Breed a healthy, moderate American Bully: know the law, choose dogs that move and breathe freely, and plan the birth with your vet.
American Bully
American Bully
American Bully
American Bully
American Bully
American Bully
American Bully
American Bully
With this breed, two things come before everything else: the law, and breeding for a moderate, healthy dog rather than an extreme one. These four steps are the heart of responsible dog breeding.
Breeding XL Bullies is now illegal in the UK, and bully-type dogs are restricted in many places. Confirm the law where you and your buyers live.
Choose a dog that can move and breathe freely. The "exotic" and "micro" looks bring serious joint, breathing, and skin problems.
Run OFA hips, elbows, and a heart exam, plus the cerebellar ataxia DNA test. Hip and joint disease is common in this heavy build.
Bully mothers rarely give birth safely on their own. Plan for artificial insemination and a scheduled C-section, and budget for both.
Short answer
A moderate, athletic one that can run, jump, and breathe normally. The ABKC recognizes four size classes (Standard, Pocket, Classic, and XL), but "exotic" and "micro" are not official classes; they are market labels for exaggerated dogs. Breed for health and function, not the extreme look.
The four official ABKC classes differ mostly in height and bone. Standard is the baseline, Pocket is shorter, Classic is lighter-built, and XL is the tallest, per the American Bully Kennel Club. Whichever you choose, the goal is the same: a sound, free-moving dog.
The exaggerated "exotic" and "micro" types are where breeding goes wrong. They stack short bowed legs, very wide bodies, and flatter faces, which the welfare section below explains in full, per the British Veterinary Association.
Short answer
There is no official CHIC program for the breed, because that runs through the AKC and the American Bully is not an AKC breed. Use the OFA panel: hips, elbows, a heart exam, patella, and eyes, plus the cerebellar ataxia DNA test. Add a breathing check for any flat-faced dog.
The OFA (the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals) runs the screening databases for hips, elbows, heart, and more, per the OFA. The breed shares the same nerve-disease mutation as its Pit Bull and AmStaff ancestors, so the cerebellar ataxia DNA test belongs on every breeding dog, per the OFA. Results should be public, and buyers should ask to see them.
Run the full task list before the heat cycle starts. Our pre-breeding checklist walks through the timing steps that sit alongside these clearances.
Short answer
Sometimes it is not, so check first. In the UK it is now illegal to breed an XL Bully at all. Many US cities, insurers, and landlords also restrict bully-type dogs. You cannot lawfully breed or place a dog where it is banned, so confirm the law for both you and every buyer.
The UK ban is the big one. England and Wales added the XL Bully as a banned type under the Dangerous Dogs Act, and from December 2023 it became illegal to breed, sell, or give one away, per GOV.UK. Scotland brought in the same rules in 2024, and the ban is judged on a dog’s physical type, not its paperwork, per the Scottish Government.
In the US, the picture is patchier but still real. Many municipalities restrict bully-type dogs, and home and renter insurers often exclude them, which limits where a buyer can live, per the ASPCA.
The veterinary mainstream says these laws do not work, even as they remain the law. The AVMA and ASPCA both oppose breed-specific legislation, because breed does not predict how a dog behaves, per the AVMA and the ASPCA. Your job is to respect the law as it stands: breed only where it is legal, and check each buyer’s local rules before you place a dog. Laws here change often, so verify the current rules each time.
Short answer
Because a broad head and a wide body do not pass easily through a narrow birth canal. Like Bulldogs and French Bulldogs, most bully-type dams need a planned C-section, and artificial insemination is widely used to get them pregnant. Plan and budget for both from the start.
The evidence comes from close relatives. A large study found C-section rates above 80 percent in broad-skulled breeds like Bulldogs and French Bulldogs, per Evans and Adams (2010). The cause is a mismatch: a wide puppy head and a narrow birth canal. French Bulldogs are nearly 16 times more likely than crossbreds to have a difficult birth. About three-quarters of English Bulldog matings use artificial insemination, per the Royal Veterinary College.
There is no published C-section rate for the American Bully itself, but the build is the same kind of risk. So work with a reproduction vet, plan a scheduled C-section rather than waiting for an emergency, and treat a near-certain surgery as a planned cost.
Short answer
The heavy bully build drives high rates of hip and elbow disease, so joints come first. After that: heart defects present at birth, the breed’s fatal nerve disease (cerebellar ataxia), and skin and breathing problems. The OFA panel plus the ataxia DNA test covers most of it.
Poorly formed hip and elbow joints that lead to arthritis. OFA screening shows high rates in the breed, made worse by breeding for exaggerated bulk. Do not breed dysplastic dogs.
Heart defects present at birth, such as a narrowed aortic or pulmonary valve, run in the foundation stock. A cardiologist exam on breeding dogs is the screen.
A fatal, late-onset nerve disease from the ARSG gene, inherited from the breed’s Pit Bull and AmStaff ancestors. A DNA test reports clear, carrier, or affected, so never breed two carriers.
Demodectic mange (a skin-mite condition) and skin allergies are common. Flat-faced "exotic" dogs also risk brachycephalic breathing trouble (BOAS), so breathe-test any short-muzzled dog.
Low thyroid (hypothyroidism) and eye problems like cherry eye and entropion round out the screens, so add a thyroid panel and a yearly eye exam to your program, per the OFA.
Short answer
Wait until the dog is at least two years old and fully cleared. The OFA certifies hips and elbows at 24 months, which matters because joint disease is the breed’s biggest health load. The cerebellar ataxia DNA test can be run at any age, so do it early.
After OFA hip and elbow certificates at 24 months.
A yearly CAER exam; some eye problems appear with age.
A female should finish hips, elbows, a heart exam, eyes, and the ataxia DNA test before a first litter, per the OFA. Hip and elbow x-rays only earn an OFA certificate once the dog is fully grown at 24 months. Keep litters few, and breed only from sound, moderate dogs.
Short answer
Match for health and moderation first. Pair a cerebellar ataxia carrier only with a clear dog, never carrier to carrier, and never breed two merles. Both dogs should be moderate enough to move and breathe freely. Keep shared ancestry low to protect the breed.
The biggest mistake is doubling up on extreme features, which stacks joint and breathing problems in the puppies. Two sound, moderate, fully tested dogs come first, and a low coefficient of inbreeding (COI, a number for how related two dogs are) is the tie-breaker. Confirm the other dog’s results yourself rather than taking a word for it.
5 questions to ask the other owner
Short answer
Almost any color or pattern, including blue, black, fawn, and tri-color. The one exception is merle, which the standard disqualifies. Merle is not a natural bully color, and breeding two merles produces puppies that are often deaf or blind.
American Bully color palette
Color is mostly cosmetic in this breed, with the merle exception. Breeding two merles together stacks the deafness and eye-defect risk, so a merle or "rare-color" bully is a red flag, not a feature, per Strain et al. (2009). Chase health and moderation, not color.
Yes, and this is the heart of breeding this breed well. The "exotic" and "micro" trends breed for extremes: very wide bodies, short bowed legs (a kind of dwarfism called chondrodysplasia), heavy skin folds, and flatter faces. What is sold as "rare" or "compact" is often visible deformity that stops a dog moving and breathing normally.
The veterinary position is clear. Dogs whose body shape harms their health should not be bred from, or used in marketing, says the British Veterinary Association. RVC research found that more than a quarter of UK dogs already carry at least one extreme-conformation trait, and the exotic-bully trend deliberately stacks several together, per RVC VetCompass data.
The fix is moderation, and the standard already points the way. The ABKC standard calls for a dog that moves freely and functionally, per the United Kennel Club. So a bully that cannot run or breathe is not a better bully. It is a worse one. Treat the high price tags on the most exaggerated dogs as a warning sign, not a goal.
Short answer
A confident, gentle, family-friendly dog. The American Bully was deliberately bred away from aggression and toward an affectionate companion, and the standard penalizes both viciousness and extreme shyness. It is still a large, powerful dog, so breed for stable nerves and socialize every puppy early.
Temperament is part of breed type, not a bonus, and it is one of the breed’s real strengths, per the United Kennel Club. Breed only from sound, friendly dogs, and be honest with buyers that a powerful dog needs training, exercise, and early socialization. Breed and individual behavior depend far more on raising and management than on breed label, per the AVMA.
Short answer
Pregnancy runs about 63 days, and litters are usually four to eight puppies. Feed the dam (the mother dog) a calorie-dense puppy diet through late pregnancy and nursing, and keep her lean and fit. Plan a scheduled C-section, and watch the newborns closely.
Feeding plan by pregnancy stage
No calorie increase yet; keep her fit, not heavy.
Small frequent meals; a full stomach crowds the chest.
The dam needs far more energy while feeding the litter.
Broad-headed newborns need extra care
Broad-headed newborns and a C-section recovery mean extra care. Keep the whelping (giving birth) area warm, help the puppies nurse, and weigh them daily. A scheduled C-section gives the safest start, and a reproduction vet should be involved from the mating on. Call your vet early for any puppy that is weak, cold, or not feeding.
Short answer
This is an expensive breed to do right, often $5,000 to $12,000 or more before a single puppy sells. High stud fees, artificial insemination, and a near-certain C-section drive the cost. The eye-watering prices on "exotic" and "micro" dogs reward extreme breeding, so treat them as a red flag, not a goal.
Estimated cost of an American Bully litter
Ranges are typical US pricing for a first litter. For this breed, artificial insemination and a planned C-section are near-mandatory, not optional. A typical litter is 4 to 8 puppies.
What can the puppies sell for?
Market range only, not a Petmeetly endorsement. The highest prices attach to the most exaggerated, least healthy dogs, which is exactly the breeding to avoid. Puppies from untested or extreme parents carry real health risk.
These cost and price ranges come from breeders and market sources, so treat them as ballpark. Between health testing, AI, and a C-section, responsible American Bully breeding is costly and rarely a profit.
Total the numbers for your own pairing first. Our breeding cost and due-date calculator adds up testing, the stud fee, and the C-section in one place.
Short answer
A written stud agreement spells out the fee, what happens if the female does not conceive, who pays vet costs, and how puppies or pick-of-litter are handled. For this breed, also record who pays for artificial insemination and the C-section, and confirm the buyers can legally own the dog where they live.
Clauses every American Bully stud contract should name
Responsible breeding of this breed comes down to a few firm rules. Breed only where it is legal, which means no XL Bullies in the UK and no placements into banned areas. Screen every buyer’s local law, housing, and insurance before you hand over a dog, per GOV.UK.
Breed for the dog, not the look. Choose moderate, healthy parents that can move and breathe, and walk away from the pressure to produce ever-wider, ever-shorter "exotic" dogs, per the British Veterinary Association. A breeder who chases extremes is breeding for a price tag, not a dog. Our ethical breeding step by step guide covers what a sound pairing looks like start to finish.
On looks, skip the cosmetic surgery. Ear cropping is allowed by the standard but purely cosmetic, and the American Veterinary Medical Association opposes it and urges removing it from breed standards, per AVMA policy. Tails are never docked. Natural ears are legal everywhere and increasingly the norm.
It depends on where you live, and on the dog. In the UK it is now illegal to breed an XL Bully at all, and many US cities and insurers restrict bully-type dogs. Always confirm your local law, and the law where each buyer lives, before breeding or placing a dog.
The American Bully is a separate breed, developed from the American Pit Bull Terrier and American Staffordshire Terrier as a stockier companion bred away from aggression. It is recognized by the ABKC and UKC, not the AKC. A Pit Bull is leaner and more athletic; the Bully is broader and heavier.
The ABKC recognizes four: Standard, Pocket, Classic, and XL, which differ mostly in height and bone. "Exotic," "micro," and "extreme" are not official classes; they are market labels for exaggerated dogs. Breed to the official standard, which calls for a dog that moves freely.
No, when it breeds for extremes that harm the dog. The exotic and micro trends produce short bowed legs, very wide bodies, and flatter faces that cause joint, breathing, and skin problems. The British Veterinary Association says dogs whose body shape harms their health should not be bred from.
Most do. A broad head and wide body do not pass easily through a narrow birth canal, the same problem seen in Bulldogs and French Bulldogs. Artificial insemination is also widely used in the breed, so plan and budget for both from the start.
There is no official CHIC program because the breed is not AKC-recognized, so use the OFA panel: hips, elbows, a heart exam, patella, and eyes, plus the cerebellar ataxia DNA test. Add a breathing check for any flat-faced dog. Hip and joint disease is the breed’s biggest health load.
You should not. Merle is not a natural bully color, and the standard disqualifies it. Breeding two merles produces puppies that are often deaf or blind, so a merle or "rare-color" bully is a red flag, not a feature.
Wait until the dog is at least two years old and fully cleared. The OFA certifies hips and elbows at 24 months, which matters because joint disease is the breed’s main health concern. The cerebellar ataxia DNA test can be done at any age, so run it early.
Plan for roughly 5,000 to 12,000 dollars or more before any puppy sells. High stud fees, artificial insemination, and a near-certain C-section drive the cost. Done responsibly, it is rarely a profit.
Most live about 8 to 13 years, with smaller, moderate dogs at the longer end. Extreme "exotic" dogs bred with breathing and joint problems tend to live shorter lives. Keeping a bully lean, fit, and moderate is the best way to help it live longer.
No. Ear cropping is allowed by the standard but purely cosmetic, and the American Veterinary Medical Association opposes it. Tails are never docked. Natural ears are legal everywhere and increasingly the norm.
No, not by nature. The breed was deliberately bred as a gentle, family-friendly companion, and the standard penalizes aggression. It is still a large, powerful dog, so breed for stable temperament and socialize every puppy early.
Sources
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More vetted material for owners planning an American Bully litter
When can you breed your dog? A vet-informed timing guide covering male and female age windows, 50-breed reference table, OFA CHIC health tests, and heat-cycle protocols.
A standards-backed dog breeding checklist covering pre-breeding clearances (OFA CHIC, brucellosis PCR), heat-cycle timing (progesterone 5 ng/mL), whelping prep, dystocia red flags, week-by-week newborn care, and responsible placement at 8 weeks.
Yes, a female dog can have puppies from two different sires in one litter via superfecundation. This guide covers the biology, the AKC multi-sire litter registration process, when intentional dual-siring is useful, and what to do if the mating was an accident.
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