13/03/2022
The American Bully, as it is now known, began development in the 1980s with the majority of the final behavioral and aesthetic product being completed in the 1990s.[2] There is consensus that at least five other breeds were used to attain the more "bully" physical traits desired as well as the more diminutive size of some lines.[3] The American Pit Bull Terrier (APBT) was the foundation (parent breed) used to create the American Bully.[1] The APBT has maintained a characteristic appearance and temperament for over a century.[1] Within that span of time different strains of APBT emerged within the breed, each with different physical attributes.[1] One particular APBT strain developed a specific, stockier, physique that warranted recognition as a different breed altogether.[1] The bloodline of this APBT strain was then influenced with the introduction of American Bulldog, English Bulldog, and Olde English Bulldogge in order to fine-tune desired physical characteristics and personality traits.[1]
The breed was first recognized by its breed club, the American Bully Kennel Club (ABKC), in 2004.[4] This registry first acted as a means to document pedigrees and show the breed against its written standard. According to the ABKC the initial desire for this breed was to produce a dog with a lower prey drive and more of the "bully" traits and characteristics than the American Staffordshire Terrier. Mass and heavy bone was prioritized to ensure such a look, and due to this many of the dogs shown today display the wide front for which they were originally bred.[4]
The breed's development and popularity are commonly tied to the growth of hip-hop culture.[5] The American Bully should not be confused with the several other bulldog-type breeds.[1][4]
