EABC Standard

ORIGIN: USA

UTILIZATION : cattle-farm dog

CLASSIFICATION : group 2

CLASSIFICATION FCI : not recognized by FCI

HISTORICAL SUMMARY : The American Bulldog origin is as a farm-dog from the South-Eastern USA who worked with livestock and as home-protection and hunting dog. He was not bred to have any extreme anatomic look. More important was the capacity to do the work of a real farm dog. He had to be strong enough to stand successful in confrontation to cattle or hog and also fast and agile enough for hunting purposes. As hunters, the bulldog had to be able to hunt in pairs. For this reasons the American Bulldog should be non-dog aggressive. Also he had to be social and friendly with any one living in his family.

GENERAL APPEARANCE : The American Bulldog is a medium to large-sized dog, athletic and temperamentally sound. Shows a compact and powerful frame, built for stamina and agility. A more solid and heavier dog may be preferred but must be free of any exaggeration or overweight. Males are heavier boned and more masculine than females.

At this time Bully/Classic and Standard-type are still judged in separate classes. But most of the modern dogs are already hybrids of both types.

BEHAVIOUR / TEMPERAMENT: Powerful; enduring, active and reliable. Social and friendly with any one living in his family. Reserved toward strangers.

HEAD: Medium in length. Large in proportion to size and type. Well pronounced cheek muscles.
The top of the skull should be broad and flat. A pronounced stop at base of muzzle. Stronger feature in males.

EYES:Medium sized, round or almond shape, wide set. Dark brown in color with black eye rims preferred. Blue eyes accepted but to be considered a cosmetic fault.

MUZZLE AND TEETHS: Muzzle is medium in length, (5-10cm) heavy in bone, square and large. Jaw strong and broad. Lower jaw should be broad enough so there is no crowding or overlap of the lower front teeth. Lips full but not pendulous. Black lip pigmentation preferred. As a working dog an American Bulldog should have a complete set of 42 teeth. Teeth are not visible while the mouth is closed.

Standard type: reverse scissors preferred. Undershot, even-bite or scissors-bite accepted.

Bully/Classic: undershot preferred. Reverse scissors, even bite or scissors accepted.

Disqualification: more than 4 premolars missing, extreme undershot or overshot. Canine's standing inside. Other wrong placed teeth or anomalies in the structure of the jaw always in relation to the degree of the fault.

NOSE: Black preferred. Brown/liver or grey accepted, some pink spots allowed

EARS: Un-cropped and medium size. Close to the head fold or rose-ear.

NECK: Muscular, medium length, slightly arched, tapering from shoulders to head, some dewlap allowed.

SHOULDERS: Very muscular, with wide sloping blades, set so elbows do not turn out

CHEST, BACK, LION: Chest deep and wide, but not excessively wide
Back of medium length, strong and broad.
The loin short, broad and slightly arched corresponding to the withers.
Sway back is a serious fault depending on its degree.

HINDQUARTERS: Broad and well muscled. Must be in proportion to the shoulders, not larger.
Narrow hips are a serious fault.

LEGS: Strong, straight and heavy in bone. Clear angulation of the stifle joint and femur head set.
Feet medium sized, closed and well arched. The weight well balanced distributed evenly on four legs. Pasterns strong, straight and upright preferred. Slightly arched pasterns accepted. Weak or flattened pasterns are a serious fault.

TAIL: Undocked. Thick at the low tail set, tapering to a point. Reaches the hocks in a relaxed position. Not ending in a circle.

MOVEMENT: The gait shows power and agility with ground covering strides. Strong drive from the hindquarters and corresponding reach in the front. Top line firm and level while moving, parallel to the line of moving.

SIZE AND WEIGHT: Males 57-67cm, 35-55kg
Females 53-65cm, 30-45kg
Weight should be proportional to size and type. Bully/Classic-type more large and heavy, Standard-type more lean and athletic.

COAT AND COLOR: Coat short, close and stiff
Color: white or white with brindle/red/fawn markings. Up to 90% color allowed. Always with white on the head.
Disqualification: black mask, solid black coat, blue or merle markings.

FAULTS:Dogs must be penalized in proportion to the degree of the fault.
A cosmetic fault is always of minor nature. Serious faults are always in relation to the structure of a working dog.

COSMETIC FAULTS: nose and eye color, ears, tail, less than 4 premolars missing, any minor teeth fault.

SERIOUS FAULTS: excessively overweight, too short or too long muzzle, teeth and jaw anomalies, movement faults, lack of stamina, aggressiveness or shyness, especially shyness with gunfire.

DISQUALIFICATIONS:
- deaf dogs
- solid black, blue or merle markings throw out
- males without two testicles clearly visible
- pink nose
- aggressive or shy dogs
- cosmetic treatments
- more than 4 premolars failing
- long hair
- wrong positioned teeth or jaws anomalies
- neutered/ spayed dogs

Females in heat may not be shown.