General Appearance
The American Bulldog Is A Well Balanced, Short Coated, Muscular And Athletic Animal. American Bulldogs Display Great Strength. Endurance, And Agility. Males Are Characteristically Larger, Heavier Boned And More Masculine Than Females.
Temperament
American Bulldogs Should Be Alert, Outgoing And Confident. Aloofness With Strangers Is Acceptable. Some Assertiveness Towards Other Dogs Is Not Considered A Fault.
Faults: Over Aggressive Or Excessively Shy.
Size
Standard Type Ideal Standard Males Should Measure Between 23 To 27 Inches At The Withers And Weigh From 75 To 100 Pounds. Females, 21 To 25 Inches, 60 To 90 Pounds.
Bully Type Ideal Bully Males Should Measure Between 23 To 27 Inches At The Withers And Weigh 90 To 120 Pounds. Females 22 To 26 Inches 80 To 105 Pounds. Note Overall Proportion Of The Dog Is Of Most Importance When Evaluating Weight.
Head
The Head Should Be Broad, Flat On Top Squared Appearance With Well Defined Stop. It Should Also Be Medium In Length With Pronounced Muscular Cheeks.
Standard Type A Box Or Wedged Shape Is Preferred.
Bully Type A Large Rounder Shape Is Ideal.
Muzzle
The Muzzle Should Be Broad With Wide Open Nostrils. The Muzzle Should Be Wider At The Base And Taper To The Nose. The Lips Should Be Full With Black Pigmentation, Some Pink Allowed. The Chin Is Well Defined And Must Not Overlap The Upper Lip Nor Cover It.
Standard Type Muzzle Should Be Medium In Length 2 To 4 Inches. It Should Also Be 35% To 45% Of The Overall Length Of The Head.
Bully Type Muzzle Should Be Broad 2 To 3 Inches In Length And Should Be 25% To 35% Of The Overall Length Of Head.
Faults Pendulous Lips. Narrow Muzzle. Full Black Mask. Note The Muzzle Should Be In Proportion To Head Size & Type.
Nose
The Preferred Nose Colour Is Black. Red Brown Of Grizzle Colours Will Occur.
Cosmetic Faults: Pink Or Dudley Nose Any Nose Colour Other Than Black.
Dentition { Bite }
Teeth Should Be Medium To Large And Should Not Be Visible When Mouth IS Closed. Lips Are Moderately Thick, Black Pigment Lining The Lips Is Preferred, With Some Pink Allowed.
Standard Type A Tight Undershot { Reverse Scissors } Preferred Up To 1/4 Inch Acceptable.
Bully Type 1/4 - 1/2 Inch Undershot Depending On Size Of Dog And Shape Of Skull Plus Or Minus 1/8 Inch Is Acceptable.
Faults: Small Teeth Or Uneven Incisors.
Disqualifications Over Shot, Parrot Mouth Or Wry Mouth.
Bully Type Disqualifications: Even Level Or Scissor Bite. Note American Bulldogs Are A Working Breed And Should Not Be Penalized For Broken Missing Teeth.
Eyes
Almond - Shape To Round, Medium In Size Colour, Brown Is The Ideal Colour. The Haw Should Not Be Visible. Black Eye Rims Preferred The Haw Should Not be Visible.
Cosmetic Faults Both Eyes Not Matched In Colour Pink Eye Rims Excessive Haw Visible, Blue Or Wall Eye Colour.
Serious Faults Crossed Or Non - Symmetrical Eyes.
Ears
The Ears Should Be Set High On The Head, Medium In Size May Be Dropped, Semi Prick Or Rose.
Faults Cropped Ears. Hound Ears.
Neck
Slightly Arched, Very Muscular, And Of Moderate Length, Tapering From The Shoulders To Head.
Bully Type Head Is Almost Equal To Head In Size.
Faults: Neck To Short Or Thick, Thin Or Weak Neck.
Body
Wide, Deep Chest, Fairly Compact, Straight And Well Balanced. The Chest Should Not Be Narrow Or Excessively Wide, Nor Should The Elbows Be Angled Out Or Pulled In. The Back Should Be Broad And Moderately Short, Showing Great Strength.
Faults The Back Should Not Be Narrow, Excessively Long Or Swayed. Note The Degree Of Fault Will Depend On How It Effects The Dogs Working Ability And Movement
Forequarters
The Chest Should Be Deep And Moderately Wide Giving The Appearance Of Power And Athletic Ability. The Front, Overall, Should Be Straight And Well Balanced. The Chest Should Not Be Narrow Or Excessively Wide.
Faults: Upright Or Loaded Shoulders, Elbows Turned Outwards Or Tied-In, Down At The Pasterns, Front Legs Bowed Wrists Knuckled Over, Toeing In Or Out.
Hindquarters
Broad, Well Muscled With Muscles Tapering Well To The Leg Manifest Speed And Strength, But Not Quite As large As The Shoulders. There Should Not Be An excess or Lack Of Angulations In The Rear Legs.
Serious Faults: Narrow Or Week Hindquarters, Straight Or Over Angulated Stifle Joint, Week Pasterns Cow Hocks Or Open Hocks, Sickle Hocks Bowed Legs.
Legs
The Legs Should Be Strong And Straight With Moderate To Heavy Bone. Front Legs Should Not Set Too Close Together Or To Far Apart. Pasterns Should Be Strong, Straight And Upright. The Rear Legs Should Be Moderately Angulated And Parallel.
Serious Faults: Excessively Bowed Legs In The Front. Straight Or Over Angulated Stifle Joint, Weak Pasterns, Cow hocks, Sickle Hocks, Open Hocks Bowed Legs.
Feet
The Feet Are Round, Medium In Size, Toes Are Well Arched And Tight
Faults: Splayed Feet Or Crooked Toes. Note The Seriousness Of This Fault Is Based On The Amount Of Fault In The Feet
Tail
Strong At The Root Tapering To The Hocks, In A Relaxed Position. The Tail Is Carried Over The Back When Excited Or Walking. A Pump Handle Tail Is Preferred But Any Tail Carriage From Upright When The Dog Is Excited, To Relaxed Between The Hocks Is Acceptable. The Tail Should Not End In A complete Circle.
Faults Tail Curled Over The Back, Corkscrew Tail, Kinked Or Crooked Tail. Note Natural tails Preferred, Docked Tails Acceptable But Will Be Considered As A Cosmetic Fault.
Gait
The Gait Should Be "Balanced And Smooth" Showing Great Speed, Agility And Power. The dog Should not Travel excessively Wide, And as Speed increases The feet Move towards The centre Line Of The Body To Maintain Balance. The Top Line Remains Firm And Level Parallel To The Line Of Motion. The Bully Type Gate Will Have A Slight Degree Of Less Reach, Flexibility, And Spring Than That In A Standard Type.
Faults Legs Not Moving On The Same Plane, Less Crossing Over In The Front Or Rear, Front Or Rear Legs Moving Too Close Or Touching, Pacing #, Paddling, Side winding.
Coat
Short And Smooth, Coarse To Touch.
Disqualification Long Or Fuzzy Coats.
Colour
Solid White, Any Colour Or Colour Pattern Of Red Or Brindle
Faults Solid Black, Any Degree Of Merle.
Disqualification Flat Black Or Blue.
Disqualifications
Dogs That Have Been Spayed Or Neutered. Any Dog That Is Deaf Or Blind Blue Or Flat Black Colour Long Or Fuzzy Coats. Overshot Bite, Extreme Viciousness Or Shyness Bully Type Even Or Scissor Bite.
Shyness A Dog Shall Be Judged Fundamentally Shy If ,Refusing To Stand For Examination, It Shrinks Away From The Judge, If It Fears An Approach From The Rear, If It Shies At A Sudden And Unusual Noise To A Marked Degree Note Puppies Should Not Be Failed Severally Here, With Maturity And Socialisation Confidence Should Increase.
Viciousness A Dog That Attacks, Or Attempts To Attack Either The Judge Or Its Handler Unprovoked Is Definitely Vicious. Aggressive Or Belligerent Attitude Towards Other Dogs Shall Not Be Deemed Vicious.
Cosmetic Fault A Cosmetic Fault Is One Of A Minor Nature.
Structural Faults These Faults Pertain To The Dogs Actual Structure And Fundamental Movement. These Faults Are Weighted As To How They Hinder The Dogs Ability To Work.
In A Show Or Other Evaluation, The Dog Is To Be Penalised In The Direct Proportions To The Degree Of The Fault. Any Fault Which Is Extreme Should Be Considered A Serious Fault And Be Penalised Appropriately.
Conformation Points Breakdown For Judges
Body Overall
Shoulders10 Points Temperament 10 Points
Hindquarters 10 Points Proportion 5 Points
Chest 10 Points Movement 5 Points
Legs 5 Points Subtotal 20 Points
Neck 5 Points Head
Back 5 Points Size And Shape 10 Points
Feet 5 Points Muzzle 5 Points
Tail 5 Points Bite Teeth 5 Points
Coat 5 Points Subtotal 20 Points
Subtotal 60 Points
Total 100 Points