzzle is very broad, deep and powerful with a very slight taper from the stop to the nose, and a slight falling away under the eyes. The length of muzzle is shorter than the length of skull, with a ratio of approximately 2:3 or 1.5 :3. The topline of the muzzle is straight. The lower jaw is well developed, wide and deep. Lips are clean and tight.FAULTS: Snipey muzzle; smashed muzzle; flews; weak lower jaw: Muzzle too short, which impairs breathing capability.TEETH - The American Bully has a complete set of evenly spaced, white teeth meeting in a scissors bite.FAULT: Level bite.SERIOUS FAULTS: Undershot, or overshot bite; wry mouthNECK - The neck is fairly short, thick, powerful and muscular. There is a slight arch at the crest. The neck widens gradually from where it joins the skull to where it blends into well laid-back shoulders. The skin on the neck is tight and without dewlap.FAULTS: Neck too thin or weak or too short; ewe neck; dewlapFOREQUARTERS - The shoulder blades are long, wide, muscular, and well laid back. The forelegs are straight, short, strong and sturdy with substantial bone mass and pronounced muscle. The elbows are set close to the body. Viewed from the front, the forelegs are set noticeably wide apart (to accommodate broad, deep chest) and perpendicular to the ground. The pasterns are short, powerful, straight, and flexible. When viewed in profile, the pasterns are nearly erect.FAULTS: Upright or loaded shoulders; elbows turned outward or tied-in; down at the pasterns; front legs bowed; wrists knuckled over;SERIOUS FAULTS: severe turning out (easty westy); extremely weak pasternsBODY - The body appears compact, powerful, substantial, massive and extremely muscular which are hallmarks of the AB breed. The chest is very broad, deep, wide and well filled in with ample room for heart and lungs, but the chest should never be wider than it is deep. The ribs extend well back and are well sprung from the spine, then flattening to form a deep body extending to the elbows. The back is strong, firm and moderately broad and muscular when viewed from above. The topline inclines very slightly downward from the withers to a broad, muscular, level back. The overall appearance of the topline is roughly level (withers, back and hips approximately the same height) or slightly sloping from wither to hips with slightly rounded rump. The loin is short, muscular and slightly arched to the top of the croup, but narrower than the rib cage and with a moderate tuck-up. The croup is slightly sloping downward.FAULTS: lanky or slim appearance; lack of muscle mass and/or definition; sway back; back too short so that it gives the appearance that the dog is the same length or shorter in length than it is tall.HINDQUARTERS - The hindquarters are very powerful, strong, muscular, and broad. The powerful hindquarters is the source of the AB’s strength, drive and forward motion and is responsible for providing the strength and agility necessary to perform the physical demanding tasks the AB is capable of performing. Both thighs and rump are noticeably filled with tightly bunched muscles. The rump is very well filled in on each side of the tail and deep from the pelvis to the crotch. The thighs are extremely well developed with thick, easily discerned muscles. The bone, angulation, and musculature of the hindquarters are in balance with the forequarters. Viewed from the side, the hock joint is well bent and the rear pasterns are well let down and perpendicular to the ground. Viewed from the rear, the rear pasterns are straight and parallel to one another.FAULTS: Narrow hindquarters; hindquarters shallow from pelvis to crotch; lack of muscle mass; straight or over angulated stifle joint; cow hocks; sickle hocks; bowed legs. unilateral cryptorchid (males only) VERY SERIOUS FAULTS: Hips/rump taller or higher than back and withersTAIL - The tail is set on as a natural extension of the topline, and tapers to a point ending just above the hock. Short and fairly thick to provide the dog a heftier rudder for steering and balancing his substantial weight when in motion. When the dog is moving, the tail is carried level with the backline. When the dog is excited, the tail may be carried in a raised, upright position (challenge tail), but never curled over the back (gay tail).FAULT: Tail too long (tail tip passes beyond point of hock) or too shortSERIOUS FAULTS: Gay tail (not to be confused with challenge tail); kinked tail; bobbed tail.COLOR - Any color, color pattern, or combination of colors is acceptable.HEIGHT AND WEIGHT - The American Bully must be both powerful and agile so actual weight and height are less important than the correct proportion of weight to height. The AB should appear sturdy, stocky and compact with shorter, stouter, sturdier legs, back and neck that all lend to the impression of a massive, powerful dog possessing great strength and ability in a compact physique.FAULT: rangy, lanky, slim, slight buildGAIT - The American Bully moves with a confident attitude, conveying the impression that he expects any minute to see something new and exciting. When trotting, the gait is effortless, smooth, powerful, and well coordinated, showing good reach in front and drive behind. When moving, the backline remains level with only a slight flexing to indicate suppleness. Viewed from any position, legs turn neither in nor out, nor do feet cross or interfere with each other. As speed increases, feet tend to converge toward center line of balance.FAULTS: Legs not moving on the same plane; legs over reaching; legs crossing over in front or rear; rolling; pacing; paddling; sidewinding; hackney action; pounding.DISQUALIFICATIONS - Bilateral cryptorchid. extreme dog aggression*, snapping at or biting humans including handlers and judges; cowing/extreme shyness; bilateral deafness; long coat; bobbed tail; albinism; merle. _________________
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