The American bully is a relatively new dog breed with different varieties. Among the many types, there are only four recognized American bully varieties. The governing body for the breed standards, the American Bully Kennel Club (ABKC), only recognizes four types of the American Bully.

In this article, we’ll list all the varieties of the American bully, including the ones the American Bully Kennel Club doesn’t recognize. Read to the end to know all the bully types including foufou puppies.

4 Types of Recognized Bully Dogs

Here’s an overview of the recognized bully types, including their general appearance and height.

Standard Bully

Females: 16-19 inches

Males: 17-20 inches

The standard is perhaps the most common variety of the American bully. It has the most detailed description for breed standards, as the ABKC considers the other varieties an amendment to this type.

The standard bully has a compact, muscular body with a blocky head. They have a heavy bone structure and weigh between 50 and 90 pounds. However, note that the ABKC doesn’t have a standard weight for any of the bully types.

Although standard bullies and other types of bully dogs may have an intimidating look with their muscular appearance, they are considered companion dogs. According to breed standards, they should be extremely friendly with strangers, other animals, and strange dogs. Aggression of any kind is considered an undesirable trait.

XL Bully

Females: 20-22 inches

Males: 21-23 inches

The XL bully is the largest of the four varieties of this breed. There’s also the XXL American bully, but it isn’t one of the four recognized varieties. We’ll also list the unrecognized varieties below.

The XL bully simply stands taller than the standard bully. The physical traits, temperament, and everything else are the same as the standard type.

This variety may be only a few inches taller than the standard bully, but XL bullies can get very heavy with their muscular frame. It wouldn’t be a surprise for an XL bully to reach up to 130 pounds when fully grown.

Classic Bully

Females: 16-19 inches

Males: 17-20 inches

The height difference isn’t the only measure for separating bully dogs into different types. Unlike the difference in others, the classic bully has the same height range as the standard bully.

What separates the classic bully from the standard variety isn’t the height but the overall body mass and bone structure. Classic bullies have a lighter frame and weigh less than the standard bully. Naturally, they have a narrower body with a smaller head.

Besides the physical differences, everything else is the same. However, classic bullies may be more energetic than others as they have more agile bodies than the other bully types.

Pocket Bully

Females: 13-16 inches

Males: 14-17 inches

The pocket bully is the smallest bully type among the four recognized by the ABKC. The kennel club requires the pocket bully to stand no less than 13 inches for females and 14 inches for males. Shorter dogs aren’t officially considered bullies.

Due to the small size of this variety and the muscular frame, pocket bullies aren’t the most athletic. These dogs also tend to be the calmest of all four varieties and get tired rather quickly because of their short legs. You can find out even more about their personality and how to train them in this pocket bully breed guide.

Since the pocket bully is the most miniature variety, breeders often use this type to downsize the American bully further, which brings us to other bully varieties.

Other Bully Varieties

• Micro Bully: The micro bully is unofficially the smallest bully type dog. They are smaller than the pocket bully, standing less than 13 inches.
• Exotic Bully: There’s also the exotic bully, but without a governing body for these varieties, there isn’t a set standard. Some consider exotic bullies slightly bigger than micro bullies, while others refer to bullies smaller than the pocket as both micro and exotic.
• XXL Bully: The XXL bully is the largest type of bully dog, though not recognized by the ABKC. These dogs are taller than XL bullies, standing over 23 inches, and weigh between 120 and 200 pounds.

Which Type of Bully to Choose?

Considering the size is pretty much the only difference that sets different types of bully dogs apart, you should base your decision around it. By considering which size of a dog would be ideal for your life circumstances, you can easily find the bully type that suits you the best.

However, it’s important to note that bully dogs smaller than the pocket bully, such as micro and exotic bullies, may have severe health conditions due to the extreme downsizing. Naturally, these bullies have the shortest lifespan among all four. Some even consider them unethical dog breeds.

When choosing a bully dog to adopt, regardless of the variety, contact a responsible breeder to ensure your future furry friend won’t have health conditions that can shorten their lifespan.