The American Bully is a breed between the American Pitbull and the American Staffordshire Terrier and comes in four main sizes: Standard, Classic, Pocket, and XL.
Keeping an American Bully size chart will ensure that your puppy’s growth is monitored to ensure that they remain at a healthy weight.
American Bullies are protective and loyal dogs that make great family companions.
Their size often deters people looking to adopt these dogs but with proper training and care, an American Bully is a great addition to any family.
Continue reading to learn more on how you can help your American Bully maintain a healthy weight, the health conditions that may affect them, and many more!
When Do American Bullies Stop Growing?
American Bullies stop growing when they reach the age of one year. This is when they reach their adult height and weight, however, this does not mean they completely stop growing.
Their muscles and bones will still develop, and they may even get slightly taller or heavier until the age of two years.
Certain factors affect American Bullies’ growth, including genetics, health, nutrition, and exercise.
To ensure that your Bully achieves optimal growth, ensure that you feed them a balanced diet with all the necessary nutrients for growth and take them to the vet regularly for a checkup.
American Bully Weight Chart
The American Bully weight chart of your specific American Bully depends on their size category.
The best way to determine the weight of your Bully at the different stages of their growth is to take them to the vet for a weigh-in or weigh them at home using your bathroom scale.
You must monitor your Bully’s weight to ensure that they are not underweight or overweight as this could lead to health conditions associated with weight changes.
At three months, your American Bully should weigh between 20 and 35 pounds, at 6 months they should weigh between 50 and 70 pounds, and at one year they should weigh between 55 and 75 pounds.
The weight of your specific American Bully may differ from these numbers, and they could be slightly heavier or lighter.
American Bully Size Chart
Age | Weight | Height |
---|---|---|
3 months | 20 - 35 lbs | 8 - 10 inch |
6 months | 50 - 70 lbs | 14 - 18 inch |
12 months | 55 - 75 lbs | 16 - 22 inch |
Best Dog Food For American Bully Puppies (2022)
- Blue Buffalo Life Protection Puppy Dog Food (Editor’s Choice)
- Purina Pro Plan Puppy Dog Food (Runner-Up)
American Bully Puppy Development Stages
Birth – 2 Weeks
This is the neonatal stage and is very crucial for the development of an American Bully Puppy.
The puppy depends on the mother for warmth and food because they cannot generate their body heat. The mother’s milk provides all the nutrients the puppy needs to develop at this stage.
The puppy feeds and sleeps most of the time. Because their bodies are weak at this stage, they are susceptible to worms, therefore, you should deworm them as soon as possible.
3 Weeks – 12 Weeks
Your puppy’s eyes will open, and their ears start operating, and eventually, their milk teeth will also appear and they will eat solid foods eventually.
They will begin to socialize with humans and their littermates. When they turn two months, your puppy needs to be vaccinated and they can be moved to their permanent homes.
At 12 weeks your puppy is beginning their adolescent stage and their rate of development slows down from here. All their senses should be developed by this stage.
4 Months – 9 Months
Your American Bully becomes a teenager at the age of 4 months, and they will start showing signs of dominance making it the right time to train them to reinforce positive behavior to prevent the development of undesirable ones.
They also need to be mentally and physically stimulated to avoid destructive behavior.
They become sexually mature at 6 months old, but it does not mean they should mate as they are still puppies. You can talk to your vet about spaying or neutering your puppy at this stage.
Behavioral issues such as disobedience and hostility may emerge at this stage, and this is when they become picky on whom they consider
10 Months – 18 Months
At this stage, your puppy will attain their adult height and weight. They will be switching from puppy food to adult food and require to be exercised to avoid diseases such as diabetes and obesity.
Your puppy’s growth plates begin to close and harden during this time.
Underweight Bullies may continue to grow until the age of 18 months while overfed dogs may stop growing as early as 10 months.
Adult
As an adult, your American Bully has stopped growing; all they require is a balanced diet and good exercise to maintain a healthy weight and remain healthy.
Regular visits to the vet should be included in their schedule so that any health conditions can be caught at early stages.
How Big Do American Bullies Get?
The most common American Bullies are the standard ones.
When they are fully grown, the females weigh between 40 and 60 pounds with a height of around 16 and 19 inches while the males weigh between 50 and 70 pounds with a height of about 17 and 20 inches.
Figuring out how big your American Bully will get is crucial because you may not have the luxury of owning a house with a backyard or living in a big apartment that a large dog needs.
Looking at the parents is one way of figuring out the future size of your Bully. Males usually take after their father while females take after their mother.
Another way is to look at the paws, if they are unusually large, chances are your puppy is still growing and will be a big dog.
Doing a DNA test and checking the American Bully growth chart can also help you estimate the adult size of your American Bully.
American Bully Puppy Size Chart
American Bullies come in different sizes, and you should consult with your breeder or vet to know the exact size of your Bully.
This is because they can provide you with more accurate information based on your puppy’s bloodline and weight chart.
The different sizes of American Bullies include Standard, classic, pocket, and XL. You should remember that your puppy may not fall perfectly into one of the different sizes as they have different weights and heights.
The Standard American Bully weighs between 40 and 70 pounds with a height of between 16 and 20 inches.
The Classic American Bully weighs between 60 and 120 pounds and has a height of between 16 and 20 inches.
The Pocket American Bully weighs between 25 and 50 pounds with a height of between 13 and 17 inches. Finally, the XL American Bully weighs between 100 and 120+ pounds with a height of around 19 to 23 inches.
Bully | Female Height | Male Height |
---|---|---|
14 - 27 inch | 13 - 16 inch | |
Standard | 17 -29 inch | 16 - 19 inch |
XL | 20 - 23 inch | 19 - 22 inch |
Will Neutering/Spaying My American Bully Affect His Growth?
There is a relationship between spaying/neutering and growth. The sex hormones are removed during these procedures which are necessary for development. You cannot spay or neuter the puppy at two months because it is unnecessary.
The best age to neuter or spay your American Bully is between four to nine months.
It is at this stage that the females get their heat cycle and hence can be spayed if there are no plans of breeding them. However, waiting until your dog has stopped growing is the best time to spay or neuter your dog.
Pros
- Neutering prevents testicular cancer
- It also affects their behavior because they don’t wander away and do not develop aggressive behavior.
- Spaying prevents unwanted pregnancies
- Minimizes the risks of UTIs, ovary cancer, and breast cancer.
Cons
- Neutering or spaying can affect the growth of the American Bully if done early.
American Bulldog vs American Bully size
Both breeds are large breeds and seemingly similar. They are often mistaken for the American Pitbull and the American Bulldog is slightly larger than the American Bully.
The standard height for the male American Bully is 17 to 20 inches tall and for females 16 to 19 inches.
The male American bulldog is taller and goes to a height of 20 to 28 inches and females reach 20 to 24 inches. Males American Bullies grow up to 110 pounds while American Bulldogs grow up to 120 pounds in weight.
Factors That Affect American Bully Growth
Genetics and gender
The growth of your dog can be affected by genetic health problems. Hence, it is crucial to ask the breeder to look at the puppy’s parents and their health records.
Genetics will let you know which diseases your dog is prone to or what your dog will look like as an adult.
Female dogs are usually smaller than their male counterparts.
Nutrition
It is important to feed your dog but most importantly is the type of food you feed them. It is not right to hop into Amazon and buy the first kibble bag you see.
Having an inappropriate diet can mess up your dog’s life.
Unsuitable food can cause health problems or stunt your dog’s growth. Buy your American Bully food from smaller brands with protein-based recipes.
Physical activity and health
Physical activities will help in maintaining your dog’s health. Exercise helps your dog to remain at the right weight and be physically fit.
The overall health of the dog is also important in the growth curve and the health problems later.
How Much to Feed a Growing American Bully Puppy
Puppies who are under four months should be given three meals a day. Puppies who are four to 10 months should be given up to five meals a day.
When the puppy is ten months and above, should be given three to four meals a day.
These meals combined with an active lifestyle full of activities like hiking, running, and playing games will give your American Bully a healthy life.
Given the dog, one giant meal a day is not a good idea. This may lead the dog to have low blood sugar.
When the time intervals are too long between the feedings it can hurt the dog. This can make the dog develop bloat which usually affects large dogs and is usually fatal at some point.
How To Tell If Your American Bully Is Underweight or Overweight
When you look at your American Bully, it should have a visible tuck behind the chest cavity.
The waist also should be visible when viewed from above. The Body score is a score used to determine the ideal weight of pets and it helps determine if the dog is the right weight.
American Bullies’ ideal Body Condition Score is a 3/5 or a 5/9 which indicates that they are well proportioned.
American Bullies who are too thin fall under 1/5 or 1/9 while obese dogs fall under 5/5 or 9/9. Hence, the dogs that appear on either end need veterinary attention.
An underweight dog has visible ribs, and a visible waist, and their tummies have ribcages.
An overweight dog has no waist and no distinction between the waist and the stomach. The overweight dog also pants a lot when walking and naps more than usual.
What are the most common conditions to be aware of in growing America Bully puppies?
If you are not familiar with the American Bully breed, you may get surprised when you learn that they are prone to several health issues.
Understanding the health issues associated with the American Bully is important for informed decisions about their health.
The following health conditions are what to look out for in the American Bullies; Hip Dysplasia, Elbow Dysplasia, Heart Disease, Hypothyroidism, and common allergies like Food allergies, Environmental allergies, and Medication allergies. They also experience eye and skin problems.
Do American Bullies Experience Growing Pain
Giant breeds like American Bully are prone to disorders of the bones and joints during the growing stage. These disorders include panosteitis, hypertrophic osteochondritis, and osteochondritis dissecans. They usually occur around 12 months and can be quite painful.
The American Bullies are high pain tolerance, but they can suffer quietly hence good to be keen to be able to tell when they have any pain.
What To Do If My American Bully Is Not the Right Weight
When you get a puppy, track its growth by observing the body changes of the dog and learning the standard American Bully size charts.
There are parameters like the age of the dog which can tell if the weight is appropriate for the puppy’s stage, but it should not be a problem if they are not identical.
An overweight or obese dog shows too much fat on their ribs while an underweight dog has a visible rib cage and looks exhausted. If you notice that your dog is overweight or underweight consult a vet. This is a serious problem.
When your dog is obese:
- Change the diet by introducing balanced and healthy meals.
- Do not give treats to your dog
- Exercise your dog daily through games, runs, and hikes.
If you have done all that and your dog is still obese, visit the vet because there could be hidden health problems.
When the dog is underweight:
- Check the back of the dog food because the first ingredient should be real proteins.
- Do not choose dog food with fillers like corn or soy or meat by-products.
- Provide your dog with a daily dose of vitamins, proteins, carbs, and minerals.
- Don’t provide your dog with kibble that has less protein content and high carb content.
- Reduce exercises
How To Help Your American Bully Lose Weight If He Is Overweight
American bullies need puppy food in their early stages but should be moved into grown-up food after one year to aid in their weight control.
Adhering to the feeding suggestion in the food you choose for your dog is vital because it can lead to obesity or other medical problems.
Avoiding high-fat treats is also crucial in your dog’s diet. Having a good choice of treats involves those made with protein to help them get in shape.
When you find that your American Bully is overweight change the diet to low calories which has high protein and is free from carbs because they function as pointless fillers.
Consider exercising your dog regularly but do not overdo it because the added weight he has can strain his joints.
How To Properly Weight My American Bully
Getting an accurate measurement of your American Bully weight helps in determining its size category.
The most important way to do this is by taking your dog to the vet but if you don’t have enough time to get to the vet. The following are simple ways to get the right measurement of your American Bully:
- First, you need the digital scale online or at any hardware store.
- The second thing is you need something that the dog can stand on while being weighed. For small dogs, a bathroom scale works but for the American Bully, you need a large piece of cardboard.
- Place the digital scale on the floor, ensure it is flat, then have your dog stand on the scale while being held steady by someone. When the dog stands still, take the weight measurement.
- When you get the weight of your dog, use the weight chart to determine the size category it belongs to. This will help you to get their expected adult weight.
American Bully Genetics and Common Health Problems
Hip dysplasia – this condition is usually undetectable till the dog gets to adulthood. It is a deformation when there is an abnormal growth of the hip joint leading to a deformity that affects the dog’s mobility.
Patellar luxation – this is an abnormal growth of the kneecap which later dislocates causing severe pain and limping.
Cleft palate/lip – this is a condition that represents the malfunction of the top lip and mouth. It does not affect the lifespan, but it interferes with the general quality of the dog’s life. This condition requires cosmetic surgery to improve the general lifestyle of the dog.
Demodectic mange – the American Bully do not have a rich double coat hence it is easy to notice the demodectic mange in them. This is a condition that causes scabs and hair loss.
Congenital heart failure is also known as an enlarged heart which is a condition that leads to fluids being released into the body. These American Bullies have giant hearts.
Ichthyosis is a skin condition that causes the peeling and thickening of the paw pads of the dog.
Atopy is a common skin allergy and causes discomfort hence should be treated.
Cataracts are another eye disease that affects the American Bully causing vision loss and can be corrected with surgery. Progressive Retinal Atrophy is an eye disease that disintegrates the eyesight of the dog while leading to blindness.
Final Words
The American Bully growth chart is a valuable resource for anyone who owns a bully or wants to get one.
American Bullies go through a lot of changes in their first year of life and knowing what to expect will ensure that they receive the best care possible.
Your puppy must maintain a healthy weight throughout their life and the steps mentioned in this article will help them lose or gain weight if their weight is not ideal for their age category.