Bull Terrier

(Breed Standard)

Partha Sekhar Chatterjee

International All Breeds Dog Show Judge

General Appearance 

Strongly built, muscular, well balanced and active with a keen, determined and intelligent expression. 

Characteristics 

The Bull Terrier is the gladiator of the canine race, full of fire and courageous. A unique feature is a downfaced, eggshaped head. Irrespective of size, dogs should look masculine and bitches feminine. 

Temperament 

Of even temperament and amenable to discipline. Although obstinate is particularly good with people. 

Head and Skull 

The head is long, strong and deep right to the end of muzzle, but not coasrse. Viewed from front it is egg shaped and completely filled its surface free from hollows or indentations. Top of skull is almost flat from ear to ear. Profile curves gently, downwards from top of skull to tip of nose, which should be black and bent downwards at tip. Nostrils well developed and under jaw deep and strong. 

Mouth 

The teeth are sound, clean, strong, of good size, regular with a perfect regular and complete scissor bite, i.e. upper teeth closely overlapping lower teeth and set square to the jaws. Lips clean and tight. 

Eyes 

Appear narrow, obliquely placed and triangular, well sunken, black or as dark brown as possible so as to appear almost black, and with a piercing glint. The distance from tip of nose to eyes perceptibly greater than that from eyes to top of skull. Blue or partly blue undesirable. 

Ears 

They are small, thin and placed close together. Dog should be able to hold them stiffly erect, when they point straight upwards. 

Neck 

Very muscular, long, arched, tapering from shoulders to head and free from loose skin.

Forequarters 

Shoulders are strong and muscular without loading. Shoulder blades wide, flat and held closely to chest wall and have a very pronounced backward slope of front edge from bottom to top, forming almost a right angle with upper arm. Elbows held straight and strong., pasterns upright. Forelegs have strongest type of round, quality bone, dog should stand solidly upon them and they should be perfectly parallel. In mature dogs, length of forelegs should be approximately equal to depth of chest. 

Body 

Body is well rounded with marked spring of rib and great depth from withers to brisket, so that the latter is nearer the ground than belly. The back is short, strong with backline behind withers level, arching or roaching slightly over broad, well muscled loins. The underline from brisket to belly forms a graceful upward curve. Chest broad when viewed from behind.  

Hindquarters 

Hindlegs parallel when viewed from behind. Thighs are muscular and second thighs well developed. Stifle joint well bent and hock well angulated with bone to foot short and strong. 

Feet 

Round and compact with well arched toes. 

Tail

 Short, set on low and carried horizontally. Thick at root, it tapers to a fine point.

Gait/ Movement 

When moving appears well knit, smoothly covering ground with free, easy strides and with a typical jaunty air. When trotting, movement parallel, front and back, only converging towards centre line at faster speeds, forelegs reaching out well and hindlegs moving smoothly a hip, flexing well at stifle and hock, with great thrust. 

Coat

Short flat, even and harsh to touch with a fine gloss. Skin fitting dog tightly. A soft textured undercoat may be present in winter.

Colour 

For white, pure white coat. Skin pigmentation and markings on head not to be penalized. For coloured, colour predominates; all other things being equal, brindle preferred. Black brindle, red fawn and tricolour acceptable. Tick markings in white coat undesirable. Blue and liver highly undesirable.

Size

There are no weight or height limits, but there should be the impression of maximum substance for size of dog consistent with equality and sex. 

Faults 

Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree. 

Note 

Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.

No one could mistake a Bull Terrier for anything else. He stands on firm, powerful legs, staring straight at you, built on lines reminiscent of the bull from which his name is partly derived. But for all his somewhat forbidding presence, he is in fact a kindly chap, loving the human race, even if he is none too sure about his attitude to the dog next door. Handled properly he will live in peace with his neighbour but he does need a firm hand if he is to fit effectively into modern civilization.                

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