Bull Terrier
Bull Terrier 0
Bull Terrier 1
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Bull Terrier 0
Bull Terrier 1
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Bull Terrier

Last updated: Aug 31 2023

Bull Terriers are playful, charming, and powerful dogs who are loyal pets and great family members. The Bull Terrier is a breed that captures worldwide views with its appearance and character. Recognized by its egg-head and muscular body, the Bull Terrier seems scary and dangerous.

Contrary to their appearance, these equally gentle and energetic dogs will delight you with their appearance. They have erect and pointed ears and small triangular eyes.

FUN FACT: Bull Terrier is known as a "canine gladiator" because of his agility, sturdy personality, and incredible power.

Bull Terrier

Height:

21–22 in (53–56 cm)

Bull Terrier

Weight:

50–70 lb (22–32 kg)

Bull Terrier

Origin:

Great Britain

Bull Terrier

Life Expectancy:

12-13 years

Dog Breed Characteristics

Energy Level
Grooming Needs
Exercise Needs
Trainability
Intelligence
Kid Friendly
Dog Friendly
General Health

The Bull Terrier can reach 21–22 in (53-56 centimeters) at the shoulders and usually weigh around 50–70 lb (22-32 kilograms). Males are slightly bigger than females.

Bull Terrier

Grooming

The Bull Terrier coat is easy to groom. His coat is short, harsh, glossy, and requires minimal maintenance. The coat comes in two color varieties: white and colored. White Bull Terriers can have colored markings only on the head. The Bull Terriers need weekly brushing to help remove loose hair and to keep the coat clean and healthy.

They shed heavily twice a year, and in that period, daily brushing will be necessary. Bath every three months will be enough. The rest is basic care: trim the dog's nails as needed, check his ears to make sure there is no redness or infection, and regularly brush his teeth to keep teeth and gums healthy with fresh breath.

bull terrier dogs in woods

Energy level

These dogs need constant physical and mental exercise, such as long walks, chasing a ball, etc. This breed was developed to participate in sports, so you need to make sure that your Bull Terrier is getting enough daily exercise. They are great in canine sports, such as tracking, agility, and obedience.

Bull Terriers need early and constant training. This breed isn't the easiest to train, but they respond well to positive reinforcement. You must provide leadership without physical force or harsh words. They can be difficult to housetrain. You need to start while they are young and be consistent.

FUN FACT: The Bull Terrier only barks if there is a good reason, so in case you hear your dog barking - pay attention.

Are Bull Terriers aggressive?

This dog is very protective of his family. They can be very aggressive toward other animals and strangers. They tend to be aggressive towards dogs of the same sex. You need to socialize with them from a young age to make sure you end up with a well-raised dog.

If not socialized properly the Bull Terriers can develop some serious behavior problems. Take him to many different places so he can get used to many different situations, people, and other dogs.

Bull Terrier

Bull Terrier and kids

Bull Terriers are not recommended for homes with small children because they are active and muscular dogs. They are great for older children who can interact and play with such a dog. They are very protective of their family and „their" children, so you always need to supervise children's play because they may feel that he must protect the child during the play.

You need to teach your kids how to interact with the dog so you won't have any problems later.

Bull Terrier sleeping

Health

The Bull Terrier has a life expectancy of 12-13 years. They are generally healthy, but like any breed, they are prone to some health problems.

These problems are

  • hereditary nephritis (a severe form of kidney disease),
  • deafness (in one or both ears),
  • heart disease (caused by defects in heart structure and function),
  • skin problems,
  • lens luxation (when the lens of the eye is displaced when the ligament holding it in place deteriorates). 

There are a few recommended health tests you should perform to ensure the dog is healthy:

  • cardiac exam,
  • kidney-urine analysis,
  • patella evaluation,
  • BAER testing. 

You should always perform a BAER hearing test if you have a white Bull Terrier.

Some of the health issues don’t appear until they are at least two years old, so always look for a breeder who doesn’t breed dogs until they are two or three years old.

bull terrier dog

Bull Terrier breeders

If you are not confused by the given characteristics of a Bull Terrier dog, and you still intend to bring such a pet home, then it is worthwhile to study the offer market for this breed in advance.

Although a Bull Terrier is a fighting dog, no good breeder will ever sell your dog for dogfighting purposes. If you are looking for dog show potential, no breeder will assure you that your chosen puppy will one day become a champion. However, some predictions can be made based on outward appearance, health, and psyche.

Therefore, it is first and foremost necessary to study the complete information about the puppy's parents. And it's best to look personally at their mom and dad. In general, you should evaluate the appearance of the dog and the condition of his psyche.

Before buying a dog, you should decide for what purpose you want to get one. Is it for the dog shows or a pet? The pet dog and the show dog will have a completely different character. Plus, choosing a future champion is not easy. You need to have a lot of experience and knowledge.

When you decide to buy a Bull Terrier dog, you can search World Dog Finder and find breeders from all around the world and find your new buddy.

SEARCH BULL TERRIER BREEDERS

World Dog Finder team

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Updated at31.08.2023.

Breed History

The main thing why Bull Terriers were created was because of dog fighting. In the 13th century in Britain, Bulldogs were used to fight staked bulls as the visitors would bet on the income. By the mid-18-century blood sports with animals were outlawed.

So they went underground and, with that, evaded the law and created dogfighting because bullfighting was too conspicuous activity. Bulldogs were too slow in dogfighting and didn't „provideenough entertainment. So at that point began the development of Bull Terriers.

They were developed in England in the 19th century by crossing the Bulldog with the terriers to create a dog with Bulldog power and the terrier's fiery spirit. To increase their size, these dogs were crossed with the Spanish Pointers. In 1860 a man named James Hinks took this breed and standardized it as the modern Bull Terrier.

The first Bull Terrier dog was registered in the American Kennel Club in 1885. Today Bull Terriers are still tough and fearless, but they are much gentler than their ancestors.

FUN FACT: In the late 1980s, a Bull Terrier dog named Spuds MacKenzie was the mascot for Bud Light beer.

bull terrier on snow

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