American Bully Breeders AssociationAmerican Bully Breeders Association | Premium Bully Breed Registry

Welcome to the ABBA Website

admin — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 03:36:13 +0000

Welcome to the ABBA website

The ABBA is proud to support the work of rescues, shelters and charities while promoting responsible breeding and responsible ownership. ABBA...Fair...Family...Fun...changing the stereotypes one show at a time.

We hope you enjoy your visit. We designed this site to be your destination location for all things ABBA and all things positive and BULLY. All for the amazing community we belong to...bully lovers around the world. We hope to see you everywhere in the ABBA Bully Universe.

Be blessed,

The ABBA Team

If you like this site, you can have one built too! Contact Andrew Sauter, CEO of Flashpoint Media http://www.flashpointsocialmedia.com/. and ask him about ABBA pricing.

ABBA Legislative Update – United Airlines retreat

admin — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 03:30:55 +0000

Dear Bully Breed Community,

We have problems that require our action. If we don't act, our rights will be violated and more importantly, if we don't act, the misconceptions and discrimination about APBT's will escalate. We have a chance to help repeal the pit bull ban in Denver and we need to work together to stop a new BSL mandatory spay and neuter law from taking effect. Please read.....

The City of Denver is reexamining the ban on pitbulls. This is cross posted from Facebook. Please sign the petition.

THERE IS ONLY SEVEN DAYS LEFT FOR THIS PETITION AND WE STILL NEED SIGNATURES.. IF YOU HAVEN'T SIGNED PLEASE DO AND SHARE WITH FRIENDS, FAMILY & CO-WORKERS... DOESN'T MATTER WHERE YOU LIVE JUST SIGN AND SHARE.... PLEASE HELP STOP PIT BULL BAN IN DENVER... SAY NO TO BSL!!!!

http://www.change.org/petitions/occupit-denver-the-city-of-denver-reexamine-the-validity-of-the-current-ban-on-pit-bulls#

CALIFORNIA

Without a lot of knowledge, the County of Ventura has launched a war on the American Pit Bull Terrier. Read the details below...

Excerpt from the City of Ventura proposed ordinance.

Issue/Idea/Concern:

In response to the increased number of euthanizedanimals, the County of Ventura is
asking City leaders to consider adopting an ordinance that calls for the mandatory spaying
and neutering of Pit Bulls. During the last two and a half years, Pit Bulls accounted for 20
percent of all dogs brought into the Ventura County Animal Shelter in Camarillo; only 8
percent got adopted, 21 percent were returned to their owner, 13 percent were transferred
to rescues and 58 percent were euthanized.

The County of Ventura Animal Services created a "model" ordinance to get more owners to
use services to spay/neuter their dogs. Each city that contracts with the County for shelter
services is being asked to consider the ordinance to control breeding of Pit Bulls and
reduce the costs and work load at shelters.

The ordinance would have to be adopted by each city and the County. The County, by
contract, would enforce it.

Here is the ordinance in its entirety. City of Ventura Proposed Ordinance

We know that statistics prove that BSL and MSN (mandatory spay and neuter) DON'T WORK. The ABBA supports the following measures: stricter enforcement of existing lease and licensing laws; and increased availability of affordable spay and neuter services; a generic dangerous dog law that holds owners accountable, provides incentives for responsible owners, and is fairly administered. These are far better choice for communities faced with animal control problems. Those who are careless and/or negligent or are involved in criminal activity are unlikely to be found until an infraction occurs.

This proposed ordinance requires action on our parts and it starts with the City of Ventura. We don’t know if other cities in Ventura County have already enacted this legislation but this is a result of the “creep” from the City of Los Angeles BSL. Please post your opposition to the proposed legislation on the City of Ventura Facebook page

http://www.facebook.com/thecityofventura

Here is how to reach the City of Ventura and County of Ventura to voice your opposition. Email addresses for the City of Ventura Mayor and City Council and Ventura County Board of Supervisors is below. Here is a letter that you could use make the argument against BSL-MSN. SAMPLE OPPOSITION LETTER

Click on "continue reading" to copy email addresses

Upcoming shows – NEW DATE May 26th Chipley, FL, June 30th ABBA 3rd Anniversary!!

admin — Sun, 25 Mar 2012 01:05:02 +0000

UPCOMING SHOWS & EVENTS

NEW DATE!!May 26th Sunshine Bully Show – Chipley FL

Gates open 8:30 am

Registration starts at 10:30 am

Show One starts at 12:30 pm

Show Two will start at 1:00 pm

June 30, 2012 Qualcomm Stadium, 3rd Anniversary ABBA Bully & Low Rider Car Show PRESENTED WITH THE DUKES CAR CLUB, Charger Girls BACK AGAIN!!

Disc Dog COMPETITION!! Audience gets to pick the winner!! Jonathan Offi and his World Famous Team Pit Bull with 2011 Incredible Dog Disc Dog Champion Pit Bull back from Brazil, Mexico, New Zealand and Europe will be there

UPDATE FROM NATIONALS (click here to see photos)

Thanks to everyone who came out to Nationals. We had a wonderful show….

We had trophies and ribbons for all our Jr Showman as well as toys and giveaways as always and lucky raffle winners walked away to $100′s of dollars in CASH!!! Congratulations to Durrel Crockett for his National Best in Breed American Bully and National Best in Show American Bully wins!

(photo taken Jan 14, 2012)

Bulldog Standard (American Bulldog variety)

admin — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 23:13:24 +0000

GENERAL APPEARANCE

The American Bulldog is a powerful, athletic short-coated dog, strongly muscled, and well boned. The body is just slightly longer than tall. The head is large and broad, with a wide muzzle. Ears are small to medium in size, high set, and may be drop, semi-prick, rose, or cropped. The tail may be docked or natural. The American Bulldog comes in solid colors, white with colored patches, and brindle. Gender differences are well expressed in this breed, with males typically larger and more muscular than females. Honorable scars resulting from field work are not to be penalized. The American Bulldog should be evaluated as a working dog, and exaggerations or faults should be penalized in proportion to how much they interfere with the dog’s ability to work.

CHARACTERISTICS

The essential characteristics of the American Bulldog are those which enable it to work as a hog and cattle catching dog, and a protector of personal property. These tasks require a powerful, agile, confident dog with a large head and powerful jaws. The American Bulldog is a gentle, loving family companion who is fearless enough to face an angry bull or a human intruder. Note: It is common for young American Bulldogs to be somewhat standoffish with strangers, and judges should not penalize this. By the time the dog is around 18 months of age, however, the breed’s normal confidence asserts itself.

Disqualifications: Viciousness or extreme shyness; cowardice.

HEAD

The head is large and broad, giving the impression of great power. When viewed from the side, the skull and muzzle are parallel to one another and joined by a well-defined stop. The stop is very deep and abrupt, almost at a right angle with the muzzle. Despite the depth of the stop, the forehead is wider than it is high.

SKULL – The skull is large, flat, deep, and broad between the ears. Viewed from the top, the skull is square. There is a deep median furrow that diminishes in depth from the stop to the occiput. Cheek muscles are prominent.

In bully dogs, the skull is generally box-shaped to rounded, with a more definitive stop, and more wrinkles than the standard type, which has a skull that is box or wedge shaped.

Serious Fault: An excessively narrow skull, in any type.

MUZZLE – The muzzle is broad and thick, with a very slight taper from the stop to the nose.

The length of the muzzle in the bully type dogs is 25 to 35 percent of the overall length of the head. In the standard dogs, it is 30 to 40 percent of the overall length of the head. The jaws are well muscled, displaying great strength. Lips are moderately thick, but not pendulous. Black pigment on the lips is preferred. The chin is well defined, and must neither overlap the upper lip nor be covered by it.

Serious Fault: An excessively narrow muzzle in any type.

Disqualification: Any dog that exhibits difficulty breathing while in the ring.

TEETH – The American Bulldog has a complete set of 42 large, evenly spaced, white teeth.

In the standard type, a reverse scissors bite is preferred, a scissors bite or a moderate under bite (up to ¼ inch) is acceptable. An even bite is allowable but not preferred.

In the bully type, undershot approximately ¼ inch is preferred, but any variation from 1/8 inch to ½ inch is acceptable. An even bite is allowable but not preferred. An extreme undershot bite is considered faulty to the degree that the bite interferes with the dog’s ability to work. Teeth are not visible when the mouth is closed. Worn teeth or broken teeth are acceptable.

Disqualification: Overshot. Wry jaw.

NOSE – The nose is large, with wide, open nostrils. Black color is preferred, but shades of red or brown are acceptable. Lack of pigment is a cosmetic fault.

EYES – Eyes are medium in size, round to almond in shape, and set well apart. All colors are acceptable, but dark brown is preferred. Haw is not visible. Black eye rims are preferred.

Faults: Very visible haws.

Disqualifications: Crossed eyes. Eyes that do not match in color.

EARS – Ears may be cropped, but natural ears are acceptable Natural ears are small to medium in size, high set, and may be drop, semi-prick, or rose.

Drop ears: The ears are set high, level with the upper line of the skull, accentuating the skull’s width. At the base, the ear is just slightly raised in front and then hangs along the cheek. The tip is slightly rounded. When pulled toward the eye, the ear should not extend past the outside corner of the eye.

Semi-prick ears: Same as drop ears except that only the tips of the ears drop forward.

Rose ears: Rose ears are small and set high on the skull.

Fault: Hound ears.

NECK

The neck is where the American Bulldog exerts power to bring down livestock. The neck must be long enough to exert leverage, but short enough to exert power. The neck is muscular and, at its widest point, is nearly as broad as the head, with a slight arch at the crest, and tapering slightly from shoulders to the head. A slight dewlap is acceptable.

Faults: Neck too short and thick; thin or weak neck.

FOREQUARTERS

The shoulders are strong and well muscled. The shoulder blade is well laid back and forms, with the upper arm, an apparent 90-degree angle. The tips of the shoulder blades are set about 2 to 3 finger-widths apart.

FORELEGS – The forelegs are heavily boned and very muscular. The elbows are set on a plane parallel to the body, neither close to the body nor turned out. Viewed from the front, the forelegs are perpendicular to the ground or may, especially in a dog with a very broad chest, incline slightly inward. The pasterns are short, powerful, and slightly sloping when viewed in profile. Viewed from the front, the pasterns are straight.

BODY

The chest is deep and moderately wide, with ample room for heart and lungs. The ribs are well sprung from the spine and then flatten to form a deep body, extending at least to the elbows or lower in adult dogs. The topline inclines very slightly downward from well-developed withers to a broad, muscular back. The loin is short, broad, and slightly arched, blending into a slightly sloping croup. The flank is moderately tucked up and firm.

Serious Faults: Swayback; sloping topline.

HINDQUARTERS

The hindquarters are well muscled and broad. The width and angulation of the hindquarters is in balance with the width and angulation of the forequarters.

HIND LEGS – The thighs are well developed with thick, easily discerned muscles. The lower thighs are muscular and short. Viewed from the side, 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.

Serious Faults: Narrow or weak hindquarters.

Faults: Cowhocks; open hocks.

FEET

The feet are round, medium in size, well arched, and tight.

Fault: Splayed feet. The seriousness of this fault is based on the amount of splay in the feet.

TAIL

The American Bulldog may have a natural or a docked tail, but the natural tail is preferred. The natural tail is very thick at the base, set low, and tapers to a point. It should reach to the hock joint. A “pump handle” tail is preferred, but any tail carriage from upright, when the dog is excited, to relaxed between the hocks is acceptable.

Serious Faults: Tail curled over the back; corkscrew tail; kinked tail, tail that ends in a complete curl; upright tail when the dog is relaxed.

COAT

The coat is short, close, and varies from soft to stiff to the touch. It is one inch or less in length.

Disqualifications: Longer than one inch, any feathering, or a wavy coat.

COLOR

Any color, color pattern, or combination of colors is acceptable, except for solid black, solid blue, merle, and tricolor (white with patches of black and tan). A full black mask is also unacceptable. Some dark brindle coats may appear black unless examined in very bright light. A buckskin color pattern, where the base of the hair is fawn and the tips are black, may also appear solid black. A judge should not disqualify an American Bulldog for black color unless the dog has been examined in sunlight or other equally bright light.

Serious Fault: Less than 10% white markings.

Disqualifications: Solid black or blue with no white markings; tricolor (white with patches of black and tan); merle; full black mask.

HEIGHT AND WEIGHT

The American Bulldog must be sufficiently powerful and agile to chase, catch, and bring down free-ranging livestock. Dogs capable of doing this come in a rather wide range of height and weight.Standards are leaner and more athletic in appearance. Bullys are thicker and more powerful in appearance. Males are typically larger with heavier bone and more muscle than females. Both sexes, however, should have a well-balanced overall appearance and all dogs should be well conditioned, neither over nor under weight.

Desirable height in a mature male ranges from 22 to 27 inches; in a mature female, from 20 to 25 inches. In all types, weight should be in proportion to height.

GAIT

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.

Poor movement should be penalized to the degree to which it reduces the American Bulldog’s ability to perform the tasks it was bred to do.

DISQUALIFICATIONS

Unilateral or bilateral cryptorchid. Viciousness or extreme shyness. Cowardice. Unilateral or bilateral deafness. Any dog that exhibits difficulty breathing while in the ring. Wry jaw. Overshot bite. Crossed eyes. Eyes that do not match in color. Coat longer than one inch, any feathering, or a wavy coat. Albinism. Solid black or blue with no white markings. Tricolor (white with patches of black and tan); merle; full black mask.

Bulldog Standard (Old English Variety)

admin — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 23:09:25 +0000

General Appearance
The perfect Bulldog must be of medium size and smooth coat; with heavy, thick-set, low-swung body, massive short-faced head, wide shoulders and sturdy limbs. The general appearance and attitude should suggest great stability, vigor and strength. The disposition should be equable and kind, resolute and courageous (not vicious or aggressive), and demeanor should be pacific and dignified. These attributes should be countenanced by the expression and behavior.

Size, Proportion, Symmetry
Size–The size for mature dogs is about 50 pounds; for mature bitches about 40 pounds.

Proportion–The circumference of the skull in front of the ears should measure at least the height of the dog at the shoulders.

Symmetry–The “points” should be well distributed and bear good relation one to the other, no feature being in such prominence from either excess or lack of quality that the animal appears deformed or ill-proportioned.

Influence of Sex In comparison of specimens of different sex, due allowance should be made in favor of the bitches, which do not bear the characteristics of the breed to the same degree of perfection and grandeur as do the dogs.

Head
Eyes and Eyelids–The eyes, seen from the front, should be situated low down in the skull, as far from the ears as possible, and their corners should be in a straight line at right angles with the stop. They should be quite in front of the head, as wide apart as possible, provided their outer corners are within the outline of the cheeks when viewed from the front. They should be quite round in form, of moderate size, neither sunken nor bulging, and in color should be very dark. The lids should cover the white of the eyeball, when the dog is looking directly forward, and the lid should show no “haw.”

Ears–The ears should be set high in the head, the front inner edge of each ear joining the outline of the skull at the top back corner of skull, so as to place them as wide apart, and as high, and as far from the eyes as possible. In size they should be small and thin. The shape termed “rose ear” is the most desirable. The rose ear folds inward at its back lower edge, the upper front edge curving over, outward and backward, showing part of the inside of the burr. (The ears should not be carried erect or prick-eared or buttoned and should never be cropped.)

Skull–The skull should be very large, and in circumference, in front of the ears, should measure at least the height of the dog at the shoulders. Viewed from the front, it should appear very high from the corner of the lower jaw to the apex of the skull, and also very broad and square. Viewed at the side, the head should appear very high, and very short from the point of the nose to occiput. The forehead should be flat (not rounded or domed), neither too prominent nor overhanging the face.

Cheeks–The cheeks should be well rounded, protruding sideways and outward beyond the eyes.

Stop–The temples or frontal bones should be very well defined, broad, square and high, causing a hollow or groove between the eyes. This indentation, or stop, should be both broad and deep and extend up the middle of the forehead, dividing the head vertically, being traceable to the top of the skull.

Face and Muzzle–The face, measured from the front of the cheekbone to the tip of the nose, should be extremely short, the muzzle being very short, broad, turned upward and very deep from the corner of the eye to the corner of the mouth.

Nose–The nose should be large, broad and black, its tip set back deeply between the eyes. The distance from bottom of stop, between the eyes, to the tip of nose should be as short as possible and not exceed the length from the tip of nose to the edge of underlip. The nostrils should be wide, large and black, with a well-defined line between them. Any nose other than black is objectionable and a brown or liver-colored nose shall disqualify.

Lips–The chops or “flews” should be thick, broad, pendant and very deep, completely overhanging the lower jaw at each side. They join the underlip in front and almost or quite cover the teeth, which should be scarcely noticeable when the mouth is closed.

Bite– Jaws–The jaws should be massive, very broad, square and “undershot,” the lower jaw projecting considerably in front of the upper jaw and turning up.

Teeth The teeth should be large and strong, with the canine teeth or tusks wide apart, and the six small teeth in front, between the canines, in an even, level row.

Neck, Topline, Body
Neck – The neck should be short, very thick, deep and strong and well arched at the back.

Topline – There should be a slight fall in the back, close behind the shoulders (its lowest part), whence the spine should rise to the loins (the top of which should be higher than the top of the shoulders), thence curving again more suddenly to the tail, forming an arch (a very distinctive feature of the breed), termed “roach back” or, more correctly, “wheel-back.”

Body–The brisket and body should be very capacious, with full sides, well-rounded ribs and very deep from the shoulders down to its lowest part, where it joins the chest. It should be well let down between the shoulders and forelegs, giving the dog a broad, low, short-legged appearance.

Chest–The chest should be very broad, deep and full.

Underline–The body should be well ribbed up behind with the belly tucked up and not rotund.

Back and Loin–The back should be short and strong, very broad at the shoulders and comparatively narrow at the loins.

Tail–The tail may be either straight or “screwed” (but never curved or curly), and in any case must be short, hung low, with decided downward carriage, thick root and fine tip. If straight, the tail should be cylindrical and of uniform taper. If “screwed,” the bends or kinks should be well defined, and they may be abrupt and even knotty, but no portion of the member should be elevated above the base or root.

Forequarters
Shoulders–The shoulders should be muscular, very heavy, widespread and slanting outward, giving stability and great power.

Forelegs–The forelegs should be short, very stout, straight and muscular, set wide apart, with well developed calves, presenting a bowed outline, but the bones of the legs should not be curved or bandy, nor the feet brought too close together.

Elbows–The elbows should be low and stand well out and loose from the body.

Feet– The feet should be moderate in size, compact and firmly set. Toes compact, well split up, with high knuckles and very short stubby nails. The front feet may be straight or slightly out-turned.

Hindquarters

Legs–The hind legs should be strong and muscular and longer than the forelegs, so as to elevate the loins above the shoulders. Hocks should be slightly bent and well let down, so as to give length and strength from the loins to hock. The lower leg should be short, straight and strong, with the stifles turned slightly outward and away from the body. The hocks are thereby made to approach each other, and the hind feet to turn outward.

Feet–The feet should be moderate in size, compact and firmly set. Toes compact, well split up, with high knuckles and short stubby nails. The hind feet should be pointed well outward.

Coat and Skin
Coat–The coat should be straight, short, flat, close, of fine texture, smooth and glossy. (No fringe, feather or curl.)

Skin–The skin should be soft and loose, especially at the head, neck and shoulders.

Wrinkles and Dewlap–The head and face should be covered with heavy wrinkles, and at the throat, from jaw to chest, there should be two loose pendulous folds, forming the dewlap.

Color of Coat
The color of coat should be uniform, pure of its kind and brilliant. The various colors found in the breed are to be preferred in the following order: (1) red brindle, (2) all other brindles, (3) solid white, (4) solid red, fawn or fallow, (5) piebald, (6) inferior qualities of all the foregoing.

Note: A perfect piebald is preferable to a muddy brindle or defective solid color. Solid black is very undesirable, but not so objectionable if occurring to a moderate degree in piebald patches. The brindles to be perfect should have a fine, even and equal distribution of the composite colors. In brindles and solid colors a small white patch on the chest is not considered detrimental. In piebalds the color patches should be well defined, of pure color and symmetrically distributed.

Gait
The style and carriage are peculiar, his gait being a loose-jointed, shuffling, sidewise motion, giving the characteristic “roll.” The action must, however, be unrestrained, free and vigorous.

Temperament
The disposition should be equable and kind, resolute and courageous (not vicious or aggressive), and demeanor should be pacific and dignified. These attributes should be countenanced by the expression and behavior.

Shorty Bull Standard

admin — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 23:07:45 +0000

The ABBA recognizes Shorty Bulls who are currently registered with the BBC (Bull Breed Coalition) and possess a certified BBC pedigree and/or are certified as authentic Shorty Bulls by Jamie Sweet, Shorty Bull co-founder.

For more information on Shorty Bull registration, conformation or standards, please contact Jamie Sweet at jsweet@bluevalley.net

Height: 15″ at the withers and under

Weight: 40 lbs and under

Head: Round head with typical bulldog features. Eyes set far apart and not protruding. Jaw should be curved, not straight. Nose should be turned up slightly and be black or liver colored. Dudley noses are a cosmetic fault.

Bite: Must be undershot, but not excessively.

Eyes: May be any color, although brown is the preferred color

Ears: Cropped.

Body: Should be short from back of the neck to base of the tail. Chest should be broad for height and have depth reaching to the elbow. A compact look is desired.

Width: Front quarters and hind quarters should be proportionate, not lending to a narrow rear, and the chest should be broader than the rear, but very narrow hindquarters are a fault.

Shoulders and Rump: Well rounded and well muscled, lending to the appearance of strength. There may be a slight rise over the loins.

Legs: Heavy boned and in direct proportion to the body. Long legs in proportion to the body or fine bones are a fault. Cow hocks or pigeon toes are a fault.

Feet: Tight feet and straight pasterns are desired. Splayed feet are a fault.

Tail: Tail must be short, either docked or screwed.

Color: All coat colors are accepted except merle and black and tan

Temperament: Good natured and even temper is desired. Extreme shyness or undue aggression is unacceptable.

American Pit Bull Terrier Standard

admin — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 23:04:16 +0000

History

Sometime during the nineteenth century, dog fanciers in England, Ireland, and Scotland began to experiment with crosses between Bulldogs and Terriers, looking for a dog that combined the gameness of the terrier with the strength and athleticism of the Bulldog. The result was a dog that embodied all of the virtues attributed to great warriors: strength, indomitable courage, and gentleness with loved ones. Immigrants brought these bull and terrier crosses to the United States. The American Pit Bull Terrier’s many talents did not go unnoticed by farmers and ranchers who used their APBTs for protection, as catch dogs for semi-wild cattle and hogs, to hunt, to drive livestock, and as family companions. Today, the American Pit Bull Terrier continues to demonstrate its versatility, competing successfully in Obedience, Tracking, Agility, Protection, and Weight Pulls, as well as Conformation.

General Appearance

The American Pit Bull Terrier is a medium-sized, solidly built, short-coated dog with smooth, well-defined musculature. This breed is both powerful and athletic. 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 approximately equal to one-half of the dog’s height at the withers. The head is of medium length, with a broad, flat skull, and a wide, deep muzzle. Ears are small to medium in size, high set, and may be natural or cropped. The relatively short tail is set low, thick at the base and tapers to a point. The American Pit Bull Terrier comes in all colors and color patterns. This breed combines strength and athleticism with grace and agility and should never appear bulky or muscle-bound or fine-boned and rangy.

Characteristics

The essential characteristics of the American Pit Bull Terrier are strength, confidence, and zest for life. This breed is eager to please and brimming over with enthusiasm. APBTs make excellent family companions and have always been noted for their love of children. Because most APBTs exhibit some level of dog aggression and because of its powerful physique, the APBT requires an owner who will carefully socialize and obedience train the dog. The breed’s natural agility makes it one of the most capable canine climbers so good fencing is a must for this breed. The APBT 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. This breed does very well in performance events because of its high level of intelligence and its willingness to work.

The American Pit Bull Terrier has always been capable of doing a wide variety of jobs so exaggerations or faults should be penalized in proportion to how much they interfere with the dog’s versatility.

Head

The APBT head is unique and a key element of breed type. It is large and broad, giving the impression of great power, but it is 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.

SKULL – The skull is large, flat or slightly rounded, deep, and broad between the ears. Viewed from the top, the skull tapers just slightly toward the stop. There is a deep median furrow that diminishes in depth from the stop to the occiput. Cheek muscles are prominent but free of wrinkles. When the dog is concentrating, wrinkles form on the forehead, which give the APBT his unique expression.

MUZZLE – The muzzle is broad and deep 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. The topline of the muzzle is straight. The lower jaw is well developed, wide and deep. Lips are clean and tight.

Faults: Snipey muzzle; flews; weak lower jaw.

TEETH – The American Pit Bull Terrier has a complete set of evenly spaced, white teeth meeting in a scissors bite.

Fault: Level bite.

Serious Faults: Undershot, or overshot bite; wry mouth; missing teeth (this does not apply to teeth that have been lost or removed by a veterinarian).

NOSE – The nose is large with wide, open nostrils. The nose may be any color.

EYES – Eyes are medium size, round to almond-shaped, and set well apart and low on the skull. All colors are equally acceptable except blue, which is a serious fault. Haw should not be visible.

Serious Faults: Bulging eyes; both eyes not matched in color; blue eyes.

EARS – Ears are high set and may be natural or cropped without preference. If natural, semi-prick or rose are preferred. Prick or flat, wide ears are not desired.

Neck

The neck is of moderate length 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 short and thick; thin or weak neck; ewe neck; dewlap.

Forequarters

The shoulder blades are long, wide, muscular, and well laid back. The upper arm is roughly equal in length to the shoulder blade and joins it at an apparent right angle.

The forelegs are strong and muscular. The elbows are set close to the body. Viewed from the front, the forelegs are set moderately wide apart 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; toeing in or out.

Body

The chest is deep, well filled in, and moderately wide with ample room for heart and lungs, but the chest should never be wider than it is deep. The forechest does not extend much beyond the point of shoulder. 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 and firm. The topline inclines very slightly downward from the withers to a broad, muscular, level back. 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.

Hindquarters

The hindquarters are strong, muscular, and moderately broad. The rump is well filled in on each side of the tail and deep from the pelvis to the crotch. The bone, angulation, and musculature of the hindquarters are in balance with the forequarters. The thighs are well developed with thick, easily discerned muscles. 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; straight or over angulated stifle joint; cow hocks; sickle hocks; bowed legs.

Feet

The feet are round, proportionate to the size of the dog, well arched, and tight. Pads are hard, tough, and well cushioned. Dewclaws may be removed.

Fault: Splayed feet.

Tail

The tail is set on as a natural extension of the topline, and tapers to a point. When the dog is relaxed, the tail is carried low and extends approximately to the hock. 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: Long tail (tail tip passes beyond point of hock).

Serious faults: Gay tail (not to be confused with challenge tail); kinked tail.

Disqualification: Bobbed tail.

Coat

The coat is glossy and smooth, close, and moderately stiff to the touch.

Faults: Curly, wavy, or sparse coat.

Disqualification: Long coat.

Color

Any color, color pattern, or combination of colors is acceptable, except for merle.

Height and Weight

The American Pit Bull Terrier must be both powerful and agile so actual weight and height are less important than the correct proportion of weight to height. Desirable weight for a mature male in good condition is between 35 and 60 pounds. Desirable weight for a mature female in good condition is between 30 and 50 pounds. Dogs over these weights are not to be penalized unless they are disproportionately massive or rangy.

Gait

The American Pit Bull Terrier moves with a jaunty, 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; rear legs moving too close or touching; rolling; pacing; paddling; sidewinding; hackney action; pounding.

Disqualifications

Unilateral or bilateral cryptorchid. Viciousness or extreme shyness. Unilateral or bilateral deafness. Bobbed tail. Albinism. Long coat.

American Bully Breed Standards

admin — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 22:43:38 +0000

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)

Characteristics - 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.

Skull - The skull is large, flat or slightly rounded, deep, and broad between the ears. Very wide prominent forehead (or topskull) with wide set eyes. There is a deep median furrow that diminishes in depth from the stop to the occiput. Cheek muscles are extremely prominent but free of wrinkles. When the dog is concentrating, wrinkles form on the forehead, which give the AB his unique expression.

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 mouth

Nose - The nose is large with wide, open nostrils. The nose may be any color.

Eyes - Eyes are medium size, round and set well apart and low on the skull. All colors are equally acceptable except blue

Serious Faults: Bulging eyes; both eyes not matched in color; blue eyes; visible haw

Ears - Ears are high set and may be natural or cropped without preference.

Neck - 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; dewlap

Forequarters - 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; toeing in or out; width without proportionate depth; shoulder width disproportionate to body

Serious fault: severe turning out (easty westy); extremely weak pasterns

Body - 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 fault: Hips/rump taller or higher than back and withers

Tail - 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 short

Serious faults: Gay tail (not to be confused with challenge tail); kinked tail; bobbed tail.

Coat - The coat is glossy and smooth, close.

Faults: Curly, wavy, long or sparse coat.

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 build

Gait - 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.

Disqualications - 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.

*ABBA is dedicated to supporting the breeding practices that will eliminate dog aggression completely from this breed and a firm stance on aggressive displays is considered essential to promoting this change

Gallery of Champions

admin — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 01:04:01 +0000

Ch. HasammysBluepits Rhino – 1st ABBA American Bully Conformation Champion, an excellent example of the American Bully Breed Standard

Dual ABBA/RKC Ch. Underground Bullies Kilo El Jefe – 1st ABBA American Bully Champion dog to be dually championed…and superbly trained. An excellent example of the ABBA champion dog temperament and behavior.

Dual ABBA/ABKC Ch. Huggins Steeljaws Rhino, DNA-P CGC – 1st dog to earn the title of American Bully Total Champion by completing DNA profiling and CGC certification

Ch. CR’s The Womanizer – ABBA American Pit Bull Terrier Champion

CH. Wamble’s Cooter – ABBA American Pit Bull Terrier Champion, 1st dog in the Southeast to champion, Cooter was Best in Show at the 1st ABBA show in Florida.

Congrats to Eve Neff and Ch. Seaport’s Sake Bomb of PBK, DNA-P, CGC, the 2nd ABBA TOTAL Champion!!

Ch. Oregon Coast Gridlock of Code 3

CH Lightning’s Rampage – American Bully Champion

Congrats to our new Champions (photos coming)….

CH. The Lion’s Den Call Me Bubba

CH. Boss Ups Glaze of Perfection – American Bully champion

CH. Southtown Demon Ry – American Bully Champion

French Bulldog CH. Li-Jie’s Yumi Again

Congrats to our newest Champions finishing this weekend….

APBT CH Blue Blood Bullies Diesel

American Bully CH Big Bloo Moon of Matalas

APBT CH Cleopatra of Azul Spirit

Education & Information

admin — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 01:08:16 +0000

Breeder information and public education are core parts of the ABBA mission and activities. Educational literature and information will be offered throughout every step of the registration process and available online 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Increased public awareness and education about the breed through concentrated mass media campaigns and public outreach are central to ABBA’s mission as is increased inclusion of American Bullies into therapy and working dog positions throughout the world. Awareness and inclusion will be achieved through a robust program of information and the use of technology.
•websites
•blogs
•live steaming video feeds from shows, trainings, seminars and events to serve our members around the country and around the world
•internet radio programs and video content
•message boards
•print media – magazines, newspapers, brochures, flyers, pamplets

ABBA is dedicated to providing members as well as the public with the most current and beneficial educational and informational support.

Members are invited to submit articles and other educational material for publication

Preventing or Reducing Behavior Problems (click link to view article)

10 PRINCIPLES OF RESPONSIBLE BREEDING (click link to view article)