Dog Breed 101: American Pocket Bully

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The American Pocket Bully is a designer breed developed from the American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, and Bulldog-type dogs’ foundation. It is important to notice that these dogs are not Pit Bulls, even though they are often mistaken for them. This designer breed was developed to become a great family pet and guard dog. If you are interested in American Pocket Bullys, here is what you should know about them.

Breed status

If you are looking for an American Pocket Bully, you should know major kennel clubs do not recognize these dogs. This is a relatively new designer breed. They have a long way to go if they want to get recognized as a pureblooded breed within organizations like the Fédération Cynologique Internationale.

Even though this breed is not registered, that doesn’t mean they are not well organized. American Bullys have the American Bully Kennel Club that is entirely dedicated to organizing and tracking the American Bully breeding and pedigrees. In fact, this is probably the best-organized designer breed in the world. Even the famous Labradoodles and Goldendoodles don’t have such organized clubs around them as Bullys do.

Keep in mind that you will not be allowed to partake in dog shows organized by the American Kennel Club or any shows under the Fédération Cynologique Internationale. If you want to become an active dog show participant, you will do a lot better with some other Bully-type breed. Some of the most famous and recognized Bully-type breeds are;

• English Bulldog
• French Bulldog
• Majorcan Mastiff
• American Staffordshire Terrier
• Boston Terrier
• Staffordshire Terrier
• Presa Canario
• Mastiff
• Bullmastiff
• Dogue de Bordeaux
• Cane Corso

Different Bully varieties

When it comes to American Bully, you should know that the American Pocket Bully is one of 4 American Bully varieties. This is the smallest type in the Bully family, but that doesn’t mean it is the cheapest or the weakest. The four varieties are;

• Standard
• Pocket
• Classic
• XL

If you want to know more about all four types, check out this article - American Bully: a shredded American breed.

Physical characteristics of the Pocket Bully

The Pocket Bully is the smallest family member, but their physical characteristics are not that different. American Pocket Bullys are simply smaller versions of their bigger siblings. The Pocket Bully should be between 13 and 17 inches tall, and they have a stocky built that gives them plenty of power compared to their relatively small size.

These dogs have pretty large and powerful muscles, which is why the general public can mistake them for American Pit Bulls. Both breeds are powerful, athletic, and usually have cropped ears. People that are afraid of such dogs often don’t stop to ask about the exact breed. The Pocket Bully’s muscular body is ideal for short bursts of energy, which is typical for all Bulldog-type dogs.

Character of the American Pocket Bully

The American Pocket Bully’s character defines these dogs as good family pets; at least, that is what the American Bully Kennel Club says about these dogs. However, those are not their only qualities or character traits new owners should be looking for. Here are some of the key characteristics of the Pocket Bully;

Great family dogs

This is the first character trait we should look into. These dogs were apparently selectively bred with the goal of eliminating the aggressive behavior. Aggressive dogs don’t make great family pets, which is what American Bully breeders were extremely careful about. They are working tirelessly on the breed’s character, and many owners stated they have wonderful family-oriented Pocket Bullys.

These dogs should have endless patience with kids and playful nature that makes them ideal dogs for kids to grow up with. Like other Bully breeds, the American Pocket Bully forms strong bonds with their owners. This is one of their defining characteristics.

Loyalty

American Pocket Bullys are known as loyal dogs. They love being close to their owners, and they absolutely need to be included in all family activities. They hate being left alone, and if that happens too often, they can develop separation anxiety. You can read more about that issue here - Separation anxiety in dogs.

Fairly intelligent

These dogs should be reasonably intelligent and easy to train. Training should be a part of every dog’s life, and you cannot have a well-behaved and friendly dog that wasn’t adequately trained and socialized. The American Pocket Bully is a medium-fast learner, and they will enjoy getting their minds engaged and exercised.

Protective

Like their ancestors, the American Pocket Bullys have a protective trait. That is great for some owners who are looking for alert watchdogs. You can be sure these dogs will let you know if anything suspicious is going on in their environment. Plus, they will stop at nothing in situations where they think their family needs protection.

Health

This designer breed is considered relatively healthy. The average lifespan of the American Pocket Bully is between 11 and 13 years, which is the average for Bulldog-type dogs. However, these dogs are brachycephalic, which means you should be careful not to overexercise them in the hot weather. They have relatively short muzzles, and the hot air doesn’t get properly cooled before entering their lungs. That puts them at risk of heat stroke. Some common health issues observed in these dogs are;

• Hip dysplasia
• Cataracts
• Elbow dysplasia
• Progressive retinal atrophy
• Congenital heart failure
• Cleft palate or lip
• Cerebellar abiotrophy
• Dermatitis
• Ichthyosis
• Hypothyroidism
• Patellar luxation

American Pocket Bully puppy

If you are interested in getting an American Pocket Bully puppy, you should know that this designer breed costs a lot. These dogs are highly priced in the US, and there is little chance you will find some in a shelter you can adopt. The most expensive American Pocket Bully is called Venom and is priced at $500.000.

The best thing you could do is get in touch with a breeder registered by the American Bully Kennel Club and ask if they have puppies available. One thing you should prepare for is that a breeder might put you on a waiting list for the American Pocket Bully puppy. The starting price of the American Pocket Bully puppy is $1.000, but dogs with excellent pedigrees and champion bloodlines will go for a lot more.

World Dog Finder team