Bull Terrier

Coat and looks how to spot one

short, flat and glossy

The coat is short and lies flat, with a harsh feel and a noticeable shine, and a softer undercoat can grow in during winter. Underneath is a compact, heavily muscled body. The head is the signature feature: long, deep and smoothly curved from the flat top of the skull down to the nose, giving the famous egg-shaped profile, set off by small, triangular, deep-set eyes and naturally upright ears.25

Personality what they are like

A cheerful, bold and spirited companion that tends to treat life as a game. Bull Terriers are warm and loving with their family and generally steady in mood. They are clever but independent thinkers, so they learn best with patient, consistent and upbeat training, and early socialisation helps them grow into relaxed, well-mannered adults. They are not especially noisy and usually bark only when something warrants it.2845

Daily activity how busy a day looks

An energetic breed. Plan on roughly 40 minutes to an hour of exercise daily, made up of lead walks and play in a securely fenced area. They enjoy dog sports such as obedience, agility, tracking, flyball and carting.468

Grooming and care the hands-on bits

Low-maintenance coat: a weekly brush or rub-down with a grooming mitt keeps it tidy and shiny. Shedding is average. Add routine nail trims and tooth brushing.648

Home where they are happiest

Adapts to a house or a flat if it gets enough daily exercise. A securely fenced garden is ideal, and the dog should be supervised outdoors rather than left to roam.4

Food basics what goes in the bowl

A complete, good-quality dog food suited to its age and activity level. Their stocky build makes portion control important, so measure meals and count treats.4

Company who they like around

A people-focused breed that loves attention and wants to be part of family life. Early and ongoing socialisation with people and other dogs is recommended.734

The story where it all began

The breed grew out of the early 19th-century 'bull and terrier' crosses in England, which mixed the old English Bulldog with terriers. In the 1850s the Birmingham dog dealer James Hinks set out to refine this type, crossing it with the now-vanished White English Terrier and, according to various accounts, adding Dalmatian, Spanish Pointer and other blood. He wanted a cleaner outline, straighter legs and a better head. His all-white dogs caused a stir at shows in 1862 and became fashionable among well-to-do young men of the Victorian era. The Bull Terrier Club was founded in 1887. Breeders gradually lengthened and curved the head, and in 1917 a dog named Lord Gladiator appeared with no stop at all, the first with the fully modern egg-shaped profile. Coloured Bull Terriers were bred back into the line in the early 20th century and became common in the 1920s, and the AKC gave them their own variety in 1936. In the US the breed has been AKC-recognised in the Terrier Group since 1885.32698

Recognised by the official bits

FCI

Standard No. 11, Group 3 (Terriers), Section 3 (Bull type Terriers); definitive acceptance 26 Jun 1993; current standard published 5 Jul 2011; country of origin Great Britain1

The Royal Kennel Club

Terrier Group; not a vulnerable native breed6

AKC

Terrier Group; recognised 1885; coloured variety recognised as a separate variety in 19368

UKC

Terrier Group; recognised 19485

Popularity Ranked 86th of AKC-registered breeds in 2025 (72nd in 2024)11