Breed Standard

 

"The Bull Terrier must be strongly built, muscular, symmetrical and active, with a keen, determined and intelligent expression, full of fire but of sweet disposition and amenable to discipline."


 

NOTES
 

The standard opens with a general description of a positive and charismatic dog. The Bull Terrier should be the maximum dog in the available space; a dense, substantial animal, but with balance and agility. He should give the impression of strength, energy and quickness. The expression should reflect these body projections; a positive, glinting, intelligent eye set in a triangular opening which produces a "varminty" outlook. Temperament is paramount in a Bull Terrier. He must be outgoing, friendly, interested in his surroundings and on his toes, but NEVER bad tempered or shy.
 

 

 

HEAD
the head should be long, strong and deep right to the end of the muzzle, but not coarse. Full face it should be oval in outline and be filled completely up, giving the impression of fullness with a surface devoid of hollows or indentations, e.g. EGG SHAPE. In profile (side view) it should curve gently down to the top of the skull to the tip of the nose (which should always be black), with no dips. the forehead should be flat across from ear to ear. The distance from the tip of the nose to the eyes should clearly be greater than that of the distance between the eyes to he tip of the skull. The under jaw should be deep and well defined.

 

The expression is a key feature of the Bull Terrier. Together with the dense, muscular, shapely body and correctly shaped head, the "varminty" look is responsible for making the dog a BULL TERRIER and not just a strong, chunky dog. The eye openings should be slanted and triangular, set relatively high in the head, with a dark, keen eye. The ears add to the alert expression and should be close together and pointing upwards. A Bull Terrier with donkey ears and a round, "kind" or pale eye loses the intense, alert "varminty" look so valued in the breed.


Small vertical well shaped ears, a small triangular eye opening set high in this smooth egg-shaped head create the desirable "varminty" expression in this Bull Terrier
 

"Full face it should be oval in outline and be filled completely up, giving the impression of fullness with surface devoid of hollows or indentations, i.e. egg-shaped..."

Discussion
 

From the front, the head should be egg-shaped with no indentations from the base of the ear to the end of the muzzle. The end of the muzzle should be strong and broad. More strength of muzzle with less curve of profile is preferable to a pronounced profile with a narrow muzzle that tapers to a point.

An ideal head with fill, strength and balance. The skull is flat across the top with small, well placed ears which point upwards. No indentations detract from the smooth egg-shape. The eyes are well set, small, dark and triangular.

This head lacks fill under the eyes, so it is not egg-shaped. The eyes are large and placed low in the in the head. The skull is round and the ears are badly placed on the side, pointing outwards. The large, low set eyes and "donkey" ears give this head a poor expression.
 

From the side the head should demonstrate the clean, sweeping, unbroken profile called for in the standard and should also have depth and strength of muzzle and underjaw.
 

An excellent head in strength and proportion; the distance from eye to nose tip is noticeably longer than from the eye to the top of the skull. The profile demonstrates a clean sweeping curve with a noticeable downturn at the nose, called "roman finish".



 

A weak snipey head with a dippy profile and short shallow underjaw often called "pig jaw".



 

The head has a good but unexaggerated profile with excellent strength of muzzle carried all the way to the end. Clean tight lips and a full deep underjaw complement the great virtues of strength and balance in this head.
 

LIPS: should be clean and tight 

TEETH: Should meet in either a level or a scissors bite( see pic) in the scissors bite the upper teeth should fit in front of and closely against the lower teeth, they should be sound strong and regular.    

         

      3. 4.

 5. 

 

CORRECT TEETH: (pic 1)This means that the top incisors(1) closely overlap the bottom incisors(2) and positioned straight and firm in the jaw. The canine teeth(3) properly placed and fully visible and the premolars(4) just posterior to the canines.

INCORRECT TEETH: (pic 2) A more severe mouth fault with the lower incisors well forward of the uppers and the lower canine beside or forward of the top lateral incisor. (UNDERSHOT)

MISPLACED CANINE: (pic 3) A scissors bite with a misplaced lower canine. The top half of the canine is not visible when the jaws are closed.

WRY MOUTH: (pic 4)This mouth looks scissors from one side and undershot from the other resulting from a crooked line of dentition.

OVERSHOT: (pic 5)The upper incisors forward of the lower incisors with a space in between. This fault is more severe when the lower canine falls behind the upper canine as pictured here.

NOTE: Any mouth fault should be penalized only and precisely according to its degree; a proper assessment should include the strength and width of the underjaw, the size and regularity of the teeth, the severity of malocclusion, and the placement of the lower canines. These should be fully visible with the tips in front of the upper canines and outside of the upper gum. Inward displacement of the lower canines can be damaging and painful to the dog as well as preventing correct closure of the upper and lower jaw.

top

FAULTS: there are some faults that you may well find in a bull terrier mouth as follows:

UNDERSHOT, OVERSHOT, INSET CANINES. WRY MOUTH

NOTE: Any mouth fault should be penalized only and precisely according to its degree; a proper assessment should include the strength and width of the under jaw, the size and regularity of the teeth, the severity of malocclusion, and the placement of the lower canines. These should be fully visible with the tips in front of the upper canines and outside of the upper gum. Inward displacement of the lower canines can be damaging and painful to the dog as well as preventing correct closure of the upper and lower jaw

 

EARS: Should be small thin and placed closely together. They should be able to be held stiffly erect when pointed upward. A bullie looks at his most intelligent when his ears are up and looking alert.

 

EYES: Should be well sunken and as dark as possible, with a piercing glint, small, triangular in shape and set at an angle, with the corner of the lower eyelid pointing towards the outer corner of the ear. set close together and high on the dogs head. despite this piercing glint and wicked look a bullie is a big softie.

 BLUE EYES ARE A DISQUALIFICATION.

NOSE SHOULD BE ALL BLACK with well developed nostrils bent downward to the tip.

 

BODY
 

"The CHEST should be broad when viewed from in front, and there should be great depth from the withers to brisket, so that the latter is nearer the ground than the belly. (The underline from the brisket to the belly should form a graceful upward curve.)
 

The BODY should be well rounded with a marked spring of rib.
 

The BACK should be short and strong. The back ribs deep. Slightly arched over the loin,
 

The SHOULDERS should be strong and muscular but without heaviness. The shoulder blades should be wide and flat and there should be a very pronounced backward slope from the bottom edge of the blade to the top edge. Behind the shoulders there should be no slackness or dip at the withers."

 

"The NECK should be very muscular, long, arched and clean, tapering from the shoulders to the head and it should be free of loose skin.
 

 

The overall impression of the Bull Terrier's body should be one of short-backed, well-knit strength with graceful lines. The topline should flow continuously from the base of the ears over a graceful neck, tying smoothly into the level withers and thence back to a slight rise over a muscular loin, finishing in a gentle curve over the croup to a low-set tail.


A typey dog with a smooth athletic build. His neck, is well set on, his topline continuous with no pronounced dips or abrupt change in angle. A deep brisket and good tuck-up complete the lines of this shapely athlete.

 

A shapely bitch with graceful body lines. Her topline sweeps without a break from the neck over the withers with a slight arch over the croup, ending with a well set on tail. Her underline carries smoothly backward under her deep brisket, curving upward behind the rib cage to the belly.

 

 

 

 

A long, arched, tapering neck rising from a well angulated shoulder is a very pleasing feature and one which is a valued component of the overall balance and symmetry. A short, upright or "ewe"

neck caused by an upright shoulder breaks the topline which should give the impression of gentle integrated curves rather than abrupt changes in angles and direction.

This dog has the correct neck, shoulder and topline. The neck is well set on and gives a smooth transition from the sloping shoulder to the head. The withers are behind a vertical line from the elbow.

 

A straight shoulder with a badly set on neck rising from withers forward of a vertical line from the elbow.
 

The rib cage can easily be assessed from a top view, the sides of the dog curving outwards to accommodate the well sprung ribs, and curving in behind the ribcage to make a discernible waist.


Looking down on the dog can be helpful. This bitch demonstrates good spring of rib, the rib-line tapering to the waist behind the rib cage.


 

The Bull Terrier should be a combination of dense but smooth parts connected by graceful curves. Beware the heavy, ill-made animal who has a long, straight-cut body which lacks the graceful quality of the well-knit athlete. Also beware the individual who lacks substance and spring of rib.

 

Lacking substance and spring of rib this dog is also upright in shoulder and high in the rear.		A short neck, upright shoulder and long straight body contribute to this animal's lack of shape.

 

LEGS "The LEGS should be big-boned but not to the point of coarseness; the forelegs should be of moderate length, perfectly straight, and the dog must stand firmly upon them.   The ELBOWS must turn neither in nor out, and the pasterns should be strong and upright.   The HIND LEGS should be parallel viewed from behind. The thighs very muscular with hocks well let down. Hind pasterns short and upright. The stifle joint should be well bent with a well-developed second thigh.   The FEET round and compact with well-arched toes like a cat."   the Standard calls for straight front legs with elbows pointing straight back and the middle toes straight forward. Most deviations from this ideal are characteristics stemming from the bulldog ancestry; out at the elbows, curved or bowed front legs, feet pointing "east and west:.     A correct front showing a broad chest and straight forelegs properly attached to the shoulders, feet pointing straight ahead.   A bulldog front, with curved forelegs and elbows pointing outward, wrists and feet pointing "east and west".   Correct hindquarters from the rear. The legs are muscular, straight and parallel with the front legs.   Incorrect hindquarters with "cow hocks". The hocks are closer together than the feet, which point outwards. Bowed stifles viewed from the rear. This is a weak, unsound construction usually inadequately muscled and characterized by short, choppy hind action.   A straight hind leg lacking over- all muscling and showing very little angulation at the stifle joint.   This stifle joint is over bent and while seemingly desirable is actually a weak construction often associated with "cow hocks" A weak hind leg bowed laterally at the stifle joint.

 

TAIL The tail should be short, set on low and ideally should be carried horizontally. Thick at the body and should taper to a fine point. NOTES A properly set on, tapered tail carried horizontally gives a finish to the top line which is essential to our overall visualization of the ideal Bull Terrier. Unfortunately, most of today's dogs have dogs have different degrees of "gay" tail which brings the lines of an otherwise ideal animal to an abrupt, angular termination. While "gay" tails have not been considered a serious fault, they are often associated with a short pelvis and flat croup which detracts from the finishing lines of this muscular yet gracefully agile dog.   A correct topline, tailset and carriage. The tail is broad at the base and tapers to a point. It does not reach beyond the hock when held downward against the back of the hind leg.   A short croup with high set-on tail, with a high or "gay" carriage.   An extremely high set "gay" tail set on a flat, shallow croup.
COAT The coat should be short. It should be flat, harsh to touch with a fine gloss. A soft woolly undercoat is possible in winter. the dogs coat should fit tightly. Pigmentation on white coat colour not to be penalized. NOTES While hair texture is not generally regarded as important in the overall picture of the ideal Bull Terrier, a thin, patchy or dull coat detracts from the impression of a vibrant, healthy animal. Coats marred by bouts with allergies are also a sign of less than ideal health in addition to being unsightly. Ticking, which occurs in the undercoat and is more prevalent in the thicker winter coat, is a fault as described in the standard. The severity of the fault can be minimal, with a few odd ticks in the undercoat, or more heavily penalized if the coat is heavily ticked. Miss marks, involving both the undercoat and the longer guard hairs, are also a fault which carries a penalty under the rules of this Standard. Skin pigmentation, which takes the form of dark spots on the skin which show through the white hair in a thin coat, are not to be penalized. It has been the usual practice, when judging Bull Terriers, to view light ticking and small miss marks as a relatively minor fault in an otherwise worthy animal, and while it is important to be aware of the desirability of a clear coat in our visualization of the ideal Bull Terrier , it is also important not to overlook and disregard an otherwise virtuous animal due to minor coat faults.
COLOUR White dogs should have a pure white coat. colour permissible on the head only, Pigmentation in the skin and patches of colour on the head are permissible. With brindle dogs, the colour will dominate. Black, red, fawn and tri-colour are permitted. Coloured spots in the coat are to be penalized. COLORED-- The standard for the Colored Variety is the same as for the White except for the subhead "Colour" which reads: "Colour: Any colour other than white, or any colour with white markings. Other things being equal, the preferred colour is brindle. A dog which is predominantly white shall be disqualified." here is some more in depth info on colour  NOTES When assessing a colored Bull Terrier one must be alert to the optical illusions which can be caused by the lines and areas of the white markings. On the head, a crooked blaze can give the impression of a dippy profile, or, conversely produce the illusion of curved profile. An eye patch on a White can affect the impression of fill and down face. This marking changes the profile impression.   The blaze on a Colored often deceives the eye an creates a false profile. The wide white blaze on the right makes the same head look more filled.   The same dog from different angles! White markings on the chest and belly can extend upward toward the sides to interrupt the underline and give a false impression of shallowness in body depth and substance. Markings on the limbs can be particularly deceptive by carrying the eye in a crooked line. This is especially true on the hind legs as the pattern of the Bull Terrier's "socks" is almost always in a diagonal line across the back of the leg, making the leg look "cow-hocked," especially when moving. White splotches on the body of the Colored Bull Terrier are not considered a fault according to the standard unless they are so numerous as to cover more than half the surface area of the animal. If more than half of a Colored Bull Terrier is white, it is disqualified from competition. Since the dog cannot be skinned and the areas measured, this is usually a judgment call. Remember, however, that the head and limbs are in most cases about half color and half white, and the chest and belly are usually totally white, so that if over half of the visible body area is white, this should be grounds for disqualification.   Brindle is the preferred color in Bull Terriers due to the genetic facts of inheritance. Since the brindle gene is dominant, it is visible in the coat color when it is present. Due to the character of dominant genes, once this color is lost from the breed there is no way to replace it. The "brindle preferred" clause in our Standard is a recognition that breeders wish to preserve this color pattern in the breed. Currently there does not seem to be any danger of losing this color pattern and according to the Standard, the brindle color should only be used as a deciding factor between two animals which have an equal sum of breed virtues. Since this is an unlikely event, the clause stands to remind us of the importance of maintaining brindle as a color option in the breed. The markings on the neck and underbelly of this dog create the impression of an upright shoulder and a shallow depth of brisket.   The same dog with a sloping collar and dark under belly which visually enhances his shoulder, "shortens" his back and "deepens" his brisket. The same hind legs appear more "cow hocked" on the Colored due to the diagonal markings.
MOVEMENT While moving, the dog has to give the impression of strong build. The dog covers the ground with free, easy strides, fore and hind legs move parallel to each other when viewed from the front or the rear. The forelegs reach out well and the rear legs have to move smoothly at the hip an flexing well at the stifle and hock. The Bull Terrier should move compactly and in one piece but with a typical jaunty air that suggests agility and power.
this dog moves well with front legs reaching out well MOVEMENT FROM BEHIND   Correct Movement Hind legs are moving squarely away, parallel with the forelegs.   Base Narrow Hind feet are put down toward the center line as the dog moves away.   "Cow Hocks" The stifles are flexed toward the outside and the hocks are pulled inward as the dog moves, producing a weaving effect sometimes called "knitting and purling". MOVEMENT FROM THE FRONT   Correct Fore legs moving straight forward, parallel to the hind legs.   Base-Narrow Forefeet hit the ground toward the center line   "Paddling" The rotation of the wrist throws the pastern and foot out to the side as the foreleg is advanced.     NOTES A Bull Terrier which is made well is likely to move well, and it is in motion that the animal passes the true test of construction. From the front (coming toward) the forelegs should be perfectly straight, with the feet the same distance apart as the elbows. If the shoulders and elbows are not properly constructed the elbows will visibly turn outward and the feet will be closer together than the elbows. Any deviations in the straightness of the forelegs will be noticeable, and these are often accompanied by a crossing or weaving gait. From the rear (going away) the hind legs should also be parallel. Bowed-out stifles and hocks will cause the hind feet to turn in and they will sometimes actually cross as the dog puts one in front of the other. "Cow-hocks" (see pic above), or hocks which turn in toward the center line, will cause the stifles and hind feet to turn out with a resulting loss of impulsion or drive. From the side, animals with straight shoulders will usually show some slackness or a dip behind the withers. A straight hind leg and a badly made croup will cause the hind end to be higher than the front, giving the impression that the animal is "running downhill." Because the standing Bull Terrier can be cleverly "stacked" to minimize these basic construction problems, it is essential for breeders and judges alike to familiarize themselves with the ideal Bull Terrier in motion. It is in the movement phase of assessment that the crucial tests are met and passed or failed, and a Bull Terrier which moves correctly should be recognized and rewarded both in the ring and in a progressive breeding program.
NOTES FAULTS-- "Any departure from the foregoing points shall be considered a fault, and the seriousness of the fault shall be in exact proportion to its degree, i.e., a very crooked front is a very bad fault; a rather crooked front is a rather bad fault; and a slightly bad front is a slight fault."   DISQUALIFICATION Blue eyes   The Bull Terrier standard is explicit in describing the virtues which the ideal Bull Terrier should possess. It is virtually unique in stating that a fault is a deviation from the described virtue, and is faulty in proportion to its degree. Therefore we are charged with finding that animal, in any group presented for assessment, which possesses the best combination of breed virtues -- Head, Construction, Movement and Temperament -- which bring it closest to our visualization of the ideal Bull Terrier.   A properly constructed Bull Terrier which combines the essential virtues giving an impression of strength and agility.   The male dog should possess two well formed testicles, completely dropped in the scrotum. The miniature Bull Terrier has the same standard as the Bull Terrier with exception of the following points:   the height of the withers is maximum 14 inches - 35,5 cm the dog has to give the impression of being in full harmony and the substance in relation to its size. the weight is unlimited. at all times, the dog has to be well proportioned. in either standard or mini bull terriers.

OVERVIEW

The Bull Terrier Standard is simple and straightforward, just as the ideal Bull Terrier should be. Each section is a description of how the dog should look, move or behave. The skillful judge will be able to select those animals which represent the best combination of virtues as described in the standard, and which carry the lest harmful deviations from these virtues. The judge should always carry in mind, along with that essential visualization of the ideal Bull Terrier, an alarm system which alerts him to those deviations from the ideal which are most likely to signal bad new for the physical and mental integrity of the animal standing before him. We must give high priorities to four essential categories of our assessment.
 

The HEAD is a key feature of the ideal Bull Terrier and must demonstrate the correct shape with mass and power. Without the correct shape and strength, the animal fails this category. Slight deviations eye and ear placement, pink spots on the nose, and minor dentition faults are not considered to be as serious as severe malocclusion or deficiencies in the mass, power and egg-like shape of the head.
 

BODY SHAPE, CONSTRUCTION AND DENSITY is the second category in which the ideal Bull Terrier must demonstrate a combination of virtues as described in the Standard. While the Standard does not specify any ideal height or weight, we know that the Bull Terrier, "the maximum dog in the available space" and his body must be short-coupled with graceful curves and lines connecting his muscular parts. A light "whippety" body, insufficient bone, or poorly constructed and loosely integrated parts would be tantamount to a failing grade in this category.
 

MOVEMENT is the third category and is the test of construction and soundness. While few Bull Terriers move absolutely to the standard, defects of construction which may compromise the soundness and health of the animal are emphasized in the moving dog, and if these are present the dog should fail this category.
 

TEMPERAMENT is the fourth category which is essential to breed type. Our standard describes the ideal temperament, and any animal which deviates from this ideal to the extent that it is exceptionally timid or overly aggressive will fail this category.
 

Bull Terriers usually exhibit a degree of animation and individuality in the ring. They should not be penalized for their exuberant approach to life if they are not overly disruptive or aggressive. They should, of course be under control at all times and be amenable to handling by the judge.